Streaming Media Server

Streaming media refers to the media that transmits audio, video, and multimedia files over the network.

A typical feature of streaming media is to compress continuous audio and video information and place it on the network server. Users can download and watch the video, instead of waiting for the entire file to be downloaded. Because

Streaming Media Server

Streaming media technology is widely used in VOD, video conferencing, distance education, telemedicine, and online live broadcast systems.

As a sign of a new generation of Internet applications, streaming media technology has developed rapidly in recent years. The Streaming Media Server is the core system of streaming media applications and a key platform for operators to provide video services to users. Its main function is to collect, cache, schedule, and transmit and play media content. The main performance of the streaming media application system depends on the performance and service quality of the Media Server. Therefore, the Streaming Media Server is the basis of the streaming media application system and the most important component.

Streaming Media Servers: High-concurrency video servers, live streaming time shifting servers, P2P live broadcast servers, and video interaction application servers video application management: media content management systems, H. 264/MPEG-4 coding tools, set-top box terminal management system, program navigation and publishing system,

Streaming media servers use stream protocols (such as RTP/RTSP, MMS, and rtmp) to transmit video files to clients for online viewing; you can also receive real-time video streams from the video collection and compression software, and then broadcast them to the client using streaming protocols. A typical Streaming Media Server is Microsoft's Windows Media Service (WMS), which uses the MMS protocol to receive and transmit videos, and Windows Media Player (WMP) as the front-end player; RealNetworks's Helix Server, the RTP/RTSP protocol is used to receive and transmit videos, and Real Player is used as the playback front-end.
Media Server, uses rtmp (rtmpt/rtmpe/rtmps) Protocol to receive and transmit videos, and uses flash player as the playback front-end. It is worth noting that with the popularity of Adobe Flash players (according to official Adobe data, flash players are installed more than 99%), more and more online videos are using flash players as front-end playback. Therefore, more and more enterprises begin to adopt Flash Player-compatible streaming media servers, and begin to eliminate other types of streaming media servers. Streaming media servers supporting flash players, in addition to Adobe Flash Media Server and ultrant
Flash Media Server Streaming Media Server software and Java-based Open Source Software red5.

Use free ums to set up flash streaming media service

Ultrant Media Server (UMS) is a high-performance streaming media server software system that supports Adobe Flash rtmp protocol for free. The following describes how to use the free version of ultrant Media Server 1.8.8 to set up a flash live broadcast and on-demand video service system.

1. Install ums1.8.8

For more information, see the program installation guide.

Ii. ums on-demand/live video functions

Ums uses the rtmp protocol to transmit or receive live/on-demand media streams, data, and remote call information at multiple bit rates to Flash Player. ums servers support streaming media on demand/live broadcast and other functions based on the Adobe Flash/air technology platform.

　　2.1. Use umsmonitor to configure the UMS Service

Umsmonitor is a tool used to manage the ultrant mediaserver server software. It can be used to conveniently start, stop, and restart the ultrant Media Server service and set various running parameters. You can right-click the ant icon in the lower-right corner of the Windows tray to bring up the system menu. See:

After the menu is displayed, click the "open ultrant Media Server Monitor" option to bring up the master page of umsmonitor, for example:

On the umsmonitor software control page, you can find the three service control buttons on the right, namely "Start service", "Stop Service", and "Restart service ", the three buttons correspond to the following functions: Starting ums service, stopping ums service, and restarting ums service.

On the umsmonitor software control page, you can click "Configure service" on the right to go to the ultrant Media Server software configuration page. The configuration page is shown in the following figure:

[1]

After the configuration is complete, you need to click "application" to confirm the modification, and then click "OK" to make the modification take effect immediately. At this time, the software will prompt you whether to restart the ultrant Media Server Service for the modification to take effect, select "OK" to make the configuration take effect.

　　2.2. Test the VOD Function

To use the VOD function, you need to prepare a video file in FLV format and copy it to any media library path (the media library path can be added through umsmonitor ), or add the path of the FLV video file to the library path.

