# Managing routes in MediaConnect
<a name="assigning-route"></a>

After you've set up your router I/Os, you can control how content flows between them by assigning and unassigning routes. A route connects an input to one or more outputs, determining where your content goes. For example, you might route a live sports feed to multiple regional broadcasters, send a studio production to both transmission and recording, or direct archive content to specific distribution channels.

All routing happens inside MediaConnect, letting you switch sources immediately and send one input to multiple outputs. You can manage everything from one place, even across different AWS Regions, giving you centralized control of your resources.

MediaConnect provides two ways to manage your route assignments:

1. **Router control panel view**

   This real-time control interface is ideal for live production. Like a traditional broadcast router, it lets you make immediate changes and see them take effect immediately. Visual indicators help you monitor your routes' status during live events.

1. **Router matrix view**

   When you need to plan more complex changes, the matrix view lets you set up multiple route changes at once. You can preview your changes before applying them, making it particularly useful for scheduled program changes and complex routing scenarios.

1. **Output details page**

   For quick changes to individual outputs, you can use the Take Input option on any output details page. This method lets you select a new input for a single output without opening the control panel or matrix view.

As you work with routes, remember that outputs are unassigned by default. You can take (assign) an input from any compatible output, regardless of whether the output is active or in standby. Taking a new input changes which source signal flows to the destination, similar to using a traditional switching router. These routing changes don't affect your external endpoint connections between your source and input, or between your output and destination.

This chapter shows you how to use both the router control panel view and the router matrix view to manage your route assignments.

**Topics**
+ [Using the router control panel view in MediaConnect](using-router-control-panel.md)
+ [Using the router matrix view in MediaConnect](using-router-matrix-editor.md)

# Using the router control panel view in MediaConnect
<a name="using-router-control-panel"></a>

The router control panel view provides an intuitive interface for taking inputs and monitoring your routes in real time, similar to a traditional broadcast router. You can use the control panel to see your current routing assignments at a glance, and make immediate changes.

When routing content through the control panel, remember these key points:
+ Each output can take content from only one input at a time
+ Each input can send content to multiple outputs

**Tip**  
If you need to quickly change just one output, you can also take an input from the output details page. This alternative method works well for individual changes, while the control panel is better suited for managing multiple routes.

## Prerequisites
<a name="control-panel-prerequisites"></a>

Before you get started, ensure the following:
+ You have one or more router inputs
+ You have one or more router outputs
+ The router inputs and outputs are compatible for pairing

**Note**  
Outputs are checked for compatibility with inputs based upon routing scope and maximum bitrate. When the routing scope is set to regional for a router I/O, it is only compatible with I/O resources in the same AWS Region. To enable a router input or output for cross-region operation, set the routing scope to global.   
Also, router outputs are only compatible with router inputs of equal or lesser maximum bitrate. For example, if an input is 20 Mbps, you can't route it to an output that's set up for less than 20 Mbps. 

## Procedure
<a name="control-panel-procedure"></a>

Follow these procedures to review and assign routes in the control panel.<a name="review-control-panel-procedure"></a>

**To review the router control panel**

1. Open the MediaConnect console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/mediaconnect/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/mediaconnect/).

1. Choose **Router control panel**. The control panel displays two main sections:
   + Input tiles represent your available content sources
   + Output tiles represent your available destinations

1. To see all of your router I/Os in the control panel, choose **Auto-select inputs** and **Auto-select outputs**.
   + Alternatively, you can manually select inputs and outputs in the **Configure control panel **pane. This is useful when managing a subset of routes, like those for a particular event or program.

1. (Optional) Customize your control panel experience with these options:
   + Turn on **Abbreviate resource names** to show shortened I/O names.
   + Select **Locked** to prevent accidental routing changes.
   + Select **Real-time control** to enable immediate routing changes.
**Important**  
Be careful when enabling real-time control. All changes take effect immediately, and your output takes the selected input in real time.

The following image shows the control panel with no active routes.

