Why VOD 2 Live

VOD 2 Live is used because the source is a recorded file, but the experience and timing are controlled like a live publish window.

You upload the intended file(s), select them in a scheduled playlist event, and then route that scheduled playout to your Stream Targets so platforms publish the content within the defined time window.

Why Use MediaCP?

The Media Control panel is a powerful streaming panel that handles audio and video streaming for broadcasters, agencies and providers. We streamline the entire process by combining powerful features with an accessible interface. MediaCP has been in business for twenty years and provide excellent rapid support from real humans helping to keep your broadcasts online. In the case of VOD 2 Live it provides both parts of the workflow in one place:

• Scheduled Playlist for timed playout control (what plays, and when it plays)
• Stream Targets for streaming outputs that follow the station’s scheduled playback window

This allows the schedule to control the start and stop behavior, and allow an automatic timed broadcast to your social platforms and direct viewers.

Step-by-step

1) Create the TV Station service

In MediaCP, use the service creation wizard to create a new MediaCP Video TV Station service.

1. Login as administrator or reseller account.
2. Navigate to the Services tab on left navigation bar.
3. Select Create a New Server.
4. Use the service creation wizard to set the intended customer.
5. Select MediaCP Video.
6. Set the service name and set the Service Type to TV Station.
7. Set the other configuration as preferred and select Create Service.

2) Schedule → Default Playlist (empty)

1. On the newly created service select the TV Schedule tab.
2. Select the Manage Default Playlist button.
3. Remove all files from the default playlist.

This prevents the station from continuously playing a loop of default videos. The station output is then only live during scheduled events or when a live encoder connects.

3) Upload the intended file(s)

Using the Media tab, upload the recorded file(s you want viewers and platforms to receive.

4) Schedule the playlist event

Use the schedule calendar to create a Scheduled Playlist event:

1. Set the event time and date to the decided publish time.
2. Select the colour, loop and overrun settings as preferred.
3. Use the Playlist Builder to select the file(s) that should play during that scheduled event.

When the Scheduled Playlist starts, the station begins playout for that window.

5) Create Stream Targets for destinations

Create Stream Targets for your destinations:

There is no fixed limit to the number of Stream Targets. Create as many Stream Targets as required, each configured to stream to the any of the supported destinations:

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Facebook
• Icecast
• Custom RTMP for other platforms

1. Select Stream Targets.
2. Select Create a New Stream Target.
3. Set the stream target type and follow the setup fields/integration steps.

Once created the Stream Targets will connect and start streaming when the Scheduled Playlist begins and stop when the Scheduled Playlist ends.

Read More

• Understanding Video Playlists
• What’s New in MediaCP 2.16

The post How to use VOD 2 Live to Schedule Social Media Broadcasts appeared first on MediaCP.

This version is now available on the Latest Release Tier

Whats new in MediaCP 2.16?

Read more about What’s new in MediaCP 2.16.

Notices

Video services will be automatically restarted when upgrading

• MediaCP Video Server URL’s now use the /static path by default with backwards compatibility for previous addresses. All users are urged to update encoder connection addresses.
• MediaCP Video Server URLs default to secure rtmps connections on port 1936 or 19366 depending on port availability on your system. rtmp connectivity on port 1935 is still supported.

Improvements

• MCP-3128 Add notice to upgrade to MySQL 8.4
• MCP-3132 Wowza Streaming Engine 4.11 Compatibility

Bug Fixes

• MCP-2918 Flussonic TV services are including 127.0.0.1 in the bandwidth and session reporting data
• MCP-3095 WHMCS not sending password in email
• MCP-3113 Video Format lookup failing in some cases
• MCP-3138 Deleting folders via FTP does not remove them from playlists
• MCP-3141 Sorting services as reseller removes page selection
• MCP-3142 ReplayGain is computed twice when MediaCP supplies :replaygain while Liquidsoap also enables ReplayGain metadata resolution
• MCP-3143 Wowza Live Streaming recording services do not support file management
• MCP-3147 Audio & Video Media Manager raises an error when content path is symlinked
• MCP-3149 TV Station falls through to no-track when a non-looping scheduled playlist completes
• MCP-3150 TV schedule loop defaults to off after 2.16.0 upgrade and on new schedules
• MCP-3151 Wowza VOD Media Manager stuck loading forever “Undefined array key “format_enforcement””

The post 2.16.3 Release Notes appeared first on MediaCP.

