[mythtv] How to integrate streaming content

[Eric]

When stream recording is implemented, I think it must run through the backend. 
Otherwise you would be creating a second backend - for streams only. But I 
would opt for integrating streamplay first, then implement recording?

About stream play: integrating streaming into mythvideo and mythmusic is the 
most logical choice when you see streaming as just another form of delivery 
of audio and video content - already covered by the mentioned plugins. So a 
dedicated streaming plugin is not an ovious first choice.

There are however specifics about streaming content that were the basis for 
the plugin as it (temporaly?) exist now:

-- The first is that most stream sources reside on the Internet, you do not 
control them and they come in a variety of formats. 

On your LAN, you can contol the content - and it's format - you make available 
to e.g. mythtv. Mythmusic takes advantage of that fact by handling the audio 
processing itself, with a limited set of playable formats, but making closer 
integration possible (e.g. the visualisations). 
With streaming content you should focus on being able to decode as much 
formats as possible. Because that stream you want to hear or see is in 
realmedia or whatever format. 
This is the reason for using mplayer: it plays a wealth of formats.

-- The second is that there are a lot of sources, of varying quality and 
reliability, often categorized and listed on websites. 

Mythstream can start streams from such sites - this prevents entering each 
stream by hand. The point is that on these sites, audio and video are close 
friends. The user wants to play or at least "bookmark" a listed URL he likes, 
and is bored when told he has to start over in another plugin. So mythstream 
handles them both, and I think that if stream play is integrated in mythvideo 
and mythradio there should at least be some form of "stream URL handover" 
between the two. Or you should keep a dedicated streaming module.

- 

Thanks for feedback, also to Kevin, who didn't include my mailadress in his 
reply. I guess I should lookup more mailing list howto's. Sorry if I'm 
messing up here: first timer - for mailing list and code contribution 
attempt.

Eric.



On Thursday 08 January 2004 20:30, matt wrote:
> I'd like to see streaming(in and out) ability within myth and am willing to
> help code to see it happen.
> Also I'd like to be able to timeshift webcasts if needed.
>
> I see two ways of doing this:
> 1. Integrate with existing modules, making:
>     -mythmusic able to play streams
>     -mythvideo able to play streams
>     -mythbackend able to record scheduled streams
>     -mythbacked able to control shoutcast,videolan, and ffserver streams
>
> However this leaves a need for a new form to setup recorded streams.
>
> 2. Create a new module (as you have done), making it:
>     -able to play streams (live and recorded)
>     -able to schedule and record streams
>     -able to manage shoutcast,videolan,ffserver,etc servers and streams
>
> However, in this situation, the module would have to be always running
> (like mythbackend)
>
> I see advantages to both approaches. Any comments or better ideas?
>
> I don't have any experience coding audio and video processing. But I can
> certainly write code to manage other programs (mplayer, ffserver, etc...).
>
> Matt
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Eric" <ericgies at kabelfoon.nl>
> To: <mythtv-dev at mythtv.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 2:44 PM
> Subject: [mythtv] How to integrate streaming content
>
> > In my post "mythradio becomes mythstream" (31 dec 07:32) I asked for
>
> advice
>
> > about mythtv design requirements, hoping mythstream functionality can be
> > included in mythtv. I received no reply yet.
> >
> > My first post, about mythradio, was replied upon by Isaac - without
>
> including
>
> > my mailadres in his reply, indicating he didn't want an answer. He stated
> > that making the code official would require integration with mythmusic.
> > I can do that, by removing the video functionality and "glueing" things
> > together.
> >
> > But to go beyond that first thought, I need more feedback. Like:
> > just putting the stream gui behind the mythmusic button doesn't seem a
>
> proper
>
> > solution to me. Am I correct? How far should the integration go? What
>
> about
>
> > adding the streaming video part into mythvideo? And in that case: is a
> > "handover" of stream URL's between audio and video parts acceptable, and
>
> on
>
> > what level? Of course I don't expect explicit answers to all these
>
> questions,
>
> > by stating them I just wanted to clarify my request for feedback.
> >
> > Thanks in advance
> > Eric.
>
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