Live video, snapshots, channel recordings, and meeting replay

These all derive from video but solve different problems and have different retention rules. Choosing the wrong page often leads to “live view works but no recording exists” or mistaking an old snapshot for a frozen video stream.

Output	Purpose	When created	Where to view it
Live stream	What is happening now	Device push or media-node pull succeeds	Channel Live view
Periodic snapshot	A recent still without a player	Capture enabled, channel online, interval elapsed	Channel snapshots
Channel recording	Save a channel's video over time	A recording plan or manual job writes files	Recording Center
Meeting recording	Replay members, screen shares, and events	Room allows recording and an authorized host/API starts it	Meeting replay, by recording run

flowchart LR
    S["Online media stream"] --> Live["Live view"]
    S --> Shot["Periodic JPEG"]
    S --> File["Channel recording files"]
    Meeting["Meeting: members and collaboration events"] --> Archive["Member tracks + event timeline"]
    Archive --> Export["On-demand full-meeting video"]

Snapshots keep only a configured number and overwrite older slots. Channel recordings have files and indexes; stopping a session still requires finalization. Meeting archives additionally include member identities, chat, whiteboard, raised hands, and host changes. Interactive replay and an on-demand MP4 are different ways to watch them. Continuous meeting recording and archive APIs are included in 1.0.0.158; older installed servers and apps must still be judged by their actual versions.

Next read How recording starts, Search and playback, or RTC SDK recording and replay.