Notably, administrators may notice a new notice to upgrade to MySQL 8.4 which is an important task to maintain the stability of the application, as we have noted crashes with earlier versions on newer kernels.

This version is now available on the Latest Release Tier

Whats new in MediaCP 2.15?

Read more about What’s new in MediaCP 2.15.

Notices

Video services will be automatically restarted when upgrading from 2.15.3 or earlier

Changes to Reporting System may take hours to complete when upgrading from 2.15.3 or earlier and server restarts should be avoided

We recommend restarting AutoDJ services after upgrade to take advantage of patches to liquidsoap configurations

Upgrading from 2.14.x? Please refer to Notices section from MediaCP 2.15.0 Release Notes

• When upgrading to 2.15 existing services using Nginx-Rtmp integration will automatically be converted to use MediaCP Video.
• MediaCP Video services use a static streaming link (/static) however existing Nginx-Rtmp services that have been upgraded will still be backwards compatible with their old streaming links.
• Nginx-Rtmp / MCP Video HLS Links are now updated to use the MediaCP URL instead of port 19360 and will begin with either /hls or /vod. The previous URLs on port 19360 are still compatible.

Improvement

• MCP-3128 Add notice to upgrade to MySQL 8.4
• MCP-3132 Wowza Streaming Engine 4.11 Compatibility

Bug Fixes

• MCP-3095 WHMCS not sending password in email
• MCP-3138 Deleting folders via FTP does not remove them from playlists
• MCP-3141 Sorting services as reseller removes page selection
• MCP-3142 ReplayGain is computed twice when MediaCP supplies :replaygain while Liquidsoap also enables ReplayGain metadata resolution

The post 2.15.6 Release Notes appeared first on MediaCP.

The short version

MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. It is an open standard for connecting AI assistants to the software you already use. An MCP server is the piece that sits with the software and gives an assistant a safe, defined way in.

MediaCP describes its own implementation like this, in the panel itself:

The MediaCP Model Context Protocol (MCP) server allows you to integrate MediaCP with AI assistants like Claude and ChatGPT. By connecting your AI to MediaCP, you can manage services, users, and media using natural language commands.

MediaCP Integrations page, System Config

Once it is switched on and your assistant is connected, you ask for something in everyday language and the assistant carries it out inside the panel.

Why does AI need an MCP Server?

An AI assistant without an MCP server is a knowledgeable contractor standing outside a locked building. It can tell you, in general terms, how a streaming panel usually works. It cannot see your stations, your listener figures or your schedule, and it cannot change anything.

The MCP server is the door, with a proper key and a clear list of what the contractor is allowed to touch. It tells the assistant exactly which things it can look at and which actions it can take, works out the shortest route to an answer, and hands the result back.

One question, several tools, one answer

The real power is not any single tool. It is the assistant chaining several of them together in one go, the way you would if you had the time.

Ask why a track repeated and the assistant reads the play history, checks the schedule and inspects the playlist, then tells you which one caused it. Ask for a playlist and it looks at listening figures first, then builds from what your audience actually stayed for. Each step is small. Strung together, they answer questions that used to take three screens and a spreadsheet. These are ordinary sentences, not commands to memorise:

• “When do listeners spend the most time on My Hits Radio? Compare this month with last.”
• “Find the most popular tracks on My Hits Radio this month and propose a playlist.”
• “Show me what is playing now, the current listener count, and whether anything looks wrong.”
• “Read the last 20 tracks played by service 105 and look for repeats.”
• “Draft a maintenance announcement for tomorrow at 10:00 AM.”

What can MCP Server integration achieve?

Our goal is simple: anything you can achieve through the MediaCP interface or the API should be available through the MCP Server as well. Not a cut-down subset, not a handful of read-only lookups, but the same platform you already run, reachable in conversation. That is the standard we are building towards, and each release moves more of the panel across.

