How to set up and run Wowza nDVR for live streaming

[aynajus]

Can I used DVR to flash rtmp?

[ScottKell]

Can I used DVR to flash rtmp?

No, nDVR streams to HTTP only.

[aigars]

So it means it can not be used with flowplayer ?

[rrlanham]

I don't think Flowplayer supports Flash HTTP (Sanjose) streaming.

Richard

[aigars]

Thanks for answers?
How can be controlled disk space for recording? It's possible to set some limits avoid to flood hard drive?

[rrlanham]

There is no built-in, configurable way to set a limit on disk space used for recording. You could use an application module or server listener to monitor disk usage, but I don't have an example of that.

Richard

[xzerth]

Hello, thanks for an answers. How can I set the time period of recording data? I mean I want to record only last 2 weeks of content and then record on top of it. How can I set this?

[ScottKell]

Hello, thanks for an answers. How can I set the time period of recording data? I mean I want to record only last 2 weeks of content and then record on top of it. How can I set this?

If you want to set a 2 week window of time-- 2 weeks of DVR-ed content would be available and as time progresses anything before the 2 week period drops off-- use the WindowDuration property. Its shown in the article.

If you instead want to control when recording starts and stops, you can use the recording API or the HTTP Provider example which uses this API shown here: Wowza nDVR Recording API

[maddogx]

If you want to set a 2 week window of time-- 2 weeks of DVR-ed content would be available and as time progresses anything before the 2 week period drops off-- use the WindowDuration property. Its shown in the article.

If you instead want to control when recording starts and stops, you can use the recording API or the HTTP Provider example which uses this API shown here: Wowza nDVR Recording API

What if the wowza server is restarted when you need a versioned recording using the api but append when the wowza restarted/reloaded ?

[ScottKell]

What if the wowza server is restarted when you need a versioned recording using the api but append when the wowza restarted/reloaded ?

I think you are referring to the recording API: Wowza nDVR Recording API
I'm guessing you want to create different recordings but those recordings would have append mode.

Set append mode, and when you use the HTTPProvider or API to create the recording, give the recording a unique name.

So even though you have myStream as your stream name, the recordings might be called:
hour01
hour02
etc...

And since you have append mode, if the stream disconnects and restarts, it will continue recording.

Not that the streamTimeout value controls how long the recording will remain "open" if the input stream disconnects. SO set that to suit your needs.

[ManGood]

i'm trying to start DVR recording but it doesn't work.
there is folder in /WowzaMediaServer/dvr
there is file in /WowzaMediaServer/conf/dvr/Application.xml

here is file Application.xml in /conf/dvr/

<Root>
<Application>
<!-- Uncomment to set application level timeout values
<ApplicationTimeout>60000</ApplicationTimeout>
<PingTimeout>12000</PingTimeout>
<ValidationFrequency>8000</ValidationFrequency>
<MaximumPendingWriteBytes>0</MaximumPendingWriteBytes>
<MaximumSetBufferTime>60000</MaximumSetBufferTime>
<MaximumStorageDirDepth>25</MaximumStorageDirDepth>
-->
<Connections>
<AutoAccept>true</AutoAccept>
<AllowDomains></AllowDomains>
</Connections>
<!--
StorageDir path variables

${com.wowza.wms.AppHome} - Application home directory
${com.wowza.wms.ConfigHome} - Configuration home directory
${com.wowza.wms.context.VHost} - Virtual host name
${com.wowza.wms.context.VHostConfigHome} - Virtual host config directory
${com.wowza.wms.context.Application} - Application name
${com.wowza.wms.context.ApplicationInstance} - Application instance name
-->

