How to use LongTail JW Player with adaptive bitrate streaming from Wowza Media Server

Published on 10-28-2011 12:19 PM

27 Comments

Use this technique to generate the client-side RSS or SMIL file that is used by JW Player's Flash Dynamic Streaming implementation from a server-side SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language) file, Wowza Transcoder Stream Name Group (ngrp) or MediaList (amlst).

Also take a look at JW Player's Quality Monitor plugin

Note: This requires Wowza version 3.0.3.08

Note: There is a similar technique, documented separately here, for generating smil on Liverepeater (edge) servers using Wowza Transcoder Stream Name Group (ngrp) or MediaList (amlst) that is on the origin.

Follow these steps:

Add this HTTPProvider to /conf/VHost.xml /HostPort /Port "1935" /HTTProviders container (make it 2nd from last, above the server version HTTPProvider):

Code:

<HTTPProvider>
<BaseClass>com.wowza.wms.http.HTTPProviderMediaList</BaseClass>
<RequestFilters>*jwplayer.rss</RequestFilters>
<AuthenticationMethod>none</AuthenticationMethod>
</HTTPProvider>

Restart Wowza for changes to VHost.xml to take effect.
With a smil file, Wowza Transcoder Stream Name Group (ngrp) or MediaList (amlst), you can now generate the client-side RSS for JW player using a URL in this form:
Code:
```
http://[wowza-ip-address]:1935/[application]/[prefix]:[stream-name]/jwplayer.rss
```
For example, with a file named sample.smil in the content folder alongside sample.mp4 and sample_250.mp4:
Code:
```
<smil>
	<head>
	</head>
	<body>
		<switch>
			<video src="mp4:sample_250.mp4" system-bitrate="250000"/>
			<video src="mp4:sample.mp4" system-bitrate="450000"/>
		</switch>
	</body>
</smil>
```
You can use the following URL with JW Player 5 in place of a local rss
Code:
```
http://[wowza-address]:1935/vod/smil:sample.smil/jwplayer.rss
```
For JW Player 6, which uses client-side .smil, use this url:
Code:
```
http://[wowza-address]:1935/vod/smil:sample.smil/jwplayer.smil
```

Following the JW Player instructions here but skip making the local xml file. You will use the above url instead:

Code:

<script type='text/javascript' src='/jwplayer/jwplayer.js'></script>

<div id='mediaplayer'></div>

<script type="text/javascript">
  jwplayer('mediaplayer').setup({
    'flashplayer': 'player.swf',
    'id': 'playerID',
    'width': '720',
    'height': '306',
    'playlistfile': 'http://[wowza-address]:1935/vod/smil:sample.smil/jwplayer.rss',
    'plugins': {
       'qualitymonitor-2': {}
    }
  });
</script>

This URL:

Code:

http://[wowza-address]:1935/vod/smil:sample.smil/jwplayer.rss

generates this RSS:

Code:

<rss xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:jwplayer="http://developer.longtailvideo.com/" version="2.0">
<channel>
<item>
<title>sample.smil</title>
<description>sample.smil</description>
<jwplayer:streamer>rtmp://[wowza-address]:1935/vod/_definst_</jwplayer:streamer>
<media:group>
<media:content url="mp4:sample_250.mp4" bitrate="250"/>
<media:content url="mp4:sample.mp4" bitrate="450"/>
</media:group>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>

This URL:

Code:

http://[wowza-address]:1935/vod/smil:sample.smil/jwplayer.smil

generates this SMIL file:

Code:

<smil>
<head>
<meta base="rtmp://localhost:1935/vod/_definst_"/>
</head>
<body>
<switch>
<video src="mp4:sample_250.mp4" system-bitrate="250"/>
<video src="mp4:sample.mp4" system-bitrate="450"/>
</switch>
</body>
</smil>

This techique can also be used if you are Media List (amlst) or have defined Stream Name Group (ngrp) in Wowza Transcoder template by using "amlst:" and "ngrp:", resp., for [Prefix]

Two examples:

Code:

http://[wowza-address]:1935/vod/ngrp:myStream_all/jwplayer.rss

http://[wowza-address]:1935/vod/amlst:sample/jwplayer.rss

Stream Name Groups are described in the Wowza Transcoder Tutorial

Generating MediaList (amlst) is described in this article

Categories:
Adobe Flash

27 Comments

prasad - 11-08-2011, 07:39 AM
- Reply
Hi, I'm trying to use this technique but it does not seem to work...
I set-up a ec2 wowza instance for test, version 3.0.3 and jw player 5.8.
the url
Code:

http://[wowza-address]:1935/vod/smil:sample.smil/jwplayer.rss
does return expected xml file in a web browser, but if I use this url as playlistfile source in jw player, the player does not load the playlist and remains black, with no error returned...
If I copy/paste url xml result in a new xml file and I set this xml as playlist in jwplayer, it works.
So my smil file is correct...
Have someone else encountered this kind of problem?

