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DVTS Live Video Streaming Tutorial

Overview

DVTS (Digital Video Transport System) is a multi-platform streaming solution. However, the Windows version GUI is by far the easiest solution to use. A streaming server is not needed. If you wish to set up a multi-cast stream, please refer to the following link to request a multi-cast IP address to stream with. It should be noted that to effectively stream DVTS, your network must be able to transport at least 30Mbps and is multcast-capable. To achieve the highest quality, your network should be able to transport close to 100Mbps. Since DVTS involves no compression, there is minimal latency. The only compression that is applied comes from the camera.

If you don't have DVTS on your streaming computer, please download it for free and install it now. Download the Windows version and install it on a PC.

Before you start streaming via DVTS, make sure DVTS is added to the Firewall exception. To do so, on a PC, go Start menu > Settings > Control Panel > Windows Firewall > Click the Exceptions tab > Check if DVTS is in the list. If not, Click Add Program, find it, and add it. Click OK.

The following steps will demonstrate how to set up and view a stream using the DVTS Windows GUI.

Connecting Devices

Connect your camera via Firewire for a DV camera. DVTS cannot recognize a Web cam. Make sure the camera is set to "camera" mode and not "playback" mode. DVTS should be able to stream the audio from the camera's onboard microphone.
Launch DVTS. Your devices should show up in the DV Device drop-down menu under the Options section in the DV Send part of the interface. Select the camera. Check the Preview Monitor box to view your camera. This is a good way to ensure your camera is working. If your camera does not show up in the drop down box or does not preview, check your camera connection and make sure the power is on.

Setting up Streaming

First, you need to acquire a multicast IP address. To do that, go to http://www.openmash.org/users/windows.html and download Mash 5.2 (Latest Milestone Version). Unzip it. Open the unzipped mash folder and find the executable file nsdr.exe. Double-click it to open it. You will see a list of currently online broadcasters of DVTS live videos. Click New to create an account of your own. Provide the E-mail and phone information first. Then, key in a session name under Session Title. Click the Media Streams tab. By default, it is audio. Keep it. Click the Add button. This time, change audio to video by Type. You will find the IP address and port number on the right. It is important that you jot them down now. Click Times to choose a duration for which your live streaming is going to happen. Click Create. You should be able to see your account in the list now. Click Quit.
Come back to DVTS, go to Destination Host, key in the given port number. Key in the IP address by Destination Host (only key in the numbers before the slash). Set the TTL (Time to Live) field to 225 to ensure the signal gets through all of the hops to your destination. Make sure Preview Monitor is checked.
Hit the Start Send button. You should see the live stream on the streaming computer now.

Viewing Stream

To view DVTS live video streaming, an Internet 2 connection is also needed and the network must be multicast-capable. Most public Internet service providers (ISP) do not support multicast and their speeds are not fast enough. Therefore, it will not be surprising if a viewer cannot watch a DVTS stream at home. The viewer needs to download DVTS and install it on a PC, where it can access a network that is (1) faster than 30Mb/sec and (2) is multicast-capable. Chances are such a network exists in your school or company.
The viewer must have received the multicast IP address and the port number from the broadcaster. Launch DVTS on the viewer's computer. Under the DV Receive section of the interface, enter the provided port number and click Change. By Group, key in the provided IP address.
Make sure the Monitor Output box is checked.
Press Join to join the stream. A window should open allowing you to view the stream. The audio, if any is being sent, should also be audible.