Implementing Video Streaming in USRP Applications

Issue Details

We developed a digital communication application using USRP and LabVIEW Communication System Design Suite (LabVIEW Comms). I want to transfer video data for demonstration purpose. How can I do this in LabVIEW Comms?

Solution

You can easily implement video streaming by using an external program, VLC Media Player. This program can convert video files to stream-formatted data and transmit/receive it through UDP protocol. A LabVIEW application can be inserted in the middle of the transmission to process UDP data directly. For example, you can design the data flow as follows:
1. VLC media player instance (Tx): Convert a video file to stream data and transfer it to a UDP port.
2. LabVIEW Comms. Application (Tx): Receive UDP data using the UDP port and transmit it as the RF signal via USRPs. 
3. LabVIEW Comms. Application (Rx): Process the RF signal, interpret it as UDP data and transfer it to a UDP port
4. VLC media player instance (Rx): Receive UDP data and play it in real time. 

Please refer to the Additional Information section below for specific settings for the VLC media player.
 

Additional Information

• You can find the detailed streaming setting in VLC media player in the following link. External Link: Streaming HowTo
• ​​​​​​The VLC media player is a free open source program and can be used to import dlls directly from LabVIEW. See the link: Example Program Draft of VLC RTSP streaming in LabVIEW
• For the UDP protocol implementation in LabVIEW, refer to the "Simple UDP" that is a default example in LabVIEW.