After the video file and media library path are ready, make sure that the modified settings take effect and the file name does not conflict. If you are using the nginx webserver that comes with the installation program, open the vod.html file in the HTML folder under the nginxinstallation directory with notepad. If you are using an existing web server, open ums \ vod.html under the root directory of the Web server with notepad, find the following code:

So. addvariable ('file', '6rooms. flv ');

So. addvariable ('start', '0 ');

So. addvariable ('streamer', 'rtmp: // 127.0.0.1: 1935/VOD ');

Change 127.0.0.1to the IP address of the front-end server. If you want to use the latest flvformat video file, change "6rooms. FLV" in the above Code in the vod.html file to the name of the video file you prepared.

If you use the nginx web server that comes with the installation program, you can access the VOD page through http: // {Server IP address}/vod.html in a browser; if you use your computer's original web server, you can access http: // {Server IP address}/ums/vod.html in a browser to access the VOD page.

After the playback page Appears normally, click the player to play the video.

　　2.3. Test the live video Function

You can use Adobe Flash Media live encoder3.1, a free software provided by Adobe, to test the live broadcast function of ultrantmedia server.

2.3.1 install Adobe Flash Media live encoder3.1

For the installation process and help, see the official website of adobe.

2.3.2 prepare the camera Device

You can use a USB webcam or a professional video capture card (which must be recognized by the Adobe Flash Media live encoder3.1 program) as a video source.

2.3.3 Use Adobe Flash Media live encoder3.1 to publish a live stream

Open the Adobe Flash medialive encoder3.1 software to ensure that the video and audio collection devices work properly. The working hardware devices seem to be shown in:

[2]

Set the location marked in the red rectangle of the figure correctly. The URL address at the URL of the FMS should be "rtmp: // {Server IP address of ultrantmedia server}/live ", the stream location should be "livestream ". After setting, press the connect button. If the text on the connect button changes to disconnect, the connection is successful; then, press the "Start" button in the bottom red rectangle to start the live broadcast. The working Adobe Flash Media liveencoder3.1 may seem like this:

[3]

2.3.4 viewing live videos

Open the hosts file in Notepad. If you use an existing web server, open the UMS \ live.html file in the root directory of the web server in notepad and find the following code:

So. addvariable ('file', 'livestream ');

So. addvariable ('streamer', 'rtmp: // 127.0.0.1: 1935/live ');

Change 127.0.0.1to the IP address of the front-end server. If you re-Name your video stream name, change "livestream" in the above Code in the live.html file to the name of your own video stream.

If you use the nginx web server that comes with the installation program, you can access http: // {Server IP address}/live.html through a browser to access the live video page; if you use your computer's original web server, you can access http: // {Server IP address}/ums/live.html in a browser to access the live video page.

3. Use the live video cluster networking function

Ums supports scalable, infinitely connected live video cluster networking. with simple visual configuration, you can combine multiple servers with ums server software into a unified live video network group, each node can provide consistent live video services.

　　3.1 Use umsmonitor management tool to configure the live video cluster networking function

Open the service configuration page of umsmonitor and find the "CDN configuration" option page, for example:

[4]

If you select "Use the live streaming forwarding server function", ums can be used as the live streaming forwarding server. After you select "application" configuration, select "OK", and restart the service to make the configuration take effect, the ums server software you configured will automatically connect to the synchronization address and port of the higher-level ums live video source server to obtain the live video synchronization information. Note: You must enable the "use live streaming server function" of the upper ums server, that is, enable the lower half option of the above configuration page equivalent to the upper ums server. Only when the synchronization port and password of the upper-level ums server are consistent, the current configured ums server can be connected to the synchronization port of the upper-level live broadcasting source server for live broadcasting information synchronization.

In theory, the "service address of the superior live video source server" is consistent with the "synchronization address of the superior live video source server, is the address of the upper-level server (except when the IP address of ums's external live video service is set to different from the IP address of ums's external Live Video Synchronization Service ), the "service port of the superior live broadcasting source server" is the listening port set in the "IP address and port" column on the "basic configuration" page of the upper ums server in the umsmonitor Configuration tool service configuration page, the upper-level ums provides the live video data service through this port. The configured ums server also obtains real-time live video data from the external live video data service port of the upper-level server and forwards it locally.

