# Configure blackout ## Configure an automated blackout Live Encoder can blackout a program on SCTE-35 trigger and replace the video with a still image. SCTE-35 metadata can be: - either [in-band](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/input/inband-metadata) - or [out-of-band](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/input/outofband-metadata) Before you start: ensure you have configured the SCTE-35 metadata in the input stream. To create a scheduled blackout, follow these steps: ### Configure the metadata encoding 1. From the **Encoding** tab, go to the **Metadata encoding** section. 2. For each SCTE-35 metadata, click in the **Actions** column then set the **Codec** to **Conditioning**. 3. Click **Ok** to validate. ### Configure the blackout encoding 1. Go to the **Blackout configuration** section. 2. Click **Add** then configure a blackout configuration by selecting and setting the adequate [blackout parameters](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/parameters/encoding/blackout). 3. Click **Ok** to validate. ### Configure the video encoding 1. Go to the **Video encoding** section. 2. For each video stream, select the associated [**Stream Conditioning** and **Blackout**](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/parameters/encoding/video#general-parameters) configuration. 3. Click **Ok** to validate. ### Configure the audio encoding 1. Go to the **Audio encoding** section. 2. For each audio stream, select the associated [**Blackout**](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/parameters/encoding/audio#mpeg-1-layer-ii-dolby-digital-dolby-digital-plus-dolby-ac-4-aac-he-aac-he-aac-v2-parameters) configuration. 3. Click **Ok** to validate. ### Configure the subtitle encoding 1. Go to the **Subtitle encoding** section. 2. For each subtitle stream, select the associated [**Blackout**](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/parameters/encoding/subtitle#general-parameters) configuration. 3. Click **Ok** to validate. ### Check that blackout is present in the output Open the **Output** tab to ensure that blackout is present in the output. _Example of output with blackout configured_ ### Activate blackout. You can [Manually activate or deactivate a blackout](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#manually-activate-or-deactivate-a-blackout). ## Configure a manual blackout To configure a manual blackout, follow these steps: ### Activate ESAM From the **General** tab, set the **ESAM server network interface** to activate ESAM. ### Create an SCTE-35 out-of-band input stream Go to the **Input**  **Sources**  **Out-of-band streams** section to create an SCTE-35 out-of-band input stream. ### Configure the metadata encoding 1. From the **Encoding** tab, go to the **Metadata encoding** section. 2. Next to your SCTE-35 metadata, click the edit button, in the **Actions** column then set the **Codec** to **Conditioning**. 3. Click **OK** to validate. ### Configure the blackout encoding 1. Go to the **Blackout configuration** section. 2. Click **Add** then configure a blackout configuration by selecting and setting the adequate **[blackout parameters](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/parameters/encoding/blackout).** 3. Click **OK** to validate. ### Configure the video encoding 1. Go to the **Video encoding** section. 2. For each video stream, click to select the associated [**Stream Conditioning** and **Blackout**](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/parameters/encoding/video#general-parameters) settings. _Example of configuration for Stream Conditioning and Blackout parameters_ 3. Click **OK** to validate. ### Check that blackout is present in the output [Section titled "Check that blackout is present in the output"] Open the **Output** tab to ensure that blackout is present in the output. _Example of output with blackout configured_ ### Save [Section titled "Save"] Return to the list of services, or edit any parameters then save. ### Check statistics 1. From the list of services, click to view statistics. 2. Ensure that blackout configurations display as expected in the **Monitoring** section of the **Statistics** page. ### Activate blackout ## Configure a scheduled blackout Creating a scheduled blackout is a 4-step process: 1. [Create a scheduled blackout configuration](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#create-a-scheduled-blackout-configuration). 2. [Apply a blackout configuration to video encodings](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#apply-a-blackout-configuration-to-video-encodings). 3. [Apply a blackout configuration to audio encodings](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#apply-a-blackout-configuration-to-audio-encodings). 4. [Check blackout configurations](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#check-blackout-configurations). ### Create a scheduled blackout configuration Live Encoder can blackout a program and replace the video with a still image. You must first create the blackout configuration, then configure to apply to video encodings. Before you start, ensure that: - A **Metadata input stream** must exist. - Metadata processing is set to **Conditioning** in **Metadata encoding** parameters. Audio plays during blackout, unless you configure the blackout to mute audio. 1. Display services. 2. Click to edit the service. 3. Click the **Encoding** tab to display encoding options. 4. Scroll to **Blackout configuration** and click **+Add** to display parameters. The **Blackout configuration** options display. You can create multiple blackout configurations for a single service. 5. Configure the parameters, then click **Ok** to save. Blackout configurations display in the list (see image below). If no **SCTE-35 Input** options display in the list, then [reconfigure inputs](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/metadata-encoding). 6. Use the save options to save configurations. 7. Apply the blackout configuration to a [video](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#apply-a-blackout-configuration-to-video-encodings) and/or [audio](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#apply-a-blackout-configuration-to-audio-encodings) encoding. ### Apply a blackout configuration to video encodings You can apply a blackout configuration per video encoding. Before you start: ensure that you created at least one blackout configuration. Blackout is **not supported in Pass-through**. 1. Display services. 2. Click to edit the service. 3. Open the **Encoding** tab, then click to edit the video stream. 4. Select the blackout option. All previously created blackout configurations display. 5. Check that the applied Blackout option displays for video encodings. 6. [Apply the blackout configuration to audio](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#apply-a-blackout-configuration-to-audio-encodings) streams. 7. [Add encodings to output](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/output/configure-output#define-the-output-stream-composition). 8. Use the save options to save configurations. 9. Ensure that [Blackout configurations are configured and applied](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#check-blackout-configurations) as expected. ### Apply a blackout configuration to audio encodings You can apply a blackout configuration per audio encoding. Before you start, ensure that you have created at least one blackout configuration. Blackout is **not supported in Pass-through**. 1. Display services. 2. Click to edit the service. 3. Open the **Encoding** tab, then click to edit the audio stream, or **Add** a stream. 4. Click **Blackout** to display the list of previously created blackout configurations, then select a blackout configuration to apply. 5. Click **OK** to save. 6. Check that audio encodings display in the list with the blackout tag displayed. ### Check blackout configurations Blackout configurations are first created, then applied to video and/or audio encodings. The encodings are then configured in an output stream. Check the overviews to ensure that blackouts are configured and applied. 1. Display services. 2. Click to edit the service. 3. Open the **Encoding** tab and ensure that any expected blackout configurations display in the list. 4. Check video and audio encodings to ensure that blackout configurations are applied as expected. 5. Open the **Output** tab to ensure expected video and audio encodings display in the list. 6. Return to the list of services, or edit any parameters and then save. 7. From the list of services, click to view statistics. 8. Ensure that blackout configurations display as expected in the **Statistics** page. ### Activate blackout ## Manually activate or deactivate a blackout Once you have configured a [manual](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#configure-a-manual-blackout) or an [automated blackout](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/configure/encoding/blackout-encoding/#configure-an-automated-blackout) and started a service, you can manually activate or deactivate it. Manual blackout activation/deactivation is only available if **Trigger** parameter is set to **spliceOutSpliceIn**. 1. Display statistics on [**Outputs**](https://docs.mediakind.com/beam/live-encoder/monitor-statistics). 2. Click the **Activate Blackout** button. A message informs you that the command has been sent. 3. Click **OK**. The current video is blacked out until the specified **Timeout** (if configured); or by clicking the **Deactivate Blackout** button.