Troubleshooting
Find your problem below. Each answer explains the cause and what to do, with a link to the full guide.
Quick Checks
Most problems come down to one of these:
- The subscription is active. When it expires, only the Overview opens, and encoders can't connect. See When a Subscription Expires.
- Broadcasting is ON. The switch at the top right of the Overview must show ON. While it's OFF, only your poster or colour bars play. See Turn Broadcasting Off.
- The channel has storage left. A full channel stops uploads and recording. See When a Channel Runs Out of Storage.
- Your role allows it. Some screens are only for owners and administrators. See Roles.
Going Live
OBS or vMix can't connect
The ingest server refused the stream. Check:
- The server: it's the RTMP Server URL from Live Stream, copied exactly.
- The stream key: it's the key you saved when you created the channel, or the last one you generated. When a key is regenerated, the old key and the feeder stream keys built from it stop working.
- The subscription: encoders can't connect while it's expired. See Renew or Extend.
See How do I Stream from OBS or vMix?.
I've lost my stream key
The stream key is shown only once, and can't be shown again. An owner or administrator can generate a new one on Live Stream. Then enter it in every encoder, and rebuild any feeder stream keys. See Regenerate Your Stream Key.
My encoder is connected, but my feed isn't on air
Work through these:
- Broadcasting is OFF. Live feeds don't air while the switch is off. Switch it ON on the Overview.
- You used a feeder stream key. A feed from a key such as
…_feeder_StageCamwaits in the feeder pool. Put it on air on Feeders, or switch on Auto Feed. See Put a Feed on Air. - Another encoder already had the stream key. A second encoder on the same key joins the pool as FDR1, FDR2 and so on. Select it on Feeders.
- You clicked Restore Automated Program. The direct feed stays off air until you select it on Feeders, or its encoder reconnects. See Restore the Automated Program.
- No video is arriving. The channel only cuts to a feed once it receives video. An encoder sending audio only stays off air. Check your encoder has a video source.
The Overview shows OFFLINE while I'm streaming
STREAMING shows only while a live feed is on air. A feed waiting in the feeder pool isn't on air. See the previous answer, and Broadcast Status.
Viewers are a few seconds behind
This is normal. Players load the stream in short pieces, so viewers are a few seconds behind what your encoder sends. Simulcast destinations are a few seconds further behind.
The stream is blurry, stutters or buffers
- Your upload speed: keep your total bitrate well below it, so the stream survives dips in your connection.
- Your encoder settings: use H.264 at a constant 30 fps, a 2-second keyframe interval and constant bitrate. See Recommended Encoder Settings.
- Your plan: quality is capped at your plan's maximum resolution and bitrate. Sending more uses more of your connection without improving the picture.
- Viewers' connections: on a slow connection, the player switches to a lower resolution.
Recent broadcasts show the previous broadcast's title
Live event details stay as they are until you change them. Update them on Live Stream before you start your encoder. See Set the Title, Location and Description.
Feeds
A feed doesn't appear in the feeder pool
The pool refreshes every 3 seconds, and a feed leaves it when it disconnects. Check:
- Feeder stream keys: they're built from the current stream key. If the key was regenerated, build them again. See Build a Feeder Stream Key.
- Browser feeds: the device has opened the channel's feeder link, the browser is allowed to use the camera and microphone, and Broadcast Feed has been clicked. See Stream from a Browser.
- The subscription: feeds can't connect while it's expired.
The browser feeder stopped with a message
The browser feeder doesn't reconnect on its own. Fix the cause, then click Broadcast Feed again.
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| Connection lost abnormally. Please check your network connection. | Check your connection, then start again |
| Failed to connect to the stream server. Please try again. | Check your connection, then start again |
| WebSocket connection error occurred. | Start again. If it keeps happening, try another network |
| Authentication failed: Invalid or expired stream token. | Start again. If it keeps happening, check that the channel's subscription is active |
| Server database error. Please contact admin. | See Contact Support |
The Cecula Feeder app shows STREAM DISCONNECTED (AUTO-RETRYING)
The connection dropped, and the app is trying to reconnect. Tap Retry Now to try straight away. To choose what happens on a weak connection, see Dropped Connections and Weak Signal.
