Version: Wowza Streaming Engine™ 4.8.13+1 build 20210527172944 released on June 2, 2021.
New features and functionality in Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.13
Beamr enhancements and default Transcoder template updates
With Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.13, Beamr can be enabled from Wowza Streaming Engine Manager and is enabled for H.264 and H.265 video when creating new Transcoder templates or new encoding presets in Wowza Streaming Engine Manager. Compared to the built-in MainConcept software encoder and decoder (deprecated), using the built-in Beamr software encoder or decoder offers improved video quality with similar CPU usage.
With new installations of Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.13, the default Transcoder templates (transcode.xml, transrate.xml, and transcode-h265.xml) include updates such as using Beamr as the encoding implementation for all H.264 and H.265 video encoding presets and for the decoding implementation. If you update to Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.13 from an earlier version, existing Transcoder templates are unchanged. We recommend updating existing Transcoder templates that use the MainConcept (default) software encoder or decoder to use Beamr and take advantage of Beamr's improved video quality. For information about enabling Beamr in an existing Transcoder template, see the following article:
Additionally, we optimized the Beamr encoding and decoding implementation configurations. For more information about using Beamr or Transcoder templates, see the following the article:
Detailed list of changes in Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.13
Changes since Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.12
Added support for enabling Beamr as an encoding or decoding implementation for H.264 or H.265 video in Wowza Streaming Engine Manager.
Enabled Beamr as the encoding implementation for H.264 and H.265 video encoding presets and for the decoding implementation in newly created Transcoder templates and encoding presets.
Optimized the Beamr encoding and decoding implementation configurations.
Updated the default Transcoder templates (transcode.xml, transrate.xml, and transcode-h265.xml).
Enabled Beamr as the encoding implementation for all H.264 and H.265 video encoding presets and for the decoding implementation.
Removed H.263 video encoding presets.
Updated the profile value to high for H.264 video encoding presets with a resolution of 360p or higher.
Updated the bitrate values for encoding presets to align with the HLS specification.
Added support for exposing the stream name for individual renditions in adaptive bitrate VOD HLS or MPEG-DASH streams with DRM encryption.
Added a new method to IModuleOnHTTPCupertinoEncryption to expose the stream name for VOD HLS streams.
public void onHTTPCupertinoRenditionEncryptionKeyVODChunk(HTTPStreamerSessionCupertino httpSession, String streamName, IHTTPStreamerCupertinoIndex index, CupertinoEncInfo encInfo, long chunkId, int mode)
Added a new method to IModuleOnHTTPMPEGDashEncryption to expose the stream name for VOD MPEG-DASH streams.
public void onHTTPMPEGDashRenditionEncryptionKeyVODChunk(HTTPStreamerSessionMPEGDash httpSession, String streamName, IHTTPStreamerMPEGDashIndex index, CencInfo cencInfo, long chunkId)
Added a new SMIL file parameter to configure separate adaptation sets for VOD MPEG-DASH streams. Any unique value will create a separate adaption set, and all renditions that have the same value will be included in the same adaption set.
<param name="tracktype" value="…" valuetype="data"/>
Added a new property to control whether to include the CAN-SKIP-UNTIL attribute with the EXT-X-SERVER-CONTROL tag in CMAF HLS and Low-Latency HLS media playlists (location: [install-dir]/conf/[application-name]/Application.xml, <Application>/<LiveStreamPacketizer>/<Properties>; name: cupertinoCanSkipUntil; type: Boolean; default: true).
Fixed an issue with incorrectly sending 410 errors in response to part requests of available parts with adaptive bitrate Low-Latency HLS streams.
Fixed an issue with the target duration of segments changing during CMAF HLS and Low-Latency HLS playback.
Fixed an issue with the calculation of the target duration of segments to prevent having different target durations between audio and video for CMAF HLS and Low-Latency HLS.
Fixed an issue with the Windows uninstaller failing due to NSSM failing to stop.
Fixed an issue in which coded video frame size could be erroneously reported as equivalent to display frame size.