4.2. Writing a vls.cfg

4.2.1. Section "Vls"

This section contains application wide settings .

LogFile = "name"

Name of VLS log file. If left empty "", then no logging to files is done. Default is "vls.log" .

SystemLog = "[disable|enable]"

Logging to the SystemLog. Today, only the SystemLog using syslogd is implemented: compile with ./configure --enable-syslog .

If VLS is started as vlsd, then the following configuration is mandatory : BEGIN "Vls" LogFile = "" SystemLog = "enabled" ScreenLog = "disabled" END

ScreenLog = "[disable|enable]"

Logging to the console .

Example :

BEGIN "Vls"
  LogFile   = "vls.log"
  SystemLog = "disable"
  ScreenLog = "enable"
END

4.2.2. Section "Groups"

In this section, you can define some groups of users, and which commands these users are allowed to execute. For each group you want to define, you must add a line in the following format :

groupname = "command1|command2|..."

This adds a group "groupname", the users of which are allowed to execute command1, command2, and so on. At the moment, the available commands are: help, browse, start, suspend, resume, forward, rewind, stop, shutdown, logout .

Example :

BEGIN "Groups"
  monitor = "help|browse|logout"
  master  = "help|browse|start|resume|suspend|forward|rewind|stop|shutdown|logout"
END

4.2.3. Section "Users"

This section contains a list of users allowed to control VLS through an administration interface. For each user, add a line in the following format :

username = "password:groupname"

This adds a user "username", who belongs to the group "groupname" (defined in the "Groups" section) and can log in with the password "password" .

• Under Unix/Linux, the password must be encrypted, with a tool such as mkpasswd, or with the UNIX function "crypt" .

• Under Windows, the password must be in clear text .

Example for Unix/Linux :

BEGIN "Users"
  monitor = "3BcKWoiQn0vi6:monitor"       # password is 'monitor'
  admin   = "42BKiCguFAL/c:master"        # password is 'Vir4Gv5S'
END

4.2.4. Section "Telnet"

In this section, you can configure the telnet administration interface .

LocalPort = "port"

Defines which port will be used for the telnet server. Default port is "9999" .

Domain = "domain"

Either "inet4" or "inet6" (default is "inet4"). If you want to use IPv4 addresses, put "inet4", and if you want to use IPv6, put "inet6" .

LocalAddress = "IP address"

Defines on which IP address the telnet server will listen for requests. Default address is "0.0.0.0" (or "0::0" with IPv6) .

Example :

BEGIN "Telnet"
  LocalPort = "9999"
END

4.2.5. Section "NativeAdmin"

Same syntax as "Telnet". Not used yet .

4.2.6. Section "Inputs"

In this section, you can define which inputs you want to use. For each input you need, add a line in the following format :

InputName = "Type"

This adds a input named "InputName", the type of which is "Type". As explained before, there are several types of input :

• "local" to play a stream from a file or a DVD ,

• "video" to play a stream from an MPEG encoding card ,

• "dvb" to play a stream from a DVB card ,

• "v4l" to play a stream from a Video4Linux device .

Each input must be configured in its own section (see next paragraph) .

Example :

BEGIN "Inputs"
  local1 = "local"
  pvr    = "video"
  dvb1   = "dvb"
  tuner  = "v4l"
END

4.2.7. Inputs configuration

For each input declared in the "Inputs" section, excepted "local" inputs, you must add a section with the same name as the corresponding input. For instance, if you declared an input "pvr", there should be one section named "pvr" too. The syntax of such sections depends on the type of the corresponding input .

To configure a local input, you don't have to do anything. Except when another trickplay strategy must be used :

BEGIN "Local1"
  ProgramCount = "1"
  TrickPlay    = "normal"
END

"Local1" is the name of the local input you want to configure. "ProgramCount" is the number of programs assigned to this input. "TrickPlay" is the trickplay strategy that is used by this input (default is "normal") .

To configure a video input, add a section in the following format :

BEGIN "VideoInputName"
  Device = "device"
  Type   = "type"
END

"VideoInputName" is the name of the video input you want to configure. "Device" is the path of the MPEG encoding card you want to read from (default is "/dev/video"). "Type" is either "Mpeg2-PS" or "Mpeg2-TS", depending on your device configuration (default is "Mpeg2-PS") .

