Ffmpeg and ffserver have options for self-hosted streaming. Alternatives do exist, but I don’t know the legality nor do I know if steam would allow such files to be redistributed.
Many people have files that they don’t want to upload to youtube and such, but they still want to share with their friends. The current method a tech-savvy user I know is using is to setup a virtual machine with CentOS+ffmpeg+ffserver and play his files from that.
Any reason he’s using them in a VM?
So he doesn’t have to use a second computer @JohannesDau, obviously.
But people could upload porn! thats really bad!
dont people do that anyways? since we literally have an internet canvas item?
Ya but they are not videos
I’ve seen some pretty bad stuff, i doubt it being a video really makes much of a difference
but that’s just my opinion so idk
i meant on the televisions not on the canvases
we know
i like the idea btw
And why would the streaming have to happen from another computer, @Outtlen?
Also I don’t see any way in which a local stream upload could provide any more or less opportunity to share inappropriate materials than what we already have. Not to mention that some people might in private actually want to watch those with friends.
You’re exaggerating the consequences of an otherwise good suggestion, @JohannesDau. It doesn’t have to happen from another computer, that’s why I’m suggesting a simplