Using an encoder for live event streaming with Microsoft Teams

Note

We're currently still supporting live events. While we still recommend you to upgrade to Teams town halls to take advantage of new features and experiences, your users can continue to schedule events. For more information, see Updates for Town Hall in Microsoft Teams and Teams Live Events.

APPLIES TO: ✔️Meetings ✖️Webinars ✔️Town halls ✔️Live events

Video encoders allow users to produce Microsoft Teams live events via external hardware or software-based solutions.

Overview

An encoder takes audio and video content from various sources you use during a live event such as a camera, a microphone, a desktop screen capture. The encoder compresses and converts that media into a suitable digital format, and sends it to Teams for live streaming to your audience. To learn more about how you can use Teams production technologies (such as NDI) with external encoders, see our Custom Production playbook.

Production workflow when using an encoder

Here's the workflow for producing a Teams Live Event:

For a live event scheduled in Teams or Viva Engage, the Teams Encoder option must be selected. For a town hall, the RTMP-In meeting option must be turned on. This option creates an RTMP endpoint, which is provided with an RTMP(S) URL and corresponding stream key. The URL and stream key are used by the encoder to connect to the RTMP endpoint for the scheduled live event.

Common video encoders used for live streaming

Microsoft validated the video encoders for live streaming with Teams in the following list:

Supported encoders

Encoder Website Encoder Type Native Caption Support
AJA HELO Plus AJA HELO Plus Hardware ✔️
AWS Elemental Live AWS Elemental Live Hardware ✔️
Blackmagic Web Presenter HD Blackmagic Web Presenter Hardware ✔️
Blackmagic ATEM Mini with streaming engine Blackmagic ATEM Mini with streaming engine Hardware
BrandLive BrandLive Service
Epiphan video Pearl Nano Epiphan video Pearl Nano Hardware
FFmpeg FFmpeg Software ✔️
Haivision Haivision Makito X4 Hardware ✔️
Live Arena AI Producer Live Arena AI Producer Service
Magewell Ultra Encode AIO Magewell Ultra Encode AIO Hardware ✔️
Matrox Monarch EDGE Series Matrox Monarch EDGE Series Hardware ✔️*
Newtek TriCaster 2 Elite Newtek TriCaster 2 Elite Hardware
Open Broadcaster Software (OBS Studio) Open Broadcaster Software Software
Socialive Socialive Service
StreamYard StreamYard Service
Telestream Wirecast Telestream Wirecast Software
Teradek Prism Flex Teradek Prism Flex Hardware ✔️
vMix vMix Software
XSplit Broadcaster XSplit Broadcaster Software

*Native caption support coming soon

Event Setup