Why can Flash-Player not play RTMP live stream

Question

I have one Flash player (only SWF file, no sources) that we use on our intranet project to play RTMP streams. Today I'm stuck with new RTMP URL that could not be played with this player. At the same it easily played with MediaElements.js buit-in SWF-player. I wonder, what could it be?

I have only one clue: when I use rtmpdump, stream is loading only with --live flag. But debug output is controversial for me. Since --live flag only invoking FCSubscribe, then server answers that Method not found (FCSubscribe) and now stream is starting.

---

Some rtmpdump output.

Without --live flag I get this:

DEBUG: Invoking createStream
DEBUG: RTMP_ClientPacket, received: invoke 29 bytes
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: NULL
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, server invoking <_result>
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, received result for method call <createStream>
DEBUG: SendPlay, seekTime=0, stopTime=1000, sending play: livestream_3
DEBUG: Invoking play
DEBUG: sending ctrl. type: 0x0003
DEBUG: HandleChangeChunkSize, received: chunk size change to 4096
DEBUG: RTMP_ClientPacket, received: invoke 185 bytes
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: NULL
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: <Name:              level, STRING: error>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:               code, STRING: NetStream.Play.StreamNotFound>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:        description, STRING: Failed to play livestream_3; stream not found.>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:            details, STRING: livestream_3>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:           clientid, STRING: qAASQnAA>
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, server invoking <onStatus>
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, onStatus: NetStream.Play.StreamNotFound
ERROR: Closing connection: NetStream.Play.StreamNotFound
DEBUG: Closing connection.

With it I get this:

DEBUG: Invoking createStream
DEBUG: FCSubscribe: livestream_3
DEBUG: Invoking FCSubscribe
DEBUG: RTMP_ClientPacket, received: invoke 29 bytes
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: NULL
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, server invoking <_result>
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, received result for method call <createStream>
DEBUG: SendPlay, seekTime=0, stopTime=1000, sending play: livestream_3
DEBUG: Invoking play
DEBUG: sending ctrl. type: 0x0003
DEBUG: RTMP_ClientPacket, received: invoke 119 bytes
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: NULL
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: <Name:              level, STRING: error>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:               code, STRING: NetConnection.Call.Failed>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:        description, STRING: Method not found (FCSubscribe).>
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, server invoking <_error>
ERROR: rtmp server sent error
DEBUG: HandleChangeChunkSize, received: chunk size change to 4096
DEBUG: HandleCtrl, received ctrl. type: 0, len: 6
DEBUG: HandleCtrl, Stream Begin 1
DEBUG: RTMP_ClientPacket, received: invoke 166 bytes
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: NULL
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: <Name:              level, STRING: status>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:               code, STRING: NetStream.Play.Reset>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:        description, STRING: Playing and resetting livestream_3.>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:            details, STRING: livestream_3>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:           clientid, STRING: qAARQnAA>
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, server invoking <onStatus>
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, onStatus: NetStream.Play.Reset
DEBUG: RTMP_ClientPacket, received: invoke 160 bytes
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: NULL
DEBUG: (object begin)
DEBUG: Property: <Name:              level, STRING: status>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:               code, STRING: NetStream.Play.Start>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:        description, STRING: Started playing livestream_3.>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:            details, STRING: livestream_3>
DEBUG: Property: <Name:           clientid, STRING: qAARQnAA>
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: (object end)
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, server invoking <onStatus>
DEBUG: HandleInvoke, onStatus: NetStream.Play.Start
Starting Live Stream

P.S. I'm not AS2/AS3 developer, so I'm not to familiar with all RTMP-like things in Flash.

Answer 1

Sorry, but the short answer is you cannot fix this without the source code. There is a function missing to handle the onFCsubscribe method that some CDN servers use.

Not all streams/servers will do this request so that's why you've been lucky so far. But really that coder should have done better testing instead of assuming all RTMP streams are equal.

I answered a similar question [ link below ] and if you look at that source code, you will see there is a onFCSubscribe function. If you (or someone who can help) compile that example code with your own stream link it would most likely work.

• How can I play a RTMP video through netConnection and netStream

Or you could just contact the SWF creator to update their code and send you a new recompiled SWF. The fix is a simple copy/paste from the above link's answer. Your complication is lack of source file...