<Streams>
<StreamType>live</StreamType>
<StorageDir>${com.wowza.wms.context.VHostConfigHom e}/content</StorageDir>
<KeyDir>${com.wowza.wms.context.VHostConfigHome}/keys</KeyDir>
<!-- LiveStreamPacketizers (separate with commas): cupertinostreamingpacketizer, smoothstreamingpacketizer, sanjosestreamingpacketizer, cupertinostreamingrepeater, smoothstreamingrepeater, sanjosestreamingrepeater -->
<LiveStreamPacketizers>dvrstreamingpacketizer</LiveStreamPacketizers>
<!-- Properties defined here will override any properties defined in conf/Streams.xml for any streams types loaded by this application -->
<Properties>
</Properties>
</Streams>
<Transcoder>
<!-- To turn on transcoder set to: transcoder -->
<LiveStreamTranscoder></LiveStreamTranscoder>
<!-- [templatename].xml or ${SourceStreamName}.xml -->
<Templates>${SourceStreamName}.xml,transrate.xml </Templates>
<ProfileDir>${com.wowza.wms.context.VHostConfigHom e}/transcoder/profiles</ProfileDir>
<TemplateDir>${com.wowza.wms.context.VHostConfigHo me}/transcoder/templates</TemplateDir>
<Properties>
</Properties>
</Transcoder>

<DVR>
<!-- As a single server or as an origin, use dvrstreamingpacketizer in LiveStreamPacketizers above -->
<!-- Or, in an origin-edge configuration, edges use dvrstreamingrepeater in LiveStreamPacketizers above -->
<!-- As an origin, also add dvrchunkstreaming to HTTPStreamers below -->

<!-- To turn on DVR recording set Recorders to dvrrecorder. This works with dvrstreamingpacketizer -->
<Recorders>dvrrecorder</Recorders>

<!-- As a single server or as an origin, set the Store to dvrfilestorage-->
<!-- edges should have this empty -->
<Store>dvrfilestorage</Store>

<!-- Window Duration is length of live DVR window in seconds. 0 means the window is never trimmed. -->
<WindowDuration>0</WindowDuration>

<!-- Storage Directory is top level location where dvr is stored. e.g. c:/temp/dvr -->
<StorageDir>${com.wowza.wms.context.VHostConfigHom e}/dvr</StorageDir>

<!-- valid ArchiveStrategy values are append, version, delete -->
<ArchiveStrategy>append</ArchiveStrategy>

<!-- If this is a dvrstreamingrepeater, define ChunkOriginURL to point back to origin -->
<!-- And define Application/Repeater/OriginURL to point back to the origin -->
<Repeater>
<ChunkOriginURL></ChunkOriginURL>
</Repeater>

<!-- Properties for DVR -->
<Properties>
</Properties>
</DVR>

<!-- HTTPStreamers (separate with commas): cupertinostreaming, smoothstreaming, sanjosestreaming, dvrchunkstreaming -->
<HTTPStreamers>cupertinostreaming,smoothstreaming, sanjosestreaming</HTTPStreamers>

<SharedObjects>
<StorageDir></StorageDir>
</SharedObjects>

<Client>
<IdleFrequency>-1</IdleFrequency>
<Access>
<StreamReadAccess>*</StreamReadAccess>
<StreamWriteAccess>*</StreamWriteAccess>
<StreamAudioSampleAccess></StreamAudioSampleAccess>
<StreamVideoSampleAccess></StreamVideoSampleAccess>
<SharedObjectReadAccess>*</SharedObjectReadAccess>
<SharedObjectWriteAccess>*</SharedObjectWriteAccess>
</Access>
</Client>
<RTP>
<!-- RTP/Authentication/[type]Methods defined in Authentication.xml. Default setup includes; none, basic, digest -->
<Authentication>
<PublishMethod>digest</PublishMethod>
<PlayMethod>none</PlayMethod>
</Authentication>
<!-- RTP/AVSyncMethod. Valid values are: senderreport, systemclock, rtptimecode -->
<AVSyncMethod>senderreport</AVSyncMethod>
<MaxRTCPWaitTime>12000</MaxRTCPWaitTime>
<IdleFrequency>75</IdleFrequency>
<RTSPSessionTimeout>90000</RTSPSessionTimeout>
<RTSPMaximumPendingWriteBytes>0</RTSPMaximumPendingWriteBytes>
<RTSPBindIpAddress></RTSPBindIpAddress>
<RTSPConnectionIpAddress>0.0.0.0</RTSPConnectionIpAddress>
<RTSPOriginIpAddress>127.0.0.1</RTSPOriginIpAddress>
<IncomingDatagramPortRanges>*</IncomingDatagramPortRanges>
<!-- Properties defined here will override any properties defined in conf/RTP.xml for any depacketizers loaded by this application -->
<Properties>
</Properties>
</RTP>

