Static File Hosting¶

The Fast Video Cataloger Server can serve video, photo, and actor photo files directly via HTTP. This eliminates the need to configure Windows file shares for remote clients.

Overview¶

When static file hosting is enabled, the server exposes files at:

/files/videos/ -- Video files
/files/photos/ -- Companion photos
/files/actors/ -- Actor photos

Clients can access files using standard HTTP requests, with support for streaming and seeking in video files.

Enabling Static File Hosting¶

Using Server Setup¶

Open the Server Setup application
Enable the "Built-in File Hosting" option
Save the configuration
Restart the server

When enabled, Server Setup displays the file hosting URL (e.g., http://your-server:8754/files/).

Using serverconfig.xml¶

Add or modify these settings in your serverconfig.xml:

Restart the server after making changes.

Configuration Options¶

Accessing Files¶

Path-Based Access¶

GET /files/videos/subfolder/myvideo.mp4
GET /files/photos/thumbnail.jpg
GET /files/actors/actorname/photo.jpg

ID-Based Access¶

GET /api/v1/videos/123/stream

Authentication¶

Authorization Header:

Authorization: Bearer {token}

Query String:

/files/videos/myvideo.mp4?token={token}

Supported Video Formats¶

The server recognizes these video file extensions and sets appropriate MIME types:

Extension	MIME Type
.mp4	video/mp4
.mkv	video/x-matroska
.avi	video/x-msvideo
.wmv	video/x-ms-wmv
.flv	video/x-flv
.webm	video/webm
.m4v	video/x-m4v
.mov	video/quicktime
.ts, .mts, .m2ts	video/mp2t
.3gp	video/3gpp

Video Streaming¶

The server supports HTTP Range headers for video streaming. This allows:

Seeking to any position in the video
Resuming interrupted downloads
Efficient bandwidth usage

Most video players and browsers automatically use Range requests when supported.

Comparison with Windows Shares¶

Feature	Static File Hosting	Windows Shares
Setup complexity	Simple	Requires share configuration
Cross-platform	Yes (HTTP)	Windows-centric
Authentication	Session tokens	Windows accounts
Firewall	Single HTTP port	Multiple ports
Internet access	Easier to expose	VPN typically needed
Performance	Good	Excellent on LAN

When to Use Static File Hosting¶

Use static file hosting when:

Clients are on different platforms (macOS, Linux, mobile)
You need to access files over the internet
You want simpler firewall configuration
You prefer HTTP-based authentication

Use Windows shares when:

All clients are Windows on the same network
Maximum performance is critical
You already have Windows share infrastructure

Both methods can be used simultaneously if needed.