After the local "use live streaming ghost server function" is enabled, the configured ums server can be used as the live streaming source server to provide live streaming information synchronization and live streaming video stream transmission services for lower ums servers.

The ums server synchronizes the live video information and live video data streams in the upper-and lower-level networking mode, and provides the on-demand and live video functions for users. It depicts the live video network using ums:

[5] edit this section to use WMS to set up streaming media service

We can use the Windows Media Encoder software to implement the online broadcast service. However, with the help of Windows Media Services, the streaming media files produced by Windows Media Encoder will provide more powerful functions for our online broadcast stations. Next, we will use Windows Media Encoder to create a separate broadcast station and incorporate it into Windows Media Services for more powerful functions.

1. Install Windows Media Service

First install Windows 2000 Server or windows. NET Server, choose Start> Control Panel> Administrative Tools> Manage Your servers, or choose Start> Control Panel> add or delete Programs> Add/delete Windows Components. (the second method is recommended), check "Web Application Server", that is, the IIS server in 2000 Server, and click "Next" to add the server;

After IIS is added, start the Add/delete Windows component program again, check the windows media service items, and click details, select "Windows Media Services administrator for Web" to enable Web management for Windows Media Services. (These options may not exist in 2000. You only need to install Windows Media Services );

2. Install Windows Media Encoder

Download Windows Media Encoder 7.1 from Microsoft website (because Windows Media Encoder 9.0 cannot work under. NET Server) for installation. Now, the server and Encoder of Windows Media Service are ready;

3. run Windows Media Encoder

(1) Start Windows Media Encoder from "start-Program-Windows Media", and select the appropriate option based on your needs in the displayed wizard interface, we recommend that you select "broadcast, capture, or convert files in the new session wizard" and click OK;

(2) Because broadcast is performed, select "broadcast live events on the affiliated device or computer screen" in the next pop-up screen ", this option enables Windows Media Encoder to broadcast directly or add it to the Windows Media Service;

(3) Select a video or audio capture device from the next screen. If you do not have a video card, you can only select "screen capture". If you have a video card, select your video card;

(4) The broadcast signal must be transmitted through a valid port, so it must be set. The default port of Windows Media Encoder is 8080, but this port is often occupied by other software, therefore, it is recommended that you click "Search for available ports" to replace it with other random ports or directly enter unused ports. I have selected port 3170;

(5) then select the streaming media quality for broadcasting. For a formula, see streaming media configuration file bandwidth × maximum number of connected users = Your upstream bandwidth (not download, yes ). If you have 2 Mbps upstream bandwidth and select a configuration file of kbps, 20 viewers can view your broadcast at the same time. This shows that streaming media has a huge demand for bandwidth;

(6) In this window, you can choose to archive the broadcast streaming media for later watching or on-demand video. If it is only used as a live broadcast service and the hard disk space is not large, you can choose not to select;

(7) after "Next", you can choose whether to add the built-in welcome, rest, and goodbye files from Microsoft. I don't need these items. Who will advertise Microsoft for free;

(8) then, we can add copyright information to our broadcast program, which will appear in Windows Media Player during playback;

(9) after the last confirmation window pops up, our final broadcast interface will appear. If a video capturing device exists, click Start to start the broadcast station, if you enter "MMS: // server: port value" in client ie, the Media Player video is displayed. For example, if the address of the broadcast station I created is "MMS: // 192.168.0.1: 3170", you can view the information directly in the connection tag on this interface;

(10) If you have no video capture settings like me, or you want to play a recorded video to a user, click "session-properties" (this panel can be used to adjust all set data), click the "change" button, and select the drop-down box on the right of the video in the pop-up window, click "find file" to find the pre-recorded video file (supported formats include ASF, WMV, Avi, and MPG );

