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Building A Small Video-On-Demand System?

Posted by Cliff on from the putting-it-all-together dept.

Ryan Mack asks: "My dorm is looking to build a small (4-8 user) Web-based video-on-demand system. Basically, we'd want to be able to schedule MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 streams to be decoded and sent over our building's unused cable TV distribution system. There are many PCI MPEG decoder cards, but few advertise Linux driver support, and none mention if multiple cards can be run in a single box. We've also looked at external MPEG decoding devices, but these require ATM, T1/E1, or high speed RS422 connections, which also raise Linux compatability concerns. Anybody done this before? Can anybody recommend a MPEG decoding card or a RS422 controller capable of 5 Mbps transfer?"

3 of 21 comments (clear)

  1. Why dedicated? by E1ven · · Score: 3

    I am by no means an expert on this subject, but why use a dedicated MPEG decoding piece of HW?
    It would seem possible to use a low-end PC with a TV-out board, and SMPEG to output it out.
    Maybe I am missing something?
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  2. Re:many ways by technos · · Score: 3

    Most offboard MPEG1/2 decompressors require an ATM or RS422 host connection. ATM is expensive junk, and RS422 has a nominal guaranteed throughput of 5Mbps. Most host cards will not guarantee this, nor ever reach it, however.. (As for why; I assume they're going to rip their combined DVD collections to disc. Disk space is dirt cheap these days. Get a good bargain on unflashable 40G ATA66 drives and you're set..)

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  3. many ways by av-grunt · · Score: 3

    this usually blows, but, I have to answer your Q with a couple. MPEG1 is best done at 2Mbps. MPEG2 is best done at 6Mbps. (these are best bang for the bit #'s) Why r u looking for 5Mbps? Software based decoding usually maxes the proc with an MPEG1 @ 2Mbps. I am unaware of a Soft based MPEG2 decoder. Try VisualCircuits. They have a card that is a 4 port output(composite Video/Stereo Audio) that will decode MPEG1/2. Oh yeah, you can load one box with up to four of these buggers. yeah yeah, it runs on NT the best, but Linux dvrs are coming...so they say. of course, being able to play back MPEG'd video precludes that fact that you need coded media to begin with. Are you being provided with the crushed video or or you encoding it yourselves?? With what hardware?