JWPlayer Caches Images

Question

I have a Wifi camera that will FTP files to a server. I want to view the most current file in a browser window like it is a video that constantly gets updated, maybe 1 frame every 2 seconds.

I need this to be smooth. (i.e. not reloading the full page). I've tryed JWPlayer 5.7. The problem is that if I give it an image and tell it to reload it every 2 seconds with the parameter:


    
      jwplayer('mediaspace2').setup({
          'flashplayer': 'mediaplayer-5.7/player.swf',
          'duration': '1',
          'provider' : 'image',
          'file': 'camera/current.jpg',
          'controlbar': 'none',
          'dock': 'true',
          'autostart': 'true',
          'repeat': 'always',
          'start': '1',
          'width': '470',
          'height': '300'
      });

The player (I suspect the browser) caches the first downloaded image and it never changes, although it changes on the server.

Is there a better way to do this? Or a workaround so I can get a video?

They do this on this on sensr.net, but it seems they extend the player or have their own.

Is there a workaround to this problem? Using a playlist, creating a separate updating no-cache frame, or something?

I would think it would really be silly to try to make an RSTP stream of the incoming pictures, but I haven't figured that out yet.

Thanks, -Polar

PabloS PabloS · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-01T22:33:30

@Polar -

You could use the player's JavaScript API to force a new load every couple of seconds. Just add a random cache-busting URL parameter to force the browser to ignore the cache and grab a new version.

Alternately, you could try setting your cache headers server-side to expire the image immediately after downloading, but not all browsers respect these headers.

JWPlayer Caches Images

1 Answers