Streaming previously recorded videos

[nik123]

Hello, I have several questions regarding both Ant Media Server and WebRTC. I apologize preemptively for any silly questions, as I am new to both Ant Media Server and WebRTC technology.

I have a server with a collection of pre-recorded video files. My objective is to make these recorded videos accessible to the clients. From my understanding, once Ant Media Server is installed and running, it is possible to upload videos through the control panel. Could someone confirm whether these uploaded video files are accessible via the WebRTC protocol?

Additionally, my Ant Server is hidden behind a NAT, and I want to make videos accessible to clients outside of the local network. As far as I comprehend, I need to open port 5080 within my firewall to facilitate this. If videos are accessible through WebRTC, is my understanding correct that communication via port 5080 is solely utilized for signaling purposes, and the media traffic itself is routed through a peer-to-peer connection or a TURN server? Furthermore, is it necessary to establish my own TURN server to make videos accessible to the external clients?

[Mohit-3196]

Hi @nik123,
How are you?

No worries at all, I am happy to help you with your questions :)

1. Accessing Recorded Videos via WebRTC:
   Ant Media Server supports VOD streaming as well. You can create a playlist with the VoD files and stream them via WebRTC as well as HLS.
   Since these are VoD files, I will recommend playing them with HLS instead of WebRTC unless you also plan to have some kind of interactivity.
   Here's a guide about how to create playlists and stream them https://antmedia.io/docs/category/playlist/

2. Network Configuration:
   Yes, you're correct. If your Ant Media Server is behind a NAT (Network Address Translation), you'll need to open port 5080 (HTTP)/5443 (HTTPS) to allow external clients to access the server. This port is typically used for HTTP-based signaling, which includes establishing and maintaining the connection. However, for actual media traffic (audio/video streams), AMS uses UDP ports for webrtc playback for 1:N streaming. In cases where direct connections are not possible due to network restrictions (like NAT traversal issues), a TURN server is used to relay media traffic.

3. TURN Server:
   Whether you need a TURN server depends on your network setup and requirements. A TURN server acts as a relay for media traffic when direct peer-to-peer connections are not feasible (such as when clients are behind restrictive firewalls or NATs). If your clients are expected to access the videos from networks where direct connections might be problematic, setting up a TURN server can improve reliability and accessibility.

To summarize, yes, you can make your recorded videos accessible via WebRTC through Ant Media Server. Opening port 5080 facilitates signaling, while media traffic is typically routed through UDP, with the option of using a TURN server if necessary for clients with restrictive network conditions.
And as I mentioned, if you only need to stream VoD files, it is better to use HLS. It will also save on the CPU resources.

If you have further questions or need clarification on any point, feel free to ask!

--
Best Regards,
Mohit Dubey

[nik123]

Thanks a lot @Mohit-3196 it was really helpful!

[Mohit-3196]

It is my pleasure :)

[nik123]

Hi, @Mohit-3196

Sorry for bringing up the old conversation again, but I have some questions. I'm no way an expert in video streaming and VOD applications, so my questions might be silly.

I have an http server behind the NAT, which is available to the other users through a some kind of http proxy. On my server I have a set of prerecorded videos (which are not necessarily recorded via ant media server) which I want to make available to the external users. However, there are restrictions on the traffic in the aforementioned proxy server. Therefore, I've looked into WebRTC options to allow p2p connection between client and my server.

The desired user experience should akin to something like YouTube - i.e. given the URL, user may watch a video at any given time and can go forward and backward on the video and so on. I may lack understanding, but as far as I can tell, the playlists are not fully suitable with my goals:

1. Users cannot access the playlist at any given time. The And Media administrator should specifically start streaming the playlist to make it accessible to the users.
2. For the end user playlist would still look as a real time stream rather than a video record. E.g. user won't be able to fast-forward the video.

Are my last two statements about the playlists correct? Is WebRTC suitable for my needs or should I look for something else? Are my goals achievable through the Ant Media server?

[Mohit-3196]

Hi @nik123,
How are you?

Your questions are quite insightful and not silly at all. Let’s address each of them:

1. Users cannot access the playlist at any given time. The Ant Media administrator should specifically start streaming the playlist to make it accessible to the users.

In the context of the Server, playlists are typically managed by the server administrator. They are streamed like live streams, meaning users can only watch them while they are being streamed.
However, you can schedule the playlist to start at a specific date and time and manage the playlist programmatically.

2. For the end user playlist would still look as a real time stream rather than a video record. E.g. user won't be able to fast-forward the video.

Yes, playlists in Ant Media Server function as live streams. If you play with WebRTC, you cannot fast forward, or seek back. But if you are playing with HLS then you can seek back and then come back to live. It is recommended to play the playlist with HLS instead of Webrtc as it is VOD streaming and doesn't need any real-time interaction.

WebRTC for Your Needs:
WebRTC is primarily designed for real-time communication, not for VOD. It excels in low-latency scenarios like live streaming, video conferencing, or peer-to-peer communication.

Alternatives and Recommendations:
For your requirements (YouTube-like experience with VOD capabilities), a more suitable solution would be to use HLS play with the playlist instead of WebRTC.
https://antmedia.io/docs/category/playlist/

I hope I was able to answer your questions.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

--
Best Regards,
Mohit Dubey