[vlc-devel] [PATCH 2/2] live555: Use OPTIONS as keep-alive fallback

[Ross Finlayson]

I don’t know of any server that would have a problem with receiving “OPTIONS” commands that contain a “Session:” header, even though it’s (arguably) not compliant with RFC 2326.  (RFC 2326’s only mention of this is in the table in section 12, where it notes that the “Session:” header is valid for “all but SETUP, OPTIONS” - which is somewhat dubious, because the “Session:” header *is* used in (all but the first) “SETUP” commands in a multi-track stream.)  If a server doesn’t expect to see a “Session:” header in the “OPTIONS” command, then it’ll probably just ignore it, rather than returning an error.  On the other hand, I have heard of servers that complain if the “Session:” header is *not* present in the “OPTIONS” command (once a session has been established).  And I’ve heard of servers that handle “OPTIONS”, but not “GET_PARAMETER”, even sometimes when they return “GET_PARAMETER” as one of their supported commands in response to an initial “OPTIONS” request!

The bottom line is that there are a lot of fucked up servers out there, but sending “OPTIONS” (with a “Session:” header if appropriate) seems to work more often than either sending “OPTIONS” without “Session:” header, or “GET_PARAMETER”.  This is what the "LIVE555 Proxy Server” does, for example.

But, to be safe, you might wish to send “OPTIONS” (with the “Session:” header, where appropriate) only for Julian Scheel’s new “satip” access method, but continue to use “GET_PARAMETER” for regular “rtsp” access.  Your call...


Ross Finlayson
Live Networks, Inc.
http://www.live555.com/

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