---
title: Adding a Zixi-ZEC MediaConnect Source
slug: zen-master/adding-a-zixi-zec-mediaconnect-source
docTags:
createdAt: 2024-12-27T16:40:36.870Z
---
You can add an input from a ZEC to an AWS MediaConnect Ingest Cluster to be managed as a source in ZEN. In this case, the ZEC is referred to as the **Origin Broadcaster** which streams to the **Ingest Cluster**. The streaming uses the Zixi protocol. Once the AWS MediaConnect Flow channel is configured, ZEN Master will automatically configure the component to push the stream to the relevant MediaConnect Flow.
When configuring a Source using a Push stream from a ZEC you can apply *Network Bonding* to the stream. This divides the stream into several network channels using multiple NICs and subsequently reunites them at the Ingest Cluster. When using Network Bonding, you need to specify which NICs will be used for this Source.
The following procedure describes how to add a ZEC MediaConnect Source . In addition, an explanation of each of the configuration parameters is given in the table below.
**To create a Zixi-ZEC MediaConnect Source:**
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In the main navigation, click **Sources**.
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Click **+ Add**.
The Create New Source window is displayed.
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Under **AWS Media**, click on **AWS MediaConnect**.
The Create New AWS Media Source window opens.
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In the **Info **section, in the **Name** field, type a logical name for the Source.
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In the **Tags **field, select one or more of the predefined Tags from the drop-down list. Tags are used for access control. By selecting a Tag, you are relating this Source to that Tag. Tags are associated with certain roles (through the Users & Roles screen), and roles, in turn, are associated with users and user groups. If you would like to create a new Tag, see [Creating a Tag](docId\:YpM9tw81ap6nq8sTKv4Rd).
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In the **Events Configuration Profile **field, select from the dropdown list the profile that you would like to apply to this Source. By default, the *Default* profile is applied. *Events Profiles* consist of a series of rules that determine precisely how various types of Events are logged and what results they trigger.
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In the **Input** section, under **Protocol**, select the **Zixi** radio button.
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In the **Application** section, select **ZEC**.
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In the **ZEC **field, select from the drop-down list one of the available ZECs.
In the **ZEC Input** field, select the desired input from the drop-down list of ZEC inputs on the selected Broadcaster.
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If you would like to use **Bonding **section, do the following:
- Select the **Bonding** checkbox.
- Select two or more NICs by clicking the **+** button for each of the desired NICs.
::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/mzxtTQEvCNIdUNgF2kuwJ/AKGeIoMd7Ja85DkWNekLI_image.png" size="100" width="876" height="375" position="center" alt="Selecting NICs for Bonding" showCaption="false" indent="2"}
- Selected NICs are shown above the Filter box. (You can remove an NIC by clicking the **- **button for that NIC).
- If you want to use this NIC only when there isn’t sufficient bandwidth available on the other NICs, then select the **Backup** checkbox.
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If the **Backup** checkbox is not selected then this NIC is used in parallel
with the other selected NICs.
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In the **Latency \[ms]** field, select the latency time for the stream (default 4000).
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You are required by MediaConnect to enter a valid **Whitelist CIDR block**. The whitelist CIDR block is a range of IP addresses that should be allowed to contribute content to your source. These IP addresses must be in the form of a Classless Inter-Domain Routing block. For example, 10.0.0.0/16. Through source needs to be in the range covered by this CIDR block. Any IP address with this range is allowed to send content to this flow.
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In the **Initial State** section, select the **Muted** checkbox if you would like to disable error/recovery notifications for this Source upon initial configuration. You can Unmute the Source at any time.
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If you would like to adjust the advanced settings, click **Advanced**.
The **Advanced **settings fields are displayed:
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Click **Save**.
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**Parameter Table**
| **Parameter** | **Description** |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ***Info*** | |
| Name | Specify a name for the AWS Media Source in ZEN Master. |
| Tags | Select one or more of the predefined Tags from the drop-down list.
Tags are used for access control. By selecting an Tag, you are relating this Source to that Tag. Tags are associated with certain roles (through the Users & Roles screen), and roles, in turn, are associated with users and user groups. If you would like to create a new Tag, see [Creating a Tag](docId\:YpM9tw81ap6nq8sTKv4Rd). |
| Events Configuration Profile | Select from the dropdown list the profile that you would like to apply to this Source. By default, the *Default* profile is applied.
Note: *Events Profiles *consist of a series of rules that determine precisely how various types of Events are logged and what results they trigger. |
| ***Input*** | |
| Protocol | To create a Zixi Input AWS Media Source, verify that **Zixi** is selected (default). |
| Application | Select **ZEC**. |
| ZEC | Select from the drop-down list the desired ZEC. |
| ZEC Input | Select from the drop-down list one of the Inputs that are available on the selected ZEC. |
| Bonding | Select the checkbox if you would like to use bonding. |
| Broadcaster Output NICs | If you selected the
**Bonding checkbox**, then click the button for each of the NICs that you would like to use.
Selected NICs are shown above the **Filter **box. (You can remove a NIC by clicking the button for that NIC).
For each selected NIC, you can adjust the following parameters:
* In the **Max Bitrate** field, enter the maximum bitrate to be used on this NIC.
* If you want to use this NIC only when there isn’t sufficient bandwidth available on the other NICs, then select the **Backup** checkbox.
If the **Backup** checkbox is not selected then this NIC is used in parallel with the other selected NICs. |
| Latency \[ms] | Specify the latency time for the stream (default 4000). |
| ***Source Configuration*** | |
| Whitelist CIDR Block | Specify the CIDR for the range of IPs that you would like to allow to contribute content to this Source.
You are required by MediaConnect to enter a valid Whitelist CIDR block. |
| ***Initial State*** | |
| Muted | Select this checkbox if you would like to disable error/recovery notifications for this Source upon initial configuration. |
| ***Advanced*** | |
| Traffic Shaping \[kbps] | Specify the traffic shaping setting to limit the momentary bitrate spikes. This mechanism adjusts the packet rates to control data flow in order to prevent network congestion. It delays or queues less critical packets to prioritize important traffic. Specify the birtate limit in Kbps that will serve as the threshold bitrate afterwhich it will apply the traffic shapping mechanism. |
| Max FEC Overhead \[%] | Specify the percentage of the Source bitrate that will be allocated to Forward Error Correction. By default, Zixi's dynamic FEC adjusts based on network conditions. However by specifying this setting you can cap the FEC allocation in specific scenarios. |
| Frame Thinning Latency \[ms] | The Frame Thinning feature removes frames from the stream to get to a lower bitrate if the stream is traversing a crowded network instead of using transcoding to lower the bitrate. To allow the analysis and selection of the frames, ZEC needs a buffer. This setting specifies the buffer size (latency) that is allowed in milliseconds in order to remove these frames. The higher the value, the more accurate results that the Frame Thinning feature will reproduce. A reasonable value is 1 seconds. |