# Streaming a channel direct to viewers

*Applies to: Pearl-2, Pearl Mini, Pearl Nexus, Pearl Nano*

Stream content directly to viewers on the local network using the default streaming
settings as soon as you've powered on the system and configured a channel. Just choose
the live broadcast method that's right for your viewers. They can tune into the stream
and watch using their favorite web browser or media player.

**Table — Publishing options for streaming direct to viewers on the local network**

| **Publishing Options** | **Use this option to...** |
| --- | --- |
| HTTP or HTTPS | Viewers on the same local network as the device can access the Live broadcast URL using a web browser on the local network and are instantly connected. Viewers can also choose to use their favorite media player to watch the stream on the local network. They just need the URL for any of the other supported streaming methods (like FLV or MPEG-TS) to watch using their media player. Use these direct streaming methods for only a small number of viewers because each viewer uses the full stream bandwidth and consumes resources on the device. |
| RTSP | Viewers can copy and paste the URL of the RTSP stream into a media player and watch the stream on the local network. |
| HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) pull | Stream live over the standard HTTP port 80, making it possible to cross firewalls and proxies that are normally accessible to other HTTP traffic and facilitates content delivery to CDNs. If HTTPS is configured on the device, traffic from port 80 is redirected to port 443. There is approximately a 30 second delay when streaming using HLS. |

To stream video outside your LAN using the channel's HTTP/HTTPS or RTSP URLs, you must
configure port forwarding on your router. Consult with your Network Administrator.

The following features are supported for direct to viewer (local) streams from a Pearl
Channel:

- Disable and enable direct channel streaming
- Restrict viewer access to channel streams
- Share a live broadcast stream (HTTP, HTTPS, or RTSP)
- Change HTTP and RTSP streaming port values
- Enable HLS (pull)

> product: pearl-family · topic: streaming · source: pearl-family-common.md · updated: Oct 13, 2026