Documentation

Get familiar with webcasting with platform and feature guides, API documentation, and the latest release notes.

Platform and Feature Guides

Platform Documentation Feature Documentation
Intro Guide Automated Transcripts
Platform Guide Continuing Education Package
Event Setup Guide Integrated Attendee Telephone Package
Live Studio Guide Marketing Package
On-Demand/Sim-Live Studio Guide Attendee Portals
Reporting Guide Screen Sharing
Guest Admin Guide Security Package
Viewer Guide Simulated Live
Admin Setup Guide

Webcast 5.8 Release Notes

Released: August 13, 2022

This release introduces three new grid layouts for video bridge events, makes player layout switching available without slides, sets 480p as the minimum resolution for video events, and adds SSO login options. These release notes also highlight other changes and improvements.

Release highlights

New grid views for video bridge events

New grid views for video bridge events display up to 9, 16, and 20 presenters in equally sized frames. These layouts are great for events where you want to get every speaker’s video on stage, but don’t have a primary speaker to highlight.

In the Live Studio, under the presenter list, click Webcast Layout Control. Select Grid Layouts and then choose the number of presenters you’d like on stage.

Set-GridView-3x3.png

Additional presenter layout updates:

Layout switching without slides

On the Player & Branding tab, the Player Layouts option is now in a separate section. This lets you switch the focus from custom tabs to video to video+content without the requirement to add a Slides tab.

PlayerLayout-NoSlides.png

With this change, we’ve also updated the player layout names and examples to say “Content” instead of “Slides.” 

PlayerBranding-Layouts-NoSlides.png

Video events are now a minimum 480p

As more virtual events move to HD, we’re phasing out support for 4:3 standard and low-res widescreen player options. For video events, the minimum player size is now 480p (high-res widescreen).

For existing events that have a 4:3 or low-res player size (Player & Branding tab):

Accessibility updates

The language attribute has been added to the page code for events. This allows screen readers to properly dictate page content in the correct language and voice. Previously, no language was set. For example, this Spanish-language event is set to lang=“es”.

HTML-Language.png

SSO for Webcast Admin access

For added security, an organization can use its own SSO login page to authenticate access to the Webcast Admin portal. This release adds the ability to use both Client SSO and the traditional Webcast login flow.

Note: Single sign-on requires additional setup. If you are interested in implementing SSO for your organization, please contact your sales representative.

Once enabled, your Team Manager can enable SSO for an admin and set the method to use (Go to Manage Accounts and under My Team, click Edit next to the admin). There are three options:

  1. Admins can sign in from both the Client’s SSO login page and the Webcast login with username.
  2. Client SSO login page only. If the Webcast login detects an SSO-enabled username, it displays an error message.
  3. Client SSO login page with redirect messaging. If the Webcast login detects an SSO-enabled username, it provides a link to your SSO login page.

SSO-Admin-Enable.png

Other new features and enhancements

Browser support

By-request features from 5.7 added to accounts

These features are now automatically included in most Webcast accounts:

Events

Reporting

API updates

Bug fixes

Webcast 5.7 Release Notes

Released: April 9, 2022

This release introduces an option for presenting pre-recorded videos in the video player during a Live event, lets you set the pre-live player layout, updates default branding colors, and adds support for the VTT caption format. These release notes also highlight other recent changes and improvements. If you have any questions about these changes, please email us at updates@webcasts.com or contact your account representative.

Release highlights

The following updates were highlighted in release emails to our subscribers.

By request features

Note: By request features aren't automatically included in your account. If you'd like to request one of these features, submit a Webcast 5.7 Release Feature Request (opens a web form). We'll evaluate your request and reply.

Play videos inline during Live events

By request. Available for video broadcasts, but not telephone (audio) broadcasts.

You can share pre-recorded videos in the main video player (where presenter webcams are shown). Use this option for pre-recorded keynotes, event introductions, and situations where presenters can't attend live.

In the Webcast admin portal, go to the Event Content tab and upload overlay videos. During the event, in the Live Studio go to the Overlay Videos tab, and under the thumbnail of the video you want to play, click Launch Inline.

Notes:

Live Studio Overlay Videos tab with Launch Inline option and event window with inline video playing in the video player

Set the pre-live player layout for Live events

By request. Requires slides and player layout switching.

When using player layout switching, you can choose the pre-live player layout - Slides Only, Video Only, and varied sizes of Video + Slides. Attendees see your selected layout while they wait for the event to begin, and it still is set when the event starts.

On the Player & Branding tab, select Use PowerPoint Slides and Enable Layout Switching, then select the pre-live player layout.

Use PowerPoint Slides and Enable Layout Switching features selected with Default Layout selected for the Pre-live Player Layout

VTT caption files for On-Demand events

By request. Available for video broadcasts, but not telephone (audio) broadcasts.

This release adds support for timed caption files in VTT file format. This format provides for a more immersive experience with subtitles shown inline with the video. One caption file per event. To upload a timed caption file, go to the Event Content tab and Under Optional Content, expand the Add Closed Captions section and click Upload Captions.

Note: This format is not supported on iOS devices (users cannot access the subtitles).

Accessibility updates

Faster access to MP4 archives

We've added a shortcut link to MP4 notification emails that lets you download the file securely from a web page. The file can be downloaded from the link a total of 10 times. Once the download limit has been reached, go to the Webcast Admin portal and download the file from the Event Summary.

Archive Complete email with the Download MP4 button and the Download page with the Download MP4 button

Added tracking for server-side registration

The new tp_hidden tracking parameter lets you pass additional data in the registration URL and track it in registration reports. In registration reports, the column heading is Hidden Field. You can use this new field in conjunction with event URLs with campaign source tracking (Email & Marketing > Campaign Source Tracking) and cost centers to track information in multiple ways for the same event.

In the following example, we used the tp_hidden parameter to populate the region where an attendee lives. The Hidden Field column in the report shows the values.

Registration Report with attendee registration information and the Hidden Field column

Other new features and enhancements

Webcast Admin portal and event setup

Reporting

Bug fixes

Fixes for event and portal setup issues

Bug fixes

Webcast API Documentation

Use APIs to create and update events, allow attendees to register from third-party registration systems, and pass registration and event data directly into your preferred CRM or marketing solution.

Note: Any document listed as "Open" is available for use without any additional credentials needed. All other APIs require an API account to be set up for your company. To learn more about available API options or to request access, contact Support.

To explore all APIs, visit the Webcast APIs home page.

Jump to: Direct APIs | Cvent | Eloqua | Google Sheets & Zapier Webhook | Hubspot | Marketo | Microsoft Dynamics | Salesforce | Zoho Forms

Webcast Direct APIs

Cvent

Eloqua

Google Sheets & Zapier Webhook

Hubspot

Marketo

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Salesforce

Zoho Forms