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FLUMOTION SOFTWARE FAQs

• The best way to solve most common doubts regarding Flumotion Streaming Software.

Here you can find the answers to the most relevant issues regarding Flumotion Software and also about this e-Shop.

If you can't find the answer to your questions, be sure to come back here periodically. As these FAQs are in constant development, you might just find your answers in a latter moment.
Be sure to also use our search tool in the right top menu of the page to find what you're looking for.

If you have a problem and don't know how to manage it yourself, we recommend you to buy one of our Support Packs and get full assistance from the Flumotion Software technical team.

1 - Basics

• What is Streaming?

Streaming is a technology that allows you to watch a video or listen to music through the internet without waiting for an entire file to be downloaded.
This means you can watch and listen to Live events and also directly access the later parts from a recoded video without downloading it.

Typically there are two types of streaming: Live and OnDemand. And many business are usually interested in both possibilities.
A Radio Station, for example, might want to do Live Streaming of their live shows at the same time they send their standard signal over a FM frequency, and at the same time they might want to record this show and create a OnDemand Podcast afterwords.

Because of streaming Users can have a much better multimedia experience using internet and Content Providers can have a more economic use of their necessary bandwidth and processing power to delivery contents online.

• What are the basic necessary components to stream video and audio through the internet?

Streaming requires five basic components: 1-Capturing Devices, 2-Encoder, 3-Codecs, 4-Streamer,
and 5-Internet bandwidth

A, B and C hardware equipments are not included with Flumotion Streaming Software.
See main features of Flumotion Streaming Software

Hardware B and C can be the same. Meaning that Flumotion Encoder and Streamer can be installed in the same hardware machine.

• What is Flumotion Streaming Software?

Flumotion Streaming Software is the only in-house streaming solution (or streaming server) in the market that uses a unique multiformat technology developed by Flumotion that allows content delivery (videos and audio) to 99% of the available devices: Browsers, Players, Media Centers, Mobile Devices, Game Stations, etc.

Plus it is 100% configurable online, which means you only pay for the features you really need, reaching a wider audience while at the same time cutting up to 60% of your infrastructure costs, because you do not need different machines for each format.

Furthermore, third party codecs are included within Flumotion Software, eliminating the need to purchase them in the future.

• Why should I choose Flumotion Software as my streaming server?

- Because is the only true end-to-end streaming server in the market: Encoder + Codecs + Streamer + Delivery
- Because it the most complete multi-format streaming server in the market: Flash, Windows Media, MP3, MP4 and OGG
- Because its the only one to include all necessary codecs: H264, WMV, Theora, VP6, AAC, Mp3, WMA, and Vorbis
- Because you can stream multiple formats from one single hardware: Cost-reducing
- Because it is 100% configurable to your needs: Modular
- Because it is 100% stable running on Linux distributions

• Which are the main features of Flumotion Streaming Software?

You can find the most important Flumotion Software features inside "Software Main Features Page".

• How does Flumotion Streaming Software works?

Flumotion Streaming Software enables you to deliver Live and OnDemand streaming traffic directly to your end users. The Software is 100% multiformat, so it can serve several audio and video streams in one or more various formats.

The software encoder sources the signal from a capturing device or content provider while the streamer prepares the content for delivery. For more details please go to Flumotion Streaming Software page.

Note that the same infrastructure using Flumotion Software can manage both the encoding and streaming processes. This means you can have a full end-to-end streaming solution, since FLumotion Software covers the entire streaming process it eliminates the need for multiple server machines.

• Can I use it to stream Live and OnDemand content simultaneously?

Yes, of course! The Flumotion Streaming Software supports video OnDemand and live streaming, and (progressive) download.

• Can I use it to stream Flash and Windows simultaneously?

Definitely yes! With Flumotion Software not only you can can stream Flash videos and Windows media formats simultaneously, but also MP3, MP4, H264, MOV, OGG and many other video and audio formats.

• Why is Flumotion Streaming Software a cost-reducing technology?

