Newbie question on streaming

[willowave]

I'm trying to figure out exactly where my problem is...I am trying to stream over a local network, and it's not working. So, I tried streaming to just the same computer, and thats not working either. When I play the movie, it works fine. SO I know it can play.
I'm trying to use UDP...do I need to put in the file name when directing the second VLC to the source? When on the same computer?
Http hasn't worked either. I'm trying to figure what on the "server" end would be causing a problem. I've tried making sure ports are open etc, so if anyone has any pointers it would be helpful. I keep finding tutorials for the older versions of VLC but not newer. Tried applying what those said to the newer one and i'm still not getting anywhere.
It shows that the stream is playing on the "server" end...but I get no picture, even if I tell it to display output.
I'm used to troubleshooting computers...I'm just not quite sure what I am missing here.

[Greg]

Post back in plenty of detail..
Your goal - end game, OS ,what you have done so far, etc
An http example would be good
Your server output string
Your client input?

[willowave]

Ohh thank you. It's driving me nuts.
OK. OS is XP Pro with nothing on it but updates and a file server, and vlc.
My goal is to stream movies from a usb drive hooked up to the server, to one or all of the computers on my network. I know if I can get one, I can get the other ones. I get the multicast and unicast.
What I have done so far is used the most updated version of VLC, and just tried streaming how you would expect it to go. Clicking the "streaming" option under media, I add the file (which I had tested previously to make sure it played on the server itself, just to check if the file was ok.), hit next bringing me to destinations.
Here I have tried a few different options. I've tried UDP.....clicked add and tried both a multicast and unicast, displaying locally and not, transcoding and not, messing with the profile (but I was lost with that stuff) so I figured defaults might be best on that part. SO after setting the address I click next.
Didn't touch anything with options.
Http...did pretty much the same thing as above, adding the proper address etc.
Now I showed that when using the UDP (I only messed with HTTP twice, this has been mostly UDP efforts) it showed that the streaming was going on, by the counter on the player, but I didn't get any display even when display locally was picked. But the "thingy" was moving. lol
I go to my other computer ( and I tried more than one and even tried locally, which is where I figure I must be messing something up if it's not even streaming locally) and I put in the address of the server (which is using ethernet, other computers are all wireless) and the correct port, depending on if I was using the HTTP or the UDP, and I get nothing.
I checked ports on my router, I checked other settings on my router, everything looks fine.
The file is a m4v.
Other computers are all XP Pro.
So, what am I doing wrong?

[Greg]

Not sure from your description, but you mentioned

SO after setting the address

not clear what you mean, or have done here? You may have changed something?

Try an http solution. your method looks OK up to Destinations
At the destinations screen
Check Local display box
Select http from dropdown and click Add
leave these settings at default without adding/changing anything
leave Transcoding box selected/checked
leave the profile at default eg h264 aac mp4
and click Next and then Stream

The client(s) then need to point at http://serverIP:8080

[willowave]

I did try that, but I will go back and do it again just to make sure I followed the steps right.

[willowave]

And this is what I get. I didn't get this kind of error when trying to use UDP. I have gotten this error before..but I tried looking for a log and couldn't find one.
"Your input can't be opened:
VLC is unable to open the MRL 'http://192.168.1.10:8080'. Check the log for details."

Edit: I found Debug Logging? and am turning it on on both the server, client ends.

OK Heres some more info...Even tho I told it to display on the server, it didn't. Now it showed the movie title, and I heard some sound and I am accessing this thru RDC so that could be the issue.
The error log on the client end says basically that it can't connect to the server, "access_http" can't connect and "access_mms" can't connect...then the error
"main input error: open of 'http:\\192.168.1.10:8080' failed:null"

Which is silly because I can access the share just fine and actually watch it on another computer just from the shared drive.

[Greg]

Have you tried streaming a file from your servers hdd? Could be that the usb device is causing a problem?

Could be your firewall/ local security is causing a problem, eg port blocked

Open your Messages box (Tools menu) before streaming for an indication of whats going on.

[inocente]

I thing I have the same problem as willowave. When I try to stream a video, checking the box to it display locally, i can't see the video, but there is some videos i can hear only. So far, only the desktop streaming worked properly. I didn't try to see if the stream worked in other computer than the server. But the fact is that i can play the videos very well, but I can't stream them or see the video while it is streaming. I didn't find a solution for this problem yet. I'm running VLC 1.1.4 on Ubuntu 10.10 - 64 bits.

[willowave]

I have not tried to stream straight from the HD, I will transfer a file and try that next.
I checked the Windows Firewall, it is off. I just went over my router and it looks good.
I had the Debugging on while it is streaming from the server and besides the sound cutting out and no picture, the movie IS playing, and there are no errors on the server side in the debugging log.
I tried again after checking all that and still same error as above. I will transfer that file and get back to you soon. Thanks for your help : )

[Greg]

I tried running a .m4v from usb mem stick
slightly eratic behaviour with straight h264 aac mp4 profile
Works reliably with h264 aac (TS) profile
So, suggest you try the h264 transport stream (TS) from the profile dropdown menu.

