live stream to android devices? shouldn't be this difficult.

Report · Sep 11, 2012

Why doesn't Adobe post a simple tutorial on how to stream live video from FMS 4.5 to Android device? The developer center has a tutorial series that hasn't been updated in years. The Part 8: Streaming to Android Devices (to Come) hasn't been updated in 1.5 years. The server is useless if we can't watch video on Android devices. Surely someone out there has successfully streamed live video to an Android device and can explain how to do it?

Do we need to create an Android Air App to accomplish this?

Thanks for any help!

Dave

Report · Sep 12, 2012

If you have any android device and if you had installed flash player before (when it was available) - you should have been able to stream RTMP/HDS streams via any hosted OSMF based SWF client. Now that Flash Support is officially no more available, you would have to build AIR app.

Report · Sep 12, 2012

Yeah, Android is in a bit of a tough state right now when it comes to FMS.

With Flashplayer gone, that's not really a viable target for Android, so that pretty much rules out RTMP unless you plan to distribute an Air app.

Later versions of Android (some 2.3 devices, some 3.x devices, and most 4.x devices) support HLS, but the implementation is terrible, playback is somewhat unreliable, and feedback to the user is nonexistant.

The most reliable way to serve a stream to Android is RTSP (supported in all versions after 1.6), but unfortunately, FMS doesn't support RTSP.

Report · Sep 12, 2012

Are there any pre-built AIR apps for Android that will stream live video from FMS? I'm not being lazy just never used AIR before and really need to get live streams working for Android.

Any good tutorials on building a simple android air app that streams live video?

Android devices are everywhere it seems like Adobe would've addressed this limitation of FMS regarding Android.

Thanks Guys!

Dave

Report · Sep 12, 2012

Link which you might find helpful:

http://www.fabiobiondi.com/blog/2011/05/open-source-media-framework-osmf-flex-45-air-for-android/

Report · Sep 12, 2012

Yes. That link was helpful in creating a flex app that plays recorded .flv videos in android but it won't play live streams using .f4m files. All I get is a black screen.

Report · Sep 12, 2012

Also, not all Android devices can have AIR (hardware / playstore)...

The most reliable way to serve a stream to Android is RTSP (supported in all versions after 1.6), but unfortunately, FMS doesn't support RTSP.

Does anyone have some idea about Adobe plans for the future?

Will AMS 5.x stream seamlessly to Android 2.x+?

Someone, anoyone, anything?

I must say that this and some other issues (http://forums.adobe.com/message/4315166#4315166) are only causing less and less customers want FMS/AMS, so, do not help me, help yourself.

Disclaimer: all stated here is my personal opinion, not the opinion of the company that i work for and it should not be confused as such.

Report · Sep 12, 2012

If I did create a Android AIR app to watch a live video stream from FMS. Which manifest file do I need to point the AIR app to use? event.F4M or event.M3U8?

I'm getting frustrated with the FMS product.

Thanks,

Dave

Report · Sep 12, 2012

Event.f4m

Report · Jul 24, 2013

almost a year passed, anything changed? I have a very simpla task: support non-flash playback in android browser for vod and live - is there any solution?

Report · Jul 24, 2013

Sublime HTML5 player can play live video via RTMPT (rtmp over http tunnel), i believe.

http://docs.sublimevideo.net/player-faq#streaming-protocols-support

Message was edited by: rjp421

Report · Jul 24, 2013

almost a year passed, anything changed? I have a very simpla task: support non-flash playback in android browser for vod and live - is there any solution?

You can use JW Player via HTML5 and stream HLS over Flash, or HLS over HTML5. Works on all androids, except on some there are variations in browser configuration to get it to work.

Also, HTTP Live Streaming "HLS" has to be used from FMS.. hls-live hls-vod

Has to be a h264/aac file. .f4f, .f4v, mp4, etc..

Report · Jul 24, 2013

Wow... lots of bad info here.

Keep in mind that HLS on Android when using the default video player or playing in the browser is broken. it will work on some devices, work partially on other devices, and not work at all on some devices.

RTMP/T/E/S and HDS will ONLY work in the flashplayer, which is no longer supported for Android.

The only reliable transport for all android devices (ver 2.2 and later) in the browser (which opens the stream in the native video player) is RTSP, which is not supported by AMS.

Your alternatives are to develop a native application for Android to work around the failures of the default player and protocol limitations when working with AMS, or choose a different streaming server with support for RTSP.

Report · Jul 24, 2013

god damn. Thx.

Report · Jul 24, 2013

crtmpserver (rtmpd) has an application pre-made for proxying a stream from AMS to RTSP

it would however run on another port such as 1936 etc.

http://rtmpd.com/

Report · Jul 24, 2013

Or you could just switch to Wowza, which supports RTMP/T/E, HLS, HDS, RTSP, ISMV, and a host of other features not supported by AMS.

Wowza also has an architecture that doesn't require these nonsense event files, alternate application locations for HTTP protocols, or the need for a separate HTTP server (apache in the case of AMS).

Sorry AMS team, I've been holding back words on this topic when posting in this forum. but AMS simply isn't keeping up, and Wowza has been the better product for years now.