Best regards,
Prâsad.

rrlanham - 11-08-2011, 01:36 PM
- Reply
Did you restart Wowza after change to VHost.xml? Check for typos?

You can test in a browser, you should see the RSS file:
Code:

http://[wowza-address]:1935/vod/smil:streams.smil/jwplayer.rss
Richard

prasad - 11-08-2011, 11:21 PM
- Reply
Hi Richard,

as I said, the url works fine in web browser, and if I copy/paste xml returned by the url in a xml file hosted on web server, jw player launches playlist and plays videos...
But if I use url directly in jw player setup code, the screen remains black and nothing happens... Code I use for jw player is exactly the same as your article...

Prâsad.

rrlanham - 11-09-2011, 02:00 PM
- Reply
Prâsad,

Are you getting sandbox security error? Are you using debug player so you see messages?

Richard

prasad - 11-09-2011, 03:55 PM
- Reply
Richard,

when using debug player with output to console, I can see a call to crossdomain.xml which return HTTP 200, then a call to vod/smil:sample.smil/jwplayer.rss which never returns...
I can reproduce this with a browser, a call to vod/smil:sample.smil/jwplayer.rss just after a call to crossdomain.xml don't return...

Prâsad.

rrlanham - 11-09-2011, 04:43 PM
- Reply
Prâsad,

Zip up conf and logs and this player and send to support@wowza.com.

Include a link to this thread for reference.

Richard

meneceur - 11-21-2011, 03:29 AM
- Reply
Originally Posted by rrlanham

Prâsad,

Zip up conf and logs and this player and send to support@wowza.com.

Include a link to this thread for reference.

Richard

Hi, we have the same problem. Is it resolved?
thank you
Nicolas.

prasad - 11-21-2011, 04:55 AM
- Reply
Hi Nicolas,

I still have an opened ticket about this issue.
I'm awaiting an answer from Richard.
As soon as I have it, I will let you know.

Best regards,
Prâsad.

rrlanham - 11-21-2011, 02:18 PM
- Reply
I was going to replicate, try to improve the documentation, however it did work for me in all my tests, including running a player locally that referenced the RSS output of HTTPProvider on your server, ruling out sandbox error.

Richard

prasad - 11-22-2011, 08:33 AM
- Reply
Hi Nicolas, could you please describe your problem?
Do you have a test url to share?

Best regards,
Prâsad.
PS: I tried to contact you with private message, but it seems that you have not activated it on the forum.

najibx - 01-02-2012, 07:24 AM
- Reply
Hye,

I have got the VOD Dynamic Streaming playback working using a sample.smil file I created manually (mysiteurl:1935/vod/smil:sample.smil/jwplayer.rss)
For Live Streaming I use, auto-generated SMIL by transcoderAddon to create the mRSS (mysiteurl:1935/live/ngrp:myStream_all/jwplayer.rss). It look like a valid mRSS format. Similar to the VOD (sample.smil).

however, simply replacing 'playlistfile' in the code is no good, only show me a black screen.

'playlistfile': 'mysiteurl:1935/live/ngrp:myStream_all/jwplayer.rss',

Tips and comment please. Thanks.

rrlanham - 01-02-2012, 07:37 AM
- Reply
Do you see the RSS file in a browser?:
Code:

http://mysiteurl:1935/live/ngrp:myStream_all/jwplayer.rss
If so, try copying that to a file alongside player.swf

Richard

najibx - 01-02-2012, 08:27 AM

The mRSS output from Chrome browser,

Code:

This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. The document tree is shown below.
<rss xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:jwplayer="http://developer.longtailvideo.com/" version="2.0">
<channel>
<item>
<title>myStream_all</title>
<description>myStream_all</description>
<jwplayer:streamer>rtmp://mysiteurl:1935/live/_definst_</jwplayer:streamer>
<media:group>
<media:content url="mp4:myStream_source" bitrate="333" width="320" height="240"/>
<media:content url="mp4:myStream_360p" bitrate="882" width="480" height="360"/>
<media:content url="mp4:myStream_160p" bitrate="232" width="214" height="160"/>
</media:group>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>
html { padding-top: 34px !important;}

