Posting Files to the Streaming Server

↑ Introduction

The Streaming Server supports a variety methods to stream media:

1. Streaming files on-demand via rtp/rtsp protocols. These IETF protocols are optimized for streaming media. The rtsp protocol runs on TCP, while rtp runs on UDP. For compatibility with firewalls, rtp can be tunneled inside of http if you enable port 80 streaming (see the basic setup and configuration section of this site). Media streamed via rtp/rtsp in Darwin or QuickTime Streaming Server can be hinted QuickTime Movies, ISO MPEG-4 or 3GPP files. There are a wide range of tools available for compressing and hinting media, covered in compressing and hinting media for streaming on this site.
2. Reflecting and Relaying live media broadcasts via rtp/rtsp protocols. The streaming server can reflect and relay live broadcasts from live QuickTime or MPEG-4 encoders. QuickTime Streaming Server on Mac OS X Server also includes a live encoder which can run on the same server.
3. Streaming playlists via rtp/rtsp protocols. A playlist is a collection of files on the server's disk that simulate a live broadcast. Playlists can be used to simulate live programming from content stored on the server's disk.
4. Streaming mp3 playlists via http/Shoutcast protocols. The mp3 file format can be streamed over the Internet using Shoutcast streams. The Streaming Server supports the creation of mp3 playlists which appear as live streams accessible in music players such as iTunes.
5. Reflecting and Relaying live media broadcasts via http/Shoutcast protocols. The streaming server can reflect and relay live broadcasts from live mp3 broadcasting software.

The options above that require posting media files on the server are 1, 3 and 4. Options 2 and 5 require procedures outlined on other pages on this site that can be accessed here.

↑ Options for posting files

↑ File Server

There are many ways you can copy media files to the streaming server. If you configure the server as a file server accessible via AFP, SMB or NFS the Movies directory can be mounted by client systems. This method makes posting media files extremely simple. Mac OS X Server provides all three methods, Windows 2000 Server provides AFP/SMB, and Linux provides SMB/NFS. Once the file server is configured, clients can simply browse to the Movies directory and save/export their hinted .mov and .mp4 files for streaming.

↑ ftp Server

Another popular method is enabling ftp access to the Movies directory. The ftp protocol is very efficient and can move large files quickly. Many free and shareware ftp clients are available for Linux, Macintosh and Windows. Secure ftp is also a popular option supported by server operating systems such as Mac OS X Server and Redhat Linux.

↑ rsync Server

Another network option is to use rsync, which can be configure to automatically synchronize files between systems. Rsync is a great way to backup a server, build a production workflow, or to synchronize streaming media files between servers. It has been ported to many platforms and is pre-installed on Mac OS X and Linux systems.

↑ Sneakernet

Files can also be transferred by "sneaker net" using CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, USB keys, etc.

Note: QuickTime Streaming Server 5 supports home directory streaming. Any user with a home directory on the streaming server can post and stream movies if this option is enabled. The default location for streaming movies is:

↑ The Streaming Movies Directory

When you set up the streaming server, you configure a directory for streaming Movies. The default location for this directory is:

Mac OS X/Mac OS X Server	/Library/QuickTimeStreaming/Movies
Windows	C:\Program Files\Darwin Streaming Server\Movies
Linux & Solaris	/usr/local/darwin/movies

If you selected one of the network options for posting files (File Server, ftp server, or rsync server) you would specify a directory or subdirectory of the Movies folder for clients to post files. For instance, you might set up the Movies folder on Mac OS X Server as a share point for AFP, SMB and NFS access. Then any user with write privileges could create and post files to the streaming server.

↑ URLs to Streaming Movies

If a file named "mymovie.mp4" was posted in the movies directory on a server with the IP address 192.168.0.100, the following URL would open a stream from QuickTime Player:

Subdirectories can be created off of the main movies directory. If a subdirectory named "cars" was created off of the main movies directory and a file named "ford.mov" was placed in it, the URL on the same server would be:

The Mac OS X, Linux and Solaris versions of streaming server support home directory streaming. On Mac OS X, the default location for home directory streaming is the Streaming directory in the user's Sites folder. To stream a movie named "bobsmovie.mp4" from a user named "bobw" you would use this URL in QuickTime Player

Note: Do not use the HREF tag to link to an rtsp url from a web browser. Because rtsp links are handled by different players, your results won't be reliable. Instead, you should use the techniques outlined here.

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