Getting Started

This tutorial walks you through how to setup a professional broadcast-style rundown interface for creating and managing linear TV channel schedules using the Channel Engine Scheduler. This web-based interface provides comprehensive tools for scheduling and managing video content for your Eyevinn Channel Engine instances.

Providing this service is the open source project Channel Engine Scheduler and it is available as a service in Open Source Cloud.

What is Channel Engine Scheduler?

The Channel Engine Scheduler is a web-based management interface that provides professional broadcast-style scheduling capabilities for Eyevinn Channel Engine instances. It features real-time status indicators, comprehensive content management, and automated Channel Engine lifecycle management.

Key Benefits of Channel Engine Scheduler

• Professional schedule view with real-time status indicators
• Automated Channel Engine lifecycle management
• Webhook integration for status monitoring
• Live stream previews
• Intelligent content looping capabilities
• Searchable VOD library for easy content discovery
• One-click engine linking and creation

The Channel Engine Scheduler streamlines the process of managing linear TV channels by providing an intuitive interface that automates many of the complex tasks involved in channel scheduling and content management.

Prerequisites

• If you have not already done so, sign up for an OSC account.
• Existing Eyevinn Channel Engine instances or the ability to create new ones
• Video content (VOD files) ready for scheduling

Limitations

• Requires active Channel Engine instances to manage
• Content must be accessible via HLS streaming format
• Real-time schedule updates depend on webhook connectivity

Setting up Channel Engine Scheduler

Step 1: Create Channel Engine Scheduler Instance

Navigate to the Channel Engine Scheduler service in OSC web user interface.

Click on the "Create scheduler" button to create a new instance.

Enter the following values in the creation dialog (assuming the OSC Access Token is stored in a secret called osctoken):

• Name: channel-scheduler (or your preferred instance name)
• OscAccessToken: {{secrets.osctoken}} (optional, for OSC integration)

You can also create the instance using the OSC command line tool:

% osc create eyevinn-channel-scheduler channel-scheduler \
  -o OscAccessToken="{{secrets.osctoken}}"

Instance created:
{
  id: 'demo-channel-scheduler',
  name: 'channel-scheduler',
  url: 'https://demo-channel-scheduler.eyevinn-channel-scheduler.auto.prod.osaas.io'
}

Step 2: Access the Scheduler Interface

Once the instance is created, you can access the scheduler interface using the provided URL from the instance card.

Open the URL in your web browser to access the Channel Engine Scheduler interface.

Step 3: Configure Channel Engines

In the scheduler interface:

To create a new Channel Engine for a schedule: - Click on "Create Engine" - The scheduler will automatically deploy and manage the engine

Step 4: Add Content to VOD Library

Upload or configure your VOD content library:

1. Navigate to the VOD Library section
2. Add content by providing HLS manifest URLs
3. Add metadata such as title, duration, and description

Step 5: Create a Schedule

Create your first channel schedule:

1. Select or create a Channel Engine instance
2. Navigate to the Schedule view
3. Add content blocks by clicking the plus sign on the VOD

Step 6: Monitor Channel Status

The scheduler provides real-time monitoring of your channels:

• Channel status indicators (running, stopped, error)
• Live preview of current content
• Webhook status monitoring

Managing Multiple Channels

The Channel Engine Scheduler can manage multiple channels simultaneously:

1. Create separate schedules for each channel
2. Use the dashboard view to monitor all channels
3. Switch between channel views using the navigation menu
4. Set up automated scheduling rules for recurring content

Automated Engine Management

The scheduler can automatically: - Start and stop Channel Engine instances - Handle engine restarts on failure - Scale resources based on demand

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions:

• Channel not starting: Check VOD content accessibility and Channel Engine status
• Schedule conflicts: Use the conflict detection feature to identify and resolve overlaps
• Webhook failures: Verify endpoint availability and authentication

Additional Documentation

For more information about Channel Engine and related services: - Channel Engine service documentation - Channel Engine Bridge documentation - Open Source Channel Engine project