I'm starting to look into technologies to support a project that involves video chat between one party using a web browser and another party using a fat client (technology TBD, per below). I see three components that need to be identified (and I'd prefer to avoid reinventing any wheels): the web client (video recording & playback), fat client (video recording & playback), and a server to act as interchange between them. When I last did similar work years ago Flash seemed to be the only game in town, but I suspect there are other viable options now. What set of technologies for the above components (or suggest an alternate architecture) fit my wishlist below? Web-client side can be embedded in a web page and will have access to a local camera. Fat client side must be so simple as to be automatic (i.e. no complex camera configuration) Launching this side from a browser (e.g. WebStart) is legit If there are different technologies used for the two clients, use a standard interchange technology between them. My team is most comfortable in the Java ecosystem and would prefer technologies that are easily embeddable. But, this last point is negotiable (e.g. if Silverlight is a perfect fit, then perhaps we could go with C# instead for the fat client). Thanks for any pointers!

Reputation: 7111

Best technology for web-to-application video chat?

I'm starting to look into technologies to support a project that involves video chat between one party using a web browser and another party using a fat client (technology TBD, per below).

I see three components that need to be identified (and I'd prefer to avoid reinventing any wheels): the web client (video recording & playback), fat client (video recording & playback), and a server to act as interchange between them.

When I last did similar work years ago Flash seemed to be the only game in town, but I suspect there are other viable options now. What set of technologies for the above components (or suggest an alternate architecture) fit my wishlist below?

Web-client side can be embedded in a web page and will have access to a local camera.
Fat client side must be so simple as to be automatic (i.e. no complex camera configuration)
- Launching this side from a browser (e.g. WebStart) is legit
If there are different technologies used for the two clients, use a standard interchange technology between them.
My team is most comfortable in the Java ecosystem and would prefer technologies that are easily embeddable. But, this last point is negotiable (e.g. if Silverlight is a perfect fit, then perhaps we could go with C# instead for the fat client).

Thanks for any pointers!

Upvotes: 2

Answers (3)

Alexan

Reputation: 8625

This question was asked 5 years ago, WebRTC was released later, but now I think it's best we can use for web video streaming. You can have both clients are using web, don't need to install client application.

PS. Just take into attention that WebRTC in near future will be replaced by ORTC, proposed by Microsoft.

Upvotes: 2

Adrian K

Reputation: 10215

HTML5 offers better video support (than HTML used to) - including streaming, the downside is that cross-browser support will probably be hit-and-miss.

Failing that, I'd go with Vidar's suggestion for Silverlight.

If you were in the .Net world there's a control you can use in a thick-client which is bascially a browser window - I assume there's an eqvialent in the Java world (?); this would allow you to hopefully re-use more code.

Upvotes: 1

Vidar Nordnes

Reputation: 1364

Silverlight, with IIS7(.5). Silverlight supports streaming video and it supports webcams. It was also used for the olympics for videostreaming. And with the out-of-browser-support, you fit bot the web client, and the think client

Upvotes: 2

Best technology for web-to-application video chat?

Answers (3)

Related Questions