Before WebRTC technology came into being, many businesses conducted their audio and video communications through third-party telecoms that allowed the transmission of high-definition streams. Now, businesses are taking matters into their own hands by harnessing the power of Web browsers and leveraging the capabilities of WebRTC.
Despite these technological advancements, however, third parties are still necessary for some aspects of business communications. One example stems from the fact that WebRTC is unable to communicate with IP cameras, so unless businesses' IT teams intend on building their own home-grown links between cameras and browsers, outside entities can play a key role in making multi-user conferences possible.
The primary function of the Flashphoner WebRTC Media and Broadcasting Server is to broadcast a video stream from IP cameras to WebRTC-enabled browsers. The company's website describes its product as able to ensure "one-to-many" communication by way of a Web browser and the real-time messaging protocol (RTMP).
Virtual Strategy further describes the server as a Linux-based "mediator between an RTSP compatible IP camera and end users' computers by receiving the video stream from the camera and broadcasting it to all connected clients." This means that it is perfect for a number of solutions that require many video streams to work in tandem with one another.
One primary market the tech news site lists is security and surveillance. IP cameras used within a surveillance system could use the Flashphoner server to broadcast their streams into a format suitable for viewing with a browser. Security admins could easily look at such streams from any remote location such as a separate office building or on their mobile devices.
Additionally, the Flashphoner server can make it possible for businesses to use it as a platform for videoconferences. Whether or not businesses intend to reach consumers with product announcements or conduct an in-house virtual meeting, the server can bring together many video and audio streams to make such prospects possible.
Edited by
Maurice Nagle
