Managing Live Streams (Organizer Guide) | Planadar Help

Managing Live Streams (Organizer Guide)

Complete guide to setting up and managing live streaming for your virtual and hybrid events.

Creating a Live Stream

Step 1: Access Stream Management

1. Go to your event's Organizer Admin panel
2. Click the "Live Streams" tab
3. Click "Create Stream" or "Add New Stream"

Step 2: Basic Information

• Stream Title (required): Name of the session
• Description: Session overview
• Scheduled Start Time: When stream goes live
• Track Name: Category (e.g., "Main Stage", "Workshop")
• Track Color: For visual organization

Step 3: Configure Provider

Choose your streaming platform:

YouTube Live

• Paste YouTube Live embed URL
• Best for large audiences
• Built-in chat available

Vimeo

• Paste Vimeo Live URL
• Professional quality
• Ad-free experience

Twitch

• Enter Twitch channel URL
• Gaming/tech community
• Interactive features

Zoom

• Paste Zoom webinar embed link
• Familiar interface
• Breakout room support

Custom RTMP

• Enter RTMP URL
• Add stream key
• Full control

Addresses must start with https://. Planadar saves and plays only secure addresses (the embed, HLS and playback addresses), and shows the player inside a sandboxed frame, so the page you paste cannot navigate the event page away or read it. If you paste something else, the form says which field to fix. Only the organizer of the event can create, change or delete its streams.

Step 4: Enable Features

• Chat: Allow audience interaction
• Q&A: Enable question submission
• Reactions: Allow emoji responses

Step 5: Choose Who Can Watch

Every stream has a Who can watch setting, and it covers the stream, its recording, its chat and its Q&A:

• Registered attendees (the default for a new stream): only people registered for the event can watch. A visitor is asked to sign in, and a signed-in person who has not registered is asked to register; neither is given the stream's address. You and the admins can always watch.
• Everyone: anyone who opens the event page can watch, read the chat and play the recording.

The address you paste is kept where only you, the admins and the people who may watch can read it, so it is not in the page of the event for anyone else. A stream that existed before this setting was added was set to Everyone, so nothing changed for it; change it when you want it private. If someone who should watch is not registered (a speaker, a guest), register them for the event first.

Step 6: Save Stream

Click "Save Stream" to create

Going Live

Pre-Stream Checklist

1. Test streaming software
2. Check audio and video quality
3. Verify internet connection
4. Have backup plan ready

Starting the Stream

1. Begin broadcasting from your software
2. In Planadar, click "Go Live"
3. Stream becomes visible to attendees
4. Monitor viewer count

During the Stream

• Monitor Chat: Respond to comments
• Moderate Q&A: Address questions
• Track Viewers: Watch real-time count
• Pin Announcements: Highlight important info

Ending the Stream

1. Click "End Stream" in Planadar
2. Planadar does not record the stream for you: your streaming platform keeps its own copy (YouTube and Vimeo do for a live stream)
3. To put a recording in the On-Demand tab, edit the ended stream and paste the address of the recording (a YouTube or Vimeo link, or a direct video file) into Recording address. It follows the stream's Who can watch setting, so only the people who may watch the stream can play it. Leave the box empty to remove the recording
4. Review stream analytics

Multi-Track Streaming

Setting Up Multiple Tracks

1. Create streams for each track
2. Assign unique track names and colors
3. Schedule non-overlapping times
4. Test all streams before event

Managing Concurrent Streams

• Monitor all streams from dashboard
• Moderate each stream's chat and Q&A yourself: only you, the event's organizer, can pin or delete other people's chat messages and mark questions answered (there are no separate moderator accounts)
• Track attendance across tracks
• Balance technical resources

Stream Troubleshooting

Common Issues

• No Video: Check encoder settings
• Audio Sync: Verify source timing
• Low Quality: Increase bitrate
• Buffering: Check bandwidth

Best Practices

1. Do full rehearsal 24 hours before
2. Have technical support on standby
3. Prepare backup streaming option
4. Monitor viewer feedback

Pro Tip: Always start broadcasting 5 minutes before scheduled time to ensure everything is working!