Live Recording

This guide covers how to manage, automate, and control live stream recordings on Media Acceleration Live Broadcast using the Recording API.

The recording system is built around three layers:

1. Templates — Define how to record: output format, storage destination, file segmentation, and callback settings.
2. Rules — Define when to record: bind a template to specific streams so recording starts automatically.
3. Real-Time Controls — Record on demand: manually start or stop a recording session for any active stream.

Templates are the foundation. Both Rules and Real-Time Controls reference a template by its templateId, so you must create at least one template before using the other APIs.

All recording APIs share a rate limit of 300 requests per 5 minutes per user. Plan your integration accordingly to avoid throttled requests.

Create Recording Templates (Template APIs)

A Recording Parameter Template tells the system how a recording should behave: where to store the output, how to name the files, when to segment, and where to send callback notifications.

Every recording — whether automated or manually triggered — requires a templateId, so templates are always the first thing you create.

Warning: You cannot delete a template that is currently associated with one or more recording rules. Disassociate the template from all rules before deleting it.

Set Up Automated Recording Rules (Rule APIs)

Once you have a template, you can automate recordings by creating Recording Rules. A rule binds a templateId to one or more live streams so that recording starts automatically whenever those streams go live.

You can target streams at three levels of specificity:

• Delivery Domain — Records all streams under a domain.
• Application Name — Records all streams under a specific application path.
• Stream Name — Records a single, specific stream.

The system applies rules using the longest match principle: a rule targeting a specific stream name takes precedence over a broader domain-level rule. This lets you set wide defaults and override behavior for individual streams when needed.

Warning: You cannot delete a rule that is currently active or executing a recording. Wait for the recording to complete or stop it before deleting the rule.

Trigger On-Demand Recordings (Real-Time Control APIs)

When you need to record a live stream immediately — outside of any automated rule — use the Real-Time Control APIs to start and stop recording sessions manually.

How the workflow connects:

1. Call StartRealTimeRecord with a templateId and up to 5 stream delivery URLs.
2. The API returns a persistentId, which uniquely identifies that recording task.
3. The recording continues until the stream ends naturally or you call StopRealTimeRecord with the same persistentId.

Always store the persistentId returned by the Start API. It is the only way to stop a specific recording session before the stream ends.