Thanks to the multiformat technology you can cut up to 60% of your infrastructure costs as you do not need a different machine for each format.

• Why does Flumotion Streaming Software make streaming easier?

The Flumotion Streaming Software is an end-to-end solution which carries the entire stream distribution process on both the server and the platform itself. This means that besides distributing a stream to users, it also includes the signal acquisition. You can encode and stream multiple audio and video formats using just one server machine, which allows you to reduce infrastructure costs up to 60%.

• What other solutions are available instead of Flumotion Software?

In addition to the Flumotion Streaming Software, Flumotion offers the Streaming Platform and WebTV. For a price request please fill out our Contact Form and for more information visit the Products Page.

• Is it possible to try Flumotion Software before buying it?

You can download here our Open Source version to test Flumotion´s functionalities, but it only included Theora and Vorbis codecs, which will only allow you to encode and stream OGG video and audio formats.

• What is a Bouncer?

A Bouncer is another type of component in the Flumotion System. The bouncer restricts access to certain users or allowing users to pay for access to certain content. For more information please click here.

• What are Feed components?

Flumotion Streaming Software has three types of Feed components: Producer, Converter and Consumer. The Feed components receive data, encode and stream. For more detailed information please click here.

2 - The Technology

• What technology does Flumotion Software uses?

Flumotion Software can only delivery quality, performance, stability and a wide range of features thanks to the use of Linux, GStreamer and other powerful open source software.

You can easily get started with Flumotion Streaming Software due to its simple user interface that allows you to quickly place unlimited links to your content inside any website or media player device.

The same technology also allows Flumotion Software to installed inside the same hardware or spread across multiple machines, so the streaming platform you create can scale to handle more viewers witting more streams and in more formats.

And due to its open source architecture your streaming solution will be more efficient and flexible than competing systems, making a much better use of your hardware.

• What architecture does Flumotion Streaming Software have?

The Flumotion system consists of several components that work together for example, feed components and bouncer components. This is visually explained here where you can see how the components work together.

4 - Formats & Codecs

• Supported File Formats for Live Streaming

Flumotion Streaming Software uses a unique multiformat technology that supports the following formats:

- Flash (FLV, H264)
- Windows Media (ASF)
- MP3
- AAC
- MPEG-4
- OGG

• Available Codecs for Live Streaming

- H264
- VP6
- WMV
- WMA
- AAC
- MP3
- Theora
- Vorbis

• Do I need to buy third party codecs?

Different from most of our competitors, with Flumotion Software third party codecs are included in the package. Be aware, many competitors do not make customers aware of this from the beginning.

• Supported File Formats for On Demand Streaming

Flumotion Streaming Software supports On Demand Streaming for ALL TYPES of file formats.
These are just some of the supported formats:

- Flash (FLV, H264)
- Window Media (ASF, MPEG)
- MP3
- MP4
- MOV
- OGG
- AAF
- 3GPP
- VOX
- Etc.

5 - Additional / Advanced Features

• Does Flumotion Streaming Software provides statistics and repporting?

With Flumotion Streaming Software you can get statistics and data such as:

- Number of active channels
- Number of concurrent users per channel
- Average number of concurrent users
- Information about peaks- Amount of bandwidth used
- Hardware usage per stream
- Memory usage per stream
- Current bitrate
- Average bitrate

• Does Flumotion Streaming Software have a monitoring tool?

Yes. Flumotion Server offers standard monitoring tool to control live and VoD feeds performance, connected clients, bandwidth usage, etc.
Bellow you can find a print screen of the monitoring tool it offers:

• Does Flumotion Streaming Software have load balancing functionalities?

No. Only our CDN Platform offers Load Balancing at this point.

• Does Flumotion Streaming Software have catching functionalities?

No. Only our CDN Streaming Platform offers Catching solutions at this point.

• Does Flumotion Streaming Software includes a Playlist (Play List) manager?

