HTML5 solution to upload a webcam/camera video stream to server

Question

Using getUserMedia I can capture video stream from client's webcam/camera. And using video tag I can show it on client's browser. Code:

<video autoplay></video>

<script type="text/javascript">
    window.URL = window.URL || window.webkitURL;
    navigator.getUserMedia  = navigator.getUserMedia || navigator.webkitGetUserMedia || navigator.mozGetUserMedia || navigator.msGetUserMedia;

    var video = $('video')[0];

    var failed = function(e) {
        console.log('Denied!', e);
    };

    if( navigator.getUserMedia ) {
        navigator.getUserMedia( {video: true, audio: true}, function( stream ) {
                video.src = window.URL.createObjectURL(stream);
            }, failed
        )
    } else {
        console.log( 'Not supported!' );
    }
</script>

Now is it possible to send this video stream, either as a realtime feed or after user has done recording and decided to upload, to a server?

I found few examples of:

• sending binary images to server over websocket
• Periodically capture frame of streaming video and send that as image

Answer 1

MediaStreamRecorder is a WebRTC API for recording getUserMedia() streams . It allows web apps to create a file from a live audio/video session.

 <video autoplay></video>

    <script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
    function onVideoFail(e) {
        console.log('webcam fail!', e);
      };

    function hasGetUserMedia() {
      // Note: Opera is unprefixed.
      return !!(navigator.getUserMedia || navigator.webkitGetUserMedia ||
                navigator.mozGetUserMedia || navigator.msGetUserMedia);
    }

    if (hasGetUserMedia()) {
      // Good to go!
    } else {
      alert('getUserMedia() is not supported in your browser');
    }

    window.URL = window.URL || window.webkitURL;
    navigator.getUserMedia  = navigator.getUserMedia || 
                             navigator.webkitGetUserMedia ||
                              navigator.mozGetUserMedia || 
                               navigator.msGetUserMedia;

    var video = document.querySelector('video');
    var streamRecorder;
    var webcamstream;

    if (navigator.getUserMedia) {
      navigator.getUserMedia({audio: true, video: true}, function(stream) {
        video.src = window.URL.createObjectURL(stream);
        webcamstream = stream;
    //  streamrecorder = webcamstream.record();
      }, onVideoFail);
    } else {
        alert ('failed');
    }

    function startRecording() {
        streamRecorder = webcamstream.record();
        setTimeout(stopRecording, 10000);
    }
    function stopRecording() {
        streamRecorder.getRecordedData(postVideoToServer);
    }
    function postVideoToServer(videoblob) {

        var data = {};
        data.video = videoblob;
        data.metadata = 'test metadata';
        data.action = "upload_video";
        jQuery.post("http://www.kongraju.in/uploadvideo.php", data, onUploadSuccess);
    }
    function onUploadSuccess() {
        alert ('video uploaded');
    }

    </script>

    <div id="webcamcontrols">
        <button class="recordbutton" onclick="startRecording();">RECORD</button>
    </div>

Spec:

http://www.w3.org/TR/mediastream-recording/

you can send recorded file to server.

Answer 2

Take a look at this article: http://www.smartjava.org/content/face-detection-using-html5-javascript-webrtc-websockets-jetty-and-javacvopencv

It shows a use of Webrtc:

These APIs should enable building applications that can be run inside a browser, requiring no extra downloads or plugins, that allow communication between parties using audio, video and supplementary real-time communication, without having to use intervening servers (unless needed for firewall traversal, or for providing intermediary services).