Using Backstage powered by StreamYard

StreamYard is a browser-based streaming production tool offering extensive customization options. StreamYard studio is integrated into RingCentral Events as the Backstage studio allowing you to create a polished and professional stage experience. This guide explains how to enter the Backstage, invite speakers, and manage the broadcast. 

Backstage link

The Backstage can be accessed via a dedicated link. The Backstage link can be copied from the Overview page or the Stage settings.

To copy the Backstage link from the Overview page:

1. Go to Event Dashboard > Overview.
2. Next to Invite speakers to backstage, click Copy to copy the link. 
3. If you have multiple Stages, click Get backstage invites, select the Stage you need and copy the link.

• To copy the Backstage link from Stage settings in a Virtual or Hybrid event:

  1. Go to Event Dashboard > Venue > Stages.
  2. Hover over the selected stage and click on the Pencil icon to open Stage settings.
  3. Under Stream Provider, StreamYard needs to be selected. 
  4. Under Broadcast Studio, click Copy Link to copy the link. Or click View StreamYard Backstage to get redirected to the studio.

  

• To copy the Backstage link from Stage settings in a Webinar event:

  1. Go to Event Dashboard > Setup > Basics.
  2. Under Webinar Style, select Stage.
  3. Under StreamYard, click Copy to copy the link. Or click Enter backstage to get redirected to the studio.

  

Entering the studio

When entering the Backstage via the link:

1. Grant permissions for your camera and microphone. Your browser may present you with a prompt, to which you must click Allow mic/cam access.
   
   
2. Change your display name and edit your avatar.
3. Check your camera and microphone. Click Mute/Unmute and Stop/Start Cam to turn on and off your camera and microphone.
   
4. Click Settings to select another camera and microphone source, add a virtual background, and explore other configurations. 
   
   
   
5. Once you're ready, click Enter Studio.

Inviting speakers

Via the Backstage link

Once your speakers are registered for the event and signed in to their user account, share the Backstage link with them. If the user is not signed in and registered for the event, they will be automatically redirected to the event landing page. 

Via the StreamYard link

Alternatively, you can copy the StreamYard link directly from the studio. Click Invite to copy the link or send it via email. Users don't need to be registered for the event to be able to access the Backstage via the StreamYard link. However, they will not be able to participate in the public chat in the Comments area. 

Inside the studio

Once you enter the StreamYard Broadcast Studio, you will see different areas:

1. StreamYard logo: Click on the logo to get redirected to the Reception page of the event.
2. Screen: The black screen in the center is where your stream will be shown on the Backstage and how it will look on the main Stage. Choose different video layouts or create your own below the screen.
3. Video cards: Your video card, video cards of other participants and screen shares will be shown below the screen. Click on the video card to add it to the screen.
4. Controls menu: Turn on/off your camera and microphone, access studio settings, share your screen or a video file, copy the studio invite link, and return to the main event.
5. Tabs area:
   • Comments: Public chat area integrated with the Stage. 
   • Banners: Create and add banners to your stream. 
   • Brand: Change the brand color, theme, default camera shape, logo, add overlays, backgrounds, video clips and background music.  
   • Private chat: Chat available for studio participants only.

Studio settings

To access studio settings, click the Gear icon in the Controls menu when entering the studio or when already inside the studio. 

• In the General tab, you can configure the following:

  • Resolution: 720p or 1080p.
    Note: Resolution settings are disabled when the broadcast has started or ended. You will need to create a new Stage with a new Backstage studio to change the resolution.
  • Orientation: Landscape or Portrait.
    Note: Resolution settings are disabled when the broadcast has started or ended. RingCentral Events is a landscape destination.
  • Shift videos up for comments/banners: Automatically shift video tiles up to avoid overlap with added comments and banners. 
  • Audio avatars: Show an avatar when a speaker's camera is off. Uncheck this if you want speakers to be completely hidden when their camera is off. 
  • Automatically add shared screens/videos to stream: When you share a screen or a video as an Organizer, it will be automatically added to the screen. Uncheck this if you want to queue up shared content without showing it straight away.
    Note: This doesn't affect other studio participants. Their screens are never added automatically.

