Stream an Incoming RTSP Stream to Wowza via VLC

I am attempting to stream an incoming RTSP stream to Wowza using VLC my configuration file (vlm) looks like this:

new myStream broadcast enabled

setup myStream input “rtsp://192.168.0.126/mymedia/media.amp”

setup myStream output #transcode{vcodec=h264,vb=0,scale=0,acodec=mp4a,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:rtp{sdp=rtsp://publishuser:mypass@myec2:1935/live_int/camtest} :no-sout-rtp-sap :no-sout-standard-sap :sout-all :sout-keep

I can play the input stream ok in VLC, but I don’t even see an attempt to connect via the Wowza Access logs. I have got a stream to work properly via QuickTime Broadcaster, but this is the first time I’ve tried to locally repeat an incoming stream.

So I know my live_int application is configured and working properly due to QTB’s success. Any advice would be helpful,

Thanks!

Follow this guide:

https://www.wowza.com/docs/how-to-use-vlc-as-a-live-stream-encoder-with-wowza-media-server-mpeg-ts)

There is an example of rtsp input in that guide.

You will not see a publish event because VLC does not push to Wowza. You have to use Wowza StreamManager to start the stream with MediaCaster Type “rtp”:

https://www.wowza.com/docs/how-to-use-stream-manager-in-wowza-media-server-3

Richard

  1. StreamManager is built-in to Wowza 2:

https://www.wowza.com/docs/how-to-use-stream-manager-in-wowza-media-server-3

  1. Wowza needs port 1935 open inbound and outbound. It’s a 2 way connection. For more details, see Wowza User Guide chapter “Ports Used for Streaming”, page 16.

You might consider using Wowza EC2 servers for more control than your managed server arrangement:

https://www.wowza.com/ec2.html

Richard

VLC does not push to Wowza. You have to start the stream. You can use StreamManager, or you can use /conf/StartUpStreams.xml to automate on startup, or you can use MediaCaster API in a Wowza application module or HTTProvider. You can use MediaCaster type “rtp-record” to record the stream.

Richard

After you start a stream in VLC it is available at a rtsp or udp url, but it is not published to Wowza. Wowza can re-stream from that source. You have to use StreamManager to start the stream on a Wowza application. If you are only using Flash clients and you use StreamType “rtp-live”, you don’t need StreamManager

When you start a push encoder like FMLE or Wirecast, the encoder connects to a Wowza application, then starts a stream, and you will see a publish event in the access log showing the stream name and the application and applicaiton instance name. You can subscribe to that stream right away.

Richard

So first of all thanks for such a timely response, I am going to be receiving about 100 streams all coming in from VLC, using the tutorial provided by you (thank you).

First question, am I going to have to enter all 100 stream’s if we go this route? I logged into my stream manager added a stream and its asking for a specific streamname. If at all possible I would like Wowza to understand what the streamname is by itself when it receives a stream, just like when I broadcast via Quicktime Broadcaster (on a Mac).

If this is the case, what other options do we have here in terms of Windows software broadcasting? I’m surprised that VLC works so differently from Quicktime Broadcaster that we have to set up the stream manager.

BTW regarding techgeek’s aspirations, StreamManager is built-in, but he’s not going to be able to edit his admin.password file right?

Thanks!

I think there maybe some confusion over what I am trying to do here, I apologize.

I am trying to get wowza to record an incoming rtsp stream that is originating from a user who is streaming with VLC. It appears the Stream Manager restreams a particular stream which isn’t what we’re trying to do. I have a custom module setup called live_int which records everything being sent to it and users a hourly rollover module (provided by Charlie).

I hope this clarifies some things,

How is VLC not capable of pushing to wowza? it can broadcast an RTSP stream to a specific IP address and port, right? If i’m wrong please correct me.

Richard,

Thanks for clearing that up, I will look into using wirecast :slight_smile:

Ok wirecast isn’t going to work due to how expensive it is and FMLE isn’t able to redistribute the input rtsp

At this point I am trying to get a single stream to work with VLC I have followed the tutorials created an rtplive application, added camera.stream to my stream manager. I have WowzaMediaServer-examples-2.0.0/examples/LiveVideoStreaming/client/live.html open locally listening to camera.stream

Now what? I can stream to the wowza IP from VLC, I get nothing in the wowza access logs. There’s no where for me to put my application name or port number in the “Streaming/Exporting Wizard” except in the “SAP Announce”

The first question is Streaming method: UDP Unicast, RTP Unicast, same for Multicast, MMS and HTTP. I chose RTP Unicast,

I transcode the video (using sample.mp4 now just to test with) to H264 Audio: MP3

I set the SAP Announce to rtplive/camera.stream (I’ve tried leaving this blank and just camera.stream no luck)

In my access logs I see every minute my RTPMedicaCaster.Reconnecter with rtplive/definst:camera.stream in which looks right. But I don’t see anything about an incoming stream and my example live page is just white, so it seems my live page is connecting, I’m just not streaming properly,

Please help

I’ve got a difficult situation.

Wowza is hosted by a web hosting provider. This is normally a wonderful thing, but I can’t see any of the Wowza application directories to see what the current config looks like.

What I’m trying to accomplish:

VLC encoding a DirectShow webcam feed to Wowza. JW Player embedded in a webpage to show the live stream. Seems to me like a goal a lot of people are trying unsuccessfully to accomplish. From the many threads on this forum, it seems the best choice is to send mpeg-ts wrapped in RTP. My VLC command line is very much like:

vlc.exe -vvv -I rc --ttl 12 dshow:// :dshow-vdev=“Some Webcam” :dshow-adev=“Some Microphone” :no-dshow-config --sout #transcode{venc=x264{keyint=60,profile=baseline,level=3.0,nocabac},vcodec=x264,vb=150,scale=0.5,acodec=mp4a,ab=96,channels=2,samplerate=48000}:rtp{dst=zzz.yyy.xxx.www,port=10000,ttl=10,sdp=http://exampledomain.com/testing/testing.sdp,name=testing,description=Webcam_feed}}}

I’m hoping somebody can reduce the number of tickets I have to open to the provider, since there is no one answer to this question.

  1. Do I need to have them install Wowza StreamManager to be able to specify an incoming RTP stream?

  2. What ports need to be open? I’ve already asked that TCP 554 and UDP 6970-9999 are open incoming. They said rtmp 1935 outbound is enabled.

I’d love to have installed Wowza myself and be able to tinker with it, but I have nearly zero permissions on the web server. Frustrating.