mplex13818

This software review is for mplex13818, an ISO 13818 stream multiplexer designed for real-time usage. The software can handle both program and transport streams, as well as PES. It is specifically designed to run continuously on a streaming server that transmits multiple ISO 13818 broadcast streams while reorganizing these streams in real-time. The mplex13818 project even includes an EN 300468 SI table generator.

Some key features of the software include the ability to output either a transport stream or a program stream. Input streams may come in the form of program streams, paketized elementary streams (PES), or transport streams in any combination. mplex13818 ensures that streams are kept in sync when multiplexing is taking place, whenever possible. Normal real-time operation obeys stream timing, while the untimed operation is available for disc file conversion.

During operation, program information and stream compilation can be changed on the fly. The software also includes program map table manipulation, descriptor filter/injection, and an additional tool for EN 300468 SI table composition.

Installation is simple and requires unpacking the tar archive and executing "make install," after which it will be placed in the /usr/local sub hierarchy. While the software doesn't come with a readme file, man pages are available, including iso13818ts(1), iso13818ps(1), repeatts(1), and en300468ts(1). Additionally, there are diagnostic tools such as showts, ts2pes, and pes2es included, provided by third parties. These tools can produce a stream dump when given the option "-v," although details about them are not provided. Users are invited to write a man page or a similar document for these tools, but sources are available for explanations.

Overall, mplex13818 is a versatile and reliable software designed for handling multiple ISO 13818 broadcast streams. It comes with several features and diagnostic tools, making it a practical choice for real-time usage.