Documentation:Streaming HowTo/Receive and Save a Stream

Receive a stream with VLC

Receive an unicast stream

% vlc -vvv rtp://

Receive a multicast stream

% vlc -vvv rtp://@239.255.12.42

where 239.255.12.42 is the multicast IP address you want to join.

Receive an HTTP/FTP/MMS stream

Use one of the following command lines:

% vlc -vvv http://example/stream.xyz

where http://example/stream.xyz is the HTTP address of the stream;

% vlc -vvv ftp://example/stream.xyz

where ftp://example/stream.xyz is the FTP address of the stream;

% vlc -vvv mms://viptvr.yacast.fr/encoderfranceinfo

where mms://viptvr.yacast.fr/encoderfranceinfo is the MMS address of the stream.

Receive a RTP stream available through RTSP

% vlc -vvv rtsp://www.hardradio.com/tonbeme.mov

where rtsp://www.hardradio.com/tonbeme.mov is the address of the stream.

Receive a stream described by an SDP file

% vlc -vvv http://server.example.org/stream.sdp

Save a stream with VLC

VLC can save the stream to the disk. In order to do this, use the Stream Output of VLC: you can do it via the graphical interface (Media [menu] → streaming) or use the record button, or you can add to the command line the following argument:

--sout file/muxer:stream.xyz

where:

• muxer is one of the formats supported by VLC's stream output, i.e. :
  • ogg for OGG format,
  • ps MPEG2-PS format,
  • ts for MPEG2-TS format.
• and stream.xyz is the name of the file you want to save the stream to, with the right extension.

For example:

vlc your_input_file_or_stream_here --sout=file/ps:go.mpg 

This is short hand for the more verbose

vlc your_input_file_or_stream_here --sout="#std{access=file,mux=ps,dst=go.mpg}" 

NB that you must choose a muxer that supports your stream type. See Transcode#Compatibility_issues

It can also be quite helpful to look at the settings VLC uses when it records using its record button. For example, in the logs you might see something like this:

...: Using record output `std{access=file,mux='ps',dst='C:\vlc-record-2010__E-.mpg'}'

Which gives you a hint/clue as to how to record your current stream. In this case this would translate into --sout "#std{access=file... on the command line.

Receive a stream with a set-top-box

Some set-top-boxes with Ethernet cards can receive MPEG2-TS streams over UDP and support multicast.

Set-top-boxes known to work with VLC are:

• Pace set top boxes. (Pace Micro DSL 4000)
• Aminocom set top boxes. (all the models with mpeg2)
• tuxia / gct-allwell (mpeg4 and mpeg2) sigma designs8174 chipset
• i3micro mood200 (mpeg4 and mpeg2 in transport streams)
• ps3 media server streams using VLC (or mencoder) to the PS3

This page is part of official VLC media player Documentation (User Guide • Streaming HowTo • Hacker Guide • Modules)
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Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.