The wrong feed goes on air
- An encoder using the channel's stream key goes on air as soon as it connects, replacing the feed you selected. To switch to it only when you choose, give it a feeder stream key instead.
- Auto Feed puts the first feed to connect on air, and the next one if that feed disconnects. To choose feeds yourself, switch it off.
See How do I Switch Between Feeds?.
Uploads and Processing
An upload stopped with an error
While Upload Files is still open, click Resume. The upload carries on from where it stopped.
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| This file is too large. Please try a smaller file. | Use a file of 2 GB or less |
| That file type is not supported. | Convert it to MP4, MOV, AVI or MKV for video, or JPG, JPEG, PNG or WEBP for images |
| Your login session has expired. Please refresh the page and try again. | Reload the page, sign in if asked, and upload again |
| This channel is out of storage (… left of …). Free up space or add more storage to keep uploading. | Free up space or add storage, then upload again |
For every upload message, see If an Upload Is Interrupted.
Upload Media is greyed out
The channel has less than 5 MB of storage left. Free up space or add storage. See When Uploads Are Blocked.
A clip shows STALLED, OUT OF SPACE or FAILED
| Card shows | What to do |
|---|---|
| STALLED | Click Restart, then confirm |
| OUT OF SPACE | Free up space or add storage, then click Start encoding |
| FAILED | Check the file plays correctly, then re-transcode it or upload a new copy |
See If Processing Fails or Stops.
A clip says Resolution Too Low
The video is smaller than the lowest resolution your channel broadcasts, and re-encoding can't fix it. Upload a higher-resolution copy, or switch on a lower resolution in Settings if your plan offers one. See Warnings on a Clip.
A clip says Needs Re-encoding
The clip was processed for different output resolutions, or with an older watermark. Open it and re-encode it. See Re-encode a Clip.
A video isn't offered when I add to a playlist or schedule
Only clips that are ready and usable on your channel are offered. Check the clip in the Media Library: wait for it to finish processing, and fix any Resolution Too Low or Needs Re-encoding warning. See Clip Statuses.
An MP4 download or split is refused
Most refusals mean the clip is still processing, its master copies were deleted to free space, or the channel is out of storage. The message says which. See If the MP4 Won't Generate and If a Split Is Refused.
Programming
A scheduled broadcast didn't play at its time
- Time zone: schedule times are West Africa Time (WAT, UTC+1). A time entered in another time zone airs at the wrong hour.
- A live feed was on air: live feeds take priority. The scheduled broadcast's time keeps running while you're live, so it may have ended by the time the feed stopped.
- Broadcasting was OFF: nothing airs while the switch is off.
- Its video was deleted: deleting a video from the Media Library also removes its scheduled broadcasts.
See How do I Schedule a Broadcast?.
A broadcast is refused when I schedule it
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| This time slot overlaps with another scheduled broadcast. | Choose a start time after the previous broadcast ends |
| The start time field must be a date after now. | Choose a time in the future, in WAT |
| … below the …p this channel broadcasts, so it cannot be scheduled. Upload a higher-resolution copy. | Upload a higher-resolution copy of the video |
| … was packaged for a different set of resolutions than this channel uses … | Re-encode the video in the Media Library first |
The channel shows my poster or colour bars
- Broadcasting is OFF. Switch it ON on the Overview.
- There's nothing to play. The playlist for the current time belt, or the default playlist, is empty, or none of its videos could start. Add videos that show Ready. See How do I Build a Rotation Playlist?.
Colour bars appear instead of the poster when the poster isn't exactly 1920 × 1080 pixels. See Add a Channel Poster.
The wrong playlist is playing
- Overlapping time belts: the belt with the higher Priority Rank plays. With equal ranks, the newest belt plays. See Overlapping Belts.
