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In Wowza Streaming Engine, a stream source is the incoming live feed identified by its URI. A .stream file stores that address under a name; MediaCaster then uses the file to pull the source into a live application so it can be played. The file is an alias, not the video feed itself.
What a Wowza stream source does
The source is the live input, such as an IP camera or encoder output. The source URI tells Wowza where to reach it. In Streaming Engine, a named .stream file can hold that URI so a player or operator can refer to the stream by its alias instead of repeating a long or complex address. MediaCaster connects to the source using a type that matches its protocol or source family.
Wowza’s Stream Files guide, updated September 22, 2026, describes this workflow for Streaming Engine. These instructions are for the self-hosted Streaming Engine product, not Wowza Video’s cloud service.
Choose the MediaCaster type that matches the input
Identify both the protocol and the source’s actual output mode before configuring the stream. In particular, MPEG-TS can arrive over different transports, so the format name alone does not always determine the correct MediaCaster type.
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| Incoming source | MediaCaster type | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| RTSP/RTP IP camera, native RTP encoder, or MPEG-TS encoder | rtp |
The guide groups these source families under RTP. Confirm the device’s actual output mode. |
| SHOUTcast or Icecast | shoutcast |
For the listed SHOUTcast/Icecast audio-stream sources. |
| RTMP or WOWZ pulled from another Wowza Streaming Engine instance | liverepeater |
For the documented RTMP/WOWZ pull workflow; do not select rtp just because another source type worked. |
| Apple HLS live source | applehls |
For an Apple HLS live input. |
| MPEG-TS over TCP/IP | mpegtstcp |
For MPEG-TS carried over TCP/IP, not every MPEG-TS input. |
| SRT | srt |
For an SRT source supported by the installed Engine release. |
The guide’s historical minimums are Streaming Engine 4.5.0.01 or later for applehls, 4.5.0.02 or later for mpegtstcp, and 4.7.2 or later on Linux and 4.7.3 or later on Windows for srt. These are historical minimum-version notes, not a guarantee about every current deployment. Check the documentation for your installed release and the source’s protocol requirements.
Add and connect a stream file
- Create or choose a live application. The incoming source must be associated with a live application that will expose it for playback.
- Open Stream Files in Streaming Engine Manager. Add a stream file and give it a name that identifies the source.
- Enter the source URI. Use the address appropriate to the source and deployment. Wowza’s guide says to use the IP address of the server hosting the stream as the Stream URI. For SRT, its documented example form is
srt://0.0.0.0:[port]; confirm the correct address, reachable port, and source-side mode for your setup rather than copying the example literally. - Optionally configure per-stream settings. Leave application defaults in place unless this source needs different settings. Wowza’s per-stream settings reference explains that supported per-stream properties override application configuration for the applicable stream types; check its property and protocol scope before relying on an override.
- Connect the stream file. Select the live application and choose the MediaCaster type that corresponds to the source, using the mapping above.
- Request playback from a player. In the documented on-demand workflow, a player request makes the referenced source available. Use the stream-file alias in the playback address where appropriate instead of the full source URI.
What on-demand means for the source
Stream-file sources in this workflow are on demand. Wowza’s documentation says the source is made available when the first player request arrives. After the last viewer leaves, MediaCaster waits through a timeout; if no new request arrives during that period, it stops the source. This behavior matters when planning a pull source that must remain active even when nobody is watching: confirm the applicable application and stream configuration for the intended operating pattern.
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Keep Streaming Engine SRT instructions separate from Wowza Video
Streaming Engine’s stream-file guide lists srt as a MediaCaster type. Wowza Video has a separate SRT encoder workflow: its guide, updated February 8, 2024, directs users to the connection information on the live stream’s Overview page, gives a URL pattern of srt://[stream key].[primary server], identifies host port 10000 as the default, and says the service operates in SRT listener mode during the handshake. Those are Wowza Video service instructions, not connection details to reuse for a self-hosted Streaming Engine instance. Check Wowza Video’s current SRT encoder instructions before configuring that service.
Troubleshoot a source that will not connect
- The stream remains in “waiting for stream.” Check that the upstream source is active, its URI is correct, credentials are valid if required, and the server can reach the source over the necessary network path. For an RTMP pull from another Streaming Engine instance, verify that the MediaCaster type is
liverepeater, notrtp. Wowza’s current guide maps RTMP/WOWZ pulls toliverepeater; a Wowza community troubleshooting thread describes that specific type mismatch. It is a diagnostic lead, not a universal explanation for every connection failure. - The protocol and MediaCaster type do not match. Recheck the source’s actual output mode, not just the device label or container format. For example, use
mpegtstcpfor MPEG-TS over TCP/IP; the guide groups MPEG-TS encoder sources withrtpin its other source-family mapping. - An SRT URI copied from a cloud-service guide fails in Engine. Confirm that you are configuring Streaming Engine rather than Wowza Video. The cloud service’s listener-mode handshake, URL pattern, and default port belong to Wowza Video’s documented workflow.
- Playback works only after a viewer requests it, or stops after viewers leave. This is consistent with the documented on-demand behavior. Check the timeout and the intended source lifecycle in your deployment configuration if the source needs to stay active between viewing sessions.
- A per-stream change has no effect. Confirm that the property is supported for the source protocol and stream type. Per-stream settings override application settings only for applicable properties and stream types.
- A documented type is unavailable on the installed server. Compare the installed Engine release and operating system with the relevant type’s version requirements, then consult the current release documentation rather than assuming the historical minimum guarantees present-day support.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is a continuous YouTube channel built from uploaded recordings rather than ingesting a live source into Wowza, StreamNeo is a different workflow: upload a recording or make a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded videos to YouTube from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. It does not go live from a camera and streams to YouTube only.
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