Streaming camera output trough UDP

content/posts/streaming-camera-output-trough-udp/index.md

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+title = "Streaming camera output trough UDP"
+date = 2024-11-14
+
+[taxonomies]
+categories = ["Linux"]
+
+[extra]
+author = "Emil Miler"
++++
+
+I had an interesting assignment to set up a low-latency video stream from a camera to a TV screen on the third floor of a building for a short event. I came up with a simple solution: streaming it directly over UDP using OBS and capturing the stream with MPV.
+
+<!-- more -->
+
+## Intro
+
+The event took place on a stage that needed to be streamed to two screens -- one in the lobby on the ground floor and another deep inside the third floor. The audio team provided a clean audio mix directly to my camera’s audio mixer.
+
+The building, located in the old town of Prague, had a complicated floor plan, as you might imagine. Connecting to the ground floor screen was straightforward with a direct HDMI link, but reaching the third floor was more challenging without an HDMI-to-Ethernet extender, which I didn’t have.
+
+![x210](x210.jpg)
+
+My solution was to lay a UTP cable from the TV on the third floor to my laptop with an HDMI capture card, configure direct routing, and stream from OBS to a client that would output the video and audio over HDMI to the TV.
+
+## Server setup
+
+First I set up the network:
+
+```sh
+ip a add 192.168.66.1/24 dev eth0
+ip route add 192.168.66.2 dev eth0
+```
+
+The OBS part was a little tricky. I am sure this can be highly optimized.
+
+![OBS Settings](obs-settings.png)
+
+## Client setup
+
+Again, static adress is needed, but no routes have to be defined this time.
+
+```sh
+ip a add 192.168.66.2/24 dev eth0
+```
+
+The stream can then by captured with MPV:
+
+```
+mpv --no-cache udp://@0.0.0.0:8081
+```
+
+![Client](client.jpg)
+
+It does have some latency, but since the TV was hidden deep in the building, it was not a big issue. I might try using something like [UltraGrid](http://www.ultragrid.cz/) in the future.