Wowza Cloud Preview Quick Start Guide
This document is for informational purposes only and in no way shall be interpreted or construed to create warranties of any kind, either express or implied, regarding the information contained herein. No Endorsement or Warranty for Third-Party Links and Software This document contains links to third-party websites ("Linked Sites") that are not under the control of Wowza Media Systems, LLC ("Wowza"). Wowza is not responsible for the content on or operation of Linked Sites. If you access Linked Sites, you do so at your own risk and understand that Wowza accepts no responsibility or liability for the content or operation of Linked Sites. Wowza provides these links only as a convenience, and the inclusion of a link does not imply that Wowza endorses such Linked Sites or any content, products, or services available from Linked Sites. This document also refers to third-party software that is not licensed, sold, or distributed by Wowza (collectively, "Third-Party Software"). Wowza does not endorse, is not responsible for, and accepts no liability related to Third-Party Software. Please ensure that any and all use of Wowza software and third-party software is properly licensed. Wowza Trademarks Wowza, Wowza Media Systems, Wowza Streaming Engine, along with other trademarks, logos, trade dress, and other proprietary colors and markings, are each trademarks or registered trademarks of Wowza in the United States and in other countries (collectively, "Wowza Marks"). No right to use Wowza Marks in any way is granted hereunder. Contact sales@wowza.com for information on obtaining the right to use Wowza Marks. Any use of Wowza Marks, authorized or otherwise, shall inure to the sole benefit of Wowza. Third-Party Trademarks and Copyrights Trademarks, product names, logos, designs, trade dress, and other proprietary markings of non- Wowza third parties (collectively, "Third-Party Marks") may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Use of Third-Party Marks is for the sole purpose of identifying third-party products and services and does not represent endorsement, sponsorship, partnership, or other affiliation between Wowza and such third parties. A list of applicable copyright notices related to content in this document is available on the Wowza website. Document History Version Description Date Preview Initial document release 11-03-2014
Table of contents About Wowza Cloud... 4 Subscribe to Wowza Cloud... 5 Sign in to Wowza Cloud... 6 Create a channel... 8 Set up your video source... 16 Configure an IP camera or encoder... 16 Configure Wowza GoCoder... 17 Configure player and playback options... 18 Start streaming... 19 Additional help and support... 20
About Wowza Cloud W owza Cloud lets you easily stream live video to any device, scaling automatically to accommodate audiences of any size, anywhere. Wowza Cloud accepts video from nearly any encoder or IP camera, transcodes that video in the cloud, and delivers a high-quality stream in multiple bitrates to virtually any device using a customizable player. You don't have to purchase or maintain hardware, or install or run software locally. There are no set-up fees for the preview pay only for the resources you use, and broadcast to audiences large or small, any time. Using a simple, browser-based interface, tell Wowza Cloud what you're using to capture and encode your video and specify your playback options, then let Wowza Cloud do the rest of the work. Wowza Cloud provides you with the information you need to configure your source encoder and to play the video, and then it performs adaptive-bitrate transcoding in the cloud using the robust, reliable technology you've come to expect from Wowza. In addition, advanced settings let you create custom transcoding workflows, receive live streams to selected Wowza Cloud content delivery network (CDN) sources, and deliver streams to multiple CDN targets, offering the control and scalability required for large-scale, professional deployments. For the Wowza Cloud preview, the following limitations apply: Video on demand (VOD) is not supported. Streams are not stored. Captions, ndvr playback, and other Wowza Streaming Engine features enabled by Wowza AddOns are not available. Note Participation in the Wowza Cloud preview is subject to the terms of the Wowza Cloud End User License Agreement. 4
Subscribe to Wowza Cloud The welcome email sent to Wowza Cloud preview participants contains the information you need to sign in to Wowza.com and subscribe to the service. 1. Click the Purchase link in the welcome email. The link takes you to the Wowza portal Shopping Cart page with Wowza Cloud Services already added. 2. Click Checkout. 3. If you're an existing Wowza customer, enter your email address and password and then click Log In. Reminder Wowza credentials are case-sensitive. If you're a new customer, create an account by entering your name, company, email address, and a password. Then click Sign Up. 4. Confirm or add the Payment Type and Billing Information. The checkout process requires you to provide credit card or PayPal information for transcoding and streaming charges you will accrue. When you actually place your order, however, you won't be charged anything. Notes Existing Wowza customers can use the credit card we have on file. You can change the payment information at any time after you place your order. 5. Click Place Order. Your Wowza Cloud subscription completes and the browser displays a Confirmation page. 5
