Note: This feature cannot be used with a Simulated Live broadcast
With BoxCast's Graphic Overlays feature, you can add PNG images to your broadcast without any extra hardware or software mixer/switcher equipment.
At any point after scheduling, you can upload PNG images and place them on a transparent grid to be overlaid on the video during the broadcast. The simple drag-and-drop canvas can be changed live during the broadcast. You can use this for lower thirds, full slates, watermarks — or any combination. You can even use this in conjunction with BoxCast Scoreboard Overlays.
Images must be in PNG format, less than 5MB, and our recommended resolution is 1920x1080 for full-size slates. Transparency in the image is supported.
Adding an Overlay
Browse to the Broadcasts page on the BoxCast Dashboard, and select your upcoming broadcast.
Click the Overlays tab. The status indicator will display as green if overlays are active and no indicator if inactive.
In the Overlay Gallery section, drag and drop or browse to upload an image from your computer.
To use an existing image, hover over the uploaded image and hit Add.
Drag and drop or resize in the canvas to position the image how you'd like it, then
click Apply Changes. You have flexibility, and can pull the image out of the frame or partially out of the frame if needed.
Note: The overlay is applied in real-time, so it takes approximately 30–60 seconds for changes to appear to viewers in the video player when your stream is live.
Click on Apply Changes.
If this is a recurring broadcast, you have the option to apply your changes to all broadcasts in that series or just the current one.
Removing or Editing an Overlay
While on the Broadcast Details page, navigate to the Overlays tab and review the Overlay gallery section. Active overlay images are highlighted with a border.
You can also see which Overlays are active by viewing the Active Overlays section.
From this section, you can easily remove or change the order of the overlays. Overlays that are listed at the top will show as the top layer, and the ones at the bottom will show behind the other images.
There are a few ways to remove an overlay:
Hover over the image where it is located below the preview window and click Remove.
Click on the delete button in the Active Overlays section.
Click on the image in the preview window and hit the Delete button on your keyboard.
Hit the delete button on the image in the preview window.
Note: This makes the overlay no longer active but does not remove it from your gallery.
Best Practices + Overlay Templates
Although you can upload any PNG image to our online canvas, for consistent, repeatable results, we suggest you create the graphics as a 1920x1080 image using graphics software such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. If you use Photoshop or Illustrator, we have a template for you to use when creating the overlay.
Download Templates
FAQ
Do I need this feature if I already have a video mixer?
No. If you already have video mixing capabilities, you can send that produced signal to BoxCast without having this feature.
Can I insert video overlays with this feature?
No. The Graphic Overlays feature only supports .png files.
Do the overlays appear immediately in the video?
No. The overlays are tied to the overall video delay. For example, if someone is walking onstage right now, viewers will not see them for 30–60 seconds. But if you add an overlay when that person is walking onstage, 30–60 seconds later, when viewers see that person walking up to the stage, they'll also see the overlay.
Can I use overlays in conjunction with scoreboard overlays?
Yes. The graphic overlays will appear on top of the scoreboard graphic. If you want a full-page slate with the scoreboard showing through, you can add transparency where the scoreboard would appear to allow it to show through the slate.
How many overlay graphics can I use at the same time?
We recommend using only up to five simultaneous overlay graphics. If you need more, consider making a 1920x1080 graphic with all your images composed together.
Will the overlay appear if I have no other video signal or on audio-only broadcasts?
No, these graphic overlays only appear when the video is received by the BoxCast servers. The video must be received before the broadcast to overlay the images.
Can I use overlays for advertising or sponsors?
You may use overlays for advertising purposes, but the advertisements can't be interacted with, and the metrics aren't tracked. Streams with advertisements or sponsorships can't be pushed to social media sites like YouTube or Facebook Live.
Can I set the overlay to change in the middle of the live event automatically?
No. At this time, you must manually add and remove each overlay.
Why does an image appear large or need to be repositioned every time?
No scaling is performed on images. We'll present an image in its original size on a default portion of the screen. If you'd like an image to always appear in the same spot, consider creating a fully transparent 1920x1080 image with your graphic placed in the specific location within the image. When this graphic is used, it'll be the exact size of the video player itself, and the overlaid image will appear in the same place on the video player as on the transparent background.
Can I edit overlays on archived videos?
No. Overlays are injected into the actual video data itself.