What are the differences between Kaltura's live solutions?

Kaltura offers a wide range of live and Real-Time Communication solutions, each is designed to meet the needs of a different live streaming demand, giving you the flexibility to choose the best solution for you and your organization. For more information, please refer to Types of Live Streaming for Communication.

Kaltura's live and Real-Time Communication solutions include the following standalone applications and products: Kaltura Webcasting (Townhalls), Lecture Capture, Kaltura Meetings/Virtual Classroom, and Kaltura Live. 

To learn more, please visit Understanding the Difference between Different Types of Virtual Events.

The following table lists the main differences between the tools capabilities and features:

Topic

Description

Webcast (Town halls)

Live broadcasting via
Lecture Capture

Kaltura Meeting/Virtual Classroom

Live Entry 

Live

Supporting Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP/RTMPS) to stream audio and video by maintaining low latency connections.





Real Time Communications 
Using Real time communications (RTC) is the exchange of audio/video from the sender to the receiver without latency.





VOD Recording (Video On Demand)

The VOD recording is done in real-time while the live stream is broadcasted. When the recording session is completed, the content is automatically uploaded as VOD into the Kaltura platform.

✔ (Recording Is automatic and can be disabled via API only)

✔ (Recording is automatic and can be disabled via API only)

✔ (Optional)

✔ (Optional)


 
 

DVR

Enabling DVR feature allows your viewers to pause, rewind, and continue during the event. After a viewer resumes playing, the event continues from where the viewer left off/paused.


 
 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

Event creation and scheduling via KMS/KAF applications

Login to your MediaSpace or KAF application and create the live event with it's scheduled date and time.  

✔(Optional)

✔ 



Ad-Hoc 

Live streaming can be initiated manually with a simple click on a button. No need for prior scheduling.


 
 


 
 
 


 
 
 


 
 

Video Conference Integration

Organizations can leverage Kaltura’s Video Conferencing Integrations (VCI) for solutions such as Zoom, WebEx and Skype for Business. Have your existing video meeting infrastructure (rooms, cameras, equipment) streamed into Kaltura Townhalls or Live Entry.


 
 


 
 

Number of inputs to stream

Supporting the deliver technology of number  input devices (camera/screen) to live stream simultaneously.

1

Optional - Plus a PPT in a Slide Show mode

1  
(Primary input only)
Optional - Plus a PPT in a Slide Show mode.


1

Encoder setup

The input video and audio are encoded (compressed) in real-time prior to being processed for streaming. Make sure to test any software or hardware encoder used to make sure it can stream to Kaltura. For more information, refer to the Live Encoding Best Practices Guide.

✔(Optional)


 
 


 
 


 
 

Recommended capture cards

See Recommended Capture Cards - Kaltura Lecture Capture


 
 


 
 


 
 

Self Serve

Allows to broadcast directly from the user's device with the Kaltura application. Without the need for an external encoder.


Installation requiredDownloading and installing the application is required upon first use.



Management installation

Organization wide installation using a software management solution. For additional information refer to Deploying Kaltura Lecture Capture for your Organization.


 
 


 
 


 
 

Real-Time Analytics

Real-time Analytics enables you to track and display stats for bandwidth usage, video content usage and to produce user and community reports in real-time and for the last 7 days. For additional information refer to Real-time Analytics



 
 

Automatic slide and chapter detection in presentation display 

When recording PowerPoint slides, slides are added as chapters with their time stamp as part of the recording.  


 
 
 


 
 
 


 
 
 


 
 
 

Screencast 

Broadcast your screen with the participants.


 
 
 


 
 
 

✔ Host and participants can share their screen given the right permissions.
 


 
 
 

Interactive tools
 
 
 

Tools that promote engagement during the broadcast. 

✔ (Q&As, Polls, Announcements, Slides)
 


 
 

✔(Chat, Q&As, Whiteboard, File sharing, HD video sharing, Quiz, Raise hand, etc.)


 
 

Interactive player display

The ability to choose from multiple display options: view video/Presentation as Picture in Picture, or Side by Side.
For additional information refer to Viewing Rich Media in the Kaltura Player.



Outlook integration

Outlook Add-In allows you to quickly and effortlessly create, edit, launch and send a Kaltura Webcast event from within Outlook.

* Add to calendar is available for both Google & Outlook calendars.


 
 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

Registration form

The live event owner can add a registration page to the entry thus making it only available for users that have filled out the registration form. For additional information refer to Event Registration 


 
 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

Max number of participants during the live event 

The maximum number of concurrent participants. 



 

Unlimited
 
 

Unlimited
 
 

✔ The max number of seats per class or meeting depends on your plan with Kaltura. Note that one Virtual Classroom can support up to 25 participants with active cameras and microphone at the same time.

Meeting/collaboration mode-100
Webinar/Training mode -300

Unlimited
 
 

Max number of presentersThe maximum number of presenters.

100
(Using VCI and session takeover)

1
Meeting/collaboration mode-100
Webinar/Training mode -100
100
(Using VCI and session takeover)

Max number of concurrent live events

The number of concurrent live streams broadcasted to Kaltura.
Up to 3Up to 3UnlimitedUp to 3

Participants focus track

The Focus feature allows the host to monitor participant's attention in the meeting.  For additional information see Track Participant Focus During The Session - Kaltura Meeting.


 
 


 
 


 
 
 


 
 

Was this article helpful?
Thank you for your feedback!
In This Article
Related Articles
Back to top

Never miss a thing!

Subscribe to our customer newsletter and our release notes updates, so you always get the best out of Kaltura.
Newsletter