Example for a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-250 card :

BEGIN "pvr"
  Device = "/dev/video0"
  Type   = "Mpeg2-PS"
END

To configure a dvb input, add a section in the following format :

BEGIN "DvbInputName"
  DeviceNumber = "devicenumber"
  SendMethod   = "0"
END

"DvbInputName" is the name of the dvb input you want to configure. Set "SendMethod" to "0" if you to stream the complete DVB stream and set it to "1" if you only want to stream the MPEG audio and video streams (default is "0"). "DeviceNumber" is the number of the DVB device you want to read from (read from /dev/ost/dvr<devicenumber>, default is ""). The dvb configuration file is defined by the driver. You can find it in $HOME/.dvbrc for /dev/dvb/adapter0 or in $HOME/.dvbrc.X for /dev/dvb/adapterX .

Example :

BEGIN "dvb1"
  DeviceNumber = "0"
  TrickPlay = "normal"
END

4.2.8. Section "Channels"

In this section, you can define the channels (outputs) you want to use. For each channel, write a line in the following format :

ChannelName = "Type"

This adds a channel named "ChannelName", the type of which is "Type". "Type" must be either "network" or "file". Like inputs, channels must be configured in their own section .

Example :

BEGIN "Channels"
  localhost  = "network"
  client1    = "network"
  client2    = "network"
  multicast1 = "network"
  multicast2 = "network"
  localfile  = "file"
END

4.2.9. Channels configuration

For each channel declared in the "Channels" section, you must add a section with the same name as the corresponding channel. The syntax of such a section depends on the type of the corresponding channel .

To configure a network channel, add a section in the following format :

BEGIN "NetChannelName"
  Domain    = "Domain"
  Type      = "Type"
  SrcHost   = "SourceHost"
  SrcPort   = "SourcePort"
  DstHost   = "DestHost"
  DstPort   = "DestPort"
  TTL       = "ttl"
  Interface = "Interface"
END

• "NetChannelName" is the name of the network channel you want to configure .

• "Domain" is either "inet4" if you use IPv4 addresses, or "inet6" if you use IPv6 (default is "inet4") .

• "Type" is either "unicast", "broadcast" or "multicast" (default is "unicast"), depending on what you want to do (and on your "DstHost" address) .

• "SourceHost" is the IP address (or DNS name) from which VLS will send the stream .

• "SourcePort" is the UDP port from which the stream will be sent .

• "DestHost" is the IP address (or DNS name) to which the stream will be sent .

• "DestPort" is the UDP port to which the stream will be sent (default is "1234") .

• "TTL" is an option useful only if "Type" is "multicast" (default value is "0"). You can use it to increase the TTL of your multicast packets if they have to cross several routers .

• "Interface" is an option only supported under GNU/Linux, to force the stream to be sent through a given network interface, "eth1" for instance" (to use this option, you must have super-user permissions) .

"SrcHost" and "SrcPort" are optional (if you don't set them, VLS will not 'bind' the socket) .

To configure a file channel, add a section in the following format :

BEGIN "FileChannelName"
  FileName = "file"
  Append   = "append"
END

"FileChannelName" is the name of the file channel you want to configure. "file" is the name of the file where the stream will be stored (default is "fileout.ts"). "append" is either "yes" or "no", and indicates whether VLS will append the stream at the end of the file, or rewrite it .

Example :

BEGIN "localhost"         # The client is on the same host as the server
  DstHost = "localhost"
  DstPort = "1234"
END

BEGIN "client1"           # unicast towards client1
  DstHost = "192.168.1.2"
  DstPort = "1234"
END

BEGIN "client2"           # unicast towards client2 in IPv6
  Domain  = "inet6"
  DstHost = "3ffe:ffff::2:12:42"
  DstPort = "1234"
END

BEGIN "multicast1"         # multicast streaming
  Type    = "multicast"
  DstHost = "239.2.12.42"
  DstPort = "1234"
  TTL     = "2"
END

BEGIN "multicast2"         # multicast streaming in IPv6
  Domain  = "inet6"
  Type    = "multicast"
  DstHost = "ff08::1"
  DstPort = "1234"
  TTL     = "12"
END

