---
title: Channels
slug: zen-master/channels
docTags: 
createdAt: 2024-12-27T15:21:01.547Z
---

Channels are a combination of one or more sources that are prepared for output in the ZEN system. Each channel is assigned to a specific Channel Processing Broadcaster cluster. There are six types of Channels, each involving a different process in preparing the stream for output. The following is a description of the Channel types:

- **Transcoded Channel** – transcodes a single Source to multiple bitrates for output to an HTTP, S3, MediaStore or GCP Target.
- **Pass-through** **Channel** – no actual processing is done on the stream. A Pass-Through Channel with a single Source simply sends the Source to an output. A Pass-Through channel with multiple Sources creates redundancy by defining parallel streams from multiple Sources as a single entity. This ensures that if one Source becomes inactive the stream will be automatically transmitted from the parallel Source.
- **AWS MediaConnect Flow** - create and manage a completely new MediaConnect Flow in ZEN Master. A MediaConnect Source that was configured in ZEN Master can be assigned to the MediaConnect Flow Channel.
- **AWS MediaLive Channel** – create and manage a new AWS MediaLive Channel in ZEN Master.

By clicking *More Options* you can also choose:

- **Adaptive Channel** – combines multiple Sources to create a unified HLS stream for output to an HTTP, S3, MediaStore or GCP Target.

If you would like to create a new Channel with a configuration similar to an existing Channel you can use the Clone feature, see [Cloning a Channel](docId:8h-dmm0aWbAKXqphd8vKK).



- [Channel Sources](docId\:s4BHhHfSKwKGXnd-3_OLh) 
- [Redundancy in ZEN Master](docId\:k9mukecY4pzgeowUJDrHH) 
- [Adding Transcoded Channels](docId\:xwF-mFNvRA5E3jQL2YMjU) 
- [Adding Pass-Through Channels](docId:4b-XOt6dB_1rg-wKrq8iu) 
- [Adding MediaConnect Flow Channels](docId\:VGHKldpL2Bb4KpPWwQZLq) 
- [Adding a AWS MediaLive Channel](docId:1RM8mcDM_28pYF0cG82dY) 
- [Adding Adaptive Channels](docId\:rKvnZF-Tft8VGnzZsb79b) 
- [Cloning a Channel](docId:8h-dmm0aWbAKXqphd8vKK) 
- [Viewing Existing Channels](docId\:OjRj8Lq8Uz66l32ubWb56)