Appendix D: Server File Syntax

This appendix explains how to create and edit a server destination file, which records settings used to transmit a live stream to Helix Server for broadcast to RealPlayers.

Note: If you are not familiar with XML syntax, refer to Appendix A for information about XML namespaces, tags, attributes, and values.

Understanding Server Destination Files

A server destination file specifies the IP address or DNS name of a Helix Server used to broadcast a live stream. For a multicast, the server destination file indicates the multicast address. The destination file also defines properties required by the server, such as error correction parameters and authentication passwords. These properties can vary by broadcast type. For example, error correction parameters are set in the server destination file for push broadcasts but not for pull broadcasts.

After you create a server destination file, copy it to the servers directory under the main RealProducer installation directory. You then use the destination with the graphical application, as described in "Working with Server Templates", or when running the command-line application, as explained in "Output and Destination Options". Server destination files use the file extension .rpsd.

For More Information: Before you create or modify a server destination file, be sure that you understand the broadcasting issues described in Chapter 10.

Tip: RealProducer includes sample server destination files for all broadcast types in the samples/servers directory under the main RealProducer installation directory. You can use one of these files as the basis for creating your own server destination file. Or, you can create files through the graphical application, as described in Chapter 11.

Push Server Syntax

A push server file can set up an account-based broadcast, a password-only broadcast, or a multicast. Following the XML declaration tag, you define all properties within a single list starting with a <destination> tag and ending with a </destination> tag. The pushServer value for the xsi:type property identifies the server destination as a push broadcast:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<destination xsi:type="pushServer" xmlns="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0" 
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:schemaLocation="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0 
http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0.xsd">
    ...all push server properties...
</destination>

The following sections in Chapter 11 provide background about how the broadcast properties function for the various types of push broadcasts:

"Running an Account-Based Broadcast"

"Setting Up a Password-Only Broadcast"

"Multicasting a Live Stream"

"Changing Advanced Push Broadcast Parameters"

Push Server Properties

The following table lists the possible push server properties. You define each property as a separate tag within the <destination> list.

Push Server Properties
Property	Value	Function
`address type="string"`	IP address or DNS name	Provides the server's IP address or DNS name. Ignored for multicasts.
`allowResends type="bool"`	`true\|false`	Accepts the server's packet resend requests when set to the default value of `true`. This is ignored if `transport` is `tcp` or `udp/multicast`.
`authType type="string"`	`account-based\| single-password`	Sets the authentication type used. The default is `account-based`, which requires a user name and password. The `single-password` type requires only a valid password. Use `single-password` for password-only broadcasts and multicasts.
`enableTCPReconnect type="bool"`	`true\|false`	Re-establishes a dropped broadcast stream when set to the default value of true. Used only if `transport` is `tcp`.
`endPort type="uint"`	port number	Defines the last port in the port range the server uses to receive broadcast data. The value can be `1` to `65535`. The default is `30020`. This property is ignored for account-based broadcasts.
`fecOffset type="uint"`	seconds	Offsets redundant packets by the specified number of seconds if `fecPercent` is `100`. The default is `0`.
`fecPercent type="uint"`	`0-50\|100`	Allocates a percentage of the stream for error correction packets. The value can be any integer from `0-50` or `100`. Values from `51` to `99` are assumed to be `100`. The default is `0`.
`listenAddress type="string"`	IP address	Sets the IP address that RealProducer uses to listen for packet resend requests. This property is ignored for multicasts.
`metadataResendInterval type="uint"`	seconds	Defines the number of seconds between metadata resends when `transport` is `udp`. Ignored if `transport` is `tcp`. The default is `30`.
`multicastAddress type="string"`	multicast IP address	Indicates the multicast address to use. Ignored if `transport` is not `udp/multicast`.
`multicastTTL type="uint"`	router hops	Sets the number of router hops allowed for a multicast. Valid values are `1` to `255`. The default is `16`. Ignored for other types of broadcasts.
`name type="string"`	name	Names the server destination for use by the graphical application. Used only in a job file. With a server destination file, the file name is used as the destination name.
`password type="string"`	string	Validates the server connection. For account-based broadcasts, the server's authentication database defines the password. For password-only broadcasts or multicasts, the receiver definition sets the password.
`path type="string"`	path name	Defines an optional, virtual path used for server features such as archiving or splitting. Include a trailing forward slash, as in `news/`. The value appears in the URL ahead of the stream name, as in `news/live.rm`.
`pluginName type="string"`	`rn-server-rbs`	Identifies the plug-in that handles the stream connection.
`port type="uint"`	port number	For an account-based broadcast, this defines the HTTP port on the server, which is typically `80`. For a password-only broadcast or multicast, this defines the first port in the port range the server uses to receive broadcast data. The value can be `1` to `65535`. The default is `30001`.
`savePassword type="bool"`	`true\|false`	Saves the password as plain text in the server destination file when set to `true`. The password is used only with the graphical application. With the command-line application, you must enter the password on the command line. The default is `false`.
`statisticsUpdateInterval type="uint"`	`1` to `604800`	Sets the number of seconds between statistics updates from the server in account-based broadcasts only. The default is `10`.
`streamname type="string"`	stream name	Defines the stream name used in the broadcast URL. This should use the appropriate extension, as in `live.rm` or `live.rmvb`.
`TCPReconnectInterval type="uint"`	`1` to `3600`	Indicates the number of seconds to wait before attempting to re-establish an account-based broadcast or a password-only broadcast that uses TCP transport. The default is `10`.
`transport type="string"`	`udp/unicast\| udp/multicast\| tcp`	Defines the broadcast transport and mode. The default is `udp/unicast`. For password-only broadcasts and multicasts, this value must match the setting on the receiver.
`username type="string"`	name	Validates the broadcast. The server defines the user name and password in its authentication database. Used only with account-based broadcasts.