BEGIN "localfile"         # file output
  FileName = "stream.ts"
  Append   = "no"
END

If you use Windows, you should specify the "SrcHost" and "SrcPort" fields. For example : BEGIN "client1" # The client is on the same host as the server SrcHost = "192.168.1.1" # IP of VLS SrcPort = "1242" # Source port : the value is not important DstHost = "192.168.1.2" # IP of the client DstPort = "1234" END

4.2.10. Programs Configuration

As explained before, you must define the programs. Each one is a MPEG stream (a file, for example). To do this, you must add an "Input" section in your vls.cfg file. Each "Input" section must have the following syntax :

BEGIN "Input"
  FilesPath    = "path"
  ProgramCount = "count"
END

"path" is the path where your MPEG files are located (by default it is the current directory). "count" is the number of programs defined ("0" by default) .

For each program you want to define, you must add a section with the following format :

BEGIN "number"
  Name     = "name"
  Type     = "type"
  FileName = "file"
  Device   = "device"
END

• "number" is the program number: the first program has number 1, the second number 2, and so on .

• "name" is the program name, by which you will tell VLS to start this program (see next chapter "Running VLS") .

• "type" can be "Mpeg1-PS", "Mpeg2-PS", "Mpeg2-TS", or "DVD". If your stream is stored in a MPEG file (*.mpeg, *.mpg, *.vob, and so on...), it is probably in Mpeg1-PS or Mpeg2-PS format .

• if "type" is set to "Mpeg1-PS", "Mpeg2-PS", or "Mpeg2-TS", VLS will assume your stream is stored in the file "file", in the directory "path" ("path" being the variable defined in the "Input" section) .

• if "type" is "DVD", the variable "Device" will be used instead of "FileName" (the variable "FilesPath" is not prepended to the device name !). The variable "Device" is the device of your DVD drive ("/dev/hdc" or "/dev/cdrom" for instance). You can also play a DVD copied on a hard disk: then "device" is the directory where the .vob files are stored ("/mnt/data/VIDEO_TS" for instance) .

VLS can stream MPEG files that meet two critera : the file must be MPEG PS (Program Stream) or MPEG TS (Transport Stream), that contain video and audio multiplexed. VLS cannot stream MPEG ES (Elementary Stream), i.e. a file with only audio or video . In order to know if an MPEG file is MPEG PS, MPEG TS or MPEG ES, read the file with VLC and look at the messages (select in the menu View / Messages, or use the command line vlc -vvv) . If you see a line : [00000107] main module debug: using demux module "ts_dvbpsi" it means the file is MPEG TS . If you see a line : [00000109] main module debug: using demux module "ps" it means the file is MPEG PS . If you see a line : [00000109] main module debug: using demux module "es" it means the file is MPEG ES, VLS can't stream it. . the sequence header of the video must repeat itself regularly, which is often the case with MPEG-2, but very rare with MPEG-1. There is no easy way to know if the sequence header is repeated regularly. Files with a .vob extension are normally MPEG-2 files and files with .mpg or .mpeg extension or usually MPEG-1 files . You can download this streamable MPEG-2 PS file for your tests : presentation_short.vob .

In order to play DVDs, you need to compile VLS with DVD support, which uses libdvdread and libdvdcss. You will need read and write access rights to the DVD device .

Full example :

BEGIN "Input"
  FilesPath = "/home/videolan/streams"
  ProgramCount = "4"
END

BEGIN "1"     # MPEG2 stream stored in /home/videolan/streams/Dolby.vob
  Name     = "dolby"
  FileName = "Dolby.vob"
  Type     = "Mpeg2-PS"
END

BEGIN "2"     # another file
  Name     = "canyon"
  FileName = "Dolby_Canyon.vob"
  Type     = "Mpeg2-PS"
END

BEGIN "3"     # DVD
  Name     = "dvd"
  Device   = "/dev/cdrom"
  Type     = "Dvd"
END

BEGIN "4"     # DVD stored on a hard disk
  Name     = "matrix"
  Device   = "/mnt/data/matrix/VIDEO_TS"
  Type     = "Dvd"
END