Keeping Alive Rtsp Connection

Question

I have a simple Rtsp Client...The client send Rtsp Commands to Rtsp Server and get RTP packets from server.

The problem is that after a time( about 3-4 minute) my 3rd party RTSP Server drop connection with my RTSP Client.

I have not implemented RTCP...I take rtp packets from rtsp server but does not send any RTCP PACKET...

I make simple search and find that some guys use some RTSP commands[ like OPTIONS, SET PARAMETER-GET PARAMETER ] too keep alive Connections between RTSP Server and Client... But in my case that does not work...

Here is my questions:

1. What is the best way to keep alive connection with RTSP server?
2. Do i have to implement RTCP [ send RTCP packets to server]? May the connection drop because i do not send RTCP packets to server?

Answer 1

What is the value of timeout you receive in SETUP response? Are you using this value for implementing keep alive functionality?

Session = "Session" ":" session-id [ ";" "timeout" "=" delta-seconds ]

Generally RTSP is based on TCP and RTP is based on UDP. So ideally both the channels require keep alive functionality. If RTP session is closed that does not mean that RTSP connection should also be teardown whereas RTP channels must be closed on RTSP channel teardown.

1) What is the best way to keep alive connection with RTSP server? --> Send any RTSP request periodically (OPTIONS, SET_PARAMETER or GET_PARAMETER) before timeout value received in SETUP response.

2) Do i have to implement RTCP [ send RTCP packets to server]? May the connection drop because i do not send RTCP packets to server? --> RFC (RTSP or RTP) does not mandate requirement of RTCP to keep RTP channels alive.

Answer 2

Sending an OPTIONS request didn't work for me.

The only RTSP command that I could send to keep the connection alive was GET_PARAMETER

My timeout is 60s and I send a GET_PARAMETER request every 40s

Works like a charm!

(No, you do not have to RTCP packets to the server)