  

• In the Camera tab, you can see your camera preview and configure the following: 

  • Camera: Select your camera source from the drop-down.
  • Camera resolution: 360p, 480p or 720p. 
  • Mirrow my camera
  • Touch up my appearance

  

• In the Audio tab, you can configure the following: 

  • Mic: Select your mic source from the drop-down.
  • Speaker: Select your speaker destination from the drop-down and click Test to test the audio.
  • Echo cancellation: This feature enables audio processing features like echo cancellation, noise suppression, and auto gain control. 
  • Reduce mic background noise: Improves audio clarity by minimizing the background noise.
  • Stereo audio: This is often used by musicians with a stereo audio input/mic.
    Note: Echo cancellation must be off to use stereo audio.
  • Automatically adjust mic volume: Disable this option to automatically adjust your mic volume with a slider. 

  

• In the Virtual background tab, you can upload a virtual background or choose to blur your background.

  Tip: For the best quality virtual background, use a well-lit green screen and select the I have a green screen checkmark. 

  

• In the Guests tab, you can configure the following: 

  • Guests see viewer comments
  • Play a sound when guests enter: Plays a "ding" sound when a participant enters the studio. Useful when you're not looking at your StreamYard tab when live.
  • Guests must authenticate: When inviting speakers via the StreamYard link, require them to authenticate with YouTube or Facebook.

  

Adding speakers to screen

When a speaker joins your Backstage studio, they can observe everything happening on screen but won't be visible or audible on the stream to other participants.

To add a speaker to the screen: hover over their video card and click Add to stage. They will be displayed on screen and be visible/audible to all studio participants and stream viewers. In the same way, you can add yourself and screen shares to the screen. 

To remove a speaker or a screen share, hover over their video card and click Remove. Or click on the Menu icon in the top right corner of their card on the screen and select Remove from stage.   

Integrated chat area

The Comments area seamlessly integrates with the Stage chat. Messages sent from the studio are automatically added to the Chat area in the Stage, while messages from the Stage chat are displayed within the studio.

To display a comment on screen, hover over it and click + Show.
✔The displayed comment will be highlighted with blue. 

Tip: When working with two tabs open (Backstage and front-end Stage), mute the Stage tab to prevent audio feedback. Double-click on the tab and select Mute Tab or Mute Site. 

Going live

Click the Go Live to start broadcasting to your Stage. Remember, there is roughly a 10-second delay to the Stage. 

To stop the broadcast, simply click Stop Broadcast.

Sharing content

To share pre-recorded videos or slides and presentations without having to screen share:

1. In the Controls bar, Click Present. 
2. Click Video file to upload a video file from your computer (MP4 and MOV files).
   ✔  It will automatically be added to the stream (unless you disable this in settings). You can pause, play, scrub through it, and change the layout.
   Note: There is no limit to the length or size of the file that you can share this way.
3. Click Slides to upload a Google Slide presentation or a file from your computer.
   ✔  The video card with the slides will appear under the screen so you can add it to stage and remove it anytime. You can advance through the slides on the video card or on the screen. Refer to this guide to learn more about sharing slides. 
   

Alternatively, if your video is less than 10 minutes and under 200 MB, you can upload it in the Video Clips section in the studio:

1. Go to Brand.
2. Under Video clips, click Add video clip.
   Note: Videos must be MP4 files. MOV and MV4 files are not supported.
   
   
   
   
3. Hover over the clip and click + Show to add the clip to the stream. Similarly, click + Hide to remove the click from the stream. 
    

What happens if the studio is full?

The RingCentral Backstage powered by StreamYard supports 15 participants at a time, 10 of which can be added to the screen. Screen sharing does not count against the total number of participants. When the StreamYard Studio is full and someone tries to join backstage, they will see the following message:

While the host will see a message that looks like this:

Removing someone from the studio

For someone else to join your studio when it's full, the host will have to remove a guest from the studio.

To remove a participant:

1. Click the Menu icon on their video card.
2. Select Kick from studio.
   ✔  The next guest can refresh the page to join your studio.
   
   Note: Selecting Ban from studio is not recommended. You will need to require your guests to authenticate via YouTube or Facebook to be able to ban specific accounts from joining Backstage.