Today that already covers:

• Audience insights. Listeners and viewers, sessions and reporting, so you can answer a question about performance without building a report first.
• Media and playlists. Organise your library, build and update playlists, and get the tedious sorting done by describing what you want.
• Scheduling and events. Manage schedules, stream events and announcements, drafted for you and ready to check.
• Live monitoring. Services, stream targets and system statistics, so you can see the state of the platform in one answer.
• DJs and users. Review accounts and access, and handle the routine changes that arrive in ones and twos all week.
• Everyday admin. The general running of the platform, handled through conversation instead of a tour of the menus.

You stay in control

When our team sat down to design this, the first decision was where it should live. The easy route would have been a hosted service: we run the MCP Server, your panel talks out to us, and everything passes through infrastructure you do not own. We did not want to build that, and we did not think you would want to run it.

So the MCP Server ships inside MediaCP. It runs on your own installation, on your own hardware, behind your own firewall. Your stations, your listener data and your customer records never leave the system you already trust with them. You generate the key from your own Integrations page, you decide which assistant gets it, and you can revoke it whenever you like. The assistant is held to exactly the same access rules as the account behind that key.

Nothing is quietly pushed live on your behalf. Reads happen instantly, changes come back as drafts, and you approve them.

Value for both broadcasters and administrators

For a broadcaster, it removes the detective work. A listener emails to say Coastline played twice on Tuesday night. Normally that means opening the play history, cross checking the schedule, then working through the playlist to see whether the track sits in two rotations. Ask the assistant instead and it does all three, then tells you the track appears in both the evening and overnight playlists and offers to remove the duplicate. What was twenty minutes of clicking becomes one question.

For an administrator supporting end users, it shortens every ticket. A customer reports their stream keeps dropping. Rather than asking them for screenshots and account details, you ask the assistant to pull up that service, its recent statistics, its stream targets and its current status, all in one reply. You can check a user’s configuration while you are still reading their message, spot the misconfigured bitrate, and answer with the fix rather than a request for more information.

It also widens who can help. Someone newer on your team can safely handle work that used to wait for whoever knew the panel best, because the assistant does the looking up and the panel still enforces the same permissions.

The MCP Server is available on MediaCP 2.16 or newer with an active Unlimited subscription or Perpetual license. Start small. Pick the question you look up most often, or the report you rebuild by hand every month, and hand that over first.

Read more

• AI Integration & MCP Server
• Shoutcast & Icecast Control Panel
• What Is a Streaming Control Panel?
• Model Context Protocol

The post What is an MCP Server appeared first on MediaCP.

This version is now available on the Latest Release Tier

Whats new in MediaCP 2.16?

Read more about What’s new in MediaCP 2.16.

Notices

Video services will be automatically restarted when upgrading

• MediaCP Video Server URL’s now use the /static path by default with backwards compatibility for previous addresses. All users are urged to update encoder connection addresses.
• MediaCP Video Server URLs default to secure rtmps connections on port 1936 or 19366 depending on port availability on your system. rtmp connectivity on port 1935 is still supported.

Bug Fixes

• MCP-2505 Sequential scheduled events repeat tracks when repeat protection filters playlist positions
• MCP-3037 Customer names with apostrophe’s cause sql syntax error when accepting order
• MCP-3102 Scheduled no-loop audio event terminates early when a prefetched fallback track is mistaken for the last played track
• MCP-3126 Nginx-Rtmp /streamname backwards compatibilty connecting but not streaming
• MCP-3136 Video thumbnails are lost between upgrades
• MCP-3139 Jingles configured with replaygain, x tracks and priority may fail to play

The post 2.16.2 Release Notes appeared first on MediaCP.

This version is now available on the Stable Release Tier

Whats new in MediaCP 2.15?

Read more about What’s new in MediaCP 2.15.

