RTMP streaming with FFmpeg QSV

This documentation was tested under clear Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 19.04 but it should work on another OS distributions.

Prepare environment and dependencies

Install all required common packages:

• Complete guide "Build and use ffmpeg with MediaSDK".

• Install packages for create local server

  sudo apt install nginx libnginx-mod-rtmp
  

• Configure nginx server for use with ffmpeg:

  • Open config file:

    nano /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
    

  • Add to config file next content:

    rtmp {
            server {
                    listen 1935;
                    chunk_size 4096;
    
                    application live {
                            live on;
                            record off;
                            meta copy;
                            exec /usr/local/bin/ffmpeg -hwaccel qsv 
                            -hwaccel_device /dev/dri/renderD128
                            -c:v h264_qsv -i rtmp://localhost:1935/$app/$name
                            -map 0 -c:v h264_qsv -profile:v baseline
                            -preset medium -g 50 -bf 1 -async_depth 1
                            -b:v 1000K -maxrate 1000K -minrate 1000K -f flv
                            -c:a copy -f flv rtmp://localhost:1935/$app_output/$name_1000
                            -map 0 -c:v h264_qsv -profile:v baseline
                            -preset medium -g 50 -bf 1 -async_depth 1
                            -b:v 2000K -maxrate 2000K -minrate 2000K -f flv
                            -c:a copy -f flv rtmp://localhost:1935/$app_output/$name_2000;
                    }
    
                    application live_output
                    {
                            live on;
                            record off;
                    }
            }
    }
    

  • Add nginx user to video group

    usermod -aG video www-data
    

  • Restart nginx server

    systemctl restart nginx.service
    

Usage examples

Use x11grab device as input.

ffmpeg -init_hw_device qsv=hw -filter_hw_device hw        \
   -video_size 1920x1080 -f x11grab -framerate 30         \
   -i :0.0+0,0 -vf hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64,format=qsv \
   -c:v h264_qsv -f flv rtmp://localhost/live/msdk

This grab the image from desktop with 1920x1080 width and height and transcode in way which specified in config file. You can also specify upper-left corner from which x11 grabs image by x and y in cmd, like:

-i :0.0+x,y

You can check stream by ffplay (which installed with ffmpeg)

ffplay rtmp://localhost:1935/live_output/msdk_2000

ffplay window opens and cmd output shall be like:

Input #0, flv, from 'rtmp://localhost:1935/live_output/msdk_2000':  
 Metadata:
   Server          : NGINX RTMP (github.com/arut/nginx-rtmp-module)

Also you can use local stream as input instead of x11grab like:

ffmpeg -init_hw_device qsv=hw -filter_hw_device hw     \
   -video_size 1920x1080 -i local_stream -framerate 30 \
   -vf hwupload=extra_hw_frames=64,format=qsv          \
   -c:v h264_qsv -f flv rtmp://localhost/live/msdk

Useful links

• FFmpeg: Capturing your Desktop
  • #X11grab
• Getting started with nginx RTMP