Yes. Flumotion software includes a component called "playlist-producer" that allow you to create play lists of prerecorded media.
However this component is still not functional through Flumotion SOftware user interface (wizzard), therefor it has to be set and configured directly through the console f your operational system.

• Does Flumotion Streaming Software support domain checking?

Yes, you can use domain white/black lists to further protect your content from unauthorized access. For further details please click here.

6 - Performance

• How many Live Feeds can Flumotion Streaming Software acquire and encode?

Each included Encoder can acquire, process and encode up to 4 Live feeds, depending on the acquisition quality and if using our recommended hardware specifications. See recommended hardware.

If you want to acquire and encode more than 4 Live feeds, you then need to purchase additional Encoder Licenses.

• How much traffic can I stream with Flumotion Streaming Software?

This means that with just 01 License of Flumotion Streaming Software you can stream for:

Concurrent Viewers ----------- Content Quality

7800 --------------------------------- 64 Kbps
3900 -------------------------------- 128 Kbps
2000 -------------------------------- 250 Kbps
1000 -------------------------------- 500 Kbps
715 --------------------------------- 700 Kbps
500 -------------------------------- 1000 Kbps

If the total amount of content you want to stream goes over 500 Mbps, then you need to purchase additional Streamer Licenses.

• How do I calculate the Total Content Traffic I will stream? And therefore the Total Bandwidth I will need?

Just multiply the Streaming Channels you want to create by the different format you want to publish, multiply again by the quality (Kbps) of each feed, and then multiply by the volume of concurrent users you estimate having for each feed.

• How reliable/stable is the Flumotion Streaming Software?

Our Streaming Software is 100% stable running on Linux OS 32-bit distributions.
See OS compatibility

• Performance results

Bellow you can find some testing results made with Flumotion Streaming Software:

• Is there any way I can optimize even more the performance of Flumotion Software?

Better hardware equipments always contribute to the performance of Flumotion Software. With high quality hardware Flumotion Streamer (Server) can push more than 1.000 Mbps of traffic.
In Chapter 8: Optimization & Performance of the Flumotion Software User Manual you will find plenty of “tips” on optimizing component locations, limiting bandwidth, system configuration etc.

7 - HW and SW Requirements

• Hardware requirements to run Flumotion Streaming Software

Minimum Hardware requirements:
- 1 core processor*
- 512 MB RAM
- 10 GB SATA HDD (disc space)
- 1 Gbit/s network card
- Capturing cards

RECOMMENDED HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
- 4 core processor*
- 2 GB RAM
- 100 GB SATA HDD (disc space)
- 1 Gbit/s network card
- Capturing cards

Suggested Hardware requirements for HD Encoder (Full PAL encoding through SDI acquisition)
- 8 core processor*
- 4 GB RAM
- 100 GB 15k SATA HDD (disc space)
- 1 Gbit/s network card
- Capturing cards

PS: If you want to capture in high definition we recommend the Canopus ADCV-1000 hardware capturing card with HDMI/SDI/Components.
* We recommend Intel or AMD process for all scenarios.

• Software requirements to use Flumotion Streaming Software

Flumotion Streaming Software runs on the following Linux distributions:

- Fedora 11 (i386)
- Ubuntu 8.04 (i386)
- Ubuntu 8.10 (i386)
- Ubuntu 9.04 (i386)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 (i386).

• How many servers do I need to stream my contents?

There is no arbitrary limit set on the number of simultaneous streams you can serve with on a Flumotion Streaming Software, but there will be limitations in hardware and bandwidth capacity.

To estimate the bandwidth your Flumotion Streaming Software will use, you will need to know the following:

• The number of concurrent users your application must support at peak load
• Data transmission speed at which you expect your users to connect
• The number of audio/video streams your application will support per user
• Limitations of your server hardware (disk speed, memory, CPU) and Internet connection
• The target bit rate of your audio and video streams

• Do I need a separate server machine for each format?

Flumotion Streaming Software encodes and streams multiple audio and video formats using just one single server machine.

