Creating IPTV channels

Create IPTV Internet Protocol Television channels to allow end users to access TV content. You can have an unlimited number of channels. You can also edit or delete an IPTV channel.

Before you can create a channel, you must do the following:

Configure your streaming server, for example, Flussonic, Wowza, or Nimble.
If you want to provide catch-up TV, add your DVR Digital video recording storage locations.

Read about Adding DVR storage locations

Information

IPTV channels are only available to subscribers when they are included in a service package which is part of a defined tariff plan.

Read about Service packages and tariff plans

To create a new IPTV channel

Navigate to IPTV channels > Channels.
Select + Add a channel.
Add the channel details.

Get detailed information on the available settings
To add the output stream, do the following:
1. In the Basic section, select Add stream.
2. Add the output stream details.
  
  Get detailed information on the available settings
  
  Tip
  
  MinistraPRO allows you to set multiple streams for each channel, to provide the optimal format or protocol for viewer platforms such as Tizen, LG, iOS, and so on.
3. Select Save.
  
  The output stream is added to the channel.
Select Save.

The channel is added to the list of IPTV channels, and you can update the order in which the channels are displayed.

Read about Organizing IPTV channels

To edit an IPTV channel

Navigate to IPTV channels > Channels.
From the list of channels, for the channel you want to edit, select > Edit.
Edit the channel as required.

Get detailed information on the available settings
Select Save.
If required, update the order of the your channels.

Read about Organizing IPTV channels

To delete an IPTV channel

Navigate to IPTV channels > Channels.
From the list of channels, for the channel you want to delete, select > Delete.

The channel is no longer available.
If required, update the order of your channels.

Read about Organizing IPTV channels

Channel details

Basic settings

Setting	Description
Channel number	The number of the channel in your channel list, for example, 2043. You can have an unlimited number of channels. The channel number is displayed in IPTV channels > Organize channels. Read about Organizing IPTV channels
Channel name	The name of the channel. You can use letters A to Z, numbers 0 to 9, and the following symbols: !@#$^&*()_-+:;,.
Genre	The primary genre of the channel. MinistraPRO provides default genres. Genres can be added, removed, or edited in IPTV channels > Genres. Read about Adding categories and genres
Languages	The languages used by the channel. You can select multiple languages.
Volume Correction	Information This setting is supported only for Linux STB Set-top boxs. To correct the volume across all of your platforms, we recommend you configure the volume level in the streaming server. For example, if you are using the Flussonic streaming server, refer to https://flussonic.com/doc/change-stream-volume/ Allows you to adjust the value by which the audio output of the channel is higher or lower than the default value. The value you add is divided by 10. For example, if you set the volume correction to -5, the audio output is reduced by 2.5. This setting does not change the volume indicator values displayed by the STB Set-top box.
Channel logo	The logo for the TV channel. You can add the TV channel logo in its original format, or resize the image. We recommend a maximum file size of 1 MB.
Output streams	Read about Output stream details

DVR settings

Information

MinistraPRO can synchronise DVR Digital video recording settings with Flussonic.

Read about Flussonic integration

Setting	Description
Type	The type of DVR Digital video recording recorder, for example, Flussonic DVR or Nimble DVR.
Storages	Information Available only when a value is selected in Type. The storage server for the DVR Digital video recording recorder selected in Type. Select inside the Storages field to see the list of available storage servers. Read about Adding DVR storage locations
Stream ID	The stream ID for the DVR Digital video recording recorder. For example, the stream ID of the Flussonic stream URL `https://dvr.ministra.pro/infomir/index.m3u8` is infomir.
Duration	The maximum amount of time, in hours, that content is archived, or that live content can be paused or rewound. The duration must match the duration configured on the storage server.

EPG Electronic programming guide settings

EPGs provide your subscribers with listings for upcoming IPTV programming.