- An overnight belt stops at midnight: tick the next day as well. See Run a Belt Overnight.
- No belt is active: the default playlist plays.
The same videos keep repeating
The playlist is short. Add more videos, check the total length shown next to the playlist, and use time belts to change playlists through the day. See Tips.
A program episode didn't air
- The program isn't active. Only active programs go to air. draft, paused and archived programs don't. See Program Status.
- A scheduled broadcast was at the same time. Scheduled broadcasts and episodes don't interrupt each other, so keep them apart.
- A live episode got no feed. Until your feed connects, the trailer or starts soon card plays. If no feed arrives before the slot ends, the episode is marked missed. See Go Live for a Live Episode.
Branding
My new logo doesn't show on some videos
Your logo is built into PRE-ENCODED clips when they're processed. Re-encode clips to give them the new logo. The Media Library marks affected clips Needs Re-encoding. See Watermarks on Processed Clips.
The news scroll or text watermark doesn't show on some videos
The news scroll and text watermark are drawn onto the picture as it plays. They appear on live feeds and LIVE ENCODE clips, but not on PRE-ENCODED clips. The Overview shows which kind of clip is on air. See How Branding Reaches the Stream.
A branding change hasn't appeared yet
Watermark and logo sting changes take effect when the current video finishes. A new news scroll message starts once the old one finishes its current pass. See When Changes Appear.
The logo sting plays more often than I expect
The sting plays every time the channel switches into a playlist, even with an interval of 0. That includes after each scheduled broadcast, episode and live feed, and when a time belt starts. To stop stings altogether, clear Select Logo Sting Video. See When the Sting Plays.
Catchup and Recording
There's no Catchup screen
Your plan doesn't include recording. Move to a plan that does. See Plans That Include Recording.
My broadcast wasn't recorded
- Auto-record Stream was off. Switch it on before you start. Switching it on during a broadcast restarts the feed.
- It was switched off for you. At 98% of the storage allowance, recording is switched off, and it stays off after you free space. A warning icon appears next to Auto-record Stream. See When Recording Is Switched Off for You.
A recording is in Catchup but won't play
A broadcast appears in Catchup as soon as it ends, and plays once its recording has finished processing. If the player shows a message:
| The player says | What to do |
|---|---|
| The playable copies of this broadcast were deleted to free up space. … | Re-encode the video in the Media Library |
| This broadcast was deleted to free up space and cannot be recovered. | Delete the entry |
| This broadcast has no playable copy on disk. | Check the video in the Media Library. It may still be processing |
A merge can't start or didn't complete
- Can't start: every part must have finished processing, have its master copies, and not be used by a scheduled broadcast or playlist. The message says which part is the problem. See If a Merge Can't Start.
- Didn't complete: the original recordings are left untouched. Fix the cause, such as a lack of storage, and merge again. See If a Merge Doesn't Complete.
Watch Page and Player
Viewers can't watch on the watch page
| Viewers see | What to do |
|---|---|
| This channel's subscription has expired. | Renew the subscription |
| This channel is private. Please sign in to watch. | Viewers sign in to a Cecula account, or you make the channel public in Settings |
| Your poster or colour bars | See The channel shows my poster or colour bars |
| A "not found" page | Copy the link again from the Overview |
See If the Watch Page Won't Play.
The embedded player doesn't load on my website
- Content security policy: allow scripts from
cdn.jsdelivr.net, connections to your HLS link's domain, andblob:media. - Two players on one page: give the second player a different ID.
- Website builders: paste the snippet into a custom HTML or embed block, so its scripts run.
See Deployment Best Practices.
Active Viewers looks wrong
A viewer is counted while their player has requested your stream in the last 15 seconds, including embedded players. People watching over the same connection with the same browser can count as one. See Active Viewers.
Simulcast
I can't find Simulcast in the menu
Simulcast is only for owners and administrators.
A destination shows Retrying
The platform dropped or refused the stream. Read the error under the destination, then check the stream key is correct and current, the ingest URL matches what the platform gave you, and live streaming is enabled on the platform account. See If a Destination Keeps Retrying.
