Unreal streaming media server and live server
You can have a lot of fun running your own multimedia server on your home computer.
All you need is a good desktop computer running Windows XP or Windows 7. Just download Unreal media server, live media server and streaming multimedia player. All these three programs are included in one zipped file at this site
http://www.tucows.com/preview/333000
Download it, unzip it, and install all the three programs
In the Umediaserver zipped file there are two exe files. One media server and the other one is the media server configurator. Likewise in the Uliveserver there are two files. Live server and configurator. The streaming media player is the client program. You might want to install it to check out how the servers work in the server computer.
The media server serves recorded media files to client computers.
The live server serves live feeds from various sources to client computers
File formats for media files include all the types supported by Microsoft DirectX, namely:
AVI, MPEG-1 (VCD), MPEG-2 (SVCD, DVD), MPEG-4, MPA, WMV, WMA, ASF, MP3, QuickTime (version 2 and lower) Mov files. Other file formats and compression types are supported with additional installation of corresponding codecs, such as DivX, XVid, VP6, MP4, AC3, H.264.
Unreal Media Server does not transcode or decode files when streaming; the files are streamed "as is"; the player is able to playback these files if appropriate codecs are installed on client computer. If the client computer has WMP 11 then it can playback most of the file types.
Playlist functionality allows automatically playing all the files of server's virtual folder in a loop mode. Files can be unicasted in "on-demand" mode or multicasted in "live" mode.
Supported live media sources include: digital cameras or video cameras connected tho the computer via USB or firewire link, IP network cameras, microphones, TV-tuner cards, analog video sources (analog camera or TV) connected to Graphics card, Video Capture card or hardware encoder appliance that supports DirectShow interface. There can be multiple live sources on a single computer. Hardware-encoded content can be streamed "as is" without software transcoding.
Codecs used for live video compression: VC1 (WMV9), H.264 and Microsoft MPEG-4 V2. Codecs used for live audio compression: Fraunhofer MPEG Layer-3 (MP3), GSM 6.10 and WMA.
Two streaming delivery modes are supported: Near-Real-Time and Buffered. Conferencing applications requiring low latency can take advantage of 0.2 - 2 seconds latency provided by Near-Real-Time mode, where buffer sizes are minimal and aggressive leaking-flushing bucket algorithms are enforced. When low latency is not required, Buffered mode can be used, allowing servers to buffer media in order to compensate on network jitter and congestions.
Live content can be recorded based on scheduler or motion detection, independently of streaming.
Unreal Media Server supports variety of streaming protocols
allowing playing with Flash player, Silverlight, Windows Media Player and
Unreal Streaming Media Player on Windows, MAC, Linux and even
RTMP protocol can be used for streaming to Flash player; MMS-H protocol serves for streaming to Silverlight, Windows Media Player and other MMS-capable players. Our own proprietary, codec-independent streaming protocol is used for streaming to Unreal Streaming Media Player. Our protocol can be realized via TCP-unicast streams, RTP Multicast streams and HTTP(S) unicast streams via IIS web server.
The client program Unreal Streaming Media Player runs on Windows PCs and on Handheld Devices running Windows Mobile 5 or higher operating system. Player can be embedded into web page as an ActiveX control for IE browser or as a plugin for Firefox, Netscape, Mozilla, Safari, Opera and Chrome.
Incoming content is not stored on client computer's hard disk and user is not allowed to save media locally, thus author's rights are fully protected.
User authentication and access restrictions enable trusted access to media resources. User logging provides means to track user activity.
SDK allows automation and customization of Server behavior.
Run mediaserver configurator
Open file resources and the mediaroot folder
Place the media files in it
Run live server
Right mouse click on live resources
Enter information about the live resource
Enter the broadcast alias
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Finally right click on the individual resource and connect it to the media server
Only through media server, the live feeds are fed
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You can add any number of media resources to broadcast live video or audio
Each one should have an alias and a number given to it
The streaming media player or WMP or other players on the client side
Should indicate the file it wants delivered (if it is a stored file) or
Live resource alias if it is a live transmission
The final step in setting up your servers is to open up windows in the windows firewall
So that an outside computer can connect with your server in your computer
Go to control panel
Click on windows firewall
Make an exception to the server in your computer like it is illustrated in the picture
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You should also make an exception by adding a port (5119)
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If you have more than one computer connected to your router then you have to get into your router firewall and make your virtual server and port (5119) directed to the particular computer IP address that has the server program running
The individual computers may have numbers like
192.168.2.2,. 192.168.2.3 192.168.2.4……
You open up the router by entering the IP address 192.168.2.1 in the URL of a browser
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By using a freeware program IP 2
You can find out the IP address that has been assigned to your computer system by the DSL or cable company
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If you want to access the umediaserver from anywhere you need to use the IP address that is listed as WANIP
In this case you will enter in your streaming media player
for example
168.269.98.129:5119/mediaroot
For live source
168.269.98/129:5119/webcam or other resource.
Yes the parts about making an exception in the windows firewall , adding a port, opening up the firewall router for outside access all may sound a bit complicated. But it can be done fairly easily.
Enjoy transmitting stored multimedia files or live feeds
September 9, 2010