Push Server Examples

The following sections provide examples of the three standard types of push broadcasting: account-based, password-only, and multicast.

Account-Based Example

The following example defines an account-based broadcast. The authType property sets the broadcast type. The username and password properties supply log-in credentials for the Helix Server authentication database.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> 
<destination xsi:type="pushServer" xmlns="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0" 
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:schemaLocation="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0 
http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0.xsd">
    <pluginName type="string">rn-server-rbs</pluginName>
    <authType type="string">account-based</authType>
    <address type="string">helixserver.example.com</address>
    <port type="uint">80</port>
    <endPort type="uint">0</endPort>
    <username type="string">realmedia-encoder</username>
    <password type="string">453ERP098zu</password>
    <savePassword type="bool">true</savePassword>
    <transport type="string">udp/unicast</transport>
    <listenAddress type="string">172.23.104.188</listenAddress>
    <fecPercent type="uint">20</fecPercent>
    <fecOffset type="uint">10</fecOffset>
    <metadataResendInterval type="uint">30</metadataResendInterval>
    <allowResends type="bool">true</allowResends>
    <statisticsUpdateInterval type="uint">2</statisticsUpdateInterval>
</destination>

Password-Only Example

The following example defines a password-only broadcast, as shown in the authType property value. There is no user name, and the log-in password is defined in the Helix Server receiver configuration. The metadataResendInterval property defines how long it may take Helix Server to re-establish a dropped broadcast stream.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<destination xsi:type="pushServer" xmlns="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0" 
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:schemaLocation="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0 
http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0.xsd">
    <pluginName type="string">rn-server-rbs</pluginName>
    <authType type="string">single-password</authType>
    <address type="string">helixserver.example.com</address>
    <port type="uint">30001</port>
    <endPort type="uint">30020</endPort>
    <savePassword type="bool">true</savePassword>
    <password type="string">546zRGW23</password>
    <transport type="string">udp/unicast</transport>
    <listenAddress type="string">172.23.104.188</listenAddress>
    <fecPercent type="uint">20</fecPercent>
    <fecOffset type="uint">10</fecOffset>
    <metadataResendInterval type="uint">30</metadataResendInterval>
    <allowResends type="bool">true</allowResends>
    <enableTCPReconnect type="bool">true</enableTCPReconnect>
    <TCPReconnectInterval type="uint">10</TCPReconnectInterval>
    <statisticsUpdateInterval type="uint">2</statisticsUpdateInterval>
</destination>

Multicast Example

The next example illustrates a server destination file for a multicast. The authType property is set to single-password because the password defined in the Helix Server receiver configurations is required. The transport property creates the multicast through its udp/multicast value. The multicastAddress property defines the multicast address monitored by all Helix Server receivers.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<destination xsi:type="pushServer" xmlns="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0" 
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:schemaLocation="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0 
http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0.xsd">
    <pluginName type="string">rn-server-rbs</pluginName>
    <authType type="string">single-password</authType>
    <port type="uint">30001</port>
    <endPort type="uint">30020</endPort>
    <savePassword type="bool">true</savePassword>
    <password type="string">3542zdf22</password>
    <transport type="string">udp/multicast</transport>
    <multicastAddress type="string">225.229.1.1</multicastAddress>
    <multicastTTL type="uint">16</multicastTTL>
    <fecPercent type="uint">20</fecPercent>
    <fecOffset type="uint">10</fecOffset>
    <metadataResendInterval type="uint">30</metadataResendInterval>
    <statisticsUpdateInterval type="uint">2</statisticsUpdateInterval>
</destination>

Legacy Push Server Syntax

A legacy push server file sets up a broadcast stream between RealProducer and RealSystem Server version G2, 7, or 8. Following the XML declaration tag, you define all properties within a single list starting with a <destination> tag and ending with a </destination> tag. The g2PushServer value for the xsi:type property identifies this server definition as a legacy push broadcast:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<destination xsi:type="g2PushServer" 
xmlns="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0" 
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:schemaLocation="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0 
http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0.xsd">
    ...all legacy push server properties...
</destination>

For More Information: Refer to "Setting up a Legacy Broadcast" for background information about how the legacy server properties function.

