[vlc] Release of AribaMC: Overlay-based video streaming plugin for VLC

[Christoph Mayer]

Hi Arioch,

> Does Ariba use native IP Multicast, if found that backbone is capable ?

current Ariba can not use a hybrid IPMulticast/Overlay model. We have 
concepts for such mechanism but its currently not implemented.

> The next question i think wouldl have answer "no" but maybe would 
> influence you future goals.
> 
> Can Ariba be made for Windows, or libraries are linux-specific ?
 > Can Ariba be distiributed as binary plugin for vanilla Win32
 > installation ?

Currently Ariba is Linux based. A Windows port would not be that hard to 
achieve.

> Can Ariba be used, so that clients determine what to view, not passively 
> accept what server is streaming?
 > From 1st glance, VLC has this in Tools -> Configure VLM -> Video on
 > Demand mode.

One overlay is employed currently per video stream. So if the client 
streams multiple videos through Ariba, we could enhance the GUI so that 
a client can see what is available on the network and choose.

> Can Ariba clients use network auto-discovery, such as ZeroConf (Avahi) 
> or UPnP or such ?

Ariba uses multiple bootstrapping modules that can be switched on/off. 
First, mDNS-based ZeroConf with Avahi (here we use not the VLC 
mechanisms but our own), second, a custom broadcast announcement, and 
third Bluetooth SDP, i.e. if you have bluetooth devices they can find 
the stream through SDP.

> Would Ariba server auto-discover clients and chooses one to proactively 
> stream to ?

Currently the stream is diseminated in a tree-based multicast overlay to 
every joined client. So if the client joins the overlay, it receives the 
stream.

Thanks for your interest and we would be happy to push this further!

Regards,
Chris

http://www.ariba-underlay.org/wiki/Documentation/VLC