Notices

Video services will be automatically restarted when upgrading

Changes to Reporting System may take hours to complete – avoid server reboots

We recommend restarting AutoDJ services after upgrade to take advantage of patches

Upgrading from 2.14.x? Please refer to Notices section from MediaCP 2.15.0 Release Notes

• When upgrading to 2.15 existing services using Nginx-Rtmp integration will automatically be converted to use MediaCP Video.
• MediaCP Video services use a static streaming link (/static) however existing Nginx-Rtmp services that have been upgraded will still be backwards compatible with their old streaming links.
• Nginx-Rtmp / MCP Video HLS Links are now updated to use the MediaCP URL instead of port 19360 and will begin with either /hls or /vod. The previous URLs on port 19360 are still compatible.

Bug Fixes

• MCP-2505 Sequential scheduled events repeat tracks when repeat protection filters playlist positions
• MCP-3102 Scheduled no-loop audio event terminates early when a prefetched fallback track is mistaken for the last played track
• MCP-3105 Jingles playing twice
• MCP-3126 Nginx-Rtmp /streamname backwards compatibilty connecting but not streaming
• MCP-3136 Video thumbnails are lost between upgrades
• MCP-3139 Jingles configured with replaygain, x tracks and priority may fail to play

The post 2.15.5 Release Notes appeared first on MediaCP.

This version is now available on the Latest Release Tier

Whats new in MediaCP 2.16?

Read more about What’s new in MediaCP 2.16.

Notices

• MediaCP Video services will be restarted during the upgrade process causing momentary disruption
• MediaCP Video Server URL’s now use the /static path by default with backwards compatibility for previous addresses. All users are urged to update encoder connection addresses.
• MediaCP Video Server URLs default to secure rtmps connections on port 1936 or 19366 depending on port availability on your system. rtmp connectivity on port 1935 is still supported.

Improvements

• MCP-1551 Auto detect if SSL certificates are expiring soon or expired and provide information on dashboard to admins about resolving the problem.
• MCP-2887 Add Health Checks for Icecast & KH Binaries
• MCP-2903 Record & Display Service Creation Date
• MCP-2930 Implement Reporting API methods
• MCP-3024 Update to PHP 8.3.32
• MCP-2916 Support customer edits of sound proccessing license and profile selection

Bug Fixes

• MCP-2805 Empty YP Directory URL field results in service not starting
• MCP-2957 FTP accounts with underscores being made with dashes
• MCP-2966 Audio Processing should show Disabled instead of an empty field as a Reseller User viewing a Media Service
• MCP-3020 Disabling HTTP / HTTPS Proxy Support* does not remove link in player
• MCP-3056 Tooltip on customer image hover is difficult to read
• MCP-3082 Reseller cannot enable/disable recording after service creation
• MCP-3097 Reporting 500 Error
• MCP-3098 Database upgrade failing on upgrade to 2.16
• MCP-3099 SMTP certificate verify error due to missing certfile path
• MCP-3101 Playlist Creation Media File Manager Link Broken
• MCP-3103 Liquidsoap Upgrade between 2.14.11 & 2.15.3 Failing
• MCP-3104 Relay connection failed message showing in stream events without any scheduled relay
• MCP-3105 Jingles playing twice
• MCP-3106 Deleting Audio Files Failing
• MCP-3107 Flussonic + MCP Video defaulting panel to 19366 despite using 1936
• MCP-3108 Some non-alphanumeric audio tracks may fail to play
• MCP-3111 FTP Reset Button Broken
• MCP-3113 Video Format lookup failing in some cases
• MCP-3114 FTP login not working on video services
• MCP-3115 Media service may appear twice in service listing
• MCP-3116 Mount Point configuration updates not logged stream events
• MCP-3117 Critical RPC security vulnerability
• MCP-3122 DJ Authentication Fails Intermittently
• MCP-3124 Daily cron maintenance tasks run every minute causing excessive load
• MCP-3127 Healthcheck false positive for apt ffmpeg
• MCP-3129 Audio service track history is occasionally empty

The post 2.16.1 Release Notes appeared first on MediaCP.

SRT stands for Secure Reliable Transport, it is an open source video transport protocol that provides a secure and reliable solution for low latency video transport. The protocol features:

• Encryption – AES 128/256-bit end to end security.
• Packet Loss Recovery – Advanced low latency retransmission techniques to recover lost packets in low latency scenarios
• Timing Recovery – Keeps audio and video streams in sync even in unstable conditions
• Simplified Firewall Traversal – Works well within restrictive networks and corporate firewalls
• Network Health Monitoring – tracks packet loss, latency, and jitter between endpoints

SRT is optimised for packet loss recovery, jitter control, encryption, and resilience over any IP network.

