Wowza CDN with Fastly Adaptive Bitrate Configuration Options

This article ONLY applies to the Wowza Streaming Engine + Wowza CDN with Fastly pull-based workflow, meaning the Fastly Target will pull from Wowza Engine. Fastly can pull ABR streams using the transcoder namegroups or via SMIL file.

Step 1: Set up the Wowza Streaming Engine with a Live HTTP Origin Application 

Create a new "Live HTTP Origin" application

Step 2: Configure ABR renditions

  1. Enable transcoder
  2. Set up transcode template renditions or use the default Transcode template

For more information about the Transcoder please review this article:
Set up and run Transcoder in Wowza Streaming Engine

Configure a Namegroup

You can configure the transcoder template namegroups to include the desired renditions for the ABR ladder
[app-name] > transcoder > templates > [template-name] > namegroups tab

Configure a SMIL File

Create a SMIL file with the desired source renditions
Server > SMIL Files > Add SMIL file

For more information on name groups or SMIL files please review this article:
Stream adaptive bitrate content with Wowza Streaming Engine

Step 3: Configure the Fastly Target

  1. Log into Wowza Video
  2. Go to Advanced in the top menu bar
  3. Click Stream Targets
  4. Click Add new target
  5. Select the Fastly target
  6. Give the Target a name
  7. Select "Enable Custom Origin"
  8. Select a Region (default is "US")
  9. Define the Wowza Streaming Engine host IP or domain as the Custom Origin URL
    You must include the protocol "http://" or "https://". No port details required.
    HTTP Example: http://1.1.1.1
    HTTPS Example: https://1234567890.streamlock.net
  10. Save the target

Please confirm successful ABR playback before you enable Fastly security features.

Step 4: Connect the source to WSE

Configure your encoder or live source to send a stream to Wowza Streaming Engine

For more information on how to connect a live source to Wowza Streaming Engine, please review this article: Connect a live source to Wowza Streaming Engine.

Step 5: Test Local Playback

Test the local playback to confirm the ABR stream is working on Wowza Streaming Engine

For Namegroup

Format

[protocol]://[host]:[port]/[app-name]/ngrp:[stream]_[namegroup]/playlist.m3u8

SSL Example:

https://1234567890.streamlock.net/httpOriginAppExample/ngrp:myStream_all/playlist.m3u8

HTTP Example:

http://1.1.1.1:1935/httpOriginAppExample/ngrp:myStream_all/playlist.m3u8

For SMIL

Format

[protocol]://[host]:[port]/[app-name]/smil:[smil-name].smil/playlist.m3u8

SSL Example:

https://1234567890.streamlock.net/httpOriginAppExample/smil:myStream.smil/playlist.m3u8

HTTP Example:

http://1.1.1.1:1935/httpOriginAppExample/smil:myStream.smil/playlist.m3u8

Step 6: Build the Fastly Playback URL

  1. Log into Wowza Video
  2. Go to the Stream Target page for your Fastly target
  3. Go to Playback URLs
  4. Expand the HLS section
  5. Copy the URL format

Fastly URL format

https://cdn3.wowza.com/5/[fastly-stream-id]/[wse-application-name]/[wse-stream-name]

For Namegroup

Format:

 https://cdn3.wowza.com/5/[fastly-stream-id]/[wse-application-name]/ngrp:[stream]_[namegroup]/playlist.m3u8

Example:

https://cdn3.wowza.com/5/M0FOOGM1VXg3QitP/httpOriginAppExample/ngrp:myStream_all/playlist.m3u8

For SMIL

Format:

https://cdn3.wowza.com/5/[fastly-stream-id]/[wse-application-name]/smil:[smil-name].smil/playlist.m3u8

Example:

https://cdn3.wowza.com/5/M0FOOGM1VXg3QitP/httpOriginAppExample/smil:myStream.smil/playlist.m3u8

Step 7: Test the playback URL

  1. You can use the Wowza Flowplayer to test ABR playback. 
  2. Check the ABR renditions by finding the Player toolbar, and selecting the settings icon
  3. Check the available renditions match your name group or SMIL file.