How to stream

[Noobwvlc]

Ok, I've read the documentation, I've played with the software.

How do I:

1. Get a stream running to work on intranet only?

2. Get a stream running to work on both intranet and internet simultaneously?

3. What exactly do I need VLC or VLS?

4. Does this actually work?


BTW the documentation is horrible, doesn't account for any OS user other than linux, and really lacks any clear explaination of the following

Streaming video
Multicast server
Streaming protocals

I mean there are two methods to stream...does VLx support them both? How do they work in both methods?

What the hell is a multicast server, and do I need to go buy one. Or can I just make one, like a web server?

What protocal should I use for streaming video? What works good what works like --please stay polite--?

I keep hearing ppl say this is great software, but I can see the streams playing on the local box, I can see the streamer on the firewall, but no way can anyone connect to it.

Perhaps someone can shed some real light on this confusing situation.

Tanks!

[markfm]

I work in Win2K and WinXP, VLC works fine in both environments.

For streaming, you get the fundamental choice of multicast vs. point-to-point. Multicast means that you use an address up in the 240.0.x.x - 239.255.x.x range as the multicast address, and any number of users can "tune in" by listening to the proper address.

Point-to-point means that the VLC streamer (the thing with the Webcam or serving a file) is directing the stream to a particular client's IP address.

Do a search for "IP multicast" -- there are multiple good references on the 'Net (I like Cisco's docs on it).

For streaming, generally, you don't want clients to be responding to individual data packets, so use UDP as the basic protocol.

Streaming within a single LAN segment is simplicity -- just shovel in a multicast address and any number of clients can listen.

For streaming over the 'Net, multicast won't work for normal people. Due to the finite number of multicast addresses, and the cost of providing "free" bandwidth for buckets of people trying to send webcam things to the world at large, multicast addresses are purposefully blocked by routers on the 'Net. Point-to-point should work, however, the "downside" being that the server has to have enough BW to handle sending multiple streams, one to each target client address.

there's a basic streaming guide up at wiki.videolan.org, in the articles area.

[wgstream]

Thanks for your posting. It is helpful. Just want to clearify some points about VideoLan.

What I really want to set up a Linux server that has a streaming ability supporting variety of media files. Then my people can go my websites and click those media for watching or downloading. What is exact program should I install at the LInux server ? VLS or VLC ?

Do those end-users should install VLC at their computers in order to view those media coming from my VLx streaming server ? It sounds like that VLC is not easy program that can be installed and used by non-computer literal people?

Will really appreciate any help and comments.

Thanks
wgstream

[markfm]

Try searching on this forum for Apache -- I believe the people with understanding say that an Ap[ache Webserver provides a good front-end for this. The hits for Apache should also get the recommendations as to whether VLC or VLS is more appropriate to use as the "engine" actually serving the files when people click on a Web page.

As far as I can tell, VLC really is a pretty good client application. (And also a good server, though I don't know if it would be the right choice for your Web-oriented use). On a Windows PC it is extremely simple to install -- literally just copy the VLC program directory onto the PC, double click on vlc.exe to start it. VLC works fine across many OSs, people are simply hitting a wall/complaining when it doesn't work on their particular one. Personally, if something works on newer Max OSs, many versions of Windows, many versions of Linux, AND ..., it's hard to vetch that it doesn't work out of the box on every single conceivable OS version.

For the clients, they do not have to be VLC, as long as they can accept as input the output streaming methods supported by VLC and/or VLS.

Take a look at http://videolan.org/streaming/features.html to see what VLC streaming formats are supported. I'm not sure where the equivalent page is for VLS.

[wgstream]

Thanks for the guidance.

I did download VLC at my window PC to test those media files located at my Linux server. Like you said, installation at window PC is easy. But it seems that it is not easy to figure out how to use it efficiently ? THe problems I am having are :

1. Not sure what kind of streaming output settings I should set?

When I check "play locally", there is nothing besides black blank screen for a couple of seconds. I am sure that my video files are used the right URL.
If I check other formats, not sure what kind of ports should choose such as http, udp, etc. Not sure what kind of folders (http, local, etc.) should use for saving file ?

2. These stream output can be saved for reuse?

Just got lost by reading and testing these methods. Kindly shed some lights.

Thanks advance,

wgmedia