# Possible to buffer the live stream?

**URL:** <https://community.wowza.com/t/possible-to-buffer-the-live-stream/40852>\
**Category:** Wowza Streaming Engine\
**Created:** [September 7, 2013, 8:24am UTC](https://community.wowza.com/t/possible-to-buffer-the-live-stream/40852 "2013-09-07T08:24:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kenny\_Johnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kenny\_Johnson](https://community.wowza.com/u/Kenny_Johnson)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 8:24am UTC](https://community.wowza.com/t/possible-to-buffer-the-live-stream/40852/1 "2013-09-07T08:24:20Z")

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Is it possible to “buffer” the live stream in order to make it smoother?

Like… to hold a small buffer before it starts playing.

Then play from that buffer so it is smoother and better quality?

Is that something that can be done through a custom wowza module?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Jason\_Hilton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.wowza.com/jason_hilton/32/437_2.png) [@Jason\_Hilton](https://community.wowza.com/u/Jason_Hilton)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.wowza.com/t/possible-to-buffer-the-live-stream/40852/2 "2013-09-11T15:07:52Z")

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Hi,

If this is a lack of bandwidth at the player end then you will need to lower he bitrate of the stream as adding a sortbuffer will only fix the stream for the duration of the buffer.

A buffer can be added on the player side specifically JW player and Flowplayer have a buffer which is configurable.

If it’s a problem from the source and the packets are out of order and this is effecting the stream then you can add a buffer in Wowza which will allow time to manage packets before the client plays them.

To do this, In the Application.xml file add the following Property blocks to the Streams/Properties section:

```auto
<Property> 
        <Name>sortPackets</Name> 
        <Value>true</Value> 
        <Type>Boolean</Type> 
</Property> 
<Property> 
        <Name>sortBufferSize</Name> 
        <Value>2000</Value> 
        <Type>Integer</Type> 
</Property>

```

The “sortBufferSize” value is in milliseconds.

Jason

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jason\_Hilton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.wowza.com/jason_hilton/32/437_2.png) [@Jason\_Hilton](https://community.wowza.com/u/Jason_Hilton)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.wowza.com/t/possible-to-buffer-the-live-stream/40852/3 "2013-09-11T15:23:38Z")

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Hi,

No, if the source stream is sending packets which are out of order adding a buffer will give Wowza time to sort the packets out before the client plays them.

This is not a necessarily a bandwidth issue from the source just packets are being sent out of order.

If you do have a bandwidth issue you will have to reduce the bitrate so that you are within the bandwidth limitation.

Jason

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kenny\_Johnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kenny\_Johnson](https://community.wowza.com/u/Kenny_Johnson)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 7:15am UTC](https://community.wowza.com/t/possible-to-buffer-the-live-stream/40852/4 "2013-09-11T07:15:09Z")

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Thank you so much. So if the wowza server is a place with low bandwidth we can set this buffer… I will give it a shot.

thanks again