How to install and configure the Wowza Streaming Server?

Videos in VIMP can be provided via a streaming server instead of progressive download optionally. Thus, in the following we describe the installation and configuration of the well-known Wowza streaming server (Wowza Streaming Engine).

Requirements and assumptions:

• This article is based on version 4.1.1+ of the Wowza Streaming Engine.
• We assume that Wowza and VIMP will be installed on the same server.

 

Installing Wowza

The current Wowza version can be purchased and downloaded at http://www.wowza.com/pricing/installer.

Please follow the Wowza installation guide to install Wowza on your server: http://www.wowza.com/forums/content.php?217-How-to-install-and-configure-Wowza-Streaming-Engine

 

Configuring Wowza

After installation please log in to the Wowza Streaming Engine Manager (http://[wowza-ip-address]:8088/enginemanager) and click "Applications" in the upper menu bar.

• In the left column click"vod" below "VOD APPLICATIONS".
• Click "Edit" and enable all Playback Types.
• Below "Content Directory" enable "Use the following directory" and enter the path to your VIMP media folder (e.g. /var/www/vimp/userdata/media/).
• Disable all checkboxes in the following sections ("Closed Caption Sources" and "Maximum Connections").
• Save your changes.

 

Edit Application.xml

Alternatively you can also modify the file Application.xml directly (if you can access the file system) to enter the above modifications. The file is located within the conf/vod folder of your Wowza installation.

However, it is important that you check the following setting directly in the Application.xml file in order to grant playback on Android devices:

• Open file Application.xml in the conf/vod folder.
• Check within section <RTP> that the following nodes contain the IP address of your server:
  <RTSPConnectionIpAddress></RTSPConnectionIpAddress>
  <RTSPOriginIpAddress></RTSPOriginIpAddress>
• If you find different addresses (e.g. 0.0.0.0 or 127.0.0.1), please change both of them to the IP address of your Wowza server.

Please also note the Wowza guide to configure Wowza VOD streaming in addition: http://www.wowza.com/forums/content.php?35-How-to-set-up-video-on-demand-streaming

 

Connecting Wowza to VIMP

After you successfully configured Wowza you just have to enter the Wowza path into the VIMP backend.

• Change to section Configuration -> Streaming -> Streaming settings within the backend of VIMP.
• Enable Streaming.
• Select "HLS via Streaming server" as the priority streaming protocol.
• Enter the absoulte path to your Wowza application at "Streaming-Server URL for HLS" (e.g. http://<IP>:1935/vod/playlist.m3u8)
• Be sure to enter the external address and not the internal one like http://localhost:1935/vod/playlist.m3u8.

Done - your videos should now be provided via your Wowza streaming server!

In case you use the VIMP Video On Demand extension, please also see our FAQ for installing the according Wowza extension.