VLC Streaming only lasts 1-2 seconds.

[Internet]

I've been trying to get VLC to work for streaming media files to my friends. The problem is that the stream is dropped, or at least it begins buffering for them, after a matter of seconds (one or two at most). After this the stream will not work.

I've tried between my laptop and PC and it works fine both ways. I have 4Mbit cable, about 50kbps upload speed. As I said, it gets as far as connecting, they can see some of the stream and then it buffers indefinitely.

Any ideas?

I'll check back over the next few days, but if you have information that could help, I'd be grateful if you could email it to me: tenaciouscree@hotmail.com.

Thanks

[Guest]

Well! your dl speed is fine, but your ul is slower than a POTs modem. So Ya! It's going to take forever.

http://www.dslreports.com/stest

You will need Java installed for this to work. It gives realistic Internet speed to various places along with up and down speeds.

[Internet]

50kbps isn't exactly slow, but not particularly fast either, I suppose, considering my download speed.

I get about 450-500kbps download.

I'm almost sure that isn't the problem here, as I've changed video quality, used various different codecs, halfed the video size etc.

This is some sort of configuration issue I believe.

If it does turn out that it's an issue with my connection speed, does anyone have any recommendations for lower settings to use to accomodate this?

[Guest]

It's not gonna be of any help, but I confirm I have exactly the same problem. It starts connecting and stop streaming after 1 or 2 seconds...

[DJ]

Did you go to the site I suggested and check the speeds or are you still quoting what your IP says it is?

And I miss read your DL speed. You say you want to stream VIDEO????

From what you say, you have proved both the transcode and stream locally. What's left? A change of address? the port? or the Internet connection? If you were telling me the connection was sporadic certain times of the day you had problems or the connection would at times not connect. Then perhaps I could help. But your not even doing Wi Fi speeds and these people are border line.

I don't know, reduce the bit rate and make the resolution smaller.

I have 4Mbit cable, about 50kbps upload speed.

and then you said

50kbps isn't exactly slow, but not particularly fast either, I suppose, considering my download speed.

I get about 450-500kbps download.

So I didn't miss read it! So what is it really???? A claimed 4meg cable conection does not yield 450 to 500k through put. Something is very wrong or you don't know what it is.

[Internet]

Thanks for the reply, albeit quite sarcastic.



I did have the foresight to check my bandwidth before coming here

Keep in mind, there is at least 1, maybe 2, people using this connection at the time of conducting the bandwidth test. When I tried streaming, there were no other users.

And it is perfectly possible for a 4 megaBIT cable line to provide download speeds of 500~kbps. I hope I don't have to remind you that there are 8 bits in a byte.

[Internet]

Also, I want to stream to ONE other person. I'm almost sure my bandwidth is sufficient for this task.

[Internet]

Also, people are having trouble even getting connected, including me. If I try to open the link on my laptop in firefox etc. it will let me download the stream, but that's not exactly useful. This does prove that there aren't router issues, but it won't work in VLC.

[DJ]

Well! Downloading the stream or file does not require port forwarding in the router. But it did sound like you were past this issue. If you are not sure, most routers will allow one computer in the group to be in the DMZ. This by passes the hardware firewall. But this assumes a quick test and it should not be left there. Port forwarding is the way to go. But you are still not answering my questions? So really at this point you are on your own!

[Internet]

I'm not sure which questions you asked were relevant. I can get it to work between my laptop and PC, my laptop is streaming and is set as the DMZ. My PC will play the stream without problem, but it won't work for anyone else.

[Internet]

My connection isn't sporadic at any time of day. I've tried... everything.

Changing ports, changing from using my laptop to stream to using my PC to stream. Reset my router, restarted the computers. Tried UDP and HTTP, tried using lower resolutions and bitrates.

The problem is, people say that it won't connect AT ALL now.

God, I'm just about fed up with it.

[DJ]

Yup! I think you got it! And the unanswered question was can the connection really be as bad as you describe or do you have other problems.

The link I provided would answer that question. Along with information from your provider as to what they claim. But you never provided an answer.