Sign in to Wowza Cloud You can sign in to Wowza Cloud using any modern web browser that supports HTML5 and Cascading Style Sheets level 3 (CSS 3). The Wowza Cloud web manager has been most extensively tested on Google Chrome, however, so for best results we recommend that you use the latest version of Google Chrome. 1. Click Start Using Wowza Cloud on the purchase Confirmation page. You can go to Wowza Cloud directly at any time by navigating to cloud.wowza.com. We recommend that you bookmark the URL. 2. Sign in using your Wowza credentials. 3. Accept the End User License Agreement (EULA) by clicking I accept. 6
Welcome to Wowza Cloud. The tabs on the menu bar provide to access Wowza Cloud features: Home Shows a welcome message and provides link to the Wowza Cloud Preview User's Guide and the Wowza Cloud Preview Quick Start Guide (this document). On the left, you can see panes that display Recent Channels and Recent Activity. On the right are panes with Usage information and What's New announcements. Channels Lets you create and manage channels to broadcast live streams, and start and stop video streams. Monitor Provides a quick view of the health of active streams. Advanced Offers options to customize your transcoding setup, to receive video to specific Wowza Cloud CDN sources, to deliver output to multiple CDN targets, and to view user activity logs. Settings or your Wowza Cloud email address Lets you view transcoder and delivery usage information for the account and go to your account details in the Wowza portal. Help Provides Release Notes as well as links to the Wowza Cloud Preview User's Guide and the Wowza Cloud Preview Quick Start Guide (this document). Sign Out Exits the Wowza Cloud manager. Note The Wowza Cloud manager menu bar adjusts as you resize your browser window and for mobile devices. In smaller windows or screens, only the icons are visible. 7
Create a channel A channel is a linear stream through which you broadcast your video. You use one channel for each video source that you broadcast. Each channel has a name, specifies how the video source connects with Wowza Cloud, and defines the playback method for viewers to watch the stream. To create a channel, click the Channels tab, click Add Channel, and then complete the five steps to add the channel. Click Next to advance to the next step; click Back to return to a previous step. Most settings can also be changed after the channel is created. Note The Help pane provides details about the options that need to be configured on each page. Click Hide Help to hide the information or click Show Help to bring it into view. 1. Channel Setup. 8
Wowza Cloud needs some basic information about the stream: The Channel Name, which is required, should be short and descriptive. The Broadcast Location is the location where the stream will originate. By default, the Broadcast Location is set to the user's browser's time zone, which is not necessarily the location of the stream. Choose the location of the stream. Wowza Cloud transcodes your stream as geographically closely as possible to the broadcast location for optimal performance and the lowest possible latency. Note You can change the Broadcast Location while you're adding the channel, but not after the channel has been created. 2. Video Source Settings. 9
Wowza Cloud needs to know what camera or encoder you'll be using. Wowza Cloud accepts the following sources: Wowza GoCoder A mobile encoding app for ios and Android devices. For more information and to download the GoCoder app, visit the Wowza GoCoder page. Telestream Wirecast A software-based encoder that also offers live production capabilities. Teredek Cube An H.264 hardware-based encoder that wirelessly transmits source video. Newtek TriCaster A hardware-based live production system and encoder for broadcasters. To use a different camera or encoder of your choice, select IP Camera, Other RTMP, or Other RTSP. IP Camera lets you connect an IP camera to Wowza Cloud over Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). Provide the IP camera's Source URL. IP camera manufacturers use proprietary syntax for their cameras. Consult your camera documentation for the syntax of the stream address and enter it in the Source URL field. Note By default, Wowza Cloud uses TCP port 1935 for RTMP streaming and TCP port 554 for RTSP streaming. If you don't use the default port, be sure to indicate that in the URL string. For Other RTMP or Other RTSP, specify whether the