WebRTC

A distribution can be configured with a WebRTC source to enable sub-second, real-time delivery alongside the standard HESP and HLS output protocols. When WebRTC is enabled, the platform connects the distribution to an OptiView Real-time Streaming source, allowing viewers to receive the stream over WebRTC for the lowest possible latency.

Distribution-level security does not apply to WebRTC

When viewers play back via the WebRTC source, traffic is served directly by OptiView Real-time Streaming and bypasses the distribution. As a result, distribution-level token-based security, geo-blocking, IP blocking, and referrer blocking are not enforced for WebRTC playback. Read the Secure viewing section to learn how to access a protected stream.

How it works

WebRTC delivery is configured per distribution using the webRtc field. The field links the distribution to an OptiView Real-time Streaming source by specifying the source name, account ID, and API URL of the real-time stream.

When a viewer connects to a distribution that has WebRTC configured, the player selects between the WebRTC source and the regular HESP/HLS output based on priority. The priority field must be 0 or higher, where a lower value means higher precedence — the same direction as engine priority. When the WebRTC priority is lower than the engine's priority, the player prefers the WebRTC source, with HESP/HLS acting as a fallback.

Configuration fields

Field	Type	Required	Description
priority	number	Yes	Priority of the WebRTC source. Must be 0 or higher; lower values mean higher precedence.
src.name	string	Yes	The OptiView Real-time Streaming stream name.
src.accountId	string	Yes	The OptiView Real-time Streaming account ID.
src.apiUrl	string	Yes	The OptiView Real-time Streaming Director API URL (for example, the subscribe endpoint).

To remove the WebRTC configuration from a distribution, set the webRtc field to null when updating.

Secure viewing

In order to properly protect the viewing experience, you will want to use a single protection token for both the WebRTC and the HLS feeds. This JWT token will be based on the subscribe tokens of the OptiView Real-time Streaming platform. Here are the steps to achieve this.

• Create a parent subscribe token that you will be using for generating self-signed tokens.
• In your channel distribution settings, go to the JWT security section and add a new JWT security key. Provide a name that will help you remembering what OptiView Real-time Streaming subscribe token it comes from (e.g. Subscribe Token 1071141886). Copy the token value for the key (e.g. 7f4a7f358e163d298a95b96b95e18cf677e43252d6c2387d64a26aa5ae5bcacc).
• When a viewer is trying to access the feed, generate a self-sign subscribe token and provide it to the player before connecting to the feed.
  Web SDK example

  player.theoLive.authToken = SUBSCRIBE_TOKEN;

When to use WebRTC

• Sub-second latency — WebRTC delivers end-to-end latency under 500 ms, making it ideal for interactive use cases such as auctions, betting, or live Q&A.
• Hybrid delivery — combine WebRTC for the lowest latency with HESP/HLS as a fallback for broad device compatibility. The player automatically selects the best available protocol.

API example

You can configure WebRTC via the API using the webRtc field when creating or updating a distribution.

Add WebRTC to a distribution

POST https://api.theo.live/v2/channels/{channelId}/distributions

{
  "name": "my-distribution",
  "webRtc": {
    "priority": 0,
    "src": {
      "name": "my-realtime-stream",
      "accountId": "your-realtime-account-id",
      "apiUrl": "https://director.millicast.com/api/director/subscribe"
    }
  }
}

In this example, the WebRTC source is configured with priority: 0, the highest possible WebRTC priority. When the engine priority is higher than 0, the player prefers the WebRTC source and falls back to the engine output (HESP/HLS) otherwise.

Remove WebRTC from a distribution

PATCH https://api.theo.live/v2/distributions/{distributionId}

{
  "webRtc": null
}

Notes

• WebRTC is configured per distribution, not per engine. Different distributions on the same channel can have different WebRTC configurations — or none at all.
• Distribution-level security and geo-blocking do not apply to WebRTC playback — they only affect HESP and HLS delivery. See the warning above for details.
• Distribution overrides work as expected with WebRTC.