• Is it possible to have the server running on a Virtual Machine?

Yes, you can have it running on a Virtual Machine, although recommend having it on a dedicated hardware in order to grant maximum performance in case of stream peaks.

• What should be the specifications to use with a Virtual Machine?

You should always have a better configuration for VM than for hardware, considering the minimum specifications for Flumotion Software on a hardare machine are 4 core and 2 GB RAM, on a VM the minimum specifications are 8 core and 8 GB RAM.

8 - Compatibility

• What operating systems (OS) does Flumotion Streaming Software supports?

Flumotion Streaming Software runs on the following Linux distributions:

- Fedora 11 (i386)
- Ubuntu 8.04 (i386)
- Ubuntu 8.10 (i386)
- Ubuntu 9.04 (i386)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 (i386).

• Where can I download the Linux distributions that are compatible with Flumotion Streaming Software?

As Linux is a free OS, with a simple Google search you can basically find dozens of websites that provides downloads its different distributions.

Here are some examples:

- Fedora: http://torrent.fedoraproject.org/
- Ubuntu: http://releases.ubuntu.com/
- Red Hat: https://www.redhat.com/products/

• Does Flumotion Software supports Debian Lenny distribution?

No. Not at this moment.

• What capture cards are compatible with Flumotion Streaming Software?

Flumotion Streaming Software is compatible with all popular "built-in" capture cards like BlackMagic, Pinnacle, Easycap, Hauppauge, etc. that are compatible with Linux. As for "external" capture cards, Flumotion Streaming Software is compatible with all cards as long as they have DV Firewire output.

If you want to stream in high definition we recommend the Canopus ADCV-1000 hardware capturing card with HDMI/SDI/Component.

• Does Flumotion Software support 64-bit Linux distributions?

No. Flumotion Software does not support any 64-bit Linux distributions at this moment, as performance test indicates that Flumotion Streaming Software is 30% better in 32-bit operational systems.

• Does it supports indexing and seeking for Flash (FLV) files?

Yes. Flumotion Software is 100% compatible with indexing and seeking for Flash content over HTTP protocol.

• Does Flumotion Software supports RTP, RTSP or RTMP protocols?

No. Flumotion Streaming Software uses HTTP protocol to serve its streams. Our technology is called "True free HTTP streaming" since the HTTP protocol is more scalable, more compatible with online players, 100% compatible with traditional RTMP files such as Flash FLV, and also completely free to use.

Nowadays HTTP streaming it is considered the best available option, enabling streaming for all traditional multimedia files (FLV, WMV, MP3, MP4, etc) and also enabling streaming to iPhone and the new Windows Silverlight.

• Does Flumotion Software supports Multicast delivery?

No. Because Flumotion Software streams over free HTTP protocol, it does not support Multicast delivery over TCP neither UDP. Flumotion Software only supports Unicast delivery.

However, its important to notice that Multicast delivery it is not an available delivery over standard Internet nowadays. Therefore if you're willing to do Internet streaming, then Multicast won't even be a possibility. You will need to use Unicast delivery.

• Can I use Flumotion Streamer with Windows Media or Flash Media Encoder?

Right now, the Flumotion Streamer only works with the Flumotion Encoder, so you won´t be able to use Windows Media Encoder and Flumotion Streamer together. Although, we are working on integrating the support for this. Remember that our solution is multi-format, so by buying our solution you could finally retire your old WM Encoder. We are also working on the integration to support Furthermore, the Flumotion Streaming Software always includes 1 Encoder and 1 Streamer, but with the possibility to add additional licenses for encoders and streamers.

• Does Flumotion Software support Mobile TV and 3GPP codecs?

Sorry, not at the moment.

• Which signal acquisition standards are compatible with Flumotion Software?

Nowadays Flumotion Software is compatible with FireWire (IEEE 1394) or USB acquisition standards.

SDI and HDMI acquisition standards will soon be available, probably in Q3 2010.

