Version: Wowza Streaming Engine™ 4.8.28+4 build 20240709173404 released July 10, 2024.
Java support: Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 is compiled using Java 11 (OpenJDK Java SE JRE 11.0.2) but can be used with Java versions 11, 12, or 21. The Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 installer includes Java 21 (OpenJDK Java SE JRE 21.0.3). You can manually roll back new installations to Java 11 if needed. When using the Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 updater, we respect the same JRE included with your original installation for Java 11. For more, see Wowza Streaming Engine support for Java.
New features and functionality in Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28
Wowza Streaming Engine is a robust, customizable, and scalable media server software that powers reliable streaming of high-quality video and audio to any device, anywhere. Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 contains enhancements and fixes that improve the functionality of the media server software.
Included Java 21 with the Wowza Streaming Engine installer
New Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 installations include a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) for Java 21 (OpenJDK Java SE JRE 21.0.3). However, if you're using the updater for Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28, you can keep the same JRE included with your original installation, Java 11 (OpenJDK Java SE JRE 11.0.2). You can manually roll back new installations to Java 11 if needed. For more, see:
- Wowza Streaming Engine support for Java
- Breaking changes in Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28
- Manually install and troubleshoot Java on Wowza Streaming Engine
The move towards Java 21 helps us transition to the latest Long-Term Support (LTS) release of Java. Java 21 offers security and performance improvements, including generational support for the Z Garbage Collector (ZGC). The Generational ZGC extends the Z Garbage Collector and improves performance and efficiency, especially for applications with long-running processes and large heaps. It works by dividing the heap into separate generations for short-lived and long-lived objects. By focusing garbage collection efforts more frequently on the young generation, overall performance improves. For additional information, see Java garbage collection settings.
Note: To use Java 21 with Generational ZGC on Windows, ensure you're running a 64-bit version of Windows 10 (version 1803 or later) or Windows Server 2019 or later. You also need a 64-bit JVM.
With the new installer and the Java 21 JRE, these additional Java modules are included:
- jdk.jcmd
- jdk.jfr
Added AES-128 encryption support to secure CMAF HLS streams
With Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 and later, you can protect live CMAF-packetized HLS streams using the CBCS scheme of Common Encryption. Wowza Streaming Engine encrypts and delivers live CMAF HLS content on the fly via the SAMPLE-AES encryption method, where individual audio and video samples in an HLS chunk are secured with AES-128 encryption. This feature doesn't currently support integrations with third-party DRM systems. For more, see Secure CMAF HLS streams using Common Encryption (CBCS) in Wowza Streaming Engine.
Added a custom module to convert timed metadata from AMF to ID3 for CMAF
We added documentation explaining how to use a custom Java module and the Wowza Streaming Engine Java API to convert AMF metadata to ID3 metadata in live CMAF streams. With this module, you can process a live CMAF stream, extract metadata from the stream's AMF packets, and convert that AMF data to ID3 tags when the stream plays over HLS. The module generates Event Message (emsg) frames containing ID3 metadata. It then sends the data packet to the player using the emsg format. For more, see the Convert AMF metadata to ID3 metadata in a live CMAF stream example.
Installation and update considerations for Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28
If you're updating to Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 from a base installation of Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.27 or earlier, see Updating to Wowza Streaming Engine version 4.8.28.
Note: Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 doesn't include an updater or installer for macOS.
When using the Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 installer to add a new instance of Wowza Streaming Engine on Windows, you may need to install additional dependencies to ingest SRT MediaCaster streams or use the generic SRT stream targets destination to publish an SRT stream. For more information, see our Ingest and publish an SRT stream guide.
For step-by-step instructions on how to install or update Wowza Streaming Engine, see the following articles:
- Install – Install and configure Wowza Streaming Engine
- Update – Update your Wowza Streaming Engine installation
Breaking changes in Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28
Java version information
This information applies to Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28. Download a custom-packaged version of OpenJDK Java SE JRE 21.0.3.
With Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28, we started the shift towards Java 21. This transition allows us to leverage some Java 21 benefits, to integrate the latest Java Long-Term Support (LTS) version, and to avoid breaking changes in future updates.
