[Live-devel] New user, test video synchronization with demo?

[Warren Young]

On Feb 15, 2018, at 12:45 PM, Ross Finlayson <finlayson at live555.com> wrote:
> 
>> With older version of browsers we used vlc npapi plugin, and the videos where synchronized, but now it’s impossible to use it.
> 
> Why?  If I were you, I would continue to investigate using web browser ‘plugins’ for existing RTSP/RTP video player clients - such as VLC.

There isn’t a single major current desktop browser that will embed VLC via NPAPI today.  Chrome dropped NPAPI support in September 2015, Opera dropped it in May 2016, and Firefox in March 2017.  The LTS version of Firefox still supports NPAPI plugins, but that isn’t going to remain a viable option for long, even for those willing to stick to an old version of Firefox.

Safari technically still has NPAPI support, but it fights you every time you try to use such a plugin.  Even that aside, the last time I checked, there were only ancient builds of the VLC plugin available for the Mac.  Windows Safari was discontinued in 2012.

As for the ActiveX plugin, Edge won’t embed ActiveX by default, leaving only IE, which only holds onto about 5% of the market these days.

All of this is in service of a) security; b) stability; and c) pushing everyone toward web standards.

Your best remaining option — if moving to WebRTC, HLS, etc. — is to launch URLs externally and register VLC to catch the URL schemes you use.

The VLC browser plugin is effective dead technology today.