Setting	Description
XMLTV ID	The value of the `id` attribute of the `channel` element in the EPG Electronic programming guide XML source file. For more information about the XMLTV format, refer to https://wiki.xmltv.org/index.php/XMLTVFormat If you are using multiple EPG Electronic programming guide files, you can prefix the the XMLTV ID with the EPG Electronic programming guide filename using the format `<prefix> <XMLTV ID`. For example, you have three channels, Eurosport, HBO, and TLC. You do not have an EPG Electronic programming guide source that contains EPG Electronic programming guides all of the channels, but you find two sources that cover all three channels. EPG Electronic programming guide source 1 with the prefix 1_ contains: `channel_id = "HBO"` `channel_id = "Eurosport"` EPG Electronic programming guide source 2 with the prefix 2_ contains: `channel_id = "TLC"` `channel_id = "Eurosport"` The `channel_id` for Eurosport is the same in both sources. With the prefix, you can specify from which source to take the EPG for the Eurosport channel. You have decided to take the EPG from the second source for Eurosport. The XMLTV ID for these three channels would be written as follows: `HBO` `TLC` `2_Eurosport` Read about Managing EPGs
Time correction for EPG Electronic programming guide	The time zone adjustment, in hours, to align an EPG Electronic programming guide with the channel. For example, an EPG Electronic programming guide is for Australia at UTC+09:30 but the channel is being broadcast in Europe at UTC+02. The time correction value would be -7:30.

Setting

Description

XMLTV ID

The value of the id attribute of the channel element in the EPG Electronic programming guide XML source file. For more information about the XMLTV format, refer to https://wiki.xmltv.org/index.php/XMLTVFormat

If you are using multiple EPG Electronic programming guide files, you can prefix the the XMLTV ID with the EPG Electronic programming guide filename using the format <prefix> <XMLTV ID.

For example, you have three channels, Eurosport, HBO, and TLC. You do not have an EPG Electronic programming guide source that contains EPG Electronic programming guides all of the channels, but you find two sources that cover all three channels.

EPG Electronic programming guide source 1 with the prefix 1_ contains:

channel_id = "HBO"

channel_id = "Eurosport"
EPG Electronic programming guide source 2 with the prefix 2_ contains:

channel_id = "TLC"

channel_id = "Eurosport"

The channel_id for Eurosport is the same in both sources. With the prefix, you can specify from which source to take the EPG for the Eurosport channel.

You have decided to take the EPG from the second source for Eurosport. The XMLTV ID for these three channels would be written as follows:

HBO

TLC

2_Eurosport

Read about Managing EPGs

Time correction for EPG Electronic programming guide

The time zone adjustment, in hours, to align an EPG Electronic programming guide with the channel.

For example, an EPG Electronic programming guide is for Australia at UTC+09:30 but the channel is being broadcast in Europe at UTC+02. The time correction value would be -7:30.

Parental control settings

Parental controls allow your subscribers to restrict access to a channel.

Setting	Description
Age restriction	Enables password restriction for the channel, for example, to prevent children accessing unsuitable content. To access the channel, the end user needs to enter the account PIN. By default the EPG Electronic programming guide for password restricted channels is visible. Contact support if you do not want the channel to be visible. Information All devices for the account use the same password for accessing age-restricted content. You can configure the password in the account of the subscriber. Read about Subscriber accounts

Setting

Description

Age restriction

Enables password restriction for the channel, for example, to prevent children accessing unsuitable content. To access the channel, the end user needs to enter the account PIN.

By default the EPG Electronic programming guide for password restricted channels is visible. Contact support if you do not want the channel to be visible.

Information

All devices for the account use the same password for accessing age-restricted content.

You can configure the password in the account of the subscriber.

Read about Subscriber accounts

Output stream details

Output streams are used to deliver IPTV content to a subscriber device.

Tip

Follow the guidelines for streaming formatting, such as for HLS HTTP live streaming, DASH Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP, MPEG Moving picture experts group, and so on. The following stream formats are recommended for smooth playback on all platforms.

