The Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), developed by the IETF and created in 1998 as RFC 2326, is a protocol for use in streaming media systems, which allows a client to remotely control a streaming media server, issuing VCR-like commands such as "play" and "pause", and allowing time-based access to files on a server.
The sending of streaming data itself is not part of the RTSP protocol. Most RTSP servers use the standards-based RTP as the transport protocol for the actual audio/video data. The RTSP server from RealNetworks also features RealNetworks' proprietary RDT as the transport protocol.
Clients
GStreamer
Media Player Classic
MPEG4IP
MPlayer
QuickTime
Avi player
RealPlayer
Skype
VLC media player
Winamp
Windows Media Player
Xine
MythTV via Freebox
Gom player
Server software
QuickTime Streaming Server: Apple's closed-source streaming server that ships with Mac OS X Server Darwin Streaming Server: Open-sourced version of Quicktime Streaming Server maintained by Apple pvServer: Formerly called PacketVideo Streaming Server, this is Alcatel-Lucent's streaming server product. Helix DNA Server: RealNetworks' streaming server. Comes in both open-source and proprietary flavors. Live555: Open source C++ server and client libraries used in well known clients like VLC and mplayer. VideoLAN: Open source media player and streaming server Windows Media Services: Microsoft's streaming server included with Windows Server. VX30: Streaming video server and embedded JAVA client from Maui X-Stream.
Related pages
Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) Fusion RTSP solution for embedded systems, e.g. IPTV, internet TV and mobile internet devices.
Other websites
RTSP.org , a central information repository about RTSP. Tunneling RTSP and RTP Over HTTP A standard solution to help RTSP work through firewalls and web proxies