(11) Go Back To The broadcast page and click Start. Your file will be viewed by the online siblings,

To add more files or devices, click "new" next to "change" in the preceding window;

(12) You may think that we have achieved success. In fact, it is far from the most basic live broadcast. We also need to add it to the broadcast service of Windows Media Services, to achieve more powerful functions. Point your mouse to "start-control panel-management tools-Windows Media Services" and open Windows Media Manager (2000 server should be a web interface ). Select the server on the left and click "add release point (wizard)" in the Action menu. After the welcome page, the publishing point naming window appears. Enter your desired name, I entered "softicp. _ broadcast ";

(13) In the next window, you will be asked to select the content type you want to publish. If you only want to live streaming media, select "encoder (live stream )", if you want to add other prepared files to the live stream, select "playlist". If you want to create a VOD Server, select "files in the directory ". Because I have prepared a ready-made file, I chose "playlist ";

(14) After selecting the type of published content, we need to select the release solution. We are conducting the network broadcast service, and of course we need to select the broadcast release point ". In the following window, We will select the content transfer method. Now, we can see that the basic concepts of unicast and multicast described earlier have played a role, generally, our network does not support multicast, so we need to select "unicast ";

(15) If you have previously created a playlist file (wsx or HTM file), select "existing playlist" in the next window. If not, please be the same as me, "Create a playlist and add it ". In the Add window, you can add files, live streams of encoder, streaming media of remote publishing points, dynamic sources of ASP and CGI, and other media, you can also add ad information and adjust the playing sequence of the media;

(16) after editing the playlist, click "Next" to save the playlist as a file, in the next window, you can choose whether to "loop playback" or "unordered playback" streaming media. After several confirmation boxes, you have completed the establishment of the Windows Media Streaming Media Broadcast Server. For the sake of convenience, we will remove the check in front of "start other wizard after completing this wizard!

(17) after the server is started, you can enter "MMS: // server IP Address/release point name" in Windows Media Player to watch the network broadcast. In the Windows Media Services Manager, we can monitor the playing status of streaming media at any time, add/delete and adjust the playback list, insert ads, and publish announcements (HTM pages can be generated directly), adjust the attributes of the broadcast station, and can start and stop the broadcast station at any time through the button below, and test whether the current streaming media is normal;

This figure shows the publishing point announcement page created using the Announcement Wizard. Is it very convenient?

(18) You can also enter the manager URL in your browser or directly start "Windows Media Services (Web)" in the management tool to manage the web and remote management of the Streaming Media Server, the management interface is similar to local management except for a few functions.

Remote Management can also manage multiple servers in a server group.

4. Set the number of clients that can be connected

On the WMS Streaming Media Server, You can authorize streaming media playback and restrict certain IP addresses to be connected to the Streaming Media Server:

Step 2: Open the Windows Media Services window, expand the server and the "release point" directory in the left pane, and select the release point movie.

Step 2: switch to the "properties" tab, select the "Authorization" option in the "category" list, and double-click the "wms ip address authorization" option in the "plug-in" list.

Step 2: In the "wms ip address authorization attributes" dialog box that appears, select "deny all addresses in the allowed list" and click "add IP.

Step 2. Open the "add IP Address" dialog box and select the "computer group" option. In the "subnet address" edit box, enter the IP address segment that allows you to connect to the streaming media publishing point, and enter the subnet mask in the "subnet mask" edit box. After setting, click "OK"> "OK" to make the setting take effect. [6]

Edit this PPS Streaming Media Server

PPS is currently the world's largest P2P Video Service Operator. It has been providing P2P Video Service technical solutions for Sina, xinchuan sports, Phoenix net, 21cn, and other media and portals.

After six months of testing, more than 0.4 million pps vod users have been online at the same time, serving 8 million users every day. The technology is becoming more stable and mature. Now, the pps vod Server product is officially available for free.

PPS streaming media servers provide a full set of technical support for on-demand video service providers, such as p2p acceleration, content delivery, and website construction solutions.