AXIS Q7424–R Mk II Video EncoderMedia StreamsMedia StreamsThe Axis product provides several audio and video stream formats. Your requirements and the properties of your network willdetermine the type you use.The Live View page in the product provides access to H.264 and Motion JPEG video streams, audio streams and to the list of availablestream profiles. Other applications and clients can access video and audio streams directly, without going via the Live View page.How to Stream H.264H.264 can, without compromising image quality, reduce the size of a digital video file by more than 80% compared with the MotionJPEG format and as much as 50% more than the MPEG-4 standard. This means that much less network bandwidth and storage spaceare required for a video file. Or seen another way, much higher video quality can be achieved for a given bit rate.Deciding which combination of protocols and methods to use depends on your viewing requirements, and on the properties ofyour network. The available options in AXIS Media Control are:Unicast RTP This unicast method (RTP over UDP) is usedfor live unicast video, especially when it isimportant to always have an up-to-date videostream, even if some frames are dropped.RTP over RTSP This unicast method (RTP tunneled over RTSP)is useful as it is relatively simple to configurefirewalls to allow RTSP traffic.RTP over RTSP over HTTP This unicast method can be used to traversefirewalls. Firewalls are commonly configured toallow the HTTP protocol, thus allowing RTP tobe tunneled.Unicasting is used for video-on-demandtransmission so that there is no video trafficon the network until a client connects andrequests the stream.Note that there are a maximum of 20simultaneous unicast connections.Multicast RTP This method (RTP over UDP) should be used for live multicast video. The video stream is alwaysup-to-date, even if some frames are dropped.Multicasting provides the most efficient usage of bandwidth when there are large numbers ofclients viewing simultaneously. A multicast cannot however, pass a network router unless therouter is configured to allow this. It is not possible to multicast over the Internet, for example.Note also that all multicast viewers count as one unicast viewer in the maximum total of 20simultaneous connections.AXIS Media Control negotiates with the Axis product to determine the transport protocol to use. The order of priority, listed in theAMC Control Panel, can be changed and the options disabled, to suit specific requirements.NoteH.264 is licensed technology. The Axis product includes one H.264 viewing client license. Installing additional unlicensedcopies of the client is prohibited. To purchase additional licenses, contact your Axis reseller.MJPEGThis format uses standard JPEG still images for the video stream. These images are then displayed and updated at a rate sufficientto create a stream that shows constantly updated motion.The Motion JPEG stream uses considerable amounts of bandwidth, but provides excellent image quality and access to every imagecontained in the stream. The recommended method of accessing Motion JPEG live video from the Axis product is to use the AXISMedia Control in Internet Explorer in Windows.AXIS Media Control (AMC)AXIS Media Control (AMC) in Internet Explorer in Windows is the recommended method of accessing live video from the Axis product.15