What is Red5 - rajdeeprath/red5-server GitHub Wiki

Red5 is a media streaming server similar to adobe flash media server, written in java programming language, which comes packaged in two flavours - an open source version and a professional version (Red5 Pro).

While the open source version of red5 primarily uses RTMP protocol for capturing and distributing media (because that's what adobe flash player understands) , the professional version augments to it other popular standard protocols such as RTSP, HTTP to capture / deliver stream to virtually any platform and any device.

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Red5 capabilities common to both open source and profession versions:

• Streaming Video (FLV, F4V, MP4, 3GP)

• Streaming Audio (MP3, F4A, M4A, AAC)

• Recording Client Streams (FLV and AVC+AAC in FLV container)

• Shared Objects (real time data sharing)

• Live Stream Publishing

• Remoting (AMF)

• Protocols supported: RTMP, RTMPT, RTMPS, and RTMPE

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Red5 is widely used for the following activities :

• Broadcasting live stream to end users from various sources

• Recording live stream from a user’s webcam

• Streaming pre-recorded media files (VOD) to end users

• Real time-data transmission and consumption in chat, games and other applications where real time data capturing / processing is necessary.

• Relaying stream from a IP camera to end users

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While these are some of the general uses, you can extend red5 to accomplish virtually any kind of task that requires real time stream or data capturing & relaying. Being written in java, it will easily accept and integrate with any kind of server side side software.

Being versatile in nature red5 can cater the needs of different types of people. For example, red5 open source is a perfect choice for any educational / non profit institution where as Red5 pro can be used by a professional streaming business to deliver quality service to its customers.