Summary: This guide provides easy-to-follow steps for seamlessly integrating live streams into your church app, detailing two methods: pulling a stream from your Tithely Site's RSS feed or configuring a stream directly within the App Dashboard using a YouTube or Facebook video link.
Before You Begin
- You must have Admin access to your App Dashboard.
- Recommendation: To prevent multiple Livestream tabs, update your existing link rather than creating a new tab each time.
- Timing: The start time set in the App Dashboard determines the "Next Live Stream" time and when the chat feature opens (30 minutes before/after stream time).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Option 1: Add Livestreams Using Your Tithely Site (RSS Feed)
1. Login to your App Dashboard.
2. Locate and select the Livestreams tab → Select Add New.
3. Enter the following information:
* Source: Select Tithely Site.
* Livestream Title & Start Date: Set title and start date for sorting within the app.
* Video Link: Copy the Live Stream link from your Tithely Site and add .rss to the end of the link. (e.g., yoursite.com/livestream.rss).
4. Select Submit! [Important: Tithely Site livestreams using iframes will not work with this method. The Site stream must be set up with a link to the video.]
Option 2: Add Livestreams to Your Tithely App Only (YouTube/Facebook)
1. Login to your App Dashboard Locate the Livestreams tab. Select Add New.
2. Enter the following information:
* Source: Select Tithely App.
* Timing: Set your Start and End Time. (Chat initiates 30 minutes before and concludes 30 minutes after these times.)
* Video Link: Insert the unique video link from YouTube or Facebook. [Permanent YouTube links won't work for livestreams; this link must be updated each week.]
3. Chat Features (Optional): Toggle the Enable chat feature ON or OFF, and search for and add Chat Moderators (who must exist in Tithely People).
4. Click Save.
For Facebook: The appropriate link will appear like this: https://www.facebook.com/sampleusername/videos/855074
For YouTube: Each scheduled YouTube livestream has a unique link. Paste that link here. (Example format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYdfffddfdd
Troubleshooting & FAQs
- How do I ensure my Tithely Site link works? You must add .rss to the end of the link (Option 1, Step 3) and verify that the stream on your Site is set up with a direct video link, not an iframe.
- How often should I update the link for weekly services (App Only method)? The link must be updated each week after setting up the new live stream on YouTube or Facebook, as permanent channel links are not supported for live streams.
- When does the chat open and close? The chat initiates 30 minutes before and concludes 30 minutes after the designated Start and End Times you set in the App Dashboard.