How to stream...

[pmmblok]

Hi!

I'm new to the whole concept of streaming and everything that comes with it. I have just installed version 0.9.2 and the goal is that my father streams tv coming from his tvcard so that I can watch it at my pc. We both run Vista.
I thought we'd begin easy by streaming some avi-file, to either way, but we discovered there is no documentation for the version we have. And somehow we cannot seem to make it work. Is there someone who could describe the necessary steps we have to take, from the side of the streamer and from the side of the receiver, to make this work. If we try this, we might encounter problems anyway, but we can then take a look at the logfiles and take it from there.
Any help much appreciated!

Paul

[VLC_help]

First thing. Can you watch the TV via VLC using that tuner? If so, check http://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=259354 that one. GUI elements have changed, but technical part should be the same.

[pmmblok]

Ok, it took me some time, but I have tried all sorts of things and somehow cannot make it to work.
Let's start easy and just stream a normal avi-file.
When I try to stream a normal avi-file to another persons router-address I'll get the following info in my log:

main info: creating httpd
main error: socket bind error (Cannot assign requested address)
main error: cannot create socket(s) for HTTP host
access_output_http error: cannot listen on 63.252.116.214 port 8080
stream_out_standard error: no suitable sout access module for `http/ts://63.252.116.214:8080'
stream_out_duplicate error: no destination given
stream_out_transcode error: cannot create chain
main error: stream chain failed for `transcode{vcodec=mp1v,vb=800,scale=1,acodec=mpga,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=http,mux=ts,dst=63.252.116.214:8080}}'
main error: cannot start stream output instance, aborting

What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for your help,

Paul

[VLC_help]

access_output_http error: cannot listen on 63.252.116.214 port 8080
stream_out_standard error: no suitable sout access module for `http/ts://62.251.115.213:8080'
stream_out_duplicate error: no destination given

How did you create those options? You used GUI?

[pmmblok]

Sorry, I had edited the logfile but not consistently. I changed it in my post so there is now just one IP-address.
Yes, I used GUI. I have no clue how to do it otherwise. The commands I see in the guides are just for Linux, aren't they? Or can I use them in plain DOS as well?

[VLC_help]

You can use same command from Windows command-line. I was just wondering how did you choose those settings, because they don't seem valid at all.

[pmmblok]

Thanks, but could you possibly tell me how to do it correctly, either via GUI or commandmode? The guides do not reflect the current version 0.9.4 and I must be doing something wrong. All I want to do is stream some avi-file so that another person can watch it on his computer.
Any help much appreciated!

[VLC_help]

Code: Select all

:sout=#transcode{vcodec=WMV2,vb=2000,scale=1,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=http,mux=asf,dst=:8080}}

for server. So tick HTTP and set port to 8080 (or use any port you want), leave address as empty, ASF/WMV as Encapsulation, WMV2 as Video codec (Bitrate to 2000, Scale 1), MP3 as Audio codec (Bitrate 128, Channels 2).

for client, open http://x.y.z.t:8080 (where x.y.z.t is the IP address of server computer)

[pmmblok]

Thank you very much for your reply. I tried exactly what you said and it seems to be streaming ok. But when I try to open the stream via another VLC Player with "Open Network", protocol HTTP and address 80.230.75.223:8080, it doesn't work and this is what I get in my logfile:

main info: Start vlc met standaard interface. Gebruik 'cvlc' om vlc zonder interface te gebruiken.
access_http error: cannot connect to 80.230.75.223:8080
access_mms error: cannot connect to 80.230.75.223:8080
main error: open of `http://80.230.75.223:8080' failed: could not create access

Could this have something to do with my firewall and or router? Or is it not possible at all to receive and open the stream at the same computer (just to test it)?
Thanks again.

[VLC_help]

If you want to test it on same computer, use IP 127.0.0.1

[pmmblok]

The good news is that with 127.0.0.1:8080 it worked.
The bad news is that another person on another computer cannot receive the stream.
His logfile says the following:

main info: Start vlc met standaard interface. Gebruik 'cvlc' om vlc zonder interface te gebruiken.
access_http error: cannot connect to 80.230.75.223:8080
access_mms error: cannot connect to 80.230.75.223:8080
main error: open of `http://80.230.75.223:8080' failed: could not create access

The generated streamcommandline I used is:
:sout=#transcode{vcodec=WMV2,vb=2000,scale=1,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=http,mux=asf,dst=:8080}}

I tried switching off my windows-firewall but that didn't make a difference. Something to do with our routers?
Other suggestions?
Thanks.

[VLC_help]

You checked those IP addresses with

Code: Select all

start -> run -> cmd ipconfig

or you used some web page to check it out? (so is your router doing NAT or not)

[Jossnaz]

windows software firewall turned off?

hardware firewall turned off?

[pmmblok]

I checked the IP-address with www.utrace.de, but with ipconfig I see only my network-address 192.168.1.34. But I thought I just needed the "external" ip-address. If not, where can I use the address 192.168.1.34?

I have turned off my Windows Firewall. How can I turn off the router/hardware firewall?

I really appreciate your responses so far, thanks!

[VLC_help]

If you stream inside your home network, you can use that 192.168.1.34 address. If you want to stream to outside world (read internet) then do port forwarding.
http://portforward.com/

[developer]

i have the same problems,

i think, no solution ?

please help, if you know the solution.

i want to stream a video and receive from another computer.

and i get same errors.

thanks for your helps.

[VLC_help]

What same errors you get?

[pmmblok]

Great! It took us some time but we managed to use port forwarding to make it work. However, even with our max. uploadspeed of 0,8 Mbit/sec we don't seem to be able to get a decent video-output (just for a few seconds). Could somebody give me the most economic combination for encapsulation, videocodec and audiocodec?
Thanks!

[VLC_help]

Remember to lower the bitrate. Something like:

Code: Select all

:sout=#transcode{vcodec=WMV2,vb=512,scale=1,acodec=mp3,ab=96,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=http,mux=asf,dst=:8080}}

[pmmblok]

Thanks, but when we stream from a tvcard (which is the ultimate goal), all those options are not available.
Moreover, when streaming from tvcard the other side cannot receive the stream. The logfile says "main error: cannot pre fill buffer".
Waht does this mean?
Thanks again.

[VLC_help]

All options should be available for DirectShow streaming also. What options you can't access?

[pmmblok]

Well, the main problem seems to be "main error: cannot pre fill buffer".

But to answer you question about which options we cannot access: the whole interface is different when streaming from a tvcard because one uses another option in the menu. We have the Dutch version and there it is accessed from "Media - Opname apparaat openen" (Ctrl-C). "Advanced options" give your certain possibilities but most of them are not available. They look different from the options you get when streaming an avi-file for instance.
But maybe you can tell me how we must adjust the options we get when streaming from a tvcard for best output and lowest uploadspeed?
Thanks again!

[VLC_help]

Best option (quality and bitrate wise) would be x264 as video codec but ATM x264 encoding is broken. Streaming and Convert/Save have different options.

[ulaby]

How do I control the HTTP server remotely. The HTTP interface will ony trigger files to be played on the server. Is there any way to trigger files via the HTTP interface to stream to a HTTP port as described above???

[VLC_help]

If you start VLC using streaming output and sout-keep, it should stream the files you select it to play from web interface.