Understanding logs - "Stream Not healthy"

Wowza Streaming Engine
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1

Hi,

We use Wowza streaming engine to connect to IP cameras via VMS such as Genetec, Milestone etc.
For some of the RTSP camera urls, we have noticed the following logs in Wowza log files

MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream startup timeout]: mp4:190.stream	-	-	-	755009.588	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  1687: 2023-09-28	07:05:48	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:108.stream	-	-	-	755010.666	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  1820: 2023-09-28	07:05:57	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:6.stream	-	-	-	755019.495	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  1933: 2023-09-28	07:06:08	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream startup timeout]: mp4:190.stream	-	-	-	755030.319	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  1969: 2023-09-28	07:06:29	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream startup timeout]: mp4:190.stream	-	-	-	755051.075	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  2000: 2023-09-28	07:06:35	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:6.stream	-	-	-	755057.167	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  2085: 2023-09-28	07:06:48	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:6.stream	-	-	-	755070.581	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  2139: 2023-09-28	07:06:49	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream startup timeout]: mp4:190.stream	-	-	-	755071.617	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  2172: 2023-09-28	07:06:52	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:108.stream	-	-	-	755074.672	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  2277: 2023-09-28	07:07:06	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:108.stream	-	-	-	755087.97	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  2358: 2023-09-28	07:07:09	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:6.stream	-	-	-	755091.623	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  2596: 2023-09-28	07:08:00	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:6.stream	-	-	-	755142.525	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  2680: 2023-09-28	07:08:06	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:108.stream	-	-	-	755148.568	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  2849: 2023-09-28	07:08:27	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:108.stream	-	-	-	755169.578	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Line  2941: 2023-09-28	07:08:47	PDT	comment	server	INFO	200	-	MediaCasterStreamValidator.onValidateMediaCaster[live/_definst_] Stream not healthy [stream timeout]: mp4:108.stream

I have noticed that once the above logs are logged, the RTSP session is destroyed. However, some of these cameras when streamed in VLC using the same URL continue to stream.

Questions:

  • What is the meaning of these logs?

  • Does it mean that Wowza was not able to pull even a single packet or not enough packets to continue streaming the camera?

  • What would be scenarios where a RTSP streams would work smoothly in VLC but get disconnected in Wowza streaming engine.

Please let us know if we need to add some properties etc to troubleshoot the issue.

Wowza version: 4.8.20

2

Hello @Alok_Kumar2
The part of the log you want to look at is the Stream not healthy [stream timeout]
This means that Wowza Streaming Engine did not receive a response from the camera when it sent a ping to it. After a predetermined time the stream times out.
Wowza will attempt to reconnect over and over again if this happens, which should also be logged later on.
You can reach out to our support team to get a comprehensive log review to dig deeper into the issue here: https://www.wowza.com/support/open-ticket

Regards,
Alex Chepurnoy

3

Hi @Alex_C

What do you mean with the statement "Wowza streaming engine did not receive a response from the camera when it sent a ping to it"

Camera is continuously sending the stream as the stream works in VLC, if there was an issue with the camera then the stream would have stopped in VLC.

Could it be that only the ping request is not being honored by the camera due to some netwok related reasons and Wowza is deciding to drop the RTSP session completely after it even though Wowza is still receiving RTSP packets?

is there a way to by-pass the ping if above is the case?