<MediaCaster>
<!-- Properties defined here will override any properties defined in conf/MediaCasters.xml for any MediaCasters loaded by this applications -->
<Properties>
</Properties>
</MediaCaster>

<MediaReader>
<!-- Properties defined here will override any properties defined in conf/MediaReaders.xml for any MediaReaders loaded by this applications -->
<Properties>
</Properties>
</MediaReader>

<MediaWriter>
<!-- Properties defined here will override any properties defined in conf/MediaWriter.xml for any MediaWriter loaded by this applications -->
<Properties>
</Properties>
</MediaWriter>

<LiveStreamPacketizer>
<!-- Properties defined here will override any properties defined in conf/LiveStreamPacketizers.xml for any LiveStreamPacketizers loaded by this applications -->
<Properties>
</Properties>
</LiveStreamPacketizer>

<HTTPStreamer>
<!-- Properties defined here will override any properties defined in conf/HTTPStreamers.xml for any HTTPStreamer loaded by this applications -->
<Properties>
</Properties>
</HTTPStreamer>

<Repeater>
<OriginURL></OriginURL>
<QueryString><![CDATA[]]></QueryString>
</Repeater>

<Modules>
<Module>
<Name>base</Name>
<Description>Base</Description>
<Class>com.wowza.wms.module.ModuleCore</Class>
</Module>
<Module>
<Name>properties</Name>
<Description>Properties</Description>
<Class>com.wowza.wms.module.ModuleProperties</Class>
</Module>
<Module>
<Name>logging</Name>
<Description>Client Logging</Description>
<Class>com.wowza.wms.module.ModuleClientLogging</Class>
</Module>
<Module>
<Name>flvplayback</Name>
<Description>FLVPlayback</Description>
<Class>com.wowza.wms.module.ModuleFLVPlayback</Class>
</Module>
</Modules>

<!-- Properties defined here will be added to the IApplication.getProperties() and IApplicationInstance.getProperties() collections -->
<Properties>
</Properties>
</Application>
</Root>

But no files are recorded, what's wrong?
Thank you!

[anointed]

I did manage to get this working properly but did end up with a few questions:

I noticed that when loading a player for a live video that had been playing for some time, that it took the player about 30 seconds to buffer and start playing.

1. When using dvr mode, is the player buffering the entire video up to the live portion?

*This is a concern as most of my videos are 2 hrs long. I am concerned about someone coming in say an hour late and having to wait for the entire first hour of video to buffer into the player.

2. If this is the case, is there a way to set the amount of video I want to buffer prior to the live portion?
*buffer only 5 mins before the live portion. If the user wants to rewind even further, then have the player buffer when the user rewinds*

3. I see above that you have to use multiple 'embed' types for the players depending upon whether the video is delivered via flash, ios, etc.
Is there currently a 'single' player that supports all these modes at one time with proper fallback for different devices that ALSO works with dvr mode?

[rrlanham]

No, this is still streaming, users do not have to wait for a download

There isn't a single player that does all that.

Richard

[hockey_dave]

Is it possible to use nDVR with smil files (i.e. have multiple bit rate streams within a smil wrapper). User's player selects streams by bandwidth and still have available pause/rewind, etc on the individual stream?

PS. No rtmp and flowplayer. Oh man that hurts!

[rrlanham]

It will work best and most easily with the Wowza Transcoder, but should work as long as the source streams are key frame aligned.

