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Wowza Streaming Cloud is now branded Wowza Video. For a first stream, create a live stream in Wowza Video, connect a camera or encoder—this guide uses OBS over RTMP—and verify playback using the hosted page or your own player. The detailed first-stream tutorial is marked Legacy, so its labels and manual start sequence may differ from the current quick setup flow.
Before you begin
You need access to a Wowza Video account or trial and a video source, such as a camera, encoder, or capture device. OBS Studio is the software-encoder example used here. Wowza’s tutorial recommends the latest Chrome because it has been most extensively tested; the interface supports modern browsers with HTML5 and CSS3. A separate webcam purchase is optional if you already have a suitable source.
The names matter: Wowza Video is the current cloud service in the setup flow. Wowza Streaming Engine is separate media-server software, not the cloud account or its connection endpoint. Do not substitute an Engine server IP or its default RTMP port for the connection details generated for a Wowza Video stream.
Create a live stream in Wowza Video
- Sign in to Wowza Video and choose Add Live Stream.
- Name the stream so you can identify it later. Choose a broadcast location close to the video source that supports the features you need. The default may be based on your browser’s time zone, so check it rather than assuming it is the nearest suitable location. Proximity can reduce network distance and latency. Current quick setup documentation says an RTMP region may be selected automatically near the source.
- Choose an input. For the OBS workflow, select Other RTMP and complete the remaining source and transcoder options. RTMP is not the only possible input: current quick setup lists RTMP, SRT, RTSP, WebRTC, and stream-from-file, with exact choices depending on the input. Dedicated setup options are also documented for products and sources including vMix, Epiphan, Telestream, LiveU, Teradek, Matrox, Wowza Streaming Engine, and IP cameras.
- Review start and stop behavior. In the current quick setup flow, RTMP autostart is enabled by default: a valid encoder stream starts the live stream. Autostop can stop it after the encoder stops sending valid RTMP. Wowza says autostart cannot be edited after initial stream creation, and enabling it prevents transcoder security authentication. This differs from the Legacy tutorial’s manual sequence of starting the stream in Wowza first and then starting OBS.
- Choose whether to create a hosted page. The tutorial selects Yes so you can test playback without building a webpage. It says this choice cannot be added after stream creation. If you choose not to create one, you can still use the supplied embed code or playback URLs with an external page or player.
- Choose processing mode if offered. Adaptive bitrate creates multiple renditions for differing playback conditions. Passthrough sends the source rendition without transcoding and does not create adaptive bitrate renditions. Wowza says passthrough requires a 24×7 subscription and is not available in every broadcast location; verify eligibility in your account before selecting it.
- Review and create the stream. Check the input, region, start/stop behavior, processing mode, and hosted-page choice before finishing, since some choices affect later setup or cannot be changed.
Connect OBS using the stream’s RTMP details
After creation, open the stream’s Overview page and locate Source Connection Information. Each stream has its own generated connection values; do not reuse another stream’s credentials.
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- In OBS, open Settings → Stream.
- Set Service to Custom.
- Copy Wowza’s Primary Server into OBS’s Server field.
- Copy Wowza’s Stream Name into OBS’s Stream Key field.
- Enable Use authentication, then enter the generated Source Username and Source Password.
- Set up the camera or capture device as an OBS source, save the settings, and confirm the intended video and audio are visible in OBS.
For another RTMP encoder, the same basic mapping applies: use the Wowza server and stream name in the encoder’s server and stream/key fields, and supply the generated username and password if that encoder supports the authentication option required by your stream setup.
Start, check playback, and stop cleanly
Manual sequence in the Legacy tutorial
- Start the live stream in Wowza Video.
- In OBS, click Start Streaming.
- Wait for a preview in Wowza Video. The tutorial says its preview thumbnail refreshes every five seconds.
- Open the Hosted Page URL and click play to confirm the viewer-facing stream works. The page’s Statistics panel shows connection, transcoding, and delivery metrics.
If you configured RTMP autostart in the current quick setup flow, the valid incoming encoder stream starts the live stream automatically; do not assume the Legacy tutorial’s manual start button sequence applies to that configuration.
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When the event ends, stop the stream in Wowza Video and stop OBS. Wowza warns that transcoding charges accrue once a stream has been started even when it is not actively receiving content. Its getting-started tutorial says idle streams are automatically stopped after 20 minutes, but that is not a substitute for stopping the stream yourself.
Choose the setup that fits your source
- OBS or another RTMP encoder: use the stream’s generated server and stream name, and configure authentication where required. This is the worked beginner path.
- Another protocol or device: select the input that matches what the camera or encoder can send. Current setup choices include SRT, RTSP, WebRTC, and stream-from-file as well as RTMP; specialized device workflows may expose different options.
- Push or pull: the current quick setup describes pushing an RTSP source or certain RTMP sources directly to a transcoder, versus pulling through a CDN endpoint. Available choices depend on input and RTMP autostart settings.
- Hosted page or your own player: the hosted page is a quick playback check. For a separate site or player, use the supplied embed code or playback URLs. Settings intended for Wowza’s player may be disregarded by a player you provide yourself.
- Adaptive bitrate or passthrough: use adaptive bitrate when you need multiple renditions; consider passthrough only if a single source rendition suits the delivery and your subscription and location are eligible.
Troubleshooting the first stream
| Symptom | What to check |
|---|---|
| Wowza does not receive the OBS stream | Compare OBS’s Server and Stream Key fields with this stream’s Primary Server and Stream Name. Check the generated username and password and whether authentication is enabled as required. Ensure OBS is sending to the intended input. |
| The stream does not start when OBS connects | If you expect automatic start, confirm RTMP autostart was enabled during creation and that the encoder is sending a valid RTMP stream. The current quick setup says this setting cannot be edited after initial creation; the Legacy workflow instead starts the stream manually in Wowza before OBS. |
| Preview appears but the hosted page does not play | Check the Hosted Page URL and click its play control. If using your own player, confirm you used the supplied embed code or playback URL and account for the fact that Wowza-player settings may not apply to that player. |
| Region or processing choice is unavailable | Check the selected input, broadcast location, and account entitlements. Passthrough requires a 24×7 subscription and is not supported in all locations. |
| Charges continue after the encoder stops | Stop the live stream in Wowza Video when finished. Wowza says transcoding charges accrue while a stream is started even without active content; its tutorial documents an automatic idle stop after 20 minutes. |
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