I’ve set up some looped channels based using the StreamPublisher module (https://www.wowza.com/docs/how-to-schedule-streaming-with-wowza-streaming-engine-streampublisher).
The playlists have mp4 files only. Encoded by the same encoder with same presets. I create streams with different qualities and deliver the looped channel as ABR using a switch smil file combining the different quality streams. The mp4 assets should have aligned GOP structure between the qualities.
This was initially set up on Wowza Media Server 3 and was working perfectly, but after we’ve upgraded to Wowza Streaming Engine, we see problems during playback using Smooth Streaming. Sometimes the video pixelates and breaks up. It can either last for less than a second or for several seconds. It does not seem to be any obvious pattern, and some times in can play for a long time without issues, while other times its happening all the time. Tested on both Silverlight and appliance based players, and they show the same. With HLS playback on the other hand it seem to work fine. Have not seen the problem here, but have not tested very thoroughly with HLS either.
Does anyone have any idea what can cause this?
One extra note; I see that on Wowza Streaming Engine, the SMIL values are used in the Smooth Streaming Manifest by default, and not calculated like it was in Media Server. When I changed this configuration, and calculated bitrate values was used in the Manifest, the problems was less frequent and long lasting, but it still happens from time to time.