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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteTo switch a live stream in AWS Elemental MediaLive, attach the target input to the channel and add an input-switch action to that channel’s schedule. Attaching multiple inputs alone does not make MediaLive rotate between them. Choose a fixed start for a planned wall-clock transition, an immediate start for an ad-hoc switch, or a follow start when the next input should begin after a referenced file-input action ends.
What you need before switching
- A MediaLive channel and each source input you intend to use.
- The target inputs attached to the channel. The schedule action refers to the attachment name, not simply to an unattached source.
- A plan for when each switch should occur and whether a file input needs clip settings.
A channel with multiple attachments does not automatically switch to the next attachment in the list, and there is no special default “main” input to which it returns. The channel schedule must specify each switch. See AWS’s multiple-input channel and schedule documentation.
Switch inputs in the channel schedule
- Attach the sources. In the MediaLive channel configuration, create or identify the inputs and attach each intended input to the channel. Record the attachment names; you will select or reference the target attachment in each action.
- Plan the action sequence. For each transition, choose a unique action name, the target input attachment, and a start mode: fixed, immediate, or follow. For a file input, configure clip settings if the action should use only a selected segment.
- Add known actions before channel startup where practical. AWS recommends preparing known fixed and follow actions in advance. The first switch must be immediate and target a static input. A static file that is revisited starts ingest again at the beginning of the file or its selected clip.
- Start the channel. The actions belong to the channel’s schedule; there is no separate schedule resource. You can prepare the schedule before startup and add planned or ad-hoc actions while the channel is running.
- Use prepare-input when a planned immediate switch needs less delay. A prepare-input action can reduce delay for a planned immediate switch, but it does not replace the input-switch action.
See AWS’s guides to working with the schedule, setting up a schedule for input switching, and input-switch limits.
Choose the right start mode
| Mode | Use it when | Important behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed | The switch should occur at a known wall-clock time. | Specify a UTC date and time. AWS’s input-switch behavior page states that a fixed action must be 15 seconds to 14 days in the future. However, AWS’s fields page says a static live input’s fixed date and time must be at least 30 seconds ahead. Because the published pages give different minimums, use the validation for your exact console or API path and switch configuration, and verify the current requirement before a time-critical event. |
| Immediate | You need an ad-hoc switch or cannot determine the transition time in advance. | For a standard channel with two pipelines, MediaLive assigns an internal start time 10 seconds ahead so both pipelines switch at the same time. |
| Follow | The next input should start when a referenced input-switch action ends, commonly after a file input. | The reference input must have Source end behavior set to Continue. |
For mode details, consult AWS’s input-switch action behavior and input-switch schedule fields pages. The fixed-start timing values above are tied to the specific configurations those pages describe; they should not be treated as one universal minimum.
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- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
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Creating an action through the AWS CLI
A CLI schedule action includes the channel ID, action name, start settings, and InputSwitchSettings with an InputAttachmentNameReference. The start settings express one of the fixed, immediate, or follow modes. AWS’s CLI input-switch fields reference provides payload examples for fixed-time live switching, a file switch that follows another action, and an immediate dynamic-file switch.
Use those examples as payload patterns, not production-ready copy and paste: substitute your channel ID, attachment names, action names, timestamps, and source-specific settings. Confirm the request against the current CLI/API fields and the channel’s schedule before relying on it for a live event.
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Scheduled switching is not input failover
An input-switch schedule action is an operator-planned transition. Input-loss handling and automatic input failover address source health instead, and are configured separately. Input-loss handling can provide replacement content after a previously healthy source becomes unhealthy; automatic failover can switch to another input when its configured trigger occurs. A failure to detect the first input at channel startup is a separate problem and can cause the input or channel to fail, requiring correction and restart. Review AWS’s input-loss behavior documentation, then configure and test the failure behavior appropriate to your channel.
Common switching problems
- The channel keeps playing the same source. Multiple attachments do not trigger rotation. Add an input-switch action to the channel schedule and target the desired attachment.
- The action is rejected because its target is missing. Confirm that the intended source is attached to this channel and that the action references the attachment name.
- A fixed action fails validation close to airtime. AWS’s documentation gives different minimum lead times for different descriptions of fixed switching. Check the validation for your exact input type and console/API path; schedule the action earlier when possible.
- A follow action does not start as expected. Verify that it references the intended prior input-switch action and that the reference input’s Source end behavior is Continue.
- A file starts from the beginning after switching back. This is expected for a revisited static file input; it restarts at the beginning of the file or selected clip.
- The source fails at channel startup. Check input detection and configuration for the first input. Startup detection failure is distinct from an ordinary scheduled switch and may require correcting the source and restarting the channel.
- You expected a scheduled action to react to source loss. A planned schedule switch is not automatic failover. Configure input-loss handling or automatic input failover separately and test it.
Or let it run in the cloud
MediaLive schedule switching is for channels built around attached inputs and planned or operator-triggered transitions. If your goal is instead to keep uploaded video playing live on a YouTube channel, StreamNeo is a separate cloud service: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos, not a camera feed, and is YouTube-only.
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- Nothing has to stay on at home: the stream runs from the cloud, even with your computer off.
- One flat price per slot covers any quality you upload, up to 4K 60fps, without re-encoding or quality tiers.
- It automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card required (one free day per account).
The monthly option is $9.99 per month. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start your free day.
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