1. Configure an application named "dvr" for nDVR and Wowza Transcoder:
   http://www.wowza.com/forums/content....live-streaming
   http://www.wowza.com/forums/content....live-streaming
   
   
2. Create a file in the content folder named myStreams.smil
   
   /content/myStreams.smil
   

   <smil>
       <head>
       </head>
       <body>
           <switch>
               <video src="myStream_160p" system-bitrate="160000"/>
               <video src="myStream_360p" system-bitrate="360000"/>
           </switch>
       </body>
   </smil>

3. Publish a stream named "myStream"
   
   
4. Playback URLs:
   
   Flash HTTP (sanjose streaming)
   

   http://[wowza-address]:1935/dvr/smil:myStreams.smil/manifest.f4m?DVR

   iOS (cupertino streaming)
   

   http://[wowza-address]:1935/dvr/smil:myStreams.smil/playlist.m3u8?DVR

   Silverlight (smooth streaming)
   

   http://[wowza-address]:1935/dvr/smil:myStreams.smil/Manifest?DVR

Richard

[newclique]

Can you expand on exactly what you mean by "Publish a stream named "myStream" "?

[rrlanham]

For example, using an RTMP live encoder like Wirecast, connect to a Wowza application and publish a stream named "myStream".

Richard

[newclique]

For example, using an RTMP live encoder like Wirecast, connect to a Wowza application and publish a stream named "myStream".

Richard

Thank you for the reply. I got the DVR app set up and I see files being created in the DVR/DVR/_definst/stream folder. I am using the Flash Media Live Encoder v3.2 to push the stream to the DVR application and my profile is H.264 baseline 1.3 (both audio and video are being encoded) with a keyframe being sent every 3 seconds. I am pointing my Silverlight mediaelement to http://localhost:1935/dvr/streamname/Manifest?DVR (and I even tried just hitting the /dvr/streamname to try to play the live stream) but I always get the 4001 AG_E_NETWORK_ERROR in Silverlight. I am hosting my Silverlight player in an HTML page and the app does come up but I get the error and no video. I put a clientaccesspolicy.xml file in the root of the Wowza server and can retrieve it with http://localhost:1935/clientaccesspolicy.xml url. I know this is probably a client-side error but I thought I would take a chance and post here in case you or anyone else can suggest anything else I might try. I don't have any errors in the Wowza error log regarding Smoothstreaming and I do have smoothstreamingpacketizer added to my Application.xml file under LiveStreamPacketizers and I have smoothstreaming listed under HTTPStreamers. Any hints or thoughts would be greatly appreciated as I cannot be the only one hitting this snag.

One other suggestion I am open to is what other player I might use to verify the DVR is working. MPlayer perhaps?

Thanks again for all of your help (to everyone!).

[rrlanham]

Change the LiveStreamPacketizers to "dvrstreamingpacketizer". The basic nDVR guide is here:
http://www.wowza.com/forums/content....live-streaming

Also, for Silverlight, try changing the key frame frequency to 2 seconds. Silverlight works with key frame frequency from 1 to 4 seconds, but 2 seconds works best.

Richard

[newclique]

Change the LiveStreamPacketizers to "dvrstreamingpacketizer". The basic nDVR guide is here:
http://www.wowza.com/forums/content....live-streaming

Also, for Silverlight, try changing the key frame frequency to 2 seconds. Silverlight works with key frame frequency from 1 to 4 seconds, but 2 seconds works best.

Richard

I actually had both dvrstreamingpacketizer and smoothstreamingpacketizer in the LiveStreamPacketizers. I have set it back to just the dvr packetizer as I think I understand the difference, now. However, I must say, the use of the word Live, seems inappropriate in terms of describing what the application (server) actually does. Incoming would be a much more appropriate word. The HTTPStreamers actually send outbound packets even for "Live" streams so, in my opinion, if Wowza is going to ask their customers to configure something without a proper admin interface that masks all of the behind-the-scenes names, language is key. There are incoming packets and outgoing packets (or inbound and outbound, or received and transmitted...anything but Live and HTTPStreamers because those are not very accurate and obfuscate a large part of Wowza's "documentation", the Application.xml file).

I can tell by the lack of response in the Wowza console and log file that the problem most likely lies within Silverlight's goofy security model itself. It just isn't letting me connect outside of it's child-sized sandbox. I will continue to look for an answer to that. Thanks again for your help.