- Installer details – Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 is compiled using Java 11 (OpenJDK Java SE JRE 11.0.2), but new installations include Java 21 (OpenJDK Java SE JRE 21.0.3). You can roll back to Java 11 if needed.
- Updater details – When using the Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 updater, we respect the same JRE included with your original installation for Java 11 (OpenJDK Java SE JRE 11.0.2).
If you prefer, you can manually install a different Java version. We support Java versions 11, 12, or 21 with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28. When you're updating to Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 from a base installation of Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.27 or earlier, check these considerations.
While we tested Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 to run with the Java 21 Runtime Environment (JRE), we didn't recompile it using Java Development Kit (JDK) 21. If you build a custom module using Java 21, it may not work with Wowza Streaming Engine if your source code includes Java 21 features.
Note: New installations of Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 deliver generational support for the Z Garbage Collector (ZGC). To use Java 21 with Generational ZGC on Windows, you must be running a 64-bit version of Windows 10 (version 1803 or later) or Windows Server 2019 or later. You also need a 64-bit JVM.
If your Wowza Streaming Engine workflow uses custom modules or plugins, we suggest testing them with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 in a non-production environment before updating your media server software. The following Java modules are included with the JRE for the Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 installer:
- java.base
- java.datatransfer
- java.desktop
- java.instrument
- java.logging
- java.management
- java.management.rmi
- java.naming
- java.prefs
- java.rmi
- java.scripting
- java.scripting.jgss
- java.security.sasl
- java.sql
- java.transaction.xa
- java.xml
- jdk.crypto.cryptoki
- jdk.crypto.ec
- jdk.httpserver
- jdk.management
- jdk.management.agent
- jdk.naming.rmi
- jdk.unsupported
- jdk.xml.dom
- jdk.attach (available with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28)
- jdk.internal.jvmstat (available with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28)
- jdk.jcmd (available with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28)
- jdk.jfr (available with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28)
- java.net.http (available with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28)
If you have other dependencies, you must install a Java 11 JRE or JDK that includes these dependencies. For more information, see Manually install and troubleshoot Java on Wowza Streaming Engine.
You can also check the Wowza Streaming Engine support for Java page to learn more about the different Java versions we support.
Removal of macOS installer and updater
The macOS installer and updater are not available with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28. However, you can install or migrate to Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 on macOS by setting up a Docker environment and running the Wowza Streaming Engine image in a local Linux Docker container. For more, see Set up Wowza Streaming Engine on the Docker container platform.
Detailed list of changes in Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28
These changes were made since the release of Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.27:
- Published documentation for a custom Java module that converts AMF metadata to ID3 metadata in a live CMAF stream.
- Updated the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) included with the Wowza Streaming Engine installer to Java 21 (OpenJDK Java SE JRE 21.0.3).
- Added support for the Generational Z Garbage Collector that's included with the Wowza Streaming Engine installer and Java 21 JRE.
- Added AES-128 encryption support to secure CMAF HLS streams using Common Encryption (CBCS).
- Removed the macOS updater and installer from the Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28 release.
- Fixed an issue with improperly formatted file names for HLS stream target segments when using the playlistAcrossSessions property and restarting a stream.
- Fixed an issue causing high CPU usage after pushing Wowza CDN stream targets from Wowza Streaming Engine by adding support for the latest Java 21 JVM.
- Fixed an issue to better handle unstable WebRTC inputs that prevent HLS playback and create multiple discontinuity tags in segment lists.
- Fixed an intermittent issue causing AES-128 encryption headers to be missing from HLS stream target chunklists.
- Fixed an issue causing the cmafstreamingrepeater property to be set incorrectly when using the CMAF packetizer to configure a live application on an edge server.
- Fixed an issue limiting playback from an edge server when using a CMAF live stream repeater (origin/edge) configuration with high latency in Wowza Streaming Engine.
- Fixed an issue related to RTSP ingest of HEVC content, CMAF packaging, and HLS playback that caused video artifacts and uneven playback.
- Fixed an issue with HttpOrigin mode and multiple edge stream requests at the same time that caused orphaned sessions and out-of-memory errors.
Known issues with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8.28
For a detailed list of currently known issues, see Known issues with Wowza Streaming Engine.
