When the Internet Won't Play

Perhaps I was a little over dramatic blaming the entire World! OK... When the Internet Won't Play.

Where was the Lockdown Livesteam? S3|E3

Well, today's episode (ep3) is delayed so not live this week as my internet (kerbside) dropped out at 12 noon as came back at 12.40. Thanks, VirginMediaBusiness!

Although I was able to call Tracey Briggs on mobile to inform her of a delay, Casee Wilson too, making a decision to stand performer and guest down decisively is important.

The next dilemma is how to inform a live audience. On this occasion, I was running these regular streams to test the infrastructure as well as my ability to tech and talk at the same time. I do run a redundant video room on an alternate platform during Zoom meetings in the event of platform failure but my greatest fear is always losing the host connection. StreamYard, Zoom (with the right setting), Skype (with call initiated in specific ways), Appear, Crowdcast all stay open if the host connection drops. Dual hosting is the next consideration at independent locations! Hard to do as solo-repreneur. Adding a redundant location is increasing engineer costs or at the very least expectations on someone co-hosting to sign up to your streaming schedule.

The audience is my concern. If an audience has paid how do you update them in a case of signal loss? I'm going to have to make provision for an SMS text-based alert or a mifi hotspot for audience alerts. What solutions (if you are a streamer or streaming company) do you consider when providing a streaming package for an event, meeting or performance where the audience expects to see something and wait in anticipation? Multi-streaming is an issue too. I always pinpoint the primary audience. If you have paying participants across several platforms alert messaging them all is an important contingency to consider.

Next time I take a trip out alternate sim card is going to be on the shopping list. My mobile signal is not the best in my house.  It's frustrating but I can be better prepared and prepared to act upon the situation when it arises.  I will look upon it as a Covid Life Lesson.

I will record and publish an episode in the next few days. Casee is recording her number for me to include.
​Look out for the link.