Open Source Solutions for Live Video Distribution?

mikvo asks: "I work for my state Department of Transportation, and we have a reasonably advanced traffic monitoring system, currently with almost 300 cameras (and expanding). However, our matrix (300x200) video switch is running out of life, and we have to replace it. The primary consultant on the project is recommending we move entirely to digital video, using VBrick encoders and decoders. It's a private network, though we know there are still security issues around that. However, the primary question is, are there viable open source alternatives for both encoding and decoding the live video streams, rather than relying on proprietary (read expensive) decoding hardware?"

"The video encoders would have to be deployed in the field (protected cabinets, but still subject to tempreature extremes), while the decoders would all be indoors. The decoders would also have to support rapid (sub-second) switching between video streams. We would require full remote management of both encoders and decoders. I know I can use something like vlc (VideoLAN client) just to read the video streams coming from a VBrick encoder (I have that working on our demo units). However, I'm not sure I'm totally comfortable with the cost of the propsed solutions, especially when it's my tax dollars (in part at least) that are paying for it.

Video distribution would have to be on-demand viewing of any encoded video stream, by any authorized party. The control center has a large (14 screen) video wall that, ideally, should be able to display any video in any of the 14 quadrants, or to show video spread over multiple quadrants.

I'm perfectly happy to do the research (and I've started doing some), but I'm looking for tips or ideas. I'm not an expert when it comes to video solutions on open source operating systems."