[Live-devel] streaming mpeg4 with hinting to helix server

[Ross Finlayson]

You're a bit confused, I think, about what "hint tracks" mean.  "Hint 
tracks" are an optional feature of ".mov"-format and ".mp4"-format 
files that some RTSP servers (most notably, Apple's Darwin Streaming 
Server, but perhaps the 'Helix' server also) use in order to 
implement RTSP features such as seeking and 'trick play' (e.g., 
fast-forward).  It's important to understand that 'hint tracks' are 
just an internal feature of the file.  They are not part of the RTSP, 
RTP or RTCP protocols, and are not 'streamed' in any way.

It's also important to note that *our* RTSP server implementation 
does not use 'hint tracks' at all.  (In fact, our server does not yet 
stream from ".mov"-format or ".mp4"-format files at all; however, it 
can stream from several other types of file (e.g., MPEG Transport, 
Program, or Elementary Stream files) that the 'Darwin' and 'Helix' 
servers do not support at all.)
-- 

Ross Finlayson
Live Networks, Inc.
http://www.live555.com/