User Guides Guide to Streaming Video in LAN

Guide to Streaming Video in LAN

Most of the people think that video streaming is a very complicated process
Lets make it easy
This is my first effort in writing a Tutorial.

After reading this Tutorial you also will be able to stream
VCD .dat , AVI [Normal , Divx , Xvid , 3ivx] , WMV , mpg files

Hardware Requirements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Minimum 2 Computers in LAN with any IP address
Server - PIII 450Mhz , 128/256MB Ram
Client - PIII 450Mhz , 128/256MB Ram

If You dont have a LAN you can also try this on a Single Computer.

Operating System Supported
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Windows , Mac OS X , BeOS , Debian GNU/Linux , Mandrake Linux , Fedora Core , Familiar Linux ,
SuSE Linux , Red Hat Linux , WinCE / PocketPC
Software Requirements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Video Lan Client - VLC - The Cross - Platform media player and streaming server

VLC (initially VideoLAN Client) is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats
(MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg, ...) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols.
It can also be used as a server to stream in unicast or multicast in IPv4 or IPv6 on a high-bandwidth network.

Web:- www.videolan.org
Download:- http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
Features:- http://www.videolan.org/vlc/features.html

Installation
~~~~~~~~~
Video LAN Client has to be installed on the Server and every Client Computer.
Usually it comes as a zip package you need to extract it to a folder anywhere on the server and client.

Tutorial
~~~~~~

This Tutorial is demonstrating a VLC Streaming and Stream Playback on Windows Platform
Server IP Address:- 192.168.0.1
Client IP Address:- 192.168.0.2

On Server Side
1.> Double Click on VLC.exe to Launch it.
S1.jpg


2.> Click on "Open File" to Browse the .dat , .avi , .mpg , .wmv file
Here "Test.avi" File

S2.jpg

S3.jpg


3.> Now Click the "Stream output" Checkbox and click on "Settings" button.

S4.jpg


4.> When you click on "Settings" button a new interface is displayed where nothing is clicked

- Now Click on HTTP Check Box
- Enter Server Address and any empty server port number for eg. 1234
- Under Encapsulation Method Select "MPEG TS"
- Dont click anything under Transcoding Options
- Click Ok now

S5.jpg


After Clicking OK
S6.jpg


Note:- The Encapsulation Method is different for different files you stream from the server side
Dat File - MPEG TS
AVI File - MPEG TS
MPG File - MPEG TS
MPEG File - MPEG TS
WMV File - ASF

5.> After Clicking OK the Server "192.168.0.1" will start streaming the select video file on Port Number 1234

It Will be displayed as follows
S7.jpg


Now the File is Streaming from the Server.

On the Client Side
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1.> Double Click on VLC.exe to Launch it.
S1.jpg


2.> Select "Open Network Stream"
C2.jpg


3.> After Clicking there this will be displayed
C3.jpg


4.> Now Click on "HTTP/FTP/MMS" and enter the Server IP address with the port number as "192.168.0.1:1234"

C4.jpg


5.> After Clicking OK , The following streaming video file from the server will be displayed on the client side

C5.jpg


6.> You can also view the Streaming Video on the Client Side in FullScreen Mode Like this

C6.jpg


Done
----------------------------------------------------------------

Note:- For people those who dont have LAN also can try out this tutorial like this
For any Computer 2 instances of VLC can be run and your same Computer as Server and Client.
Only thing you have to do is wherever i have used Server IP as 192.168.0.1 replace that with 127.0.0.1
----------------------------------------------------------------

Hope you enjoyed my First Tutorial

Do try this and give me your feedback as it will help me improve with time.

Also Rate this Tutorial on a Scale of 5 [No Need for those Stars]
Only write it as Score:- X/5 [where X is any number from 1 to 5 and your Score]

If you have any sort of doubts related to this Tutorial feel free to ask me here

Thanks
Quad Master
 
Click to expand...
Very helpful tut, thanx.

Can VLC be used to stream the display from the server's monitor rather than a media file?

Thanks,

bartok
 
Method 1

There are many softwares like TightVNC , Ultra VNC , Real vnc which allow

you to view and even control a remote desktop.

I wud recommend u to use that instead of just streaming the servers desktop

as a video file.

Method 2

There are softwares which can convert ur desktop movements into a virtual webcam.

And u can stream that virtual webcam from VLC.
 
hi

I have VLC 0.8.6c installed on my linux server (DS106j from synology)
and I'd like to stream AVI from linux over LAN on the DBox (Dreambox DM500-C).

DS106j has linux busybox with a 2.4 kernel without X windows.