Streaming protocols:
- MPEG-DASH for Tizen and WebOS
- HLS for iOS, Android, and Linux STB Set-top boxs
Video codec: H.264 AVC using baseline and main profiles
Video container: MP4
Audio format: AAC
Subtitles format: WebVTT

For vendor-specific supported formats, refer to the vendor documentation.

Linear stream settings

Linear streams are used to deliver live IPTV Internet Protocol Television programming.

Setting	Description
Channel URL	The URL of the live broadcast stream. An example of an HLS stream is https://streamer.example.com/stream_name/index.m3u8 An example DASH stream is https://streamer.example.com/stream_name/index.mpd.
Temporary URL	The encoding that is used to ensure the viewer has permission to access the stream. Read about Configuring temporary URL protection
Enable monitoring	Allows MinistraPRO to check the availability of the channel URL. Caution If you select Enable Monitoring for an output stream and that stream stops working, MinistraPRO switches the channel to a lower-priority output stream. MinistraPRO may display unexpected behaviour if all the streams that are available to the watcher are not working.
FAST channels link	Enables free ad-supported streaming television (FAST).

DVR stream settings

DVR Digital video recording streams are used for catch-up IPTV Internet Protocol Television programming and allow for pausing, rewinding, and fast-forwarding media.

Setting	Description
Channel URL	The URL used for DVR Digital video recording.

Filter settings

Filters are used to deliver the relevant stream to a subscriber device when you are configuring multiple streams for a single channel. Filters are run sequentially based channel priority.

Setting	Description
Multi Filter	If the user's device matches the specified filter, then the streaming link is available to the user. Read about Creating filters If you are using a single stream for all devices, leave the filter field blank.
Priority	The place in the filter sequence when this filter is run. The highest priority is 0. You can set the same priority for multiple output streams. Where multiple streams have the same priority, channel watchers are distributed equally among the output streams. Tip If you select Enable Monitoring for an output stream and that stream stops working, MinistraPRO switches the channel to a lower-priority output stream.

Setting

Description

Multi Filter

If the user's device matches the specified filter, then the streaming link is available to the user.

Read about Creating filters

If you are using a single stream for all devices, leave the filter field blank.

Priority

The place in the filter sequence when this filter is run. The highest priority is 0.

You can set the same priority for multiple output streams. Where multiple streams have the same priority, channel watchers are distributed equally among the output streams.

Tip

If you select Enable Monitoring for an output stream and that stream stops working, MinistraPRO switches the channel to a lower-priority output stream.

DRM

DRM is used to protect copyrighted content and prevent unauthorized use of output streams.

Read about Digital rights management

Setting	Description
Enable DRM	Enables DRM for the output stream.
DRM Group	The DRM security group for the output stream. Read about Digital rights management
DRM Type	The DRM type for the output stream. The following types are available: Widevine, by Google, for Android Fairplay, by Apple, for iOS Playready, by Microsoft, for webOS and Tizen

Setting

Description

Enable DRM

Enables DRM for the output stream.

DRM Group

The DRM security group for the output stream.

Read about Digital rights management

DRM Type

The DRM type for the output stream.

The following types are available:

Widevine, by Google, for Android
Fairplay, by Apple, for iOS
Playready, by Microsoft, for webOS and Tizen

Load balancing

Load balancing is used to evenly distribute traffic and fully optimize server performance.

Read about Enabling load balancing server monitoring

Setting	Description
Enable load balancing	Enables load balancing servers to be used for this channel.
Streaming servers	The names of the load balancing servers that can be used for this channel. Read about Add server details
Balancer monitoring	Enables the channel to check the status of the load balancing servers to select the relevant server.

Setting

Description

Enable load balancing

Enables load balancing servers to be used for this channel.

Streaming servers

The names of the load balancing servers that can be used for this channel.

Read about Add server details

Balancer monitoring

Enables the channel to check the status of the load balancing servers to select the relevant server.