Then I use this code (the same for VOD is working, only change playlistfile) :

Code:

<script type="text/javascript">
  jwplayer('mediaplayer').setup({
    'flashplayer': '/jwplayer/player.swf',
    'id': 'playerID',
    'width': '720',
    'height': '406',
    'playlistfile': 'http://mysiteurl:1935/live/ngrp:myStream_all/jwplayer.rss',
    'plugins': {
       'qualitymonitor-2': {}
    }
  });
</script>

rrlanham - 01-02-2012, 08:49 AM
- Reply
I'm not sure how myStream_source is included in the rss, and the settings seems wrong for it. Is the source h.264 and AAC or MP3 audio?

Send a working url so that I can test to support@wowza.com

Include a link to this thread for reference.

Richard

najibx - 01-02-2012, 04:27 PM
- Reply
Thanks for the reply.
The source h.264 and AAC (Mono) from Wirecast

This morning, without doing anything, I broadcast again, with the same mRSS output, the JWplayer is loading/playing the live video! But seems something not right. (my laptop is slowing down or internet is slow).

Anyway, send further info to support@wowza.com.

daveuofu - 03-23-2012, 08:50 AM
- Reply
Using JW's adaptive.swf provider, JW can connect to and play an individual stream live stream from a transcoder name group. However, attempting to connect JW to the name group itself results in an error.

This works fine:
http://[server]/livetc/livetc.mp4_360p/playlist.m3u8

This results in JW error "Cannot load M3U8: crossdomain access denied":
http://[server]/livetc/ngrp:livetc.m.../playlist.m3u8

Any idea why this is happening? The crossdomain.xml is set to allow access from domain "*". Thanks!

... adding more information here:

the ngrp provider returns this:
#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:2
#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:PROGRAM-ID=1,BANDWIDTH=1255969,CODECS="avc1.77.31,mp4a.40. 2",RESOLUTION=896x504
/livetc/_definst_/mp4:livetc.mp4_source/playlist.m3u8?wowzasessionid=626634819
#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:PROGRAM-ID=1,BANDWIDTH=548873,CODECS="avc1.77.30,mp4a.40.2 ",RESOLUTION=640x360
/livetc/_definst_/mp4:livetc.mp4_360p/playlist.m3u8?wowzasessionid=626634819
#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:PROGRAM-ID=1,BANDWIDTH=248873,CODECS="avc1.66.12,mp4a.40.2 ",RESOLUTION=284x160
/livetc/_definst_/mp4:livetc.mp4_160p/playlist.m3u8?wowzasessionid=626634819

and the single stream returns this:
#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:2
#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:PROGRAM-ID=1,BANDWIDTH=909315,CODECS="avc1.77.31, mp4a.40.2",RESOLUTION=896x504
playlist.m3u8?wowzasessionid=18471989

I can see some obvious differences in the paths but am not sure how to investigate further. Thanks!

maven2 - 05-07-2012, 03:56 AM
- Reply
I've set this up as instructed.

http://itv.sg:1935/prerecord/smil:st...l/jwplayer.rss in my browser gives:

<rss xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:jwplayer="http://developer.longtailvideo.com/" version="2.0">
<channel>
<item>
<title>streamschedule.smil</title>
<description>streamschedule.smil</description>
<jwplayer:streamer>rtmp://itv.sg:1935/prerecord/_definst_</jwplayer:streamer>
<media:group></media:group>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>

But my JW Player gives a "Playlist not found" error.

the JW Player is in the main public_html folder.
the video files and streamschedule.smil file are in a folder /mv folder which is the <StorageDir> of the "prerecord" application.

I've set the playlistfile on my site as http://itv.sg:1935/prerecord/smil:st...l/jwplayer.rss.

Why am I still receiving this error?

rrlanham - 05-07-2012, 05:34 AM
- Reply
The .smil file used for the scheduler is not the same as the .smil used for multi-bitrate, or what is used to generate rss for JW Player RTMP Dynamic streaming.

Take a look at this example:
http://www.wowza.com/forums/content....-Multi-bitrate

You will use the .smil in step #4 to generate the rss for JW Player.

Richard

64vision - 12-17-2012, 03:37 PM
- Reply
For VODS3.. Will I also place the smil file on amazon S3?

rrlanham - 12-17-2012, 03:42 PM
- Reply
Yes, right, in the same folder with the videos.

Richard

How to use LongTail JW Player with adaptive bitrate streaming from Wowza Media Server

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