I start VLC using this command:
Code: 
 # vlc -vvv -I http --sout="#transcode{vcodec=mp2v,vb=1024,scale=1,acodec=mpga,ab=192,channels=
2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=http,mux=ts,dst=:9090}}"
I try to straem video files from DS106j on my DBox.
MPG streaming works well, but I cannot play AVI files and get a lot of the following messages:
Code: 
[00000339] stream_out_transcode private debug: late picture skipped (957178)
[00000345] main private warning: late buffer for mux input (977681)
[00000345] main private warning: late buffer for mux input (961963)
[00000339] stream_out_transcode private debug: late picture skipped (971051)
[00000345] main private warning: late buffer for mux input (977987)
[00000339] stream_out_transcode private debug: late picture skipped (972354)
[00000345] main private warning: late buffer for mux input (993452)
[00000345] main private warning: late buffer for mux input (977689)
[00000345] main private warning: late buffer for mux input (961574)
[00000339] stream_out_transcode private debug: late picture skipped (1020565)
[00000236] http interface debug: requested playlist stop
[00000345] main private warning: late buffer for mux input (1046600)
[00000339] stream_out_transcode private debug: late picture skipped (1066641)
[00000345] main private warning: late buffer for mux input (1063550)
[00000345] main private warning: late buffer for mux input (1047254)
[00000339] stream_out_transcode private debug: late picture skipped (1075806)
[00000337] main input debug: control type=0
[00000337] main input debug: control: stopping input
[00000337] main input debug: closing input
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk avih
[00000239] main http server debug: Connection from 192.168.200.11
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk strh
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk strf
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk JUNK
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk LIST
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk strh
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk strf
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk JUNK
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk LIST
[00000348] avi private warning: unknown chunk (not unloaded)
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk LIST
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk LIST
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk JUNK
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk LIST
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk idx1
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk RIFF
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk JUNK
[00000348] avi private debug: free chunk LIST
[00000349] main demuxer debug: removing module "avi"
[00000347] main access debug: removing module "access_file"
[00000232] main playlist: stopping playback
[00000232] main playlist debug: deleting playlist item `/volume1/cinema/Quentin Tarantino - Pulp Fiction (German Deutsch).avi :sout=#transcode{vcodec=mp2v,soverlay,vb=1024,width=704,height=576,fps=25,aco
dec=mpga,ab=192,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=http,mux=ts,url=:9090/dbo
xstream}}'
[00000236] http interface debug: requested playlist empty
[00000350] main packetizer debug: removing module "packetizer_copy"
[00000350] main packetizer debug: killing decoder fourcc `DIV3', 0 PES in FIFO
[00000338] main stream output debug: removing an input
[00000352] ffmpeg decoder debug: ffmpeg codec (MS MPEG-4 Video v3) stopped
[00000352] main decoder debug: removing module "ffmpeg"
[00000353] main encoder debug: removing module "ffmpeg"
[00000358] main private debug: removing module "ffmpeg"
[00000345] mux_ts private debug: removing input pid=69
[00000345] mux_ts private debug: new PCR PID is 68
[00000351] main packetizer debug: removing module "mpeg_audio"
[00000351] main packetizer debug: killing decoder fourcc `mpga', 0 PES in FIFO
[00000338] main stream output debug: removing an input
[00000354] main decoder debug: removing module "mpeg_audio"
[00000355] main encoder debug: removing module "ffmpeg"
[00000356] main private debug: removing module "mpgatofixed32"
[00000357] main private debug: removing module "audio_format"
[00000345] mux_ts private debug: removing input pid=68
[00000345] mux_ts private debug: new PCR PID is 8191
[00000345] main private warning: no more input streams for this mux
[00000337] main input debug: destroying sout
[00000339] main private debug: destroying chain... (name=transcode)
[00000341] main private debug: destroying chain... (name=duplicate)
[00000341] stream_out_duplicate private debug: closing a duplication
[00000342] main private debug: destroying chain... (name=std)
[00000345] main private debug: removing module "mux_ts"
[00000344] main http server warning: force closing connections
[00000344] main http server debug: thread 180232 joined (network/httpd.c:1134)
[00000344] main http server debug: HTTP host removed
[00000343] access_output_http private debug: Close
[00000343] main private debug: removing module "access_output_http"
[00000342] main private debug: removing module "stream_out_standard"
[00000342] main private debug: destroying chain done
[00000341] main private debug: removing module "stream_out_duplicate"
[00000341] main private debug: destroying chain done
[00000339] main private debug: removing module "stream_out_transcode"
[00000239] main http server debug: Connection from 192.168.200.11
[00000339] main private debug: destroying chain done
[00000337] main input debug: thread 163847 joined (input/input.c:412)
[00000236] http interface debug: requested playlist empty

knows someone, what does it mean the following output:
Code: 
main private warning: late buffer for mux input 
stream_out_transcode private debug: late picture skipped
 
I have always used VLC at the server and client side both.

Your client side i.e. DBox shud have VLC running to run the stream

trasnmitted by VLC from the server side.

Have never tried streaming to non vlc client based system , so cant comment.

Sorry my friend , cant help you on this as i havent tried it.

May be you can find more help on the official VLC Forums

The VideoLAN Forums

 
Nice Guide :)

Here's One you might be able to answer for me I'm trying to find a way to stream DivX/XviD Movies from my main Server to The kids room Computers Like Gofish.com does. Do you know where I can find a Guide to do this please.
yours is close but I need something that will stream on demand.

Server:
Windows 2000 Server
AMD 2000+
2 Gig DDR2 Memory
1TB HD (250GB+250GB+500GB Drives)

thanks in advance....
 
[This is not a real solution to ur problem]
Stream on demand , you can use any remote control software like Ultra VNC or Real VNC to remote control your desktop and start which ever movie you want.

Or if you want to watch movies in your home n/w [LAN]
you can share the movie folder and open on any pc in your lan and play directly from the shares no need to use any streaming s/w.
 
im new to the forum.....
so m posting this here.
i m facing problems in streaming files. i can stream the files using the wizard menu in vlc. but when i try to follow the steps in the tutorials ie using
FILE-->OPEN FILE i can't stream.

when i use wizard, in the status bar i can see STREAMING/TRANSCODING but when i follow da tutorial i can just see the path of file in status bar.

due to this problem i cant stream multiple files too.
i tried searching and it gave me results of changes in command line.
but i dont know the proper syntax too as every time i get the msg
DUMPED CONTENT TO VLC-HELP.TXT

PLZ HELP ME OUT
THKS IN ADVANCE
:huh:
 
You can only stream one file from one instance of vlc player at a time.

I am not sure if u can stream multiple files from a single interface.

You can start more instances of VLC if u want to stream multiple files.
 
Great post Quad Master.

Would you be able to post a guide on how to setup a streaming server and client for a web cam on Windows please. I am having terrible difficulty in doing so. I am ablw to stream video files quite easily but not live webcams
 
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