As a Live Video Broadcast Host or Presenter, you can broadcast in a Live Video Broadcast booth via your device’s camera and microphone, share your screen, and if enabled, interact with viewers in the booth discussion feed.
If you are assigned as the Host for a Live Video Broadcast booth, you are responsible for starting, ending, and if you wish, recording the broadcast.
In This Article
- Check Your Setup
- Before the Live Video Broadcast
- During the Live Video Broadcast
- Video Settings
- After the Live Video Broadcast
Check Your Setup
Before your event, perform the following service checks using the network and device (i.e., laptop, desktop) that you plan to use for your Live Video Broadcast:
| You can also run the TokBox Service Check from your Live Video Broadcast booth. Click the Video Settings icon in the video control panel to open the Video Settings popup window. See the Video Settings section below. |
If you receive any errors while using these checks, save a copy of your results in case you need to contact Brazen Support. Start troubleshoot your setup using the information and links below:
- Enable your camera, microphone, and screen share
- macOS first time in-browser camera use (any browser)
- macOS first time in-browser camera use (any browser)
- Allow your browser to share a screen
- Allow your browser to access your camera and microphone
After performing the steps above, run both service checks again. If you still receive errors, please submit a help request and include the following information:
- Copy and paste the orange link provided at the top of the Brazen Service Check page
- Obtain and copy/paste the results from the TokBox Service Check:
- Click Run Test then wait for it to complete.
- Scroll to the bottom and click Save this data as simple text.
If you submit a help request and we are unable to resolve the issue, you will need to work with your IT department to resolve it using our Video Technical Requirements.
Before the Live Video Broadcast
Make sure you have a strong network connection, log in to the event, and look for the Your Booth icon on your assigned Live Video Broadcast booth in the Event Lobby.
| You can begin testing and enabling audio and/or video features beginning 60 minutes prior to the event start time. You cannot access any video broadcast controls before this time. |
- Enter your booth at least 15 minutes before your broadcast start time so you can make sure that your camera, microphone, and screen share are working properly.
- Enable your microphone and camera access on your Mac or PC.
- Enable your screen share permissions if you intend to share a presentation during the live video broadcast.
- Communicate privately with your fellow Presenter(s) in the virtual greenroom. This is a good chance to test your camera, microphone, and screen share permissions. Participants cannot see the broadcast until a Host starts the live video broadcast.
- Monitor the number of viewers that have entered your booth. This helps you decide when it is an appropriate time to start the live video broadcast.
- The Event Lobby shows the Broadcast Schedule. Attendees are automatically notified when the broadcast is about to begin.
| If you are already in your Live Video Broadcast booth before the event begins, your screen will refresh and you will return to the Event Lobby. You must re-enter your Live Video Broadcast booth and re-enable your camera. |
During the Live Video Broadcast
Broadcast indicators
In the upper left corner of the screen, you can see your current broadcast and recording status.
Broadcast status
- Not Live — The broadcast is not visible to the audience.
- Starting — The broadcast is starting and will soon be visible to the audience.
- Live — The broadcast is visible to the audience.
- Stopping — The broadcast is still visible to the audience but will stop shortly.
Recording status
- Not Recording — The broadcast is not being recorded.
- Starting — The recording process has started but is not yet recording.
- Recording — The broadcast is being recorded.
- Stopping — The recording process is stopping but is still recording.
Control Panel
The Live Video Broadcast Host and Presenters have a control panel at the bottom of their screen.
As Host, when you and all Presenters are ready, click the gear icon, then Broadcast, then Start. Select Record if you wish. The broadcast indicators in the upper left corner will change to reflect the current status of the broadcast and recording.
From this panel, you can also:
- Mute your microphone
This function mutes your microphone to prevent the audience or other presenters from hearing you during the broadcast. This functionality is different from muting your computer's sound while sharing your screen, which is described below. - Enable/disable your camera
- Share your screen (one Presenter at a time)
- View the broadcast in full screen
- Control your video settings
In addition, you can focus on one video stream, and disable your camera, mic, and screen share and leave the broadcast (leaving does not end the broadcast itself).
Share your screen
To share your screen, click the screen share icon located between your video and full screen settings in the video control panel. A notification appears if you have not enabled screen share permissions in your browser and system settings. Read about sharing a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation in Google Chrome, MS Edge, Safari, and Firefox.
When you share a tab versus the entire screen or a window, your device's sound is shared along with your screen. This can impact the audio experience for your audience.
To avoid an audio echo while sharing a video in a tab, we recommend muting either your microphone or the Live Video Broadcast presenter window.
To mute your microphone, click the mute icon in the video control panel. This ensure the audience is not hearing your microphone input as well as the video's sound. Don't forget to unmute when you are ready to talk again.
