Sending data (video) from a client to the server

vvvv beta general
1

Hello,

Using the boygrouping, I have a camera connected on a client, and I would like to analyse the video (for tracking) on the server.

My problem is that the VideoIn is (as expected) OK only on the client having the camera connected, and empty (nil) on other clients and on the server.

I know how to “transmit” data or instructions from server to client(s) thanks to Boygroup(Client) node, but I really don’t see how to do the inverse thing (client → server).

Sorry if I missed something obvious, still a vvvv-beginner.

Thank you for your help,

Matthieu

2

“Boygrouping doesn’t transmit any resources (textures, videos, effect files, …) over the network. Only primitive data (values, strings, colors, enums”

I think you should analyse the video on the client, or conect the camera to the server.

and for client–>server try netsend module

3

helo matthieu,

unfortunately you missed nothing. what you tried to achieve is simply not possible. in boygroups clients don’t talk back to the server.

if you want a camera signal to be analysed on the server you need to connect it to the server. or you could try sending a small version (~320x240 or even smaller) to the server via udp.

for that to try you make the signal a videotexture on the client, which you can resize by putting it on a Renderer (EX9) and taking its output via DX9Texture (EX9.Texture) (where you can set the desired width and height). then convert it to a string using AsString (EX9.Texture) and send it via UDP (Network Client) .
on the server you receive the string using UDP (Network Server) and convert the string back to a texture using DynamicTexture (EX9.Texture String) . from there you can use AsVideo (EX9.Texture) if necessary for your videoanalysis.

hope that helps…

4

Yes it really helps, thank you very much both ! Didn’t know NetSend and UDP nodes.

But it seems that each frame of my video signal (320x240) is too heavy for udp connection, since it doesn’t work. Tried with a small jpg too, it doesn’t work smoothly (many interruptions in the display of the received image).
But I succeeded to send simple data from client to server via UDP nodes, so I think I actually will try and do my tracking analysis on each client as Manuel adviced me, then send only the resulting data to the server, in order to treat them together (I have a multicamera system).

This should work…

Matthieu

5

Hello. You can also try my simple modules. Thats based on UDP and works well i think. It’s will bring about 25 fps at 320x240.

UDP Streaming 0.2.zip (3.7 kB)