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Beam Networks Stream Docs

Getting Started

Welcome to Beam Networks Stream. This guide walks you through the minimum steps to get from account creation to your first working stream delivery. Follow the order below — each step depends on the one before it.

What you’ll need before you begin

Section titled “What you’ll need before you begin”
  • An Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer) running macOS 13 or later
  • OBS Studio 32.1 or later installed
  • A Beam Networks account — sign in at app.beamnetworks.stream
  • Your Stream ID and API key from the Beam dashboard

You do not need to compile anything or manage a server. Beam handles the delivery infrastructure; your job is to install the OBS plugin and point it at your account.

Section titled “Recommended setup order”
  1. Sign in and note your Stream ID and API key from the dashboard.
  2. Install the OBS plugin on your Mac.
  3. Create the Beam config file with your credentials.
  4. Configure OBS output settings (1920×1080, 60 fps, 6000 kbps CBR — see the OBS Plugin Install guide for the full table and rationale).
  5. Start OBS, enable the Beam dock, and begin streaming as normal.

That sequence is the least confusing path to a working test because the plugin needs your credentials before OBS launches.

Step 1 — Get your credentials from the dashboard

Section titled “Step 1 — Get your credentials from the dashboard”
  1. Sign in at app.beamnetworks.stream.
  2. Open Settings → Stream.
  3. Copy your Stream ID — you will use this in the config file.
  4. Open Settings → API Keys and copy your API key.

Keep your API key private. It authenticates every upload from your machine to Beam.

Step 2 — Install the OBS plugin

Section titled “Step 2 — Install the OBS plugin”

Follow the OBS Plugin Install (macOS) guide. The short version:

  1. Quit OBS.
  2. Copy beam-obs.plugin into ~/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins/.
  3. Create the Beam config folder at ~/Library/Application Support/Beam/.
  4. Copy the sample config to ~/Library/Application Support/Beam/obs-plugin.json and fill in your Stream ID and API key.

Full details and notes are in the plugin install guide.

Step 3 — Apply the recommended OBS output settings

Section titled “Step 3 — Apply the recommended OBS output settings”

Beam recommends 1920×1080 at 60 fps with 6000 kbps CBR. Configure these in OBS Settings (Output and Video sections); the plugin reads what OBS produces and does not write to your OBS profile. Full table and rationale in the OBS Plugin Install (macOS) guide.

Step 4 — Launch OBS and start streaming

Section titled “Step 4 — Launch OBS and start streaming”
  1. Launch OBS.
  2. Confirm the Beam dock appears in the OBS interface.
  3. Use OBS’s normal Stream button — Beam intercepts the stream output and delivers it through the resilient upload path.
  4. Watch the Beam dock for upload status. Green means segments are being delivered.

What to do if something isn’t working

Section titled “What to do if something isn’t working”

See the Troubleshooting guide. The most common first steps are confirming the API key is correct and that OBS is actually writing output (check the Beam dock status indicator).

What’s next

Section titled “What’s next”