To mute the computer's audio, click the kebab [ 
] menu in your presenter window, then click Mute. The audience only hears the video's sound delivered through your computer's microphone. Click the kebab menu again, then click Unmute to turn the computer's audio back on.
| Muting your computer's audio only applies when sharing a tab. Sharing your screen or window always delivers your microphone's audio input. |
After muting your device's audio, your presentation screen indicates that your audio is muted, but your microphone, which you use to speak to your audience or other presenters, is not muted. The audience will hear the video's sound through your microphone's input, not through the computer's sound.
As Host, you can also mute another Presenter’s screen share audio if needed by using the same menu and selecting Mute.
View in full screen
The Host, Presenters, and Attendees can toggle between standard view and full screen mode by using the full screen button. When in full screen mode, your Event Lobby sidebar is collapsed and your screen displays only the Live Video Broadcast booth tiles.
Focus on one video stream
The Host, Presenters, and Attendees also have the option to focus on and enlarge one specific video stream within a Live Video Broadcast. Stream focus choice and display is user specific - when a user chooses a stream to focus on it has no impact on the display of video streams for other participants in the booth.
To focus on one stream, click the vertical three-dot menu in the stream’s top right corner and select Focus. Select Unfocus to return to the standard Group Video layout.
Discussion Feed
The Host and any Presenters can make, reply to, and delete comments in the participant Discussion Feed within a Live Video Broadcast booth. As a Host or Presenter, your comments are labeled with your role. Read this article for more information on how to use feeds and access them after the event.
Video Settings
Video Settings allow you to check your audio and video settings on demand within a live video. Video Settings provide immediate access to troubleshoot any audio/video issues as well as select your camera, microphone, and/or speaker.
Use the Video, Audio, and Network Test section to access connection tests. Be sure to save the results to send to Brazen Support for any additional troubleshooting needs. See below for instructions on how to save your results.
| You must enable your camera, microphone, and speaker settings before selecting your them. If you cannot select them from the dropdowns, check your camera and microphone access permissions on your PC or Mac. |
| The Speaker option is only available in Chrome and Edge browsers on desktops. It is not available for mobile users or users of Firefox and Safari on desktops. |
Run a video, audio, and network test
If you have problems with your audio or video during your chat, you can quickly access the necessary tests to check your hardware and software as well as your network connection. Brazen Support needs these test results to identify and troubleshoot the issue.
Click the Video Settings icon in the video control panel to open the Video Settings popup window.
In the Video, Audio, and Network Test section, click Run Test. The Vonage site will open in a new window and begin running the troubleshooting test.
The results appear once the troubleshooting test has completed.
- Hardware and Software Setup — Any audio and video hardware and software Vonage detects on your computer, including any available camera and microphones and your browser compatibility.
- Connectivity to OpenTok Servers — Your connection to the video servers. These results show if you have a failure that may affect your live video experience.
- Expected Call Quality — Your overall audio and video quality, according to Vonage.
Brazen Support needs these test results to determine any necessary troubleshooting. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and click Save this data as simple text to open the Precall Results Summary popup window. If you run into technical issues, copy or take a screenshot of these results and send them to Brazen Support to review.
Select your camera, microphone, and/or speaker
You can change the camera, microphone, or speaker used during your chat. This is useful if you want to use a different device than your computer default or if your current device is not working properly. Brazen automatically detects any available devices and displays them in dropdown menus.
Click the Video Settings icon in the video control panel to open the Video Settings popup window.
Scroll down to the Input Devices section. Click the Camera, Microphone, or Speaker dropdown menu to view and select from the available devices. Your video will immediately switch to the selected camera, microphone, and speaker.
If you cannot select a device or your device does not appear in the dropdown menu, check that you did not block your camera, microphone, or speaker on your browser and that you have enabled the proper permissions on your computer. Read how to enable camera, microphone, and speaker access for your PC or Mac.
Use a virtual background
If enabled, you may either blur the background of your individual live video feed or use a virtual background image during your live video broadcast.
Click the Video Settings icon in the video control panel to open the Video Settings popup window.
Scroll down to the Virtual Background section, and select Blur or one of several provided background images.
You can immediately preview what your video feed will look like in the Video Settings window. Once you're ready, close the window to use your selected background in your live video session.
To turn off a background, open the Video Settings window again, and select None under Virtual Background. Then, close the window.
| Virtual Background is currently a beta feature. Please reach out to your Account Manager if you do not already have this feature enabled or with any feedback you may have. |
After the Live Video Broadcast
If you’re the Host and you are ready to end the broadcast, return to the gear icon and click Stop, then End.
- Once you end the live video broadcast, viewers can no longer see or hear Presenters. You can still communicate privately with other Presenters in the virtual greenroom until the event ends.
- If your video broadcast is still live five minutes before the end of your event, you’ll receive a notification.
- You can continue your live video broadcast for up to 15 additional minutes beyond your event's scheduled end time.
- When you’re ready, simply leave the booth or log out of the event.
- If the Host decided to record the broadcast, your organization’s Brazen Administrator is able to download an .mp4 file of the recording shortly after the broadcast ends. Live Video Broadcast recordings are available for download up to 18 months after the event ends.