[pvrusb2] streaming through windows share

[Matt Nyerges]

>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Is it possible, or can anyone think of anyway /dev/video0 can be
> > streamed through windows share?
> >
> > For example:
> > 1) Share the /dev directory on a linux box.
> > 2) On a windows desktop, access the shared /dev directory and
> > double-click on 'video0'.
> > 3) Start watching a live stream.
> >
> > Of course the above doesn't work.
> >
> > I am able to stream /dev/video0 through VLC, but i'm wondering if
> > there is a way to do it through windows shares.
>
> Ryan:
>
> That's an interesting idea.
>
> However that's really a question for Samba (the entity I presume you are
> using to share the "files" with Windows).  I suspect that this would not
> be likely to work since the concept of devices masquerading as files is
> completely alien to the Windows file sharing world.  Samba can't really
> treat a character device (which is what /dev/video0 is) in the way it
> would probably need to in order to support attached SMB clients.  File
> locking isn't going to work, for example.  Opening the file for writing
> isn't going to work either.  And forget about trying to lseek() such a
> file, which is really a sequential device under the hood.
>
> If you can teach Samba how to export a character device so that it is
> read-only, can't be locked, and can't be seeked, then you might have a
> chance here.  However even that might not be enough because a streaming
> character device doesn't have the concept of a file size and needing to
> know that might also be a showstopper.
>
>   -Mike
>
> Ryan,

I don't know how much disk space you have on your computer, but you might
try sharing a directory using Samba (like /home/username/videos), and then
run a "cat /dev/video0 > /home/username/videos/livetv.mpg".

Then on your Windows box try to access livetv.mpg on that share.  This way
you could also seek in your stream (pause, rewind, etc.).

The only drawback I see is disk space usage and that while cat'ing the video
the file livetv.mpg may be locked and inaccessible from the Windows share.

-Matt