• Is Flumotion Software compatible with PAL, PAL-M and NTSC analog signal acquisition?

Yes. Input signal formats/types don´t really interferes with Flumotion Software encoding and server process, as long as you use a compatible capturing card with Flumotion Software.

• Are Ingest formats supported?

Yes, through RRD. Although is not integrated on the Server Wizard, you can make it available manually. More info can be found inside FSS manual.

9 - Security and Privacy

• Is my content safe with Flumotion Streaming Software?

Flumotion Streaming Software contains security features such as authentication, bouncers and domain control that helps protect your content. For more information about Security click here.

10 - Installation

• 3 BASIC INSTALLATION STEPS

0 - After Purchasing your Flumotion Software pack, go to your Client Area, enter Download Area, select the Linux distribution you want, and click the OK button to download Flumotion Software Repository Packs.
Attention: The Repository Packs you will download are very small files (4 to 8 KB). This is normal.

1 - After downloading Flumotion Repository Packs, proceed with the repository installation.
This step will automatically download all the remaining software part you will need to install Flumotion Streaming Software.

2 - Proceed with the Flumotion Software Installation.

3 - Configure Flumotion Software and Start Streaming!

• How to install Flumotion Software repository packs?

1 - Install the package that you have downloaded by double clicking on the icon.

2 - Start the Package Manager (in this case synaptic which you can find in System --> Administration --> Synaptic)

3 - In the search field introduce "flumotion-box" and press enter.

4 - You will see the packages that form Flumotion Streaming Software listed. Please mark the package "flumotion-box" for your installation and apply modifications.

5 - Once you have it installed you can Access the administration application in Applications -> Sound & Video -> Flumotion Streaming Server Administration.

6 - Ready! Please see the online complete manual to finalize theinstallation and configuration of the Flumotion Streaming Software.

• How long does it take to configure the Flumotion Streaming Software?

With the best comprehensive software wizard you can configure it in different distributed architectures in less than 5 minutes.

• How do I install Flumotion Software?

Here you will find how to set up a simple streaming system on your local machine. You can also can find installation instructions for some common Linux distributions.

• How can I install it manually using a Linux console? (instead of the default Flumotion Software UI)

For Ubuntu distributions:

sudo dpkg -i flumotion-box-release_1.2-1flu1~jaunty1_i386.deb
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install flumotion-box


For Fedora or Hedhat distributions:

run as root user:
rpm -i flumotion-box-release-1.2.0-0.fc11.noarch.rpm
yum update
yum install flumotion-box

• After installation where do I find the Flumotion Streaming Software?

Your Flumotion Streaming Software should be available from the Application --> Sound & Video sub-menu on your panel. In addition, three binaries (Flumotion-manager, Flumotion-worker, and Flumotion-admin) should be available in your path.

• How do I start using the Flumotion Streaming Software?

It is easy! Download, install, and you are ready to start streaming

• Where can I find information about debugging and troubleshooting?

Click here to find detailed information and various methods for debugging and troubleshooting.
Furthermore, here you can find user tips for how to read the log files.

• Where can I learn more about how to deploy Flumotion Software in my network?

Helpful documentation and the Flumotion Streaming Software Manual can be found on the Documentation page in the Flumotion Development Center (link to www.flumotion.net)

11 - Configuring

• How do I configure Flumotion Streaming Software?

Flumotion Software uses XML configuration files that helps you configure different streaming architectures.
It also helps you to create pre-configuration options for simple scenarios such as live streaming from a single camera to on-demand streaming of pre-existing video files.
For more information click here.

• How do I set-up it up?

Click here for detailed instructions on how to set-up and configure your Flumotion Streaming Software.

• Where can I find the Configuration Files?

The Flumotion directory contains a manager’s directory and a workers directory, which should both contain XML files. These files may be in sub-directories and may be split up into separate XML files.
For more information click here.

• What is a Manager?

A Manager is a software process that coordinates all Workers (encoders / servers / components) and tell them what to do and how to function.
Please click here for detailed explanation.

