Share a live broadcast stream (HTTP, HTTPS, or RTSP)
Applies to: Pearl-2, Pearl Mini, Pearl Nexus, Pearl Nano
The easiest way to deliver your content to your viewers is to give them the live broadcast URL of the channel. You can get that using the Admin panel. A separate URL exists for each channel you stream.
The format of the URL depends on the method you used to access the device, which can be done through network discovery using the device's serial number or IP address. The device must be accessible on the viewer's LAN for them to access and view the stream using serial discovery.
If HTTPS is configured, the live broadcast URL will start with https instead of http.
If the device is behind a firewall and you want to share a stream with remote viewers, you need to set up port forwarding on your network. Consult with your network administrator.
Table — URL options
| Access Method | URL Format |
|---|---|
| serial discovery | http://<*serial*>.local/preview.cgi?channel=<channel number> https://<*serial*>.local/preview.cgi?channel=<channel number> rtsp://<*serial*>.local:<*port*>/stream.sdp Where serial is the serial number of the system, the port number for the channel is found on the Info page, and the channel number is provided from the Admin panel. You must install Bonjour Print Services on your Windows or Mac computer to access the live Preview using the serial number. |
| IP address | http://<*IP Address*>/preview.cgi?channel=2 https://<*IP Address*>/preview.cgi?channel=2 rtsp://<*IP Address*>:<*port*>/stream.sdp Where IP address is the IP address of the system, the port number for the channel is found on the Info page, and the channel number is provided from the Admin panel. |
An RTSP stream is supported by most media players such as QuickTime and VLC. You can choose from two RTSP transport protocol options.
- RTSP (UDP/TCP): The client chooses UDP or TCP as the preferred transport protocol. The preferred option is UDP, which is a connectionless transport protocol that does minimal error checking for less delay when transporting packets. UDP is suitable for use with stable, low-loss networks.
- RTSP (TCP): Uses TCP as the transport protocol. Use TCP if you're network connection is lossy and would benefit from the error-checking and packet-loss retransmission that TCP performs.
Retrieve the stream URL for your viewers using the Admin panel
- Log in to the Admin panel as admin.
- From the Channel(s) menu, select the channel and click Status. The Status page appears.
- Record the Live broadcast, **RTSP stream **URL or other web streaming address. This is the address you can send to viewers or use to create a link to your broadcast.
Device differences
- Pearl Nano: Admin panel menu names are singular ("Channel" menu, not "Channel(s)").