A destination shows No rendition fits
None of your channel's resolutions fits the destination's limits. Edit the destination and raise Max height (px) or Max bitrate (kbps), or switch on a lower resolution in Settings.
Nothing is forwarded, and Simulcast says Off air
Broadcasting is switched off. Switch it ON on the Overview.
Destinations receive my playlists, not just live events
Destinations receive everything your channel airs. Pause a destination until your event starts, and resume it when you want to forward. See Pause, Edit or Remove a Destination.
Integrations
The Channel API returns "Channel not found"
- Status, schedule and Catchup endpoints need the channel's UUID, not its slug. Copy the address from the API Reference tab on Integration.
- Program endpoints accept the UUID or slug. Check it's spelled correctly.
For Program not found, check the program ID, and that the program is active or paused. See How do I Use the Channel API?.
Now Playing describes a scheduled video while I'm live
While a live feed interrupts a scheduled broadcast or episode, current_video still describes that broadcast or episode. Use is_live to tell whether you're live. See Now Playing.
Webhook settings won't save
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| The webhook URL could not be validated (Returned 404 Not Found). | Check the address, and that your endpoint exists |
| The webhook server appears to be offline or unreachable (Returned …). | Check your server is running |
| Validation failed: The domain or URL could not be reached. | Check the domain, and that your server is reachable from the internet |
Webhooks stopped arriving
- A delivery failed. After one failed delivery, deliveries for your channel stop for an hour, and events in that hour aren't sent. Make sure your endpoint answers with a 2xx status within 10 seconds. See Failed Deliveries.
- The event isn't ticked. Only ticked events are sent.
- It's a program episode. Scheduled-show events cover broadcasts on the Schedule page only.
Subscription and Storage
Every screen sends me back to the Overview
The subscription has expired: Your subscription has expired. Access to other pages is restricted. The owner can click Renew in the channel menu. See Renew or Extend.
A payment shows Insufficient Funds
Your Cecula Wallet doesn't cover the total. Click Fund Wallet, add money, then reload the Cecula Stream page so it shows your new balance. See Paying from Your Cecula Wallet.
Renew or storage buttons don't work for me
Only the channel owner can pay for renewals, plan changes and storage, from their own wallet. Ask the owner.
The channel is out of storage
- Free up space: clear old recordings with Free up space on Storage, delete media you don't need, or delete Catchup recordings. See Free Up Space.
- Or add storage. See Buy a Storage Add-on.
- Switch Auto-record Stream back on, if you record broadcasts.
A channel name is refused
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| This channel name is already taken. Please choose another one. | Choose a different name |
| The channel name can only contain letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens, and underscores. | Remove other characters, such as apostrophes, full stops or emoji |
Team and Access
I can't find Profile, Integration, Simulcast or Settings
Those screens are for owners and administrators. Team and Storage are for the owner only. See Roles.
"Editors are not allowed to manage channel settings."
Your role is Editor, which doesn't include settings, live stream details or the stream key. Ask the channel owner. See Roles.
"Viewers are not allowed to make changes to this channel."
Your role is Viewer, which is read-only. Ask the channel owner.
"This invitation was sent to a different email address."
Sign out, then sign in with the email address the invitation was sent to, and open the link again. See Accept an Invitation.
A channel I was invited to isn't in My Channels
Accept the invitation first, from its email or under Pending Manager Invitations on My Channels. If it isn't there, ask the owner to check Pending Invitations.
Contact Support
Email [email protected]. To help us answer quickly, include:
- Your channel's name or public slug
- What happened: the screen, what you did, and the date and time (WAT)
- The exact message you saw, or a screenshot
- For encoder problems: the encoder software and its output settings
- For simulcast: the platform, the destination's status and the error shown
- For payments: the amount, and when you paid
⛔ Never send your stream key
Cecula support never needs your stream key, or the stream keys of your simulcast destinations. If you've shared a stream key by mistake, regenerate it.