Kaltura nginx-vod-module
Kaltura nginx-vod-module is available in the NetActuate Marketplace as a one-click, open-source appliance you can deploy into any NetActuate PoP. Just-in-time HLS and DASH repackaging: serve adaptive streams from plain MP4s on the edge. It is grouped under the Media & Streaming category.
What It Does
Kaltura nginx-vod-module turns an ordinary nginx into a just-in-time video repackager. Point it at your source MP4 files and it generates HLS, MPEG-DASH and MSS manifests, media segments and thumbnails on the fly, at request time. There is no pre-segmentation step and no storage of derived renditions: one set of source files serves every streaming protocol.
Key features
- Just-in-time HLS, MPEG-DASH and MSS packaging from MP4/MKV sources
- On-the-fly thumbnails and multi-bitrate (adaptive) rendition sets
- Serves a bundled sample and a landing page out of the box, so a fresh deploy answers real manifest URLs immediately
- Optional remote origin: package MP4s pulled by HTTP from your own storage
- Lightweight: a single nginx process, no database, no background workers
Use cases
- A VOD packaging origin behind a CDN or the NetActuate edge cache
- Serving one MP4 library as HLS and DASH without duplicating storage
- A drop-in repackaging tier in front of an existing MP4 origin
Why run it on the NetActuate edge Packaging just-in-time in a PoP near your viewers shortens the path from origin to player and lets the edge cache absorb repeat requests for the same segments, so you ship one set of source files and let the edge fan out every rendition.
The appliance builds nginx with the module unmodified from the well-known nytimes wrapper Dockerfile and serves plain HTTP. The module ships no authentication; put a TLS-terminating, authenticating proxy in front before you expose it publicly.
Vendor and Project
Kaltura nginx-vod-module is an open-source project, offered here under the Open Source listing with best-effort community support.
- Project home: github.com
NetActuate supports the underlying infrastructure. Application-level support follows the listing SLA class (open-source, best effort).
Sizing
| vCPU | RAM | Disk | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 1 | 1 GB | 15 GB |
| Recommended | 2 | 2 GB | 25 GB |
No VPU (hardware acceleration) is required for this appliance. Choose a size at deploy based on your expected load.
Configuration Fields
When you deploy, you provide these fields. They are written into the appliance at first boot.
| Field | Required | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTTP port | No | 80 | TCP port nginx serves manifests and the landing page on (default 80). HLS at /hls/<name>.mp4/master.m3u8, DASH at /dash/<name>.mp4/manifest.mpd. |
| Upstream MP4 origin (optional) | No | none | Optional. host[:port] (or a full URL) of an MP4 origin to package just-in-time by HTTP proxy. When set, request /remote/<path-on-origin>.mp4/master.m3u8. Leave blank to serve only the bundled local sample and any MP4s you add on the VM. |
Using the Appliance
Serve video in minutes
- Open the landing page. Browse to http://YOUR_VM_IP/ for instructions and ready-to-play links. There is no login (the module has no auth).
- Play the bundled sample. HLS: http://YOUR_VM_IP/hls/sample.mp4/master.m3u8 , DASH: http://YOUR_VM_IP/dash/sample.mp4/manifest.mpd , thumbnail: http://YOUR_VM_IP/thumb/sample.mp4/thumb-5000.jpg . Health: http://YOUR_VM_IP/healthz .
- Add your own media. Copy MP4s into /opt/nginx-vod-module/static/videos/ on the VM, then request /hls/<name>.mp4/master.m3u8 (or /dash/.../manifest.mpd).
Exposure posture: the appliance serves plain HTTP on port 80 with no authentication. Put a TLS-terminating, authenticating proxy (or the NetActuate edge) in front before going public. Optionally set an upstream MP4 origin to package remote files at /remote/<path>.mp4/master.m3u8 .
FAQ
Is there a software license fee? No. Kaltura nginx-vod-module is open source and free to run. You pay only for the NetActuate infrastructure and bandwidth.
Which port does the appliance serve on?
The primary service is published on port 80 by default; see the configuration fields for any adjustable ports.
Who supports it? NetActuate operates the underlying infrastructure. The application itself is community-supported open source (best-effort SLA class).
Version and Changelog
| Version | Status | Released |
|---|---|---|
| 1.16.1 | Current (default) | 2026-07-14 |
Deploy
- Deploy in the portal: Deploy Kaltura nginx-vod-module
- View the listing: portal.netactuate.com/platform/marketplace/l/nginx-vod-module
- Public listing: netactuate.com/marketplace/nginx-vod-module
Need Help?
Contact support@netactuate.com or open a support ticket from the portal.