• How to start the Manager?

You may start a Flumotion Manager by directly using Flumotion Software User Interface or by using with the command flumotion-manager followed by the command ps directly trhough your Linux console.
For more information click here

• What is a Worker?

In the streaming process the Workers are the ones that creates the processes for each component you're going to use (encoders / servers, plug-ins / etc).
For more detailed information please click here

• How to start the Worker?

Click here find the instructions on how to start the Worker.

• Can I set-up the workers on Multiple Servers?

Flumotion can distribute its workers over several computers, making it possible to use multiple content inputs from different locations.
However, be aware that for License reasons you must have additional installation licenses to do this.
Find out more about how to set workers over several computers.

• Can I set-up the workers remotely?

One of the most powerful features of the Flumotion Streaming Software is its ability to distribute work over many separate computers. Here you can find the basic configuration instructions for Flumotion when used remotely.

• Can manager and workers be split across on multiple machines?

Flumotion Software components can definitely be split across multiple machines. The entire system normally has only one Manager and multiple Workers (encoders / servers / components / etc) usually operating in different machines.
However, different arrangements such as multiple workers and managers on a single machine are also possible and may be useful in some circumstances, in order to clearly separate different parts of your Flumotion Software system.
For more information click here

Attention: Please not that if you want to split Flumotion Software across different machines, separating manager and workers, you will need to purchase additional Encoder and Streamer Licenses.
For more information click here.

• How do I set-up a Live stream?

Here you can find how Flumotion Streaming Software may be used to provide, per example, a live online video streaming of a conference, allowing speakers to be seen even by many people not physically attending the conference. In addition, some Flumotion Software Packs also include a feature to simultaneously recorded this conference for later viewing or for generation video podcasts.

• How do I set-up a OnDemand stream?

Here it is described how Flumotion may be used to provide OnDemand streaming of archived audio or video files. Unlike live streaming, the user may fast-forward in an OnDemand stream, or go directly to a certain point.

• How to use python i-calendar module with Flumotion Streaming Software?

Flumotion Streaming Software already includes the python module for i-calendar, so there is no need for you get it and install it yourself.
If you need additional information do manage this module, please click here.

The i-calendar module are used in 3 different components of Flumotion Software, allowing you to:

1 - Schedule the access to a Live feed (Bouncer component)
2 - Schedule the recording of a Live stream (Disker component)
3 - Schedule hours for Playlists to Start/Stop (Playlist-Produce component)

12 - How to buy

• Can I buy the Flumotion Streaming Software with only the features I really need?

Thanks to Flumotion Software’s modular technology you can compose your own software package and choose between the extensive features we offer, therefore you only pay for the features you really need. For more information of the features please visit the product page.

• Can I modify what I have in my Shopping cart?

Yes, when clicking Check out you can see what you have selected, change quantities, modify formats, features etc.

• Can I see my order history?

When you sign in to your account you will be able to see your order history in your client area.

• Can I test the software before buying?

Yes! You can test our open source trial version that includes all Flumotion Software functionalities here, but only includes OGG format and codecs.

• Do I need to register before I can buy online?

If you are a new user and haven’t created an account already, you will need to create a new account in order to be able to buy online (Add to cart). If you are already registered just click on Sign in, enter your log-in details and you can click on (Add to cart) to buy the product you have chosen.

• How do I buy Flumotion Streaming Software?

Buying Flumotion Streaming Software is easy. Just enter our e-shop here and browse the optimal streaming solutions for you. The Flumotion Streaming Software is available in various packs depending on your intentions for the software. You can also design your own Software Pack, using our “Configurator”. If you are not sure which pack is the most suitable for you, please here to contact.

• How do I know which Software Pack is the most suitable for my business?

First of all it is very important for you to have clear if you are looking for a streaming product (Flumotion Streaming Software) or you are looking for a streaming service (like Flumotion Streaming Platform). If you´re looking for a product please remember that you will need to take care of the installation, configuration, etc. On the other hand, if you´re looking for a service we will provide you with a full end-to-end streaming solution.

