How do I broadcast live video to residents?

Lumin's live video broadcast lets you stream live to all residents (or a subset) at once. It's used by villages for AGMs, exercise classes, chapel services, social events, special announcements, and similar moments where you want everyone to see and hear the same thing at the same time. The broadcast lands on every resident's CareHub or Lumin App as a video, ready to play.

Setting up your village's broadcast channel

Each village has its own dedicated broadcast channel, set up by Lumin during deployment. If your village doesn't yet have a broadcast channel — or you'd like a refresher — contact Lumin Support at least 2 working days before you'd like to broadcast. We'll configure the channel and walk through the setup with you.

What you need to broadcast

To broadcast, you'll need:

• A streaming-capable device (smartphone or laptop) with a camera and microphone
• A streaming app — typically Larix Broadcaster on iPhone/Android. Other RTMP-compatible apps may work; Lumin will confirm during setup.
• The stream key and URL for your village's channel — Lumin provides these
• A reliable internet connection — wired Ethernet is best; Wi-Fi works if signal is strong

Going live

1. Open your streaming app (e.g., Larix).
2. Enter the stream URL and stream key Lumin provided.
3. Aim your camera at the subject of the broadcast.
4. Test audio and framing before starting (most streaming apps have a preview mode).
5. When ready, tap Start streaming.
6. The broadcast appears on residents' devices within a few seconds (a brief delay is normal — this is how live streaming works).
7. When finished, tap Stop streaming in your app. The broadcast becomes a recorded video on residents' devices after the live stream ends, so residents who missed it can watch later (depending on configuration).

Letting residents know

A broadcast lands gently on the device but isn't an alarm. To make sure residents tune in:

• Send a Community Message in advance — "Live broadcast at 10am tomorrow, the AGM" — so residents know when to expect it
• Send a Community Message at the start — "We're going live now" — for any residents who happened to miss the earlier notice
• Repeat the broadcast for residents who couldn't make the live time, or rely on the recorded version

Common issues

• No video, no audio. Check that the streaming app is correctly connected — the stream URL and key need to be exact. Contact Lumin Support to confirm the channel is provisioned.
• Choppy video. Usually an internet connection issue at the broadcaster's end. Try a wired connection.
• Delay between live and what residents see. Usually 5–30 seconds. This is normal for live streaming and not something we can eliminate.

When live video isn't right

For pre-recorded content (a video tutorial, a short message from the village manager), a regular video shared via Community Messages is simpler than going live. Use live broadcast when the "live" element matters — Q&A, audience interaction, real-time events.