JIRA Reference: https://jira.duraspace.org/browse/DS-1115
DS-1115 is a feature enhancement for DSpace that grew out of DS-1021 (request for a document viewer). When discussing DS-1021, I'd proposed that the idea be expanded to include a streaming server to handle audio and video files as well as text. After talking with the developers, and Tim Donohue more specifically, it became clear that the two issues needed to be kept separate, so I created the request for the streaming server as DS-1115. Here's the rationale for a streaming server:
While using a DSpace theme that can embed viewers would be an easier option, an embedded streaming server to go with the viewers would provide better user experience. Streaming servers not only perform better for most users but allow random seek (the user can skip around through files to seek specific parts of the content). There are open source server options available which could be integrated with DSpace to provide the needed functionality and it's my understanding that some DSpace installations are already working with their own solution. Some might propose DuraCloud, which supports streaming, but the stream isn't actually DuraSpace produced, it's simply streaming from the cloud. This is an added complication for institutions that are cloud-resistant and discourage their members from using anything based in the cloud. Also, as this week's Duracloud Webinar made clear, the DSpace integration with DuraCloud replicates content in the cloud as AIPs, which are just zip files, and thus are not capable of streaming. Simply put, streaming from DuraCloud is not yet an option, and may never be a practical option, given the reluctance on the part of some universities to entrust non-open-access content to the cloud.
Tim pointed out some of the challenges for this idea: "What everyone doesn't always realize is that in order to do decent video/audio streaming, we're going to either have to hook into something that is "in the cloud" (e.g. auto-send content to YouTube or DuraCloud or similar & stream from there) or we'll have to require some other software (streaming server) is installed alongside DSpace. Streaming any content gets complex, and it's not likely DSpace could ever build its own custom streaming server (nor would we want to, as it's a big job & there's already plenty of streaming software out there, both free and for $$$). So, likely this will also mean that in order for institutions to "enable" future video/audio streaming in DSpace, they'd have to go manually install some other software and follow some setup instructions (unless we are able to find a third-party streaming software that legally lets us redistribute it or auto-install it or similar)." The good news is Hardy Pottinger, the committer working on this issue, has a lead on some code that might work for this issue.
Many of you expressed support for this feature during the DS-1021 discussion. This forum is open for any additional ideas or comments and to provide a second opportunity for the wider community to chime in on the issue. I will update the Jira ticket for this issue with any relevant comments we may have as well to show support (or lack thereof) for this issue in that forum as well.