Legacy Server Properties

The following table lists the possible legacy push properties. You define each property as a separate tag within the <destination> list.

Legacy Push Server Properties
Property	Value	Function
`address type="string"`	IP address or DNS name	Provides the server's IP address or DNS name.
`name type="string"`	name	Names the server destination for use by the graphical application. Used only in a job file. With a server destination file, the file name is used as the destination name.
`password type="string"`	string	Validates the broadcast. The server defines the user name and password in its authentication database.
`path type="string"`	path name	Sets an optional, virtual path used for server features such as archiving or splitting. Include a trailing forward slash, as in `news/`. The value appears in the URL ahead of the stream name, as in `news/live.rm`.
`pluginName type="string"`	`rn-server-g2`	Identifies the plug-in that handles the stream connection.
`port type="uint"`	port number	Defines the server port where the stream is sent. The default is `4040`.
`savePassword type="bool"`	`true\|false`	Saves the password as plain text in the server destination file when set to `true`. The default is `false`.
`streamname type="string"`	stream name	Defines the stream name used in the broadcast URL. This should use the appropriate extension, as in `live.rm`.
`transport type="string"`	`udp/unicast\|tcp`	Defines the broadcast transport and mode. The default is `udp/unicast`.
`username type="string"`	name	Validates the broadcast. The server defines the user name and password in its authentication database.

Legacy Server Example

The following example defines a legacy push broadcast. The username and password properties supply log-in credentials for the RealSystem server authentication database. This broadcast uses the preferred udp/unicast transport.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<destination xsi:type="g2PushServer" xmlns="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:schemaLocation="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0 
http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0.xsd">
    <pluginName type="string">rn-server-g2</pluginName>
    <address type="string">realserver.example.com</address>
    <port type="uint">4040</port>
    <username type="string">realmedia-encoder</username>
    <savePassword type="bool">true</savePassword>
    <password type="string">456TWYzq</password>
    <transport type="string">udp/unicast</transport>
</destination>

Pull Server Syntax

A pull server file defines a broadcast in which Helix Server requests the broadcast stream from RealProducer. Following the XML declaration tag, you define all properties within a single list starting with the <destination> tag and ending with the </destination> tag. The pullServer value for the xsi:type property identifies this server definition as a pull broadcast:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<destination xsi:type="pullServer" 
xmlns="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0" 
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:schemaLocation="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0 
http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0.xsd">
    ...all pull server properties...
</destination>

For More Information: Refer to "Running a Pull Broadcast" for background information about pull broadcast properties.

Pull Server Properties

The following table lists the possible pull broadcast properties. You define each property as a separate tag within the <destination> list.

Pull Server Properties
Property	Value	Function
`listenAddress type="string"`	IP address	Defines the IP address that RealProducer uses to listen for pull requests. Do not use a DNS name. A value of `0` indicates the default address on the RealProducer computer's network interface card.
`listenPort type="uint"`	port number	Sets the port that RealProducer monitors for pull requests. The value can be `1` to `65535`. The default is `3031`. You can use the same port for multiple broadcasts running on the same machine.
`name type="string"`	name	Names the server destination for use by the graphical application. Used only in a job file. With a server destination file, the file name is used as the destination name.
`password type="string"`	string	Validates the broadcast. The serve password in the receiver configuration must match this value.
`path type="string"`	path name	Sets an optional, virtual path used for server features such as archiving or splitting. Include a trailing forward slash, as in `news/`. The value appears in the URL ahead of the stream name, as in `news/live.rm`.
`pluginName type="string"`	`rn-server-rbs`	Identifies the plug-in that handles the stream connection.
`savePassword type="bool"`	`true\|false`	Saves the password as plain text in the server destination file when set to `true`. The default is `false`.
`serverTimeout type="uint"`	`0` to `86400`	Sets the number of seconds that RealProducer waits before stopping the broadcast packets after it receives no more "keep alive" messages from the server. The default is `30`.
`streamname type="string"`	stream name	Defines the stream name used in the broadcast URL. This should use the appropriate extension, as in `live.rm` or `live.rmvb`.

Pull Server Example

The following example defines a pull broadcast. RealProducer listens on the IP address and port defined by listenAddress and listenPort, respectively, for broadcast requests by Helix Server. The password property verifies access to the stream. In a pull broadcast, the initiating receiver specifies many of the broadcast parameters, such as whether forward error correction is used.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<destination xsi:type="pullServer" xmlns="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0" 
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:schemaLocation="http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0 
http://ns.real.com/tools/server.2.0.xsd">
    <pluginName type="string">rn-server-rbs</pluginName>
    <listenAddress type="string">172.23.104.188</listenAddress>
    <listenPort type="uint">3031</listenPort>
    <savePassword type="bool">true</savePassword>
    <password type="string">WEPO342zqd</password>
    <serverTimeout type="uint">30</serverTimeout>
</destination>

©2004 RealNetworks, Inc.
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