SRT Output

MediaCP Cloud Video provides SRT Destination alongside its other publishing options (YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Icecast and Custom RTMP). This allows broadcasters to stream any platform or stream location that provides an SRT host. It is popular among satellite providers, TV stations and IPTV, giving broadcasters a reliable, direct route to send their stream.

Why Use SRT?

SRT is increasingly required by satellite providers and IPTV platforms as a delivery protocol. Having SRT Destination built into MediaCP Cloud Video means broadcasters can meet that requirement using a publisher, directly from the panel with simple setup and management.

How to Use SRT Destination

When streaming with MediaCP Cloud Video, sending your broadcast to other locations is handled through a set of powerful Publishers covering YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Icecast Server, Custom RTMP, and SRT Destination. Publishers act as exit points for your stream to allow it to be seen on other platforms and locations outside of the standard player and HLS output.

To get started, create a new publisher by selecting the plus button and select SRT Destination. From there you’ll see options for the host, port, latency, and optional encryption. On TV Channels there is the additional option of Live Only which allows you to choose if the publisher should stream uploaded scheduled content or only live encoder connections. Once these have been provided the publisher will start and stop automatically with your broadcast and provide a stable stream to your destination.

Read more

• Cloud Video Broadcasting Platform
• Publishing – MediaCP Cloud Video
• Why SRT | Secure, Reliable Low-Latency Video Streaming

The post SRT Publishing With MediaCP Cloud Video appeared first on MediaCP.

Where does a control panel fit?

A typical broadcast travels through five stages, from the microphone or camera in the room to the player in someone’s hand. The control panel does not replace any of those stages. It sits above them.

The control panel creates channels, configures services, issues encoder credentials, organises media, applies limits and turns server data into a usable dashboard.

This distinction matters. Icecast, for example, is an audio streaming server. Its own administration interface can expose statistics, update metadata and move listeners between mount points. A full control panel normally builds on those server functions and adds scheduling, users, automation, reporting and multi service administration.

The post What Is a Streaming Control Panel? appeared first on MediaCP.

This version is now available on the LTS Release Tier.

Whats new in MediaCP 2.14?

Read more about What’s new in MediaCP 2.14.

Notices

• Upgrading from 2.13.x? Please refer to Notices section from MediaCP 2.14.2 Release Notes
• MediaCP 2.14 is now considered LTS and will from now on only receive security patches. We recommend moving to MediaCP 2.15

Improvement

• MCP-3024 Update to PHP 8.3.32
• MCP-3038 Improve performance on recently played by looking up covers only for the items displayed
• MCP-3039 Improve performance of change to historic table city_id column

Bug Fixes

• MCP-2773 shoutcast tunein url showing Fatal error: Uncaught Error:
• MCP-2989 Icecast connection limit not being respected
• MCP-3033 DST crossover timezone update not applying
• MCP-3034 Upgrading from 2.14.11 to 2.15.2 results in ionCube Encoder fatal error
• MCP-3036 Update GeoIP database for IP locations
• MCP-3037 Some customer names causing syntax error when accepting service
• MCP-3040 Favicon Upload not working on Chrome
• MCP-3052 Debian 13 Installer failing to install Flussonic
• MCP-3053 Selecting IP directs to invalid url
• MCP-3054 AutoDJ disabled filter shows only services with AutoDJ enabled
• MCP-3061 Call to a member function fullTrackList() on null on AudioPlayout priority
• MCP-3069 Video bitrate jumps incorrectly to higher values
• MCP-3076 Wowza Streaming Engine Default Playlists don’t play due to default end date being 2026
• MCP-3086 Support WHMCS 9
• MCP-3090 WHMCS reporting disk limit exceeded ignoring pooled limit
• MCP-3117 Critical RPC security vulnerability

The post MediaCP 2.14.12 Release Notes appeared first on MediaCP.