Report · Jul 24, 2013

lmao, aint that the truth, been using Wowza since March, after first using AMS, first thought Wowza was complicated but after a little of play was able to get it working just right. Though I did try AMS5 and whist didnt want to start over just uninstalled it for now, keep it for later usage lol.

Though will have to check on that rtmp features, havent read up on it yet.

Report · Jul 24, 2013

yeah i wish i saw your words at least a year ago, until both of our customers purchased ams =)) but probably there is a possibility to switch for at least one of them.

Report · Sep 02, 2013

I used to love Wowza, and believed them to be the bomb when it came to all things streaming. Over the last few years I have put about a dozen clients on Wowza, but I now strongly recommend AMS.

Because when it comes to HLS/RTSP they are not competitively priced. To provide HLS or RTSP, you are required to use the Transcoder Plugin which costs ... wait for it ...TWENTY US DOLLARS PER UNIQUE STREAM PER MONTH.

That's right, $20.00 for each and every file or chatroom you stream each month. Listen to 100 different MP3s 100 times each? That's $2,000 for listening to your content.

Seeing how they are effectively GOUGING their users by charging them for their own content, I have since turned my back on Wowza and now go with AMS, because the costs for running AMS on AWS are far less than running Wowza with Transcoder on AWS since Adobe does not charge you for your own content.

As soon as I point out Wowza's price guaging, my current clients have so far unanimously agreed that AMS is the better solution, because frankly, all streaming solutions on Android suck. RTSP is a dog, HLS on Android is even more a dog. Leaving AIR APP as the only viable alternative for Android -- which is why AMS hasn't been tripping over itself to support RTSP.

So when you look at the fact that RTSP on Android is terrible, the only real Mobile Browser Platform worth targetting is iOS Safari, which AMS handles quite well. and you get to keep your $2,000.00.

The only use case I propose for Wowza these days are for highly customized services requiring the Wowza SDK, which are typically games or highly interactive things that would run as part of a Flash based Application via RTMP, and would not be subject to Wowza's price guaging.

Report · Sep 02, 2013

The claim about needing the transcoder plugin for HLS and RTSP is false. HLS and RTSP DO NOT require the transcoder plugin. You only need the transcoder if:

1. you want to transcode or transrate streams to multiple bitrates

2. You want to transcode from one codec to another

If you publish H.264 video and AAC audio to wowza, you can ouput RTMP. HLS, HDS, ISMV, and RTSP, all within the base license price.

Get your information straight before you make inflamatory postings like that.

And by the way, telling people that you might as well not bother supporting Android is simply laughable. Just because there's some challenge to it doesn't mean you should exclude half the market.

Report · Dec 13, 2013

As an avid Wowza developer/integrator/consultant (as well as the occasional AMS work), I concur with JayCharles on all of his assertions. The transcoder is completely optional, and you can actually make your own Wowza transcoder module with FFmpeg if the Transcoder AddOn costs are really too steep for deployment.

Having said that, my current solution for live streaming to Android with an off-the-shelf (OTS) player is JW Player, and setting its fallback property to false. It looks something like this:

<p>Video not playing? <a href="rtsp://media_server/app_name/_definst_/mp4:stream_ref">Click this link to play in an external media player.</a></p>

</div>

jwplayer("videoPlayer").setup({

playlist: [

{

sources: [

{

file: "rtmp://media_server/appname/_definst_/mp4:streamname"

},

{

file: "http://media_server/appname/_definst_/mp4:streamname/playlist.m3u8"

}

],

title: "My Sample Live Stream"

}

],

height: 180,

primary: "html5",

autostart: false,

width: 320,

fallback: false

});

</script>

HTH.

Report · Dec 17, 2013

For Robert:

Will this code work for Flash streams on Android using JW Player? I am using JW Player for Live HLS with RTMP rollover but I have had no luck with Andorid. JW folks don't seem to think the player will work on Android.

Thanks

Report · Jul 24, 2013

that's cool, but... why using another streaming server while buying another...
anyway, i'll check that server, thanks a lot.

Report · Jul 24, 2013

mostly testing functions of both, I had AMS 4 but it didnt apply to IOS, so went with Wowza that did, that was the primary cause... IOS. AMS4.5 and above now support IOS, but by then already was using Wowza, BUT almost went back to AMS due to stream being stolen, I couldnt get wowza security to work right, and with AMS was able to with a couple lines of text. Wowza now has that support, easier to configure. Right now inbetween live broadcasting so just might do some testing with AMS5, or not lol

Report · Jul 24, 2013

JayCharles wrote:
Wow... lots of bad info here.
Keep in mind that HLS on Android when using the default video player or playing in the browser is broken. it will work on some devices, work partially on other devices, and not work at all on some devices.
RTMP/T/E/S and HDS will ONLY work in the flashplayer, which is no longer supported for Android.
The only reliable transport for all android devices (ver 2.2 and later) in the browser (which opens the stream in the native video player) is RTSP, which is not supported by AMS.
Your alternatives are to develop a native application for Android to work around the failures of the default player and protocol limitations when working with AMS, or choose a different streaming server with support for RTSP.

Lots of Bad Info? Seriously? RTSP is a great solution,. But I'd still recommend HLS over Flash on android. You can still install Flash from the archives and also use HDS for Android. Many earlier androids will work with HLS when you browse in desktop view and not mobile view and still hit 80% of them.