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Why you need Fast Video Cataloger Server

Fast Video Cataloger Server is the right choice when more than one person needs to work with the same video catalog. Without the server, two users editing a .vcat file at the same time will corrupt it. The server coordinates concurrent access so a team can browse, tag, and add videos simultaneously without stepping on each other.

Typical scenarios

  • A shared library inside a company — multiple editors need to find, tag, and reference videos from a central catalog. The server keeps the catalog consistent and makes it reachable from every workstation on the LAN.
  • Remote access over the internet — collaborators outside the local network need to browse or contribute to the catalog. The built-in HTTP server makes this work over a single port, with per-user access control.
  • Browser-based access — viewers who do not have the desktop application installed can still search the catalog, view videos, and add tags through the web interface.
  • Integration with other systems — the REST API exposes the full catalog API, so external tools, dashboards, or custom workflows can read and update the catalog programmatically.
  • Always-on availability — running as a Windows service means the catalog stays reachable across reboots and outside business hours, without anyone needing to be logged in.

If none of those apply — you are a single user editing your own catalog — see When do you NOT need the server.