In a Real-Time Broadcast, your VOD content is delivered as a livestream with no replay. Users must tune in at a specified time to start watching. If they join late, they'll miss part (or all) of the screening.

To enable Real-Time Broadcasting, first create a Video On Demand screening, or VOD + Live if your event will also contain a livestream Q&A.

Set the screening's availability window to your desired broadcast window, and then select the Play VOD content as a single real-time broadcast checkbox, as shown below:

Be sure to enter accurate start and end times, as these will control when the system initiates the Real-Time Broadcast as well as what time your audience will be instructed to tune in!

You can add multiple films, pre-rolls and post-rolls just as you would for a typical VOD screening. In a Real-Time Broadcast, the screening will play as a single run of show with no ability for users to skip, fast forward, or rewind.

If your screening contains a livestream, the transition from Real-Time Broadcast into the livestream is seamless! Once the film broadcast ends, the livestream window will open and start automatically for your audience.

Please note that a livestream in a Real-Time Broadcast event can only be scheduled to play after the film content.

Real-Time Broadcasts can now be set to automatically transition into Video On Demand playback after their initial real-time playback session has concluded. Live chat will remain after the transition, allowing for live chat alongside on-demand VOD assets.

After enabling Real-Time Broadcast by selecting "Play VOD content as a single real-time broadcast" on your virtual screening, the option to transition to on-demand viewing will appear at the bottom of the Real-Time Broadcast information box.

Select the checkbox to enable VOD transition:

The virtual content will now be available as a VOD film after the Real-Time Broadcast concludes. The screening will be available until the end of the screening's availability window.

Your Real-Time Broadcast includes a live chat window alongside the player window. This is a great way to create a shared participation experience for your viewers!

You can moderate and/or disable the chat from your Livestreaming Hub, accessible by navigating to Virtual Screenings --> Livestreaming Hub.

Only film content and .SRT or .VTT closed caption files uploaded directly into the Eventive VOD system can be streamed using Real-Time Broadcasting. Therefore, the $0.99 DRM unlock fee will be incurred on each virtual ticket unlock. External content won't work.

If there is incompatible content included in the run of show, you will see a red alert message warning you that some content will not play. Please contact us if you have any questions about content compatibility.

Your audience isn't always punctual (especially on their couch!). We recommend adding pre-roll to the screening to add a little buffer time before the main event.

Audience members are able to pause once for up to 90 seconds during the real-time broadcast, but no longer. After 90 seconds paused, the screening window will be forced to play to keep up with the live content.

To quality check the uploaded film content, navigate to Films --> View --> then click "Preview" in the Virtual Content box to quality check the uploaded film.

You can also test the content by creating a duplicate screening, turning off RTB on the duplicate, and using Admin Preview. Please note that you cannot preview film content on the actual RTB event. You must create a duplicate non-RTB event in order to preview the VOD content.

Learn more about testing your events here.