Hello everyone. I know RTSP streams have been brought up multiple times and add me to the list. I’ve gone through a lot of other posts and tried some things, none of which worked so I am taking a few steps back and rather than continue to fight with code let me ask this a different way.
I am running Xibo for Docker on a virtual server running Ubuntu. The goal is create a layout that rotates through security cameras on one half of the screen (2 cameras at a time one on top of the other and then rotate to the next two, etc) via an RTSP stream that works well if I use VLC and on the other half of the screen rotate through temperature monitors that we have to monitor our freezers and refrigerators. The RTSP stream is my current focus. Now if I understand things properly, I need a client running the Xibo player to display on the TV that will be on the wall. I can spin up a Windows box, but that doesn’t seem to be the best choice since a lot of others seem to be struggling with displaying RTSP streams in Windows or I have an older Raspberry Pi I could spin up with something else. I also have a few old desktops I could repurpose as well.
What is going to be my best choice for success in this case?
RTSP streams are not supported on the Xibo for Windows Player, however Xibo for Android does support RTSP. Below is a link to the Documentation for the Local Video Widget, which you would use to receive the RTSP stream:
If you plan to use the Xibo for Android Player instead for your RTSP stream, you will need a more powerful hardware solution than a Raspberry PI. I have also included a link to our Recommended Hardware Guide for the Xibo for Android Player:
So if I understand all of this correctly, it’s not that Xibo isn’t doing what it’s supposed to do it’s the player that can or can’t support the stream so at the end of the day all I need to do is run the Xibo player via Android and I should be good to go?
That’s correct. Just in case any future users should happen across this post, below is a list of supported streaming formats and the Players that support them:
RTSP
Xibo for Android (Version 1.8)
Xibo for webOS (Version 1.8)
HLS
Xibo for Windows (requires Windows 8.1 or later) with the HLS Widget
Xibo for Android (requires Android 6 or later) with the Local Video Widget
Running Xibo for Android and am not receiving the RTSP streams. I can see other content that I create in a region, but the RTSP streams do not and if I have an RTSP stream setup in a region, nothing else displays as well so something is holding the display up. The RTSP stream plays fine via VLC.
Still trying to get this up and running. I have a test layout with a YouTube video playing in one corner, clock in the other and finally a region with Local Video Widget and the RTSP stream URL. The RTSP URL stream plays fine in VLC. It does not play via Xibo for Android. I have changed the codec in the RTSP stream from H.265+ to H.264. I have also tried embedding a login for the RTSP stream in the URL as well as no login. Still nothing. The region in the player is blank and appears transparent as the background color I set shows up in that space. Do you have any additional suggestions? Is there a script or HTML I can embed in the Embedded widget?
Think I’ve got this squared away, but I find myself having to constantly reboot the Android after every change in order for the player to pick up the changes. Looks like I can’t stream more than two RTSP feeds at the same time, which isn’t a huge deal, but now if I set more than one camera in the timeline in a region, the camera feed does not show up at all.