encoder will Push the stream to Wowza Cloud or whether Wowza Cloud needs to Pull the stream. For pull streams, enter a Source URL. Then, specify the Aspect Ratio and pixel dimensions, or frame size, of the video source. Choosing the correct aspect ratio and dimensions ensures that the video won't be distorted, squeezed, or cropped when it's played back. The aspect ratio of widescreen, high-definition (HD) video is 16 divided by 9, or 16:9. The aspect ratio of standard-definition video is 4 divided by 3, or 4:3. Full HD video is 16:9 with a frame size of 1280 x 720 pixels. The higher the resolution of the video source, the more bitrate renditions Wowza Cloud generates. Wowza Cloud preview charges for each output rendition that the transcoder generates, so higher video source resolutions incur higher costs. To minimize costs, use the lowest resolution possible for your video source. 10
The following tables show how Wowza Cloud calculates the number of bitrate renditions it generates. 16:9 Video Source Frame Size Number of Bitrate Renditions 1920 x 1080 6 1280 x 720 5 848 x 480 4 640 x 360 3 512 x 288 No transcoding. 1 output rendition. 4:3 Video Source Frame Size Number of Bitrate Renditions 768 x 576 4 640 x 480 3 384 x 288 No transcoding. 1 output rendition. Note If you require 1920x1080 video, please contact preview@wowza.com so we can ensure that enough resources are available for your transcoding. Finally, for Wowza GoCoder, Other RTMP, and Other RTSP source encoders, decide if you want to disable authentication. By default, Wowza Cloud requires a user name and password to authenticate these connections. Select Disable authentication if you don't want to use authentication with your source stream. 11
3. Playback Settings. Wowza Cloud includes a Flash and HTML5 player bundle that you can customize on the Playback Settings page. Player Width Enter the width, in pixels, for the Wowza Cloud player. The height is calculated automatically based on the aspect ratio of the video source. The dimensions are used in the player's embed code. Video Poster Image (Optional) Upload a poster image to appear in the player before the stream begins. To prevent distortion or cropping, make sure the image has the same aspect ratio as the video source. Poster images must be GIF, JPEG, or PNG format and no larger than 2.5 MB. Countdown Clock (Optional) If selected, a countdown clock appears in the player before the steam begins. If you include a countdown clock, provide the date and time zone of the event. 12
Note If you display both a poster image and a countdown clock, the poster image appears behind the countdown clock. Video Watermark (Optional) A watermark is a partially transparent image that appears in a corner of the video frame before and during playback. Upload a logo or other image file that is GIF, JPEG, or PNG format and no larger than 2.5 MB. Then, specify the corner of the frame to which you want to anchor the watermark. Note If you use your own player, the Wowza Cloud playback settings are disregarded. 4. Hosted Page Settings. Tell Wowza Cloud if you want it to host a page that plays your video. Select Yes to have Wowza host a webpage with the video player. Select No to manage video playback yourself. 13
If you choose to have Wowza Cloud host video playback, you can customize the page appearance with any of the following items: Hosted Page Title A short, descriptive title that appears at the top of the webpage, above the player. HTML, JavaScript, and other tags are not allowed. If you leave the Hosted Page Title field empty, Wowza Cloud uses the Channel Name as the page title. Hosted Page Logo (Optional) A graphical logo of your choosing that appears at the top of the page, above the player. The logo file must be GIF, JPEG, or PNG format and no larger than 2.5 MB. Wowza Cloud resizes the image to fit the allotted space on the webpage. Hosted Page Description (Optional) A longer text description of the channel or event that appears on the webpage below the player. HTML, JavaScript, and other tags are not allowed. Sharing Links If selected, the hosted page displays links that let viewers share the video on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and by email. Sharing links appear below the player and below the Hosted Page Description, if there is one. If you don't use a hosted Wowza Cloud page, you can either embed the player on your own webpage or use your own player altogether. When you finish creating the channel, Wowza Cloud provides you with the embed code or direct playback URLs you need for those playback methods. 14
5. Review Settings. Finally, review your choices. If necessary, click Back or click the Channel Setup, Video Source Settings, Playback Settings, or Hosted Page Settings icons to edit your selections. Click Finish when your settings are correct. 15
