Proposal [Rest API] Support streaming from http sources

I have a work-around to stream to the zidoo player that will be included in the next release of the Home-Assistant custom component. This Proposal is to either add this ability natively to the Rest API, or to fix an issue with Music Player 6.0

Main Feature Request
It would be best if streaming was supported natively by using a http:// reference in
ZidooFileControl/v2/openFile?url= request.

For example: ZidooFileControl/v2/openFile?url=http://192.168.1.1/music.mp3&type=0

Fix Current Work-Around for Media Player 6.0

currently I have discovered that it is possible to use the upnp request to start streams using undocumented calls

ZidooFileControl/v2/openFile?url=<quoted_upnp>
where <quoted_upnp> = upnp://<upnp_server>?type=<app_type>&res=<quoted_http_ref>
the string must be quoted to protect references (i.i. "/" becomes "%2F")
where
<upnp_server> = udn ref ( ignored in most apps except Media_Player )
<app_type> options are:
0 = default Media Control app
1 = Music Player
2 = Video Player
3 = Image Player
4 = custom media app
<quoted_http_ref> = remote file url
the string must be double quoted (i.e. "/" becomes "%252F")
There is an additional field for openFile - &way=<app_type> but this appears to be ignored
There are additional fields in the <quoted_upnp> reference, but all seems to be optional ad/or ignored.

This solution works for remote images, compatible videos, and other sources using 3rd party apps.

It does not work on audio files with Music Player 6.0, which appears to re-query the UPNP server. (Fortunately, it is possible to play audio files using the Video Player).

If the main feature request is not possible, could the Music Player be modified to fall back to the same operation as the other apps in some way to override the re-query (for example, if null is sent as the upnp_server?

 

Yes, I would greatly appreciate this feature that enables HTTP streaming. For instance, I can use the Zidoo video player with Jellyfin only within my own network. However, if I select this option with an external player outside my network or with someone sharing, it fails. I believe this feature should be allowed.

 

Adaptive streaming is difficult support. I created my own web application to do this (but it's not a ready-to-go solution for anyone but myself).

Without TREMENDOUS CPU or GPU horsepower it's not practical do live conversion of video content to different resolutions and bit rates. What's typically done to support adaptive video streaming is that each video title you want to stream has to be pre-encoded into multiple files at different resolutions and quality levels. Then you use a protocol like DASH to switch between streaming out different versions of the same video contents depending on current network speed.

For my own uses I chose 480p, 720p, and 1080p as three different resolutions that can be streamed. Many adaptive services used more than three. For simplicity I stream the same stereo (or mono, if the original audio was mono) audio at the same quality along with any of the video streams.

I don't bother to stream any of my 4K movies at 4K. I also don't stream TV shows in my collection at higher than 720p, and extras/bonus material at higher than 480p. I also crank up video compression higher than I do for home use. This is both to keep network bandwidth requirements low and to save on storage: My video library is currently contains about 20.6TB of video content. I consume an additional 7.3TB of storage to save all of the pre-encoded streaming video content.

When I first set this up I had one or more computers running 24/7 for TWO MONTHS to prepare all of my video for adaptive streaming. My power bill was noticeably higher over that time period! (Too bad it was during the winter and our then-new solar panels couldn't kick in more). At least now I only have to do streaming conversions (this is all semi-automated, by the way) as I buy new movies.

For the best you could hope for the Zidoo to do on its own, you might as well just use Jellyfin for that.