If the connection is as bad as you describe then streaming with VLC or any other program, from my point of view, is called GOOD LUCK!

[Internet]

I have no idea where you got the idea that my connection was bad... my connection is great, in fact excellent in my opinion.

I already followed the link, and then posted my results. 324kilobits/per second up and 3973kilobits/per second down and, as I already mentioned, the network was in use at the time of collecting those results, so they are not entirely accurate, if anything they are lower than the proper figures.

[DJ]

Sorry! The last thing I got was:

Quote:
I have 4Mbit cable, about 50kbps upload speed.


and then you said

Quote:
50kbps isn't exactly slow, but not particularly fast either, I suppose, considering my download speed.

I get about 450-500kbps download.

Perhaps we were talking at the same time! Does happen here.

Sounds like TWC roadrunner conection. Have you checked out TTL?
Have you tried changing protocol? What protocols have you tried?

[Internet]

I tried TTL as 1 and 2. For the record, it is an NTL connection. I tried using UDP as well as HTTP. I don't see the point of trying other protocols until I can get the simpler options to work.

[DJ]

TTL is the number of hops generally judged using ping and set 1 or 2 higher than what is returned.

[Internet]

Would it be possible for you to give me some tips on what to change/a recommended config?

As far as I can tell, it's set up properly for the most part.

[DJ]

I have been reviewing this post and outside of the confusion of up and down speeds. It does sound that you have checked things. Other than some possible confusion about port forwarding. UDP requires a port both for the server and for the client. HTTP does not! So a router set up would only apply to UDP in your tried scenarios. Also you have never mentioning your transcode set up or what the source is generally. Because you said you weren't having problems streaming across a local network I moved forward rather than asked some usual questions. It is possible the problem is not on your end.

My best suggestion at the moment is post your command line. Please note the source format and file type. Quote the most common ones you want to use.

When you are the server are there any error messages in VLC's Messages?

Is VLC the client? If not what is the client?

If you have done a ping, what is he average number of hops to the client?

If you have tried different clients do all of them have high speed Internet connections? (ADSL or Cable)

Sorry to ask so many questions, but these are the things that have been assumed and you say it's not working so in order to try to see the problem or offer a possible solution, I must know the particulars.

[Internet]

I have the port open for UDP/TCP in my router configuration, port 8080 to be exact. I've tried various transcoding. I've tried all of them, that doesn't appear to be the problem.

Both people were using VLC as their client. I haven't done a ping, but I frequently use VoIP with the people involved, and the lag time is very small. Not conclusive, but all I can tell you at the minute. Both people are on high speed connections. One is 4mbit ADSL, one is 10mbit cable.

There are no error messages for the clients. They reported that the stream would play for a few moments and then appear to be buffering, then nothing.

[Internet]

Sorry about the double post.

[praveen]

please help me in getting a code for client program to receive RTP packets from VLC player

[Guest]

I have the port open for UDP/TCP in my router configuration, port 8080 to be exact. I've tried various transcoding. I've tried all of them, that doesn't appear to be the problem.

Both people were using VLC as their client. I haven't done a ping, but I frequently use VoIP with the people involved, and the lag time is very small. Not conclusive, but all I can tell you at the minute. Both people are on high speed connections. One is 4mbit ADSL, one is 10mbit cable.

There are no error messages for the clients. They reported that the stream would play for a few moments and then appear to be buffering, then nothing.

I was asking about server messages. But there will always be Messages including on the client side. Sometimes you need to open the messages box before hand. Specially considering you say it begins to play and then stops. VLC will time out thinking it has reached the EOF. Keep the stream output open in preferences should resolve this though.

From what you answered out of my questions, unfortunately nothing is in any way conclusive other than the stream plays for a few seconds and then stops and starts buffering again. Which is as I remember where we started. A larger buffer for the client? Lots of traffic? Bad time of day? Number of hops is worse than you think? Bad router along the way?

[Guest]

Try going back to VLC 0.4.4a as some seem to feel it was more robust.