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In Wowza Streaming Engine, a stream source is the incoming feed—such as a camera or encoder stream—that Wowza pulls into a live application. A .stream file names and stores the source URI; MediaCaster uses that file to connect to the source. The key setup decision is choosing a MediaCaster type that matches the source protocol.
What a Wowza stream source is
A stream source is the upstream live feed that Wowza Streaming Engine receives. It is identified by a URI, such as an address for a camera or encoder output. The source is not the same thing as a .stream file: the file is a named configuration alias for the URI, not the media feed itself.
Once connected, the source is made available through a live application for playback. Players can use the stream-file alias in playback URLs instead of a potentially long or complex source address.
What a .stream file and MediaCaster do
A stream file holds the source URI and gives it a name. MediaCaster uses that file to pull the source into a live application. The file does not contain a recording, and creating one alone does not establish the connection: it must be connected to an application with the appropriate MediaCaster type.
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Wowza’s documented stream-file workflow is on demand. The first player request makes the referenced source available; after the final viewer leaves, MediaCaster waits through a timeout and stops the source if no new request arrives. This behavior matters if you expect an input to remain connected even when nobody is watching.
Choose the MediaCaster type for the source
Match the selection to the input’s actual protocol and source-side mode. Do not choose based only on the content format: for example, MPEG-TS over TCP/IP has a separate type from other MPEG-TS source workflows.
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| Incoming source | MediaCaster type | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| RTSP/RTP IP camera, native RTP encoder, or MPEG-TS encoder in the guide’s RTP source family | rtp |
Confirm the device’s actual output mode. |
| SHOUTcast or Icecast | shoutcast |
For the audio-stream source family. |
| RTMP or WOWZ pulled from another Wowza Streaming Engine instance | liverepeater |
This pull workflow is distinct from an RTP input. |
| Apple HLS live source | applehls |
Check support in the installed Engine release. |
| MPEG-TS over TCP/IP | mpegtstcp |
Use for MPEG-TS over TCP/IP, not merely because the content is MPEG-TS. |
| SRT | srt |
Check current release and source-protocol requirements. |
The stream-file guide reports historical minimum versions of Streaming Engine 4.5.0.01 or later for applehls, 4.5.0.02 or later for mpegtstcp, and 4.7.2 or later on Linux and 4.7.3 or later on Windows for srt. These are documented minimums, not a substitute for checking current release documentation before configuring a new or upgraded installation.
Configure an incoming source in Streaming Engine
- Create a live application. In Streaming Engine Manager, create or select the live application that will host the source.
- Add the stream file. Open Stream Files in the Manager, add a file with a recognizable name, and enter the source URI. Wowza’s guide says the URI should use the IP address of the server hosting the stream.
- Add per-stream settings only if needed. If this source requires settings different from the application defaults, configure its per-stream settings. They override application-level configuration only for applicable stream types; check the per-stream reference for supported properties and protocol scope.
- Connect the file to the application. Select the stream file, choose the live application, and set the MediaCaster type that matches the input in the table above.
- Request the stream from a player. In the documented on-demand workflow, a player request triggers the source to become available. Use the stream-file alias in the playback path as appropriate for the application.
For an SRT pull, Wowza’s stream-file guide shows the example URI form srt://0.0.0.0:[port]. Treat it as a documented example, not a universal address: verify the address binding, port reachability, and source-side mode for your deployment.
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Keep Streaming Engine SRT setup separate from Wowza Video
Streaming Engine’s stream-file guide lists srt as a MediaCaster type. Wowza Video is a separate cloud product with its own encoder instructions. Its SRT guide tells users to take connection information from the live stream’s Overview page, gives a URL pattern of srt://[stream key].[primary server], and identifies port 10000 as the default host port. It also describes Wowza Video as acting in SRT listener mode during the handshake. Those URL and port details apply to Wowza Video, not to a self-hosted Streaming Engine instance. Wowza Video’s guide was updated February 8, 2024, so confirm the service’s current instructions before connecting an encoder.
Troubleshoot a source that will not connect
- The source stays at “waiting for stream.” Check that the MediaCaster type matches the source. A documented Wowza support case found that an RTMP pull configured as
rtpneededliverepeaterinstead. That is a useful protocol-mapping check, not a universal fix. - The URI looks right but the source is unavailable. Confirm the upstream source is active, the URI and any credentials are correct, and the Wowza host can reach the source over the required network path and port.
- An MPEG-TS input fails with the selected type. Verify whether it is an RTP-family encoder output or MPEG-TS over TCP/IP. The guide maps those cases to different MediaCaster selections.
- An SRT example does not connect. Do not assume the Wowza Video URL pattern or default port applies to Streaming Engine. Check the Engine-specific URI, source-side mode, binding address, firewall, and port reachability.
- The source stops after viewers leave. This is consistent with the documented on-demand behavior: MediaCaster waits through a timeout after the last viewer and stops if no new request arrives. Check the deployment’s configuration and current product documentation if the source must remain active without viewer requests.
- A per-stream setting has no effect. Confirm the property is supported for that source type and protocol. Per-stream settings override application settings only where the setting applies.
When to use a cloud YouTube loop instead
Wowza stream files are for pulling a live source into a Wowza Streaming Engine application. If your goal is instead to keep uploaded documentary footage playing as a 24/7 YouTube live stream, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option: upload your video or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It plays uploaded videos rather than a camera feed.
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