Video streaming?

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but this is the closest thing I could find regarding the issue I am having. I am trying to convert and upload videos to my server running lighttpd. It has been driving me crazy because I have followed guides, used programs, etc to get a compatible video. I am currently trying DvdCatalyst and still with no luck.

I finally came across this thread and entered the url for a movie trailer DvdCatalyst linked here. It worked like a champ. I downloaded the file (right click save as onthe mp4 link) and uploaded it to my server unchanged. It didn't play with an unsupported file type error.

I looked at mimetypes in lighty and found mp4 was not registered. I entered video/mp4 as the mime and restarted the server to try again. Same error message. I have been scratching my head all day over this :-( I think I am so close and yet so far away.

Any help would be appreciated from anyone who is more experienced than myself (there are many )

Thanks for your help

 

Unfortunately, not all webservers support this method.
In MP4 Streaming Server I use a plugin-webserver called realthinclient (RealThinClient :: VCL components for HTTP(S)) and the webserver where the mp4 files are stored on is running apache.

I have not managed to make it work on other versions of apache or internet information server, and honestly, I have not spend time or effort on it either after I had it working in the MP4 Server app. During development of the app I actually tried numerous other webserver plugins, and this was the only one that worked.

 

Thanks for the reply, looks like I will have to install virtualbox and run the streaming server you so graciously made I was hoping not to have to use anything but my own webserver.


Is it possible to run your mp4 server on wine?

 

Apache is capable of doing it as well with MP4 files, because that is the server that is hosting the trailer videos. That might be easier for you to do.

MP4 STreaming Server does run on winem however, it has a requirement of that you have to run DVD Catalyst 3 (the trial version is sufficient) first to have it create a folder with some required files. Without that folder, the streaming server app will not run.
In addition, the file locations will have to use the windows-structure (c:\movies instead of /usr/movies).

With the trailers on my website, I just upload them to the site, and then just post the direct link to the file for people to access it.

 

Ah I thought you used a customized version of apache? Just a default install is hosting the trailers? That would be very handy if I just needed apache

 

The tools4movies.com website is hosted by powweb. I have no idea what particular settings are used by them for apache. I tried setting up a windows-version of apache on my development system, but this did not work for me. I spend a few days of fiddling with it and then gave up.

This might clear things up.

The idea for the streaming server came to me by accident. A buddy of mine asked me to convert a video file for him so he could put it on his ipod. I uploaded the MP4 file directly to my website, and when I gave him the link, it streamed instead of downloading the actual file.
With that in mind, combined with a 1TB drive filled with my ipod-optimized video files, I came up with the MP4 Streaming Server app. Initially I figured I'd just install Apache on a computer, and hook the drive, but this didnt work. I spend some time troubleshooting it, and then I came up with the idea that other people would have to go through the same, so I started working on a single-executable program with a build-in webserver in Delphi. I tried all the webserver components I could find, and only one worked the way it needed to.

Because it works on my website, I know it works with Apache, but because it is a paid hosting provider, I have no idea what settings are used. I do not use any htaccess files though.
I briefly looked through powwebs documentation and knowledge base, but couldn't find anything in particular, but you might be able to find more info. I'm sure they have specs listed somewhere.

Folder browsing is disabled, but when I had a test folder that had it enabled, just selecting a file from there would stream, so metadata and such is not mandatory.

 

Thanks for the explanation

I got it working with a default apache install!

Tried to pw protect the directory but that broke the streaming function. I figured someone else might need that info. I also have dir listing enabled with no issues.

Thanks for your help with this and your wonderful converter. Many thanks!

 

You are welcome,

Look for an old post of mine with "faststart" in it. To make files streamable on the Droid as well as on PC, the faststart "atom" needs to be enabled, otherwise it will download the whole file first before it plays it.

In DVDCat, just enable the "Enable streaming for MP4 files" in Global Settings > Conversion.

 

FYI I tried lighttpd again without ow protecting the dir and it worked fine

 

glad to hear you have it working now