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Streaming from webcam on OS X - what technology to use?

I'm building a videoconferencing application in OS X.

What technology would be best to use for real-time streaming video/audio captured from webcam/microphone in OS X?

So far I was unsuccessful with these methods:

  • using QTKit I captured the media, but there isn't a way to stream it (without using the QTSS which is too bloaty and hard to control programmatically).
  • using QT Java I got everything (almost) working, but the library is deprecated, it crashes every once in a while, signals memory leaking and there isn't a way to save preferences from a settings dialog
  • I installed gstreamer using Macports, but there isn't a working osxvideosrc (or audio for that matter)

My next target is VLC because it can access the webcam in OS X, but I'm not sure will it give me what I need - can I control it fully over an API and can I display the stream inside a Cocoa application (using QTKit's player)?

Solution

  • Could of points:

    • Consider Flex/Flash and possible Adobe Air. Many people have written videoconferencing applications this way.
    • QT for Java is dated and not going anywhere.
    • VLC is a solid option. Stable, well known, powerful, and very mature.