Sharing a Camera Livestream

Topics included in this article:

• Overview
• Share Livestream via Console
  • Single Camera Shared Stream
    • Create a New Stream in the Timeline
    • Create or Use a Stream in the Camera Settings
  • Multi-Camera Shared Stream
• Share Livestream via Mobile App
  • Create a New Stream
  • Create or Use a Stream Through the Settings
  • Delete a Shared Stream
• Embedding a Livestream
  • Additional URL Parameters
  • API Information for Doorbell Shared Streams
• Helpful Links
• Contact Support or Sales

Overview

Shared Streams allow you to securely share live camera feeds or recorded footage with external users without providing access to the Rhombus Console. Streams can be created and managed through both the Console and the Mobile App, with options to customize access using passwords, expiration dates, scheduled availability, audio support, and embedded web playback. This article walks through how to create, manage, share, delete, and embed livestreams for individual cameras or multi-camera video walls, along with additional URL parameters and API options for advanced integrations.

Share Livestream via Console

Sharing a Livestream allows a camera feed to be shared on a website or directly with another party without granting access to the Rhombus Console. This Shared Stream is created on the timeline of the device's page.

There are two methods you can use to create this link:

• Create a New Stream in the Timeline
• Create or Use a Stream in the Camera Settings

Single Camera Shared Stream

Create a New Stream in the Timeline

1. Navigate to the "Devices" page and select the camera for which you wish to create a shared stream.

2. Click the scissors icon underneath the timeline.

3. Click "Create Shared Stream."

4. Name the stream. If desired, set a password, expiration date, and include audio with the shared stream if the camera has an associated A100. Click "Next" when finished.

5. Select the type of stream to be shared. Shared video with defined start and end times This option requires you to set start and end times for the shared footage Live stream with optional past footage Choose to include no past footage, all past footage, or a custom amount of available past footage with the shared live stream Live stream shown at scheduled times (no past footage) This setting provides the option to choose between showing or hiding the live stream during a scheduled time (this option utilizes schedules previously created in the console) Click "Create" when finished.

6. To send a link to email addresses or phone numbers, enter the information in the "Email/Phone" field and click "Send." To copy the link for the shared stream, click the boxes icon beside the link. To copy the embed code, click the boxes icon beside it. Click "Done" or the "X" in the upper right corner when finished.

Create or Use a Stream in the Camera Settings

Once a Shared Stream has been created, this method can be used to pull up previously created Streams or create a new Shared Stream.

1. Navigate to the "Devices" page and select the camera you wish to share a stream for.

2. Scroll down to the "Settings & Details" section and select "Shared Streams."

3. On the page, you can view and manage any previously created shared streams. Clicking the ellipsis button in the upper-right corner provides the options to copy a link to the stream, send a share link to desired email addresses or phone numbers, or delete the existing stream. Click "Done" when finished.

Multi-Camera Shared Stream

If you want to share a live stream for multiple cameras at once, you can use a Video Wall. Refer to the Managing Video Walls article for a walkthrough on how to create and share a video wall. 

Share Livestream via the Mobile App

Create a New Stream

1. Log in to the Rhombus Mobile App and tap "Cameras."

2. Tap the camera for which you wish to create a shared stream.

3. Tap the scissors icon, then tap "Create Shared Stream."

4. Fill in your desired options: Name the stream. Type of stream: Live Stream with optional past footage - This option allows you to share all past footage, some past footage until a certain time, or no past footage at all. Live Stream shown at scheduled times (no past footage). Shared video where you define the Start and End of the stream. Include Audio - This option will allow for shared audio of an A100 associated with the camera.  Password - This will allow for the use of a defined password for the shared stream. We recommend putting passwords on all shared streams.  Expiration - The shared stream can have an expiration tied to a specific date and time. Tap "Create" when finished.

Create or Use a Stream Through the Settings

1. Log in to the Rhombus Mobile App and tap "Cameras."

2. Tap the camera you wish to create a stream for.

3. Tap the video player, then tap the "Settings" icon in the upper-right corner.

4. Scroll down and tap "Shared Streams."

5. Click "Create New Stream" to make another stream, or click on the share icon to share an existing stream.

Delete a Shared Stream

1. Log in to the Rhombus Mobile App and tap "Cameras."

2. Tap the camera for which you wish to delete a shared stream from.

3. Tap the video player then tap the "Settings" icon in the upper-right corner.

4. Scroll down and tap "Shared Streams."

5. Tap the three dots next to the stream you wish to delete.

6. Tap "Delete Stream." Note: There is not an additional confirmation to delete the stream. Refresh the page to confirm the stream has been deleted.

Embedding a Livestream

After creating the shared stream, you have the option to "Copy Embed Code." This provides the ability to take the iframe inline code and customize it to any web page.

For more information on embedding live streams in the Rhombus developer center, visit this documentation.

Additional URL Parameters

We have enabled the use of parameters that can be in either the shared stream URL or the embedded iframe inline code. All can either be true/false depending on your intended implementation. 

Follow the structure of https://url/?variable=true&variable=false&variable=true

disableautoplay - Enable or disable the video to autoplay upon loading

hideevents - Enable or disable the timeline and related events to show

realtime - Enable or disable real-time streaming of video by default

showheader - Enable or disable the zoom & streaming buttons at the top of the video

showfooter - Enable or disable the camera name and timestamp at the bottom of the video

API Information for Doorbell Shared Streams

The Rhombus API can be used to create a shared live video stream for a DR40. Visit the following documentation for more information.

Helpful Links

• Managing Video Walls
• Save, Share, and Delete Video Clips
• Audio Gateway Walkthrough
• API Documentation

Contact Support or Sales

Have more questions? Contact Rhombus Support at +1 (877) 746-6797 option 2 or support@rhombus.com.

Interested in learning more? Contact Rhombus Sales at +1 (877) 746-6797 option 1 or sales@rhombus.com.