Wowza Cloud creates your channel and displays the Overview tab detail page. of the channel Set up your video source Before you can stream, you must configure the video camera or encoder to connect to Wowza Cloud. Configure an IP camera or encoder 1. If necessary, select the channel in the Channels pane to open the Overview tab of the channel detail page. 2. Use the Source Connection Information to set up a Telestream Wirecast, Teradek Cube, NewTek Tricaster, IP camera, or other RTMP/RTSP encoder so it can communicate with Wowza Cloud. Source Connection Information varies depending on how you're encoding video, but includes some or all of the following: Primary Server and Backup Server If your encoder supports it, you can publish two video sources to Wowza Cloud so that your stream keeps transcoding in the event that one video source fails. Host Server The web address of the Wowza Cloud virtual host that the encoder pushes to or pulls from. 16
Host Port The port ID of the Wowza Cloud virtual host that the encoder pushes to or pulls from. Application A unique name created by Wowza Cloud. Stream Name A unique name created by Wowza Cloud. Login Name / Password Credentials that the encoder needs to access Wowza Cloud. Source URL For IP cameras and RTSP/RTMP pull streams, the device or encoder's web address. Configure Wowza GoCoder From Wowza Cloud in a browser on a computer 1. Select the channel in the Channels pane of the Channels page. 2. Click the Video Source tab of the channel detail page. 3. Click Send Configuration URL by Email. 4. Open the email on the device where the GoCoder app is installed. 5. Tap the link in the email to configure the GoCoder app. 6. Enter your Wowza Cloud password. 7. Tap Yes when asked if you're sure you want to overwrite existing GoCoder settings. From Wowza Cloud in a browser on a mobile device 1. Select the channel in the Channels pane of the Channels page. 2. Tap the Video Source tab of the channel detail page. 3. Tap Auto-configure Wowza GoCoder. 4. Tap Yes when asked if you're sure you want to overwrite existing GoCoder settings. Manually in the GoCoder app on a mobile device Enter the video source settings from the channel's Video Source tab GoCoder on your ios or Android device. into Wowza 1. Start the GoCoder app on your mobile device. 2. Tap the Video Server icon. 3. Tap Host and enter the Host Server and Host Port addresses. 4. Tap Application and enter the Application and Stream Name. 5. Tap Publisher Login and enter the Login / Password. 6. Tap Done. 17
Configure player and playback options Next, configure the player and the webpage that will host the stream. The information you need for this task is on the Overview and Hosted Page tabs of the channel detail page. 1. If necessary, select the channel in the Channels pane to open the Overview tab of the channel detail page. 2. Do one of the following: If you're displaying the Wowza Cloud player in your own webpage, use the Player Embed Code to include the player on your webpage. If you're using your own player, copy the Direct Playback URLs into your player settings. Wowza Cloud provides URLs for Adobe HDS playback using Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR, and Apple HLS playback for playing video on ios devices, in QuickTime player (version 10 or later), in the Safari web browser, and on HLScompatible set-top boxes and smart TVs. 3. Click the Hosted Page tab. If you're using a Wowza Cloud hosted page for video playback, give viewers the Hosted Page URL so they can watch the event. Note If the Player Embed Code or Hosted Page URL display the message, "In Progress," then refresh the browser page. 18
Start streaming Now you're ready to stream using Wowza Cloud. 1. If necessary, select the channel in the Channels pane of the Channels page. 2. Do one of the following: Click Start Channel at the top of the channel detail page. Click Start your channel now in the Video Preview area of the Overview tab. Wowza Cloud asks you to confirm that you want to start the channel and then opens the channel and connects with your source. 3. Start your video source. When the stream starts, the Video Preview appears in the Overview tab channel detail page. The video preview displays: of the Keyframes from the live stream. A date/timestamp indicating when the stream began. The video source frame size. The inbound connection status, which indicates whether the encoder is connected to the Wowza Cloud transcoder. Real-time source stream, transcoder, and delivery details appear next to the video preview. Important Remember to stop your channel when you're not streaming. Transcoding charges accrue for started channels even if they aren't streaming content. Wowza Cloud automatically stops idle channels after 20 minutes, but you should stop your channel as soon as your event ends to avoid accruing unnecessary charges. 19
Additional help and support Click the Help tab on the Wowza Cloud manager menu bar to read Release Notes. Read the Wowza Cloud Preview User's Guide (PDF), which you can download from the Home page or the Help page of the Wowza Cloud manager. For technical support, send us an email. 20