Overview
What is QuickTime Broadcaster?
QuickTime Broadcaster is Apple’s live encoding software for streaming audio and video over the Internet. QuickTime Broadcaster captures and encodes audio and/or video into QuickTime compatible formats including H.264, the latest standards-based codec in the industry.
What is live encoding?
Live encoding is the process of capturing audio and/or video and compressing it in real-time.
What do I need to start broadcasting?
In order to start broadcasting with QuickTime Broadcaster, you need a video input source (FireWire-based video input) and/or an audio input source (DV audio from FireWire, USB audio, or analog audio) and access to the Internet. It is recommended that you have at least a broadband connection to the Internet in order to broadcast.
To how many viewers can QuickTime Broadcaster deliver a live event?
QuickTime Broadcaster sends out a single stream that can be viewed by one QuickTime Player on a standards-compliant device. If more than one QuickTime Player will view your broadcast you will need access to a streaming server or a multicast-enabled network. For more information about using a streaming server with QuickTime Broadcaster or multicasting please visit QuickTime Broadcaster Help, located under the Help menu in the application.
What is new in QuickTime Broadcaster 1.5?
QuickTime Broadcaster 1.5 includes a number of enhancements over previous versions including:
- H.264 support. Broadcast live events using the state-of-the-art H.264 video codec built-in to QuickTime 7.
- Increased performance. Deliver 640x480, 30fps broadcasts for a TV-like experience on your Mac or Windows PC.
- Enhanced 3G support. Produce live events for delivery over high-speed mobile networks to a wide range of multimedia enabled handsets.
How much does QuickTime Broadcaster cost?
QuickTime Broadcaster is a free download.
Where can I go for more information about setting up QuickTime Broadcaster?
QuickTime Broadcaster Help contains a great deal of information on setting up QuickTime Broadcaster. You can view Help by clicking on “Help” in the menu bar. Please note: you must be connected to the Internet in order to view QuickTime Broadcaster Help.
Where is my recorded broadcast saved?
The default location for a recorded broadcast is the Movies folder in your home directory [/Users/“user name”/Movies]. This can be changed to another location in the QuickTime Broadcaster Preferences menu.
Can I run multiple instances of QuickTime Broadcaster on the same computer?
No, you cannot run multiple instances of QuickTime Broadcaster on the same computer. If you need to broadcast more than one bit rate of the same live event, you need a separate Macintosh running QuickTime Broadcaster for each stream.
Can I automate workflows?
QuickTime Broadcaster has support for AppleScript allowing you to automate many broadcast processes, such as starting and stopping a broadcast, selecting audio, video, and network presets, and checking the status of a broadcast. Visit AppleScript to learn more.
Where can I find a list of companies offering webcasting services?
Visit our QuickTime Services page for a list of companies offering webcasting services and more.
Can I use QuickTime Broadcaster to broadcast to mobile phones?
Yes, QuickTime Broadcaster supports delivery to mobile phones. Pease check with your wireless operator to ensure they support RTP/RTSP streaming over their network. Se bure to check the handset to see what codecs they support.
Requirements
What are the system requirements for QuickTime Broadcaster?
- Mac OSX/Server v10.3.9 or later
- Intel or PowerPC G3 or later (G5 or Intel Core Duo processor recommended for H.264 broadcasting)
- 128MB of RAM (512MB recommended for professional broadcasting)
- QuickTime 7 or later
What version of QuickTime do I need to run QuickTime Broadcaster?
QuickTime Broadcaster requires QuickTime 7 or later.
Do I need QuickTime Pro to run QuickTime Broadcaster?
No, QuickTime Pro is not required.
What audio input sources does QuickTime Broadcaster support?
QuickTime Broadcaster supports DV audio from FireWire, USB audio, and analog audio.
What video input sources does QuickTime Broadcaster support?
QuickTime Broadcaster supports digital video (DV) from most FireWire-based cameras and DV to analog converter boxes (e.g. Sony Media Converter).
Troubleshooting
Will my FireWire webcam work with QuickTime Broadcaster?
If your FireWire webcam uses the IIDC specification, Mac OS X v10.2 or later is required for it to work properly with QuickTime Broadcaster. Be sure to check with the manufacturer.
Where can I find out what the error codes mean in QuickTime Broadcaster?
If you receive an error message while broadcasting, you can find out what it means by visiting the Apple Support site.
My viewers cannot see my broadcast. What’s wrong?
If your viewers cannot see your broadcast, make sure that they are attempting to view the broadcast with a version of QuickTime that supports the codecs you have chosen in your video and audio settings. For example, viewers must have QuickTime 7 or later in order to see H.264 broadcasts.
Where can I get technical support for QuickTime Broadcaster?
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with QuickTime Broadcaster, please visit the Apple Support site.
I receive an error when attempting to broadcast with the Automatic Unicast (Announce) feature.
In order to broadcast using the Automatic Unicast (Announce) network transmission feature you must be sending the broadcast to a QuickTime or Darwin Streaming Server. For more information about Automatic Unicast please visit QuickTime Broadcaster Help, located under the Help menu in the application.