Streaming video server

From uvvy

Note: new streaming server (DSS 5.5.5) at http://metaxlr8.com:81/

http://transumanar.com/index.php/site/first_test_webcasting_from_second_life/

We run the Darwin Streaming Server, the open source version of Apple's QuickTime Streaming Server technology that allows you to send streaming media to clients across the Internet using the industry standard RTP and RTSP protocols. While sharing the same code base as QuickTime Streaming Server, Darwin Streaming Server is an open source project intended for developers who need to stream QuickTime and MPEG-4 media on alternative platforms such as Windows, Linux, and Solaris, or those developers who need to extend and/or modify the existing streaming server code to fit their needs.

Picture above: my wife and my doggy Sacha on Sacha's 8th birthday, streaming in Second Life. Picture below: the streaming server in full operation with more than 60 simultaneous viewers at the event Conferencia sobre "Second Life como entorno de negocios", Friday March 9, 2007, in Madrid and Second Life, with real-time video and audio feed from a Mac Book Pro running the QuickTime broadcaster.

Release 5.5.3 did not work properly on Linux (known problem), and I was unable to find release 5.0, so I first installed release 4.1.3. Then I installed 5.5.4 which worked fine. But after a couple of weeks 5.5.4 stopped working and I went back to 4.1.3, which is the latest version to work reliably. I installed the server as explained on this page, where there are also software download links for both releases. The QuickTime Streaming Server Administrator's Guide (PDF) has complete explanations, see also this page for how to prepare a QuickTime movie for streaming.

The server can stream single movies (.mov) that viewers see from the beginning, or broadcast playlists (.sdp) that viewers see beginning from the current frame. To show a playlist in Second Life one has to assign the RTSP url of the .sdp file to the land media stream, and visitors can watch the movie together (everyone sees and hears the same thing).

The streaming server can also distribute live webcasts (image above). To do a live webcast from your location you need a system able to capture the video feed from the videocamera or webcam and stream it to the server which acts as reflector and distributes it to the viewers. The QuickTime broadcaster (Mac only) and Wirecast work. Also VLC is supposed to work.

Note: I am not leaving the server running between tests. Please let me know if you wish to see a demo.