Secondly, it is important to know factors such as the volume of your activity, the number of concurrent users you will have and how many and what streaming channels you will be using. Although, more importantly what the streaming technology means to your business, for a hassle free solution, you should consider our streaming platform rather than our streaming software.

Finally, it is also important to understand if you need any specific extra features such as Geoblocking, Transcoding and Token Authentication as these features are only available with Flumotion Platform and not with Flumotion Software.

For more information about the different available packs please click here. If you are still not sure what pack is the most suitable, please contact us using the contact form and we will gladly assist you with your purchase.

• How do I place an order?

- Find the solution you want.

- Click Add to Cart, if you are already logged in it will be automatically added to your Shopping cart.

- If you are not logged in please sign in if you already have an account or create a new account if you are a first time user.

- Carry on shopping if you want to buy an additional solution.

- Click Check Out at anytime to see what you have selected, change quantities, features or to remove items.

- When you are ready to, click Check Out and choose Contract Model.

- When you have chose the Contract Model then enter your credit card details.

- After finalizing the payment process you will be taken to the Download Area where you can download the software and you are ready to stream.

• How much does the Flumotion Streaming Software cost?

The price of the Flumotion Streaming Software depends on which pack you decide to buy. You can also configure are create your own Software Pack by using our “Configurator”, where all price information is displayed.

• Is my software subscription automatically extended?

Yes, all contracts are automatically extended after the 12 months subscription period. You can cancel your contract after 12 months by contacting us.

• What are the different packs available?

We have created ready-made packs available for you depending on your needs and your business. Please click here to browse the available packs. You can also customize your own Flumotion Streaming Software Pack easily by using the “Configurator”.

• What are the payment methods when buying the Flumotion Streaming Software?

We offer you two payments methods:

- Licence, One-Time Fee Payment.
- 12 month software subscription, Monthly Fee.

• What if there is a problem with my order?

Please contact us here and we will help you.

• What payment methods do you accept?

We accept credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and American Express).

• When do I have access to the software after buying it?

As soon as you have finalized the purchase process in the e-shop you will be automatically transferred to the Download area.

• Where can I find a copy of my invoice?

A copy of your invoice can be found in your client area.

13 - Browsing the e-Shop

• Do I need to register before I can enter the Shop?

You can enter the Shop without being registered. You will be able to browse around, configure your own Software Pack to find out formats, features and prices etc. Although, at the moment you want to buy a product (Add to cart) you will be asked to log in, if you already have an account, or create an account if you are a new user.

• How do I change the language?

On the very top of the page to the right you can change the language.

• How do I contact customer service?

Please fill in this form and we will contact you as soon as possible.

• How do I download a product?

After you have finalized the payment process you will be taken to the Download Area where you will be provided with a link to download the Flumotion Streaming Software.

• How do I find a solution?

There are several ways of to find solutions in our Shop. You can go directly to the Products page, where you will find ready-made Software Packs or you can enter the Configurator where you can find your own Software Pack. You can also use our search function, which you can find to the right on the very top of the page.

• How do I logout?

To sign out of your account click on logout that you can find on the very top of the page.

• How do I sign in?

If you are already registered, you can find Sign in on the top in the Navigation Menu or then you can click here to sign in. If you are not registered, please go to Create Account on the top of the Navigation Menu or click here.

• How do I use the Configurator?

When designing/customizing your own streaming solution in the Configurator, there are 9 steps to follow.

1) Choose the Product you are interested in

2) Decide the Solution (Encoder, Streamer or both)

3) Tick in the streaming Functionalities you need (live or on-demand)

4) Choose between other Variables such as Video, Audio or both

5) Decide the Formats you need

6) Choose the Codecs

7) Pick the Extra you want to include

8) Decide the level of Support you want to have

9) And finally choose between the different Contract models (One-Time Fee or Software Subscription)

• I have forgotten the password, what do I do?