[willowave]

Tried transferring to the C: drive, and streaming then...still getting the same cannot connect. And no picture on the server, tho it shows it's streaming.
I actually have already been using the TS profile. That is the default. I switched to an earlier version of VLC after everything wasn't working. Maybe they changed the default? Either way. yeah it's still no go.

[mribbons]

Hi,
I'm also attempting to stream locally as a first round, once I get that working I want to stream my Windows XP desktop over PS3 Media Server.

VLC version is 1.1.7

So here is my server:

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vlc -vvv screen:// :sout=#transcode{vcodec=h264,acodec=aac,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:http{mux=ts,access=http,dst=192.168.1.1:8080/file.mp4}

And the client:

Code: Select all

vlc -vvv http://192.168.1.1:8080/file.mp4

Code: Select all

Under Messages for client I get: main error: cannot pre fill buffer main warning: cannot create a stream_t from access main debug: removing module "access_http" main debug: waitpipe: object killed main debug: finished input main debug: thread ended main debug: dead input main debug: thread times: real 0m10.031250s, kernel 0m0.000000s, user 0m0.000000s main debug: changing item without a request (current 0/1) main debug: nothing to play qt4 debug: IM: Deleting the input main debug: TIMER input launching for 'http://192.168.1.1:8080/file.mp4' : 10040.000 ms - Total 10040.000 ms / 1 intvls (Avg 10040.000 ms)

Initially the server doesn't log anything (Is there some kind of delay with the message window or is it instant?), then this:

Code: Select all

main warning: late buffer for mux input (49308975) main warning: late buffer for mux input (50016975) main warning: late buffer for mux input (50016000) main warning: late buffer for mux input (50726000) mux_ts debug: adjusting rate at 0/1000975 (23/0) main warning: late buffer for mux input (50725025) mux_ts debug: adjusting rate at 0/1000975 (150/0) main warning: late buffer for mux input (50725001) mux_ts debug: adjusting rate at 0/1000024 (86/0) main warning: late buffer for mux input (50725000) mux_ts debug: adjusting rate at 0/1000001 (7/0) ...

And obviously no pretty screen copy

[Greg]

@ willowave

h264 aac (mp4) is the default profile on VLC 1.1.x not h264 aac (TS)
Are sure you have a genuine copy of VLC from Videolan?
Otherwise
You will have to do some detective work and go through a process of elimination. Eg try an alternative file (known good) type like mp3 with an mp3 audio only profile. check your logs/messages at Verbosity 2

[mribbons]

Hi,
I managed to stream my desktop back to my desktop using:

Code: Select all

vlc -vvv screen:// :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp2v,acodec=mp3,ab=128,channels=2,samplerate=44100}:standard{mux=ts,access=http,dst=192.168.1.1:8080/file.mpg}

and client:

Code: Select all

vlc -vvv http://192.168.1.1:8080/file.mpg

And now PS3 Media Server won't serve it.. off to their forums I go.

[willowave]

@ willowave

h264 aac (mp4) is the default profile on VLC 1.1.x not h264 aac (TS)
Are sure you have a genuine copy of VLC from Videolan?
Otherwise
You will have to do some detective work and go through a process of elimination. Eg try an alternative file (known good) type like mp3 with an mp3 audio only profile. check your logs/messages at Verbosity 2

I got it straight from the site/soundforge. But then I went and got an older version. I'll reinstall the newest version and then try that default profile.
You lost me on the verbosity 2 tho. lol

[Greg]

Suggest you get the latest copy from Videolan (Main Website link, top of this page!)
Verbosity setting (or detail) is at the bottom of the Messages (logs) window. You need to be watching that to find out what's going on.

[willowave]

Suggest you get the latest copy from Videolan (Main Website link, top of this page!)
Verbosity setting (or detail) is at the bottom of the Messages (logs) window. You need to be watching that to find out what's going on.

Uhg...newest copy, all defaults. Still won't display locally, shows that it's streaming but I can't even get it to connect and stream right on the same machine.
Same error as above.
OK...so what would stop it from connecting to the stream on the very same machine? Because if I can narrow that down, then I can maybe fix it from there.

[Greg]

If you have thoroughly checked out the previous suggestions
Eg
Checked your security & firewall settings
Checked Messages (logs) at verbosity 2 for information/problems/solutions
Tried alternative known good file types with appropriate profiles
Tried TS stream with your file.m4v (I used the reference sample from apple.support)
Valid copy and clean install of VLC ..Etc



Then, sorry I'm out of ideas/further suggestions

[willowave]

OK, thanks for the help anyways