--- title: Beta testing programme url: https://doc2.pstreamer.tv/en/manual/extras/beta.html lang: en product: Perfect Streamer version: 2.0.2.423 --- # Beta testing programme A beta version is a build of the next Perfect Streamer version released before the release, so that you can try the new features on your own tasks in advance and report the problems you find. Version 2.1 is currently in beta; the stable version is 2.0.2. ## What a beta version is A beta version already contains the new features of the next release but is still being tested. It may have bugs, and the behaviour and settings of the new features may change before the release. Install the beta on a node whose failure will not stop broadcasting: on a test bench or on one node out of several, not on all nodes at once. Features that exist only in the beta version are marked in the manual with a «Beta version 2.1» box that links to this section. ## Who takes part and how Owners of a licence can take part. The beta repository holds only the `pstreamer` package, and a valid version 2.x licence works for the beta unchanged. There is no demo edition in the beta channel: the `pstreamer-demo` package stays on the stable version 2.0.2. To move to the beta, add the beta repository and upgrade the package ([Installing the beta version](../install/beta.md#install-beta)). No separate registration is needed. ## What to expect - **No warranty.** The beta version is supplied as is, for evaluating the new features. - **Best-effort support.** Beta requests are looked into, but response and fix times are not guaranteed. - **Updates.** New beta builds are published to the beta repository and installed with an ordinary package upgrade. ## How to report a problem Open a case in the CRM, a ticket in the Help Center: [https://support.pstreamer.tv/crm/](https://support.pstreamer.tv/crm/). Say that it is about the beta version and give the build number: it is shown on the [About](../webui/administration.md#webui-about) screen, and from the command line `/usr/local/bin/pss -v` prints it. This command needs an available protection key; without one, `rpm -q pstreamer` or `apt-cache policy pstreamer` shows the build number. Prepare the rest as for any request ([Contacting technical support](../support/index.md#support)): answers to the questionnaire and materials cleared of private data. ## How to go back to the stable version Leaving the beta means rolling back to the stable version 2.0.2. > **Warning** > > Version 2.0.2 does not know the settings of features that appeared only in 2.1: reserve groups and SMPTE ST 2022-7 / Pro-MPEG FEC. After the rollback it does not apply them, writes a warning about each one to the log, and removes them from the settings file the next time the file is saved. Such settings can be restored only from a copy saved before the rollback. 1. **Save a copy of the settings file** under a name that does not exist yet: ```sh $ sudo systemctl stop pss $ sudo cp /opt/pss/config/pss.json /opt/pss/config/pss.json.beta-$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S) ``` 2. **Remove the beta repository.** Debian: ```sh $ sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pstreamer2-beta.list $ sudo apt-get update ``` RHEL: ```sh $ sudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/pstreamer2-beta.repo ``` 3. **Install the stable version 2.0.2.** Debian: ```sh $ apt-cache madison pstreamer $ sudo apt-get install --allow-downgrades pstreamer= ``` The first command shows the version in the stable repository, for example `2.0.2.423-2`; put it in place of ``. RHEL: check the repositories first. The stable 2.x repository must be connected — the file `/etc/yum.repos.d/pstreamer2.repo`; if it is missing, connect it ([Installation on RHEL-family systems](../install/rhel.md#install-rhel)). If the file `/etc/yum.repos.d/pstreamer.repo` of the 1.x repository is there, delete it. Then downgrade to an explicitly given 2.0.2 version: ```sh $ ls /etc/yum.repos.d/ | grep pstreamer $ yum --showduplicates list pstreamer $ sudo yum downgrade pstreamer- ``` The second command lists the available versions; substitute a 2.0.2 version, for example `2.0.2.423-2`. Without an explicit version, `yum downgrade` takes the nearest older version from all connected repositories, and with the 1.x repository connected the node ends up on 1.x. If that has already happened, see [A node on version 1.x](../install/beta.md#install-beta-from-1x). 4. **Check the node.** Make sure the service is running (`systemctl status pss`) and look through the log: the warnings about unknown settings show exactly what version 2.0.2 did not apply. How to check the settings file against the target version in advance is described in [Carrying the settings to another version](config_editing.md#extras-config-editing-migrate). To return to the beta later, add the beta repository again ([Installing the beta version](../install/beta.md#install-beta)). The settings of the new features are restored from the saved copy: with the service stopped, replace `/opt/pss/config/pss.json` with it and start the service. ## What happens at the release At the release, version 2.1 moves to the stable repository, and the beta marks are removed from the manual. The beta repository stays and receives the beta of the next version. A node with the beta repository added will keep getting the next betas. To stay on the stable 2.1, remove the beta repository after the release (step 2 of How to go back to the stable version): updates will then come from the stable repository.