Hi everyone!

Some of you may/may not now, Fireball left OLFSL, I voluntered (silly me) to take over OLFSLtv.

Here are the first details to keep you going:

• At least one Pool streamed per weekend (usually more).
  
• Hopefully more coverage, such as other events, practice sessions etc.
  
• More content, being creative, hopefully some more interesting stuff too.
  
• Our TV service will be available to rent at low cost for other events/leagues etc.
  
• Automatic director - for times when a human director is not available, a clever system has been developed that switches cars and views automatically.
  
• Back to standard Winamp NSV, no more FDD plugin required. (Those worrying about quality, please don't, I expect equal or better quallity than we had before with only Winamp required by the viewer)

I'm very happy to see the commenting continuing, wish you all the best!
A bit of music in the background would be nice imho. The new LFS sound make my larynx contract itself...
A lot of free music can be found here btw: http://www.jamendo.com/en/, you have to look around a bit.

Quote from russraine :

• Back to standard Winamp NSV, no more FDD plugin required.

BOOOH!
So, back to locking out all non-windows users. Thanks.

Quote from nilo :

BOOOH!
So, back to locking out all non-windows users. Thanks.

As much as I do not like using closed source software where oss alternatives are available, for you, whether you are using Linux, BeOS, BSD, Solaris or your fingers, VLC 0.86 plays back the streams (at least videos encoded with VP3/VP62) without problems. I hope streaming will work too.
regards, Tys

Quote from nilo :

BOOOH!
So, back to locking out all non-windows users. Thanks.

I'm sure there must be some other OS programs that can handle the stream, try searching google.

As the majority of LFS users are running windows, and being LFS is only supported on windows what's the big deal?

Dropping the plugin makes sense, it was odd to install for people not used to doing that sort of thing, it also means anyone stumbling across OLFSLtv by accident or for the first time, wouldn't be able to simply click and watch.

Quote from TysCaargh :

As much as I do not like using closed source software where oss alternatives are available, for you, whether you are using Linux, BeOS, BSD, Solaris or your fingers, VLC 0.86 plays back the streams (at least videos encoded with VP3/VP62) without problems. I hope streaming will work too.
regards, Tys

VP stuff works fine. All I can say is, if he uses the encoding fireball was using, it's video does not play anywhere but windows (sound works). I still have a recording (pool1_event8.nsv) on my hdd. I can't even figure out the encoding used in that file. (vlc reports: "no suitable decoder module for fourcc `undf'")

Quote from russraine :

As the majority of LFS users are running windows, and being LFS is only supported on windows what's the big deal?

The big deal for me is, that I want to watch the streams on my laptop, and not have to turn on my dedicated lfs-pc.

Quote from russraine :

Dropping the plugin makes sense, it was odd to install for people not used to doing that sort of thing, it also means anyone stumbling across OLFSLtv by accident or for the first time, wouldn't be able to simply click and watch.

How can you know everyone running windows uses winamp? There are a lot of people out there, using tons of different media players.

But: See my other post - if it works with vlc everything is fine, sorry for ranting then.

I've just been testing VP3 and VP6 and VP6 looks much better so I might go with that.

I'll setup a test stream soon so you can test VLC and others with it and give me feedback, stay tuned!

Blimey, all those votes for the Commentary, I was hoping not to have to do it LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. Oh well :-)

Going to put a test stream up tomorrow, just a still picture and audio, for a few hours, feedback on non windows compatability welcome.

Quote from russraine :

Going to put a test stream up tomorrow, just a still picture and audio, for a few hours, feedback on non windows compatability welcome.

It is not about "non-Windows" compliance. It is about bloatware like Winamp 5. I know little people that use Winamp5, because Winamp 2.8x does exactly the same with less. Play music.
If you want to be compatible with most of the audience, find a solution that is viewable with Windows Media Player. And then maybe use only freely available software and codecs. That would help the linux/bsd/etc people alot.
If there is interest, I would like to do some research.
Otherwise, I will install Winamp5
Regards, Tys

Quote from TysCaargh :

It is not about "non-Windows" compliance. It is about bloatware like Winamp 5. I know little people that use Winamp5, because Winamp 2.8x does exactly the same with less. Play music.
If you want to be compatible with most of the audience, find a solution that is viewable with Windows Media Player. And then maybe use only freely available software and codecs. That would help the linux/bsd/etc people alot.
If there is interest, I would like to do some research.
Otherwise, I will install Winamp5
Regards, Tys

Well I'm always open to ideas, if you can find suitable streaming methods which are more incusive of everyone, then let me know, i'm new to streaming, but have done some research.

By the looks of it, it would be possible to stream in WMV, but doubt that it much use as it is even more Windows orientated. I can't see any specfic stream format that works on all media players, but if anyone can find one, remember I need the encoder and every media player has to have the decoder, also it must be able to stream good quality at less than 300k.

what means "low cost" in tearms of video broadcasting a whole series? (about 6-8 races)

or is it just radio?


what do you want for that autoswitching tool?

I haven't looking into costs yet, number of factors.

Length of coverage, a short race would be cheaper than 24 hour event.

I would say as a rough guide though.

5 to 10 Euros per race, could probably do a discount for regular season booking. It would of course not have to clash with OLFSL.

The auto switcher is not a program or server mod by us, but a mixture of tools which together provide the effect. You could in theory do the same thing, with some research into auto keyboarding and macros.

--------------------------------------

Regarding the stream again, I found this this looks like it would get NSV into an IE, but would need users installing an ActiveX, which, is a bit shite.

lets say its an overall 2h broadcast. completely with pre race footage of the qualifying e.g. provided by me. and then live coverage with commentary.

For those interested in renting OLFSLtv for other races and leagues, here is some example information.

• Firstly we only accept PayPal
  
• If you do decide to rent this service, it is classed as a donation to cover extra bandwidth and server costs.
  
• The paypal account is only used for OLFSLtv
  
• All donations go towards the server rental which is about 25 euros a month (may vary due to usage).

No one from OLFSL makes any personal money from donations to OLFSL.

• 5 euros and hour for a stream with no commentary
  
• 10 euros an hour for a stream with commentary (*)

(*) I must say though, still not sure about this commentary thing yet, I've never done it before, will have to try it first, our previous guy Fireball was really good at it. So in the end it might just be LFS sounds and video only (if i'm really crap that is).

Quote from russraine :

So in the end it might just be LFS sounds and video only (if i'm really crap that is).

Noo, you won't be crap. Just .. .different. Drink some beer, that always helps;>
The 300 kbit you are talking about is the upstream of your DSL connection, I guess? If so, the server you stream the stream to (...) may recode the stream to some more generally accepted stream then and could be using more bandwidth, is that right? Or are you concerned about the costs of the resulting bandwidth usage?

Quote from TysCaargh :

Noo, you won't be crap. Just .. .different. Drink some beer, that always helps;>
The 300 kbit you are talking about is the upstream of your DSL connection, I guess? If so, the server you stream the stream to (...) may recode the stream to some more generally accepted stream then and could be using more bandwidth, is that right? Or are you concerned about the costs of the resulting bandwidth usage?

Damn, I don't like beer.....!

Yeah my upstream is about 300kps, so I'll be uploading around that to try to maximise that for best streaming quality. The downstream would be around 300 too I reckon, looking at my tests, as most people have above 1mbit this should be fine.

Not concerened about using bandwidth, it just costs more.

Quote from nilo :

But: See my other post - if it works with vlc everything is fine, sorry for ranting then.

Right i've tested the stream with VLC and it works fine. This is on VP6.2 codec.

<mr.burns>Excellent!</mr.burns>

Should be able to have the stream going at this weekends tuneup race courtesy of Nassa Ant. Bear in mind though, it will be following my car, if I happen to be driving. Though if I crash out, will be able to direct as normal. Will provide more details nearer the time.

Right then. The stream will be live tonight from 1700 gmt - you will need latest winamp or VLC with the VP6 plugin.

Feedback on picture quality, amount of buffering and sound quality please. Bear in mind, that if your connection is less than 300k per second, then you will have buffering anyway, minimum required is 512k download.

http://87.117.194.93:8020/listen.pls

Quote from russraine :

[*]Automatic director - for times when a human director is not available, a clever system has been developed that switches cars and views automatically.

Out of idle interest, is that going to be made public?

I'd prefer a commentator and LFS sounds, but deffo not music.

The video quality is quite alright but the sound is clipping like hell!

I was skipping some tracks with my hotkeys, couldda been that I spose!

Quote from duke_toaster :

Out of idle interest, is that going to be made public?

Maybe, it's not as techincal as it sounds, but, might not need it now, as I'm not working Sunday nights anymore.