Tutorials

How to Stream DVI, HDMI or VGA over the Network

This tutorial explains how to send VGA, DVI or HDMI video over an Ethernet/IP network. For capturing, streaming and broadcasting VGA, DVI, or HDMI video data you can use one of Epiphan's broadcaster - streaming products. Epiphan's integrated capture, encoding and streaming hardware features an Ethernet/IP output to stream and broadcast video from HDMI, DVI or VGA over an Ethernet/IP network. The video stream is accessed and viewed by web browsers, media players, content distribution networks and set top boxes.

Sample Application - Streaming DVI Video source using VGADVI Broadcaster

In this example we will broadcast a video stream captured from a DVI video source such as a computer display, camera or microscope. You will need the following equipment:

DVI video source,
VGADVI Broadcaster,
DVI-to-DVI cable,
Ethernet cable,
A computer with a web browser or media player to view the stream
A working Ethernet/IP network path between the capture site and the viewing site

Anyone can access this video stream no matter wherever he/she is located using the URL for the video stream broadcast information obtained from the administrator as described below.

Step 1: Required connections

stream VGA DVI or HDMI

DVI to DVI cable

As we are going to capture video from a DVI source, connect the DVI cable to the DVI source and the VGADVI Broadcaster via the DVI In port.
Connect the Ethernet cable from the network to broadcaster.
Turn on the VGADVI Broadcaster and the video source.

Step 2: How to find the URL for the DVI, HDMI or VGA Video STREAM

If you do not already know the URL for the stream being broadcast, Epiphan provides a network discovery software application or an iOS app to find the URL for VGA, DVI or HDMI streams available on the network. To use these applications it is necessary to install the application on a PC or iOS (iPhone, iPad ) device on the same sub-network where the broadcast device is capturing the source.

Identify URL for DVI, HDMI or VGA Live Stream

To download the software, open a browser, navigate to the VGADVI Broadcaster product page
Download one of the Network Discovery Utilities.
Alternatively, you can contact your network administrator to obtain the IP address URL for the device.
Start the network discovery application and click “Search”. The application will search for the Epiphan stream broadcasting device(s) in the sub-network. The streaming broadcaster device will appear in the window. On the PC application, click the “Web Config…” button on the Network Discovery Utility program to browse to the Web admin interface.
Using the interface you can get the broadcaster’s current IP address in order to determine the URL for the stream you wish to share.
In the Web admin settings you can also configure viewer access control to the broadcast via userID and password, and/or IP address filters .

Step 3: Viewing the URL Stream broadcast

DVI vga hdmi live stream screenshot (click to enlarge)

Click to Enlarge DVI Live Streaming Screen shot

To access the broadcast stream URL a viewer should know the URL for the stream determined above, as well as the username and password(if configured). This information is provided by an administrator to the authorized viewers.
After starting up web browser, browse to the URL or IP address provided and enter the userid and password if required
Now you see the DVI stream as it is captured and streamed. You can also start a media player and enters the URL IP address in the Open URL dialog box. Click to Enlarge DVI HDMI VGA Live Streaming Screen shot

Step 4: Streaming VGA, or HDMI sources

In order to stream VGA, or HDMI video sources, you follow the same instructions above, however with different video connector cables or adapters.

More advanced users may also enhance this solution by:

Adding a second SD video source for picture in picture streaming
using VGADVI Broadcaster Pro, or VGA Grid ( More Info )
- Adding multiple HD, SD and audio sources
- Stream natively and directly to iOS without CDN
- Create and stream mulitple views of VGA, DVI, HDMI and camera sources
- Create different streams with higher and lower bit rates or other CODEC settings
Transmitting streams using multicast technology,
Publishing the VGA, DVI or HDMI stream to a content distribution network. This adds scalability, deals with firewall issues, and provides broader device and stream type support
Streaming over WiFi with multi cast, or other LAN/WAN architectures

Please consult the product documentation or other case studies on this website for these more advanced applications.

stream VGA dvi hdmi video to remotes