Click on Forgot Password and an automatic email will be sent to you with the new password details/a link that allows you to modify your password.

• Where can I find the prices?

You can find the prices for the ready-made Bundles here. If you want to know the price for your customized streaming solution, enter the Configurator, configure by choosing the formats and features you need and the exact price for your customized solution will appear in the red box to the right.

• Where do I enter the Shop?

You can enter the Shop on the top Navigation bar next to Home.

14 - Post-sale Support

• What support options are available for Flumotion Streaming Software?

1 - You can find extensive online documentation inside our FAQs. Most common problems can be solved here.
2 - For more technical details you can also access Flumotion Software User Manual.
3 - And if you require a higher level support you can always purchase support tickets from our e-Store.

• Can I contact Flumotion through a telephone number for support?

No. Flumotion do not give telephone support to our clients.
If you have a doubt that can´t be answered with our online content, please send a e-mail to software@flumotion.com.

• How do I use my support tickets to get technical help?

If you already purchased Flumotion Support Tickets, just log in with your user-name and password and then enter your client area.

Once inside the client area there is a section called "Ask for Support". In this area you will be able to fulfill a form that will start the support process withing our support team.

If you don´t have support tickets yet you can acquire them here.

• Where can I check the status of my support tickets?

You can follow the status of your support cases by going to the Client Area where you log in to your account and you can see the status of your support tickets.

• I need to buy more support tickets, how do I do it?

Just login to your account and go to the Support Page and you can buy more support tickets from there.

• Which are the SLAs for standard Support Tickets?

1 - Support through e-mail exchange only (no telephone support)
2 - From 09:00 to 18:00, GMT+1
3 - Response time: Up to 04 weeks (maximum) to have your support request technically evaluated.
4 - No hour limits until you have your support request solved / implemented (after step 3 evaluation).
5 - Tickets not valid for installation issues.

• Which are the SLAs for the Installation Support Ticket?

1 - Support through e-mail exchange only (no telephone support)
2 - From 09:00 to 18:00, GMT+1
3 - Response time: Up to 04 weeks to have all your installation problems solved.

15 - Updates & Upgrades

• Does Flumotion Software have automatic software updates?

As a software subscriber or a customer of Flumotion, you will always get updates for software improvements, bug corrections and for the functionalities. Flumotion Software also provides updates for the codecs you buy, but not for new codecs meaning you will not get a free update for two different codecs such as VP5 and VP6.

• How are software updates handled, how frequent?

Clients are automatically noticed with updated and they can be performed directly through the Software interface. Updates will usually happen every 6 months when we release updates packs or when we detect and correct important software bugs.

• I want to upgrade my current software version, how do I do that?

Enter your client area and there you will find a link to the available upgrades to your previously bought packages.

• I want to buy additional features, how do I do that?

Go to the client area and log in with your username and password. Then you can go to the Configurator and add additional features to you current software and buy them directly from there.

• What additional add-ons/ features/plugs-in are there available

The best way to see what additional add-ons/plug-ins are available is to go to the Configurator where you will find price information of each add-on/plug-in. You can also find additional information on the Extras page.

• What other services and solutions do you offer?

If you are looking for solutions to implement content payment, user authentication, license and royalty management, and/or control your stream speed, you need our advanced services. Please go to for more detailed information to advanced services.

16 - Resellers / Partners

• Can I resell/distribute Flumotion Streaming Software?

To resell or distribute the Flumotion Streaming Software you need to become a Flumotion authorized reseller or Authorized distributor. For more information on how to become a reseller or distributor, click here.

• Does Flumotion work with partners?

Flumotion works very closely with partners, such as NTT Europe Online, British Telecom (BT), Telefonica, and Sun Microsystems. For more information visit the Partner page.

• How do I become a partner?

You can become an official Flumotion Streaming Partner if you provide hosting, streaming or CDN services based on the Flumotion platform, minimum qualification requirements apply. Please click here for more information.