Sony QoS Advanced Streaming at DVinfo.net

Paul Anderegg · April 13th, 2018, 05:10 AM

Did a live shot last night using an old PMW320 with CBKWA100 live streaming adaptor. The video below includes b-roll recorded live from the live stream, as well as a raw live stream. Receiver used was the Sony PWS-100RX1, set to 4-6Mbps 720p30 QoS quality mode.

For those interested in the Sony Advanced Streaming options in the new Sony shoulder and handheld ENG cameras, be aware, when bandwidth is very low from your internet device, the Sony receiver will lower the frames per second. The video will be throttled to as low as 10fps, but the audio will maintain normal consistency, so that your live report can still be heard, even if the video gets choppy. Sony chose this method of error correction over those such as Zixi, that would show low bandwidth as macroblocking and smearing.

Kevin Lau · April 13th, 2018, 12:28 PM

What was your WAN link, did you use a USB-attached data modem or a mobile hotspot function?

Those WA100s are showing up cheap on clearances/b-stock and I considered one because it seems to be universally compatible with any device that outputs HD-SDI... but it's missing things like a SDI loop out/thru and I wasn't sure what chipsets for network adapters it would support, because it apparently doesn't include any interfaces. I know on the X70, I can use any ASIX 88772-based USB Ethernet adapter, for example.

The manual is extremely sparse on its streaming functions and only really covers the proxy record and FTP upload capability, and this is maybe because the streaming feature came later after product release. Can it send to any generic decoder via RTP/UDP (without QoS of course) or is it specifically locked to talking with a PWS-100RX1/110RX1?

Paul Anderegg · April 13th, 2018, 02:35 PM

I bought my WA100 on eBay for like $420 used. I have the 2.4/5GHz Sony WiFi modem stick, which is rediculous, because it is always on the edge of being snapped off at the base if it snags on anything. Not sure on chipset for WiFi, I think only Sony OEM dongles. For USB to LAN jack, my station uses a bunch of generic Amazon crap, I believe Startech is the "working" LAN dongle they issued me, it's black.

The QoS function for the WA100 can be set to autoconnect, so it begins it's streaming as soon as you flip the on/off switch on the unit. The bitrate /quality, latency, is all configured on the receiver side, the camera operator has no control ove that, only the connection to the server. The WA100 also does MPEG-TS, in various flavors of 360p/720p, but in order to use that mode, you need multiple connections to the device, and have to turn the stream on and off via an app. This can be frustratingly impossible, for instance, if you need to be direct WiFi into the unit to toggle on MPEG-TS, how does it connect to WiFi HotSpot if not using hard wire LAN? And yes, you can jack the SDI into anything...you can buy a 4 pin hirose connector and wire it into 12v source such as a power tap or cheap wall wart. I have the pinout for the 12v in jack around here somewhere.

Paul

Paul Anderegg · August 11th, 2018, 05:18 PM

Here are a few QoS Sony live streams from the small PXW-Z90 cameras internal built in WiFi/streaming system.

April 13th, 2018, 05:10 AM	#1
Paul Anderegg Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Diego, Califonia Posts: 1,559	Sony QoS Advanced Streaming Did a live shot last night using an old PMW320 with CBKWA100 live streaming adaptor. The video below includes b-roll recorded live from the live stream, as well as a raw live stream. Receiver used was the Sony PWS-100RX1, set to 4-6Mbps 720p30 QoS quality mode. For those interested in the Sony Advanced Streaming options in the new Sony shoulder and handheld ENG cameras, be aware, when bandwidth is very low from your internet device, the Sony receiver will lower the frames per second. The video will be throttled to as low as 10fps, but the audio will maintain normal consistency, so that your live report can still be heard, even if the video gets choppy. Sony chose this method of error correction over those such as Zixi, that would show low bandwidth as macroblocking and smearing. YouTube (Short URL)

April 13th, 2018, 12:28 PM	#2
Kevin Lau Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 46	Re: Sony QoS Advanced Streaming What was your WAN link, did you use a USB-attached data modem or a mobile hotspot function? Those WA100s are showing up cheap on clearances/b-stock and I considered one because it seems to be universally compatible with any device that outputs HD-SDI... but it's missing things like a SDI loop out/thru and I wasn't sure what chipsets for network adapters it would support, because it apparently doesn't include any interfaces. I know on the X70, I can use any ASIX 88772-based USB Ethernet adapter, for example. The manual is extremely sparse on its streaming functions and only really covers the proxy record and FTP upload capability, and this is maybe because the streaming feature came later after product release. Can it send to any generic decoder via RTP/UDP (without QoS of course) or is it specifically locked to talking with a PWS-100RX1/110RX1?

April 13th, 2018, 02:35 PM	#3
Paul Anderegg Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Diego, Califonia Posts: 1,559	Re: Sony QoS Advanced Streaming I bought my WA100 on eBay for like $420 used. I have the 2.4/5GHz Sony WiFi modem stick, which is rediculous, because it is always on the edge of being snapped off at the base if it snags on anything. Not sure on chipset for WiFi, I think only Sony OEM dongles. For USB to LAN jack, my station uses a bunch of generic Amazon crap, I believe Startech is the "working" LAN dongle they issued me, it's black. The QoS function for the WA100 can be set to autoconnect, so it begins it's streaming as soon as you flip the on/off switch on the unit. The bitrate /quality, latency, is all configured on the receiver side, the camera operator has no control ove that, only the connection to the server. The WA100 also does MPEG-TS, in various flavors of 360p/720p, but in order to use that mode, you need multiple connections to the device, and have to turn the stream on and off via an app. This can be frustratingly impossible, for instance, if you need to be direct WiFi into the unit to toggle on MPEG-TS, how does it connect to WiFi HotSpot if not using hard wire LAN? And yes, you can jack the SDI into anything...you can buy a 4 pin hirose connector and wire it into 12v source such as a power tap or cheap wall wart. I have the pinout for the 12v in jack around here somewhere. Paul

August 11th, 2018, 05:18 PM	#4
Paul Anderegg Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Diego, Califonia Posts: 1,559	Re: Sony QoS Advanced Streaming Here are a few QoS Sony live streams from the small PXW-Z90 cameras internal built in WiFi/streaming system. YouTube (Short URL) YouTube (Short URL) YouTube (Short URL) YouTube (Short URL)