Documentation:Streaming HowTo/Advanced streaming with samples, multiple files streaming, using multicast in streaming

Authors:

• wwwital

This document explains how to stream, stream multiple files, use multicast, etc., using the VideoLAN solution. With samples.

UDP Streaming samples

1. Standart UDP streaming

% vlc -vvv file:////home/vlc/2007.avi --sout #std{access=udp,mux=ts,dst=:1234}' 

Nothing impossible yet. Streaming a file 2007.avi from /home/vlc/ to udp port 1234.

Multicast RTP Streaming samples

% vlc -vvv file:////home/vlc/Jumper.avi --sout '#rtp{access=udp,mux=ts,dst=224.255.1.1,port=1234,sap,group="Video",name=Jumper Movie"}' :sout-all

Hard? No! This is known key file. The key --sout starts output as in the UDP sample. Then we set #rtp with access type udp, muxer ts. Then point to multicast IP address 224.255.1.1 with port 1234. And some keys. We point the VLC to do anouncements of this stream using SAP (see service advertisements protocol), sets description of streaming group to Video and name this stream as 'Jumper Movie' .

Multicast RTP Streaming with multiple source files. With samples.

When you start this, you can't stops. I spent some hours to find this solution. See it:

% vlc -vvv --color -I telnet --telnet-password "i_dont_know_this_password" --vlm-conf=/home/vlc/vlc.streaming.conf

We told that VLC must colorize it's output using key --color. Then we told VLC to open telnet server. We must control it, really?! This is -I telnet key. And we set the password "i_dont_know_this_password" to get access to console. We use standart VLC telnet port 4212. If you need to change it, use --telnet-port xxx. Use --vlm-conf=/home/vlc/vlc.streaming.conf to point the VLC to open at start a special file with multiple files description.

Special multiple files description configuration file.

• vlc.streaming.conf

Using this config file we try to cast 2 video files: 2007.avi and Jumper.avi. To do this, we must describe 2 channels: channel1 and channel2, sets the input and sets the output format (we try to multicast this):

  new channel1 broadcast enabled 
  setup channel1 input file:////home/vlc/2007.avi loop
  setup channel1 output #rtp{access=udp,mux=ts,dst=224.255.1.1,port=1234,sdp=sap,sap,group="Video",name="2007 Movie"}

  new channel2 broadcast enabled 
  setup channel2 input file:////home/vlc/Jumper.avi loop
  setup channel2 output #rtp{access=udp,mux=ts,dst=224.255.1.2,port=1234,sdp=sap,sap,group="Video",name="Jumper Movie"}

  control channel1 play
  control channel2 play