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Publish a video or a live

Upload a video

To publish a video you have to click the Publish button in top right corner. Once clicked you have 3 ways to upload a video:

  1. by selecting a file on your device;
  2. by importing an online video by its url;
  3. by importing an online video by its URI (torrent).

Upload a file

Once you have to click the Publish button in top right corner:

  1. select which channel you want to upload your video (can be done/change after upload);
  2. select privacy settings for this video (can be done/change after upload);
  3. click Select file to upload button.

While the video is uploading you can set some details.

Import with URL

If the administrator of your instance enabled this option, you can import any URL supported by youtube-dl or URL that points to a raw MP4 file. To do so, you have to:

  1. click the Publish button in top right corner;
  2. click Import with URL tab;
  3. paste your video's url into URL field;
  4. select which channel you want to upload your video (can be done/change after upload);
  5. select privacy settings for this video (can be done/change after upload);
  6. click Import button.

WARNING

You should make sure you have diffusion rights over the content it points to, otherwise it could cause legal trouble to yourself and your instance.

While the video is uploading you can set some details.

Import with torrent

If the administrator of your instance enabled this option, you can import any torrent file that points to a mp4 file. To do so, you have to:

  1. click the Publish button in top right corner;
  2. click Import with torrent tab;
  3. select a .torrents file on your commputer or paste magnet URI of a video;
  4. select which channel you want to upload your video (can be done/change after upload);
  5. select privacy settings for this video (can be done/change after upload);
  6. click Import button.

WARNING

You should make sure you have diffusion rights over the content it points to, otherwise it could cause legal trouble to yourself and your instance.

While the video is uploading you can set some details.

Publish a live

If the administrator of your instance enabled this option, you can create a live using PeerTube and a streaming software (for example OBS). To do so, you have to:

  1. click the Publish button in top right corner;
  2. click Go live tab;
  3. select which channel you want to publish your live;
  4. select privacy settings for this live;
  5. select if you want: * a Normal live: stream only once, replay will replace your live * a Permanent/recurring live: stream multiple times, replays will be separate videos
  6. click Go Live button.

user upload basic info - image

In the publication form, you have a Live settings tab that allows you to:

  • See the RTMP URL to put in your streaming software
  • See the live stream key associated to this live, to put in your streaming software. It is a private key, allowing anyone to stream a video in this live so don't share it with anyone!

Now you're ready to go live!

Live examples

With OBS

In this example we'll use OBS software to send a stream to PeerTube, but you can use any streaming software that can stream videos using the RTMP protocol.

  1. Open OBS on your computer
  2. Click on Settings (or: File in top bar > Settings)
  3. Click on Streams tab
  4. Choose Custom service
  5. Fill Server input using the PeerTube RTMP URL
  6. Fill Stream key input using your live stream key
  7. Do not use authentication and click on OK
  8. Stream whatever your want and click on Start streaming. After some time, you'll be able to see your live in the PeerTube interface.

obs settings image

With Jitsi Meet

If you want to broadcast a webinar or a conference very easily, you can also use Jitsi Meet for recording the event, and rely on PeerTube for streaming it live. It is very useful if you have an expected audience too big for Jitsi to handle, but actually only a few people talking.

  1. Create a chat room on a Jitsi server
  2. Click on the menu (3-points icon at the bottom-right of the screen)
  3. Click on Start live stream
  4. You will be asked a Youtube live stream key. Actually, there is a way to make it work with PeerTube : simply paste the PeerTube RTMP URL followed by the PeerTube live stream key (you may have to add a slash in-between).
  5. Click Start live stream, you may heard "The stream has started" and see your live on PeerTube after some time.

Jitsi Start live stream menuJitsi window where inserting stream key

Video fields

Basic info

  • Title: the name of the video (something more catchy than myvideo.mp4 for example 😉 );
  • Tags: tags can be used to suggest revelant recommandations. 5 tags maximum. You have to press enter to add one;
  • Description: text you want to display above your video (supports markdown) - you can see how it looks above;
  • Channel: in which channel you want to add your video;
  • Category: what kind of content is your video (Activism? How to? Music?);
  • Licence:
    • Attribution,
    • Attribution - Share Alike,
    • Attribution - No Derivatives,
    • Attribution - Non Commercial,
    • Attribution - Non Commercial - Share Alike,
    • Attribution - Non Commercial - No Derivatives,
    • Public Domain Dedication;
  • Language: what is the main language in the video;
  • Privacy: public, internal, unlisted, private. See what it means;
  • Contains sensitive content? Some instances do not list videos containing mature or explicit content by default.

user upload basic info - image

Captions

This tab allows you to add subtitles to your video. To add one, you have to:

  1. go to Captions tab;
  2. click Add another caption button;
  3. select the caption language in the list;
  4. click Select the caption file button;
  5. browse into your computer file to select your .vtt or .srt file;
  6. click Add this caption button;
  7. click Update button.

Your caption is now available by clicking > Subtitles/CC and selecting the language.

To delete a caption you have to:

  1. click Delete button in front of the language you want to delete;
  2. click Update button.

Chapters

PeerTube >= 6.0

To add chapters, you have to:

  1. click on under your video
  2. click Update
  3. click Chapters tab
  4. add:
    • a timestamp (H:MM:SS) of the beginning of the chapter into Timecode fields
    • a name for the chapter in Chapter name field
  5. repeat as many times as necessary the steps above
  6. click Update button

You can delete a chapter by clicking button in front of a chapter, and play the preview video to identify the timestamp.

Note that chapters can automatically be imported:

  • from a video container
  • from the external video platform when you import a video
  • from the video description using timecode chaptername format:
my super video description

00:00 chapter 1
00:05 my super chapter 2
10:05 awesome chapter 3

other description stuff

Advanced settings

This tab allows you:

  • to edit your preview image;
  • to add a short text to tell people how they can support you (membership platform...);
  • change the original publication date;
  • disable/enable video comments;
  • disable/enable download of your video.

INFO

Click Update button to save your new settings.

Video confidentiality options: what do they mean?

  • Public: your video is public. Everyone can see it (by using search engine, link or embed);
  • Internal: only authenticated user having an account on your instance can see your video. Users searching from another instance or having the link without being authentifaced can't see it;
  • Unlisted: only people with the private link can see this video; the video is not visible without its link (can't be found by searching);
  • Private: only you can see the video;
  • Password protected: only users with the appropriate password can see this video; PeerTube >= 6.0
  • Scheduled: hide the video until a specific date, where the video becomes public.

Upload a new version of a video

PeerTube >= 6.0

WARNING

Uploading a new version of your video will completely erase the current version!

To upload a new version of a video, you have to:

  1. click on under your video
  2. click Update
  3. click Advanced settings tab
  4. click Select the file to upload button on Replace video file section
  5. browse to find the new version of the video
  6. click Confim button
  7. click Update button.

The re-upload date is displayed under the video player.