To switch a live stream in AWS Elemental MediaLive, attach the intended inputs to the channel, then schedule an input-switch action that names the target attachment. Multiple attached inputs do not rotate automatically. Choose a fixed start for a known time, an immediate start for an ad-hoc change, or a follow start when the next source should begin after a prior action ends.
How MediaLive input switching works
Input switching is controlled by actions in the schedule associated with the channel. An action identifies its target input attachment and when to switch. AWS notes that a channel with multiple attachments will not move to the next one unless its schedule specifies that action (AWS: Multiple-input channels and the schedule).
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There is no special “main” input that MediaLive automatically returns to. The attached inputs are available sources; the schedule determines which one is active and when a transition occurs. You can prepare actions before channel startup and add or change actions while the channel is running (Working with the schedule).
Choose the right start mode
| Mode | Use it when | Important behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed | The transition should happen at a known wall-clock time. | Specify a UTC date and time. AWS’s input-switch behavior page describes fixed actions as 15 seconds to 14 days in the future. A separate fields page specifies at least 30 seconds for a static live input. Because those requirements differ, follow the validation for your exact console or API path and configuration, and verify the current rule before a time-critical event. |
| Immediate | You need an ad-hoc transition or do not know the exact time in advance. | For a standard channel with two pipelines, MediaLive sets an internal start time 10 seconds ahead so both pipelines switch together. |
| Follow | The next input should begin when a referenced input-switch action ends, commonly for a file input. | The reference input must have Source end behavior set to Continue. The follow action is linked to a preceding input-switch action. |
These modes and timing details are documented in AWS’s input-switch action guide and input-switch schedule fields. Fixed-start validation can vary by configuration, so do not assume one minimum applies to every switch.
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Prepare and schedule a switch
- Identify or create the sources. Confirm that each intended source is available as a MediaLive input.
- Attach each target input to the channel. A switch action targets an input attachment on that channel, not an unattached input.
- Plan the order and timing. For every transition, choose an action name, target attachment, and start mode. For a file input, account for any clip constraints and source end behavior.
- Schedule the initial switch. Where practical, add known fixed and follow actions before starting the channel. AWS recommends making the first switch immediate; that first switch must target a static input.
- Start the channel and add further actions as needed. Actions belong to the channel schedule; there is no separate schedule resource to create.
- For a short-notice immediate change, consider preparation. A prepare-input action can reduce delay before a planned immediate switch.
See AWS’s schedule setup guidance for the recommended startup sequence.
Use the console or CLI/API
In the MediaLive console
Open the channel’s schedule and create an input-switch action. Select the target attachment, give the action a name, and choose fixed, immediate, or follow start settings. For fixed starts, enter the intended UTC date and time; for follow starts, reference the earlier input-switch action. Console labels and validation may change, so rely on the form’s current validation for the chosen configuration.
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With the CLI or API
An input-switch schedule action includes the channel ID, an action name, start settings, and InputSwitchSettings with an InputAttachmentNameReference. The start settings represent one of the fixed, immediate, or follow modes. AWS’s CLI input-switch fields and examples show payload patterns for fixed-time live switching, a file action that follows another action, and an immediate dynamic-file switch. Treat them as patterns: substitute the actual channel ID, attachment names, action names, timestamps, and source details for your channel rather than copying sample values into production.
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Plan for files and startup behavior
- Revisiting a static file starts it again. If you switch away from a static file and later switch back, ingest begins at the start of the file or its selected clip.
- The first switch has a constraint. It must target a static input; build the startup schedule around that requirement.
- Follow actions depend on the reference action. Confirm that the referenced input’s Source end behavior is Continue, or the intended follow transition will not match the documented workflow.
- Check that the first source is detectable at startup. Failure to detect the first input is a startup problem, distinct from a later scheduled switch, and may require correcting the source and restarting the channel.
AWS documents these limits in input-switch limits.
Scheduled switching is not failover
An operator-directed schedule action changes inputs according to a plan. It does not, by itself, respond to a failed source. Input-loss handling governs replacement content after a source becomes unhealthy, while automatic input failover is a separate feature with its own configured trigger and behavior. Configure and test the behavior appropriate to your channel’s reliability needs rather than treating a scheduled switch as protection against source failure. See AWS’s input-loss handling and automatic failover documentation.
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Troubleshoot a switch that does not happen
- No transition occurs: Check that the schedule contains an input-switch action and that it names an input attachment on this channel. Merely attaching several inputs does not create rotation.
- A fixed action is rejected or mistimed: Confirm the UTC timestamp and the current validation for the selected source and interface. AWS’s two pages give different minimum lead times for different contexts, so do not rely on a universal minimum.
- A follow action does not start at the expected point: Verify that it references the intended prior action and that the reference input has Source end behavior set to Continue.
- A file appears to restart: That is expected when switching back to a static file; playback resumes from the beginning of the file or selected clip.
- The channel fails at startup: Investigate whether the initial input can be detected and whether the first switch targets a static input. Correct the source or schedule, then restart if required.
- A source fails during the event: Check input-loss handling or configured automatic failover separately; a normal scheduled action is not a source-health trigger.
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