Setting up a Streaming Server

Streaming servers are set up and configured explicitly to deliver your webcasts. They enable transcoding for adaptive bit rate streaming so that your live event is made available in any network and on any device. In addition, the streaming server is responsible for the cue point injections, which are set by an operator during a live stream.

Create a new Streaming Server configuration

To create a streaming server, perform the following steps:

1. In the navigation panel, click the "Streaming Server" entry. In the editing area, you will see a list of all previously created streaming servers.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the [Create] button to open a form.
   
   
   
   

3. The following information is derived from the configuration of your streaming server (e.g. Wowza server). You may have to contact your administrator to obtain this data.

   All fields are required, except for Backup Ingest API Endpoint, Backup Ingest Username, Backup Ingest Password. These three fields are only required if you intend to use a second, backup Wowza instance.

   General Information:
   Name:	This name will appear in the Live panel within the webcast configuration when choosing a streaming server.
   Playout Source:
   Live Playback Source:	This setting is currently fixed to Wowza Live. Additional options will appear here in future updates.
   Ingest Endpoints:
   Primary Ingest API Endpoint:	The URL to the primary Wowza API endpoint (e.g. "https://primary.wowza/api").
   Primary Ingest Username:	A username that can connect to the primary Wowza API endpoint.
   Primary Ingest Password:	The password for the above username.
   Backup Ingest API Endpoint:	The URL to the backup Wowza API endpoint (e.g. "https://backup.wowza/api"). This optional field allows you to set up a backup API, which will make an extra set of recordings of your live stream, a primary set and a backup set. For example, imagine you have a webcast with two language streams, and you set it up to upload to a VideoManager after the conclusion of the live stream. If you have also set up a backup API, four video files should be uploaded to your VideoManager: one for each language created from the primary API, and one for each language created from the backup API.
   Primary Ingest Username:	A username that can connect to the backup Wowza API endpoint.
   Primary Ingest Password:	The password for the above username.
   These fields below are the templates used to generate URLs for each webcast. Here you can use placeholders to construct your streaming URLs. The placeholders will be filled in with the items in the "Default Variables" pane (see details below). You can add a $language$ placeholder if you intend to stream webcasts in multiple languages; this allows creation of different URLs for each language you choose to support.
   Streaming Variables:
   Wowza Application Name:	The "Application Name" as used in the Wowza configuration for webcast streaming. The value here will be used in Streaming URL templates wherever the $appname$ placeholder is set.
   Wowza Host:	The value here will be used in Streaming URL templates wherever the $wowzahost$ placeholder is set.
   Default Language:	The default language that you intend Webcast streams to use. New webcasts will automatically create a language set using this language. The short country code (e.g. en, de) will be used in the template wherever the $language$ placeholder is set.
   Stream Name:	Note that this is not an editable field in this edit pane or any other. Each webcast is given a unique stream name when it is created (e.g. "59196e2d2d85b47d5c1a0c8f"). It will appear in the URL of the webcast wherever the $streamname$ placeholder is set.
   URL Templates
   URL templates are used to generate the streaming URLs for each webcast. Here you can use placeholders to construct your streaming URLs. The placeholders will be filled in with the items in the "Streaming Variables" pane (see details above). You can add a $language$ placeholder if you intend to stream webcasts in multiple languages; this allows creation of different URLs for each language you choose to support.
   HLS URL:	The URL template for the live stream (e.g. "https://$wowzahost$/$appname$/$streamname$_$language$/master.m3u8")
   HLS DVR URL:	The URL template for the post-live DVR stream (e.g. "https://$wowzahost$/$appname$/$streamname$_$language$Dvr/master.m3u8?DVR")
   Template / Variable Usage Example:
   Imagine you've just created a webcast and it's automatically generated stream name is, "59196e2d2d85b47d5c1a0c8f". If the following settings had been configured here... *
   HLS URL Template:	https://$wowzahost$/$appname$/$streamname$_$language$/master.m3u8
   Wowza Host:	streaming.edge-cdn.net
   Wowza Application Name:	mi-webcast
   Default Language:	English (en)
   Stream Name:	59196e2d2d85b47d5c1a0c8f (note: this is automatically generated and can not be modified)
   * ... the HLS URL for the webcast would be: https://streaming.edge-cdn.net/mi-webcast/59196e2d2d85b47d5c1a0c8f_en/master.m3u8

4. Click the [Validate] button to check the validity of your entries. You will see the following message if successful:
   
   
   
   
5. Click the [Save] button to save your entries. The newly created streaming server will appear immediately in the list. You can edit it later by clicking the item in the list.

Edit a Streaming Server configuration

1. In the navigation panel, click the Streaming Server you wish to edit.
2. Using the information shown above, make the required changes.
3. Click the [Validate] button to check the validity of your entries. You will see the following message if successful:
   
   
   
   
4. Click the [Save] button to save your entries. 
5. The new settings will take effect when creating new Webcasts. 

Set a Streaming Server configuration as default

Setting a default Streaming Server configuration means that it will be selected automatically when creating a new Webcast.

1. In the navigation panel, click the action menu ≡ at the edge of the Streaming Server you want to set as default.
2. Click the option ↑ Set as default.
3. The Streaming Server is moved to the top of the list and marked with a green border.
4. The new default will take effect when creating new Webcasts.