Direct streaming (explained)

XProtect Mobile supports direct streaming in live mode.

Direct streaming is a video streaming technology that transfers video from an XProtect system to the clients directly in H.264 codec, which is supported by most modern IP cameras. Direct streaming does not require any transcoding and, therefore, removes some of the stress on the XProtect system.

The direct streaming technology is in contrast to the transcoding setting in XProtect, in which an XProtect system decodes video from the codec that is used on the camera into JPEG files. Enabling the feature results in reduced CPU usage for the same configuration of cameras and video streams. Direct streaming also increases streaming performance for the same hardware - up to five times as many concurrent video streams compared to transcoding.

You can use direct streaming in the single-camera view, the grid view, and picture-in-picture (PiP).

The video stream falls back from direct streaming to transcoding if:

• The direct streaming feature has been disabled in Management Client, or the requirements have not been fulfilled (see Requirements for direct streaming).
• The codec of the streaming camera is different than H.264.
• The video cannot start playing for more than four seconds.
• The connection with the server or with the camera has been lost.
• You use the privacy masking feature during live video.