![\[MediaConnect router control panel showing input tiles and output tiles in the us-east-1 and us-west-2 Regions. All tiles show the I/O state ("Active" or "Standby").\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/mediaconnect/latest/ug/images/router-control-panel-no-active-routes.png)
<a name="make-changes-control-panel-procedure"></a>

**To make changes on the router control panel**

1. In the router control panel, select **Real-time control** to enable immediate routing changes.

1. Select an output to work with.

1. Choose what you want to do:

   1. To set up a new route: Select the input that you want your output to take.

   1. To change an existing route: Select a different input for your output to take.

   1. To remove an existing route: Deselect the current input.

1. Review the outcome:

   1. For a new route: You'll see a success message, and the input tile flashes yellow while the take is in progress. When the take is complete, the input is highlighted blue to indicate the new connection.

   1. For a cleared route: You'll see a success message appears, and the input tile's highlight will disappear.

   1. For a failed change: You'll see an error message explaining the problem, and your route won't change.

1. When you’re done making changes, choose **Locked** to change the control panel to read-only mode and prevent accidental takes.

In the following image, the blue highlight shows an active route between an input (`SportsCam-Main`) and an output (`ControlRoom-Monitor`).

![\[MediaConnect router control panel showing an active route between an input and output, with the route highlighted in blue.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/mediaconnect/latest/ug/images/router-control-panel-active-routes.png)


# Using the router matrix view in MediaConnect
<a name="using-router-matrix-editor"></a>

The router matrix view helps you manage multiple routes efficiently. Unlike the control panel where takes happen immediately, the matrix view lets you prepare multiple takes and review them before applying them all at once. 

When routing content, keep in mind the following:
+ Each output can take content from only one input at a time.
+ Each input can send content to multiple outputs.

**Tip**  
If you need to change just one output, you can also take an input from the output details page. This alternative method works well for individual changes, while the matrix view is better suited for managing multiple routes.

## Prerequisites
<a name="matrix-editor-prerequisites"></a>

Before you get started, ensure the following:
+ You have one or more router inputs
+ You have one or more router outputs
+ The router inputs and outputs are compatible for pairing

**Note**  
Outputs are checked for compatibility with inputs based upon routing scope and maximum bitrate. When the routing scope is set to regional for a router I/O, it is only compatible with I/O resources in the same AWS Region. To enable a router input or output for cross-region operation, set the routing scope to global.   
Also, router outputs are only compatible with router inputs of equal or lesser maximum bitrate. For example, if an input is 20 Mbps, you can't route it to an output that's set up for less than 20 Mbps. 

## Procedure
<a name="matrix-editor-procedure"></a>

Follow these procedures to open the router matrix view and perform bulk takes.<a name="review-router-matrix-procedure"></a>

**To review the router matrix**

1. Open the MediaConnect console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/mediaconnect/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/mediaconnect/).

1. Choose **Router matrix**.

1. To see all your router I/Os in the router matrix view, choose **Auto-select resources**. This view supports up to 20 inputs and 10 outputs.
   + Alternatively, you can manually select inputs and outputs in the **Configure router matrix** pane. This is useful when managing a subset of routes, like those for a particular event or program.

The router matrix view shows your available outputs and inputs in a grid format:
+ Rows represent router inputs (your available content sources)
+ Columns represent router outputs (your available destinations)
+ Each cell represents a potential output assignment

![\[MediaConnect router matrix showing a routing grid with inputs as rows and outputs as columns. Active routes are marked with blue dots.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/mediaconnect/latest/ug/images/router-matrix-editor.png)
<a name="bulk-take-update-procedure"></a>

**To perform a bulk take update**

1. In the router matrix view, choose the routes that you want to change.
   + To create a new route, select an empty cell.
   + To remove an existing route, select a populated cell.

1. Choose **Apply route matrix** to save your changes.  
![\[MediaConnect routing matrix grid, with the "Apply route matrix" button highlighted in the top-right corner.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/mediaconnect/latest/ug/images/router-matrix-editor-apply-changes.png)

1. Review the outcome:

   1. While the takes are in progress: You'll see which routes are still being updated.

   1. If all takes succeed: You'll see a success message confirming the update.

   1. If any takes fail: You'll see which routes couldn't be changed and why they failed.

**Note**  
Each take happens independently. This means some outputs might take their new inputs faster than others, and if one take fails, the others will still proceed.