Does Anyone Else Have Trouble Watching Videos on Facebook Live Feed
We look at what you can do to get things working if you can't live stream to Facebook. Facebook Live is great when it works with a free streaming service for video at up to 1080p. Outages are rare but do happen occasionally.
The first thing you must do if you are using a streaming solution using the Facebook API is check the status of the platform.
Here is the link to the Facebook for Developers Platform Status
https://developers.facebook.com/status/dashboard/
Note – if you are using RTMPS rather than the API it might still be worth checking the Dev Platform link as there may be wider issues that apply to both the API and manual streaming.
Note 2 – Failures using Facebook's Live API are notably frequent throughout 2020 and into 2021. It's not always clear if the problem is poor implementation by 3rd party developers or due to failures and/or updates by Facebook themselves. Sometimes security updates require users to re-associate their account. This can be as simple as logging out then back in to Facebook on the device or software running the API.
If the Developer Platform Status is clear then before spending too much time trouble shooting your own setup hop onto Google and Twitter to check for Facebook outages.
If there's a major problem with the platform (which may also affect Instagram and WhatsApp) then you probably need to look at the alternative options further down this page. Note: Facebook itself may still work but the live streaming feature could be down altogether, just API or just manual RTMPS streaming.
In 2022 we started to see some really huge outages in other services including Amazon Web Service (AWS) and Cloudflare that had an adverse effects on many other parts of the web. Facebook, your own internet service provider and many other web infrastructure providers are interdependent. So it's fair to say that Meta/Facebook themselves have no faults but users may not be able to use their services because of a 3rd party problem.
Live Streaming from a Web Browser
The most simple way to go live on with video online using a computer is using your Internet browser with either a webcam or a UVC video capture device such as a Blackmagic ATEM Mini.
You must give your web browser permission to access your camera and microphone or it won't work. if you've previously blocked access then you will need to allow it. Check the browser bar area for notifications.
If you see and unsupported browser message when trying to go live then it could be that you simply need to try a different browser. If you switch from Chrome to Firefox and it works then that may resolve the problem.
It might be that either the browser developer or that the platform itself need to update code at their end to resolve the issue for users. It's unusual for a problem like this to persist for long with current browsers and operating systems. If you're using an older operating system that is no longer updated then you may find that it's time to upgrade.
Check your kit – it may need an update
Some users don't update their live streaming equipment in a regular basis – using old versions of software or firmware can leave you with an incompatible version that won't work. Always check for software or firmware updates that may be required to restore connectivity to Facebook Live.
We are now at a stage where some hardware and software is old enough to be incompatible with direct streaming to Facebook Live. Make sure your software or device is capable before doing anything else.
It's good practice to keep your systems up to date. Most firmware updates are free but at some point manufacturers have to give up on older hardware. Software developers will usually patch current releases but if you're running an older version then it may get left behind forcing you to upgrade.
API – Paired Encoders and Software
The API or Application Programming Interface is a function that allows Facebook Live to be integrated into streaming hardware or software. Examples of this are VidiU hardware encoders and software such as vMix.
The API does some behind the scenes work to help make setting up and managing live streams to Facebook easier for the user. Facebook make changes to their live API on a regular basis. Most API changes are well publicised with adequate time for developers to update their devices or software before the changes are rolled out. However, this doesn't always mean that updates work first time, every time, leaving programmers rushing out fixes to users.
We are seeing more instances of the API system itself becoming faulty – either on a regional or global level. If you find the integrated Facebook settings in your hardware or software is not working then try setting up a manual stream using RTMPS and a stream key instead.
Note some devices like the Epiphan Webcaster X2 do not directly support RTMPS and will only work with Facebook via the API or using a 3rd party restreaming service like Switchboard Cloud.
RTMPS – manually streaming directly to Facebook
This is essentially the old fashioned way to go live on the Internet. It doesn't rely on an API working and to be honest is our preferred way of working across all platforms.
Setting up a live stream manually is not as difficult as it may sound. You need two bits of information to configure the stream.
The RTMPS URL is Facebook's server address – this is usually the same for any stream you send. The Stream Key is a dedicated "password" for your Facebook Page or Group. Personal accounts like the screenshot above have a persistent, re-usable key but Pages and Groups generate a fresh key each time you go live.
You can generate these by using a web browser in Facebook – select the Go Live option. When the web page headed "Camera" opens click the "Connect" option.
You can also schedule an event in publishing tools – it'll take you through the setup options and provide an RTMPS and Stream Key.
Enter the address and stream key into your streaming software or hardware. Facebook doesn't need any authentication right now so you can ignore any additional entries/check boxes that you may see.
Once you start streaming you'll see a preview in the browser. At this point you are not live. Press the red Go Live button in the preview windows when you're ready to actually go public.
API and RTMPS not working – try YouTube
If both the API and RTMPS are not working then consider streaming to an alternative service and posting a link to the video on the other platform into your Page feed.
YouTube offer a really good, free streaming service. You can go live on YouTube – view the public stream on YouTube and copy a link to the live video. Paste that link into your Facebook Page. You won't get the same interaction with viewers comments etc but at least people will be able to see the stream while live. You aren't limited to YouTube Live – if you have Vimeo Live or any other CDN such as DaCast then you can paste a link to that also.
Upload the recorded version afterwards
Upload a local recording (or a rip from YouTube) once the event has finished. This will be visible on Facebook natively and viewers can comment, like and share. Not as good as live but better than missing it altogether.
Once Facebook Live is back up you could stream a recording of the event as if it were live using vMix or OBS etc but make it clear in the description that it's pre-recorded. This will support the same interaction as a real live stream with comments from viewers as the event progresses.
Why does Facebook Live go down?
Facebook Live is a free service for users. It's paid for by advertising in much the same way as YouTube Live. In general both services are very reliable but from time-to-time there may be outages.
Global outages of the entire Facebook Live platform are rare but do happen. The API might throw a wobbly (see reasons above) but sometimes the manual RTMPS option works fine. Regional outages are more common with certain users unable to go live depending on where the outage occurs.
It's not me it's you
Being unable to go live is not the same problem as viewers being unable to view your Facebook Live feed properly. Invariably somebody somewhere will have trouble watching a live stream and raise a complaint. 99 times out of 100 it's a problem at the viewer end – either user error, faulty equipment or a poor connection. Often a simple browser refresh restores normal service.
CDNs or content delivery networks use localised servers to relay content around the Internet. Think of it like a mesh or patchwork quilt around the globe. If part of the mesh is damaged then viewers in that area may see a much lower quality version, playback issues or no feed at all.
We recommend monitoring all streams locally on a separate computer/tablet etc to see and hear the public feed for yourself. If it's working well for you but somebody in the comments is complaining then you can rest easy that the problem is not with your stream.
Source: https://www.manchestervideo.com/2019/08/04/facebook-live-not-working/
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