Configuring streaming settings

Controls the ability of the MCU to stream conferences.

If this setting is Enabled, you can configure streaming on a per-conference basis from individual conferences' configuration pages. For more information about configuring an individual conference, refer to Adding and updating conferences.

If this setting is Disabled, it will not be possible to stream any conferences.

Permits or prohibits streaming of conferences that are generated either through the "Create new conference" option in video auto attendants, or calling the MCU with an unknown E.164 number.

Changing this setting will have no effect on currently active ad hoc conferences; however, when an ad hoc conference is running, whether or not streaming is allowed for that conference can be configured (go to Conferences, select the conference you require and select the Configuration tab).

Ad hoc conferences are not permitted when Port reservation is enabled - if the MCU is operating in port reservation mode then this streaming option will not be shown.

The MCU is configured with two streaming rates, each comprising audio and video encoding formats (codecs) and overall (i.e. combined) media bit rate. The names you enter are the choices offered to users when streaming.

This is intended to make the choice easier for potentially non-technical users; for instance, one rate could be named "low bit rate" and the other "high bit rate".

The name is optional - if not specified, the choices offered to users will simply show the details of the audio and video codecs, together with the overall media bit rate.

Choose from the available media players.

It is not possible to use Windows Media Player to stream conferences in multicast mode.

Sets the audio and video combination to use, and the overall media bit rate.

Typically, when two streaming rates are used, one is set up as a low bit rate combination and the other configured to use a higher bit rate. This enables those users with a low bandwidth connection to achieve useful streaming while at the same time allowing those with a high bandwidth link to take advantage of enhanced video.

The available options vary depending on which media player you have chosen.

Choose whether to use the specified streaming rate for multicast.

If this is set to Enabled then for any conference with Streaming set to "Multicast" or "Unicast and multicast", multicast audio and video streams will be transmitted according to the corresponding Streams setting.

Setting any Multicast parameters to "Enabled" will only be useful if the multicast media IP addresses and port numbers are also configured - see below.

It is not possible to use Windows Media Player to stream conferences in multicast mode.

Identifies the range of IP addresses to which multicast streaming media should be sent.

If this address range is not configured, the MCU cannot transmit multicast conference media.

Sets the range of port numbers to which the media will be sent.

This UDP port number range is used in conjunction with the Media transmit IP address.

You must set both the start and end port numbers to transmit multicast conference media.

Identifies the protocol used by Windows Media Player to stream data. Note that v11 only supports HTTP; it no longer supports MMS over UDP or MMS over TCP.

MMS over UDP is a low latency/ high throughput protocol, while MMS over TCP includes extra reliability, though extra processing power is required. Both use the streaming port, so if a restrictive firewall is present HTTP may be necessary.

Auto negotiation attempts to open the most efficient connection, switching protocols if unable to do so, but on some systems this is not efficient. Codian recommends that you select to use UDP/TCP/HTTP rather than auto-negotiation.