In short
- A live feed, a livestream and a recording are three different things with different needs.
- Internet, sound and account access are common causes of trouble, so decide who owns each one early.
- A local backup recording protects you if the connection drops.
- Start with the guide that matches your biggest worry: connection, sound, access, music or hybrid.
“Live” can mean three different jobs. Getting the words straight early saves you from paying for the wrong thing or finding out on the day that something was never planned.
Three things people call “live”
| Term | What it is | Who it serves |
|---|---|---|
| Live feed | Camera video sent to screens inside the venue | People in the room, such as those at the back |
| Livestream | Video sent over the internet as the event happens | Remote viewers |
| Recording | Video saved for later viewing or editing | Everyone, afterwards |
These can be combined, but each one adds equipment, people and checks. Our guide to choosing between live feed, livestream and recording goes through the choice, and planning a livestream from the first brief shows what to write down.
The decisions that cause the most trouble
Connection. Decide who is responsible for internet and what to ask the venue. Then agree what happens if the stream drops.
Sound. What the room hears and what viewers hear are separate. See livestream sound and in-room sound.
Access and ownership. Choose public or private access and settle who owns the streaming account before the day.
Music. Streaming a show with songs raises licence and platform questions. Read streaming a performance with copyrighted music. Tell us the venue and date, and we confirm what is realistic for your stream.
Hybrid and special cases
For events with online speakers, read recording online and in-room speakers and rehearsing with remote speakers. For family occasions, see remote viewing for relatives who cannot attend. For captions on screen, see displaying captions during a live event.
After the stream
Decide whether you need a polished edit as well as the live recording, and understand live switching versus editing later. Agree how the recording is handed over.
When you are ready to plan, the livestream planning checklist pulls these points into one list. Our event livestreaming service describes how we work.
Tell us the date, the venue and who needs to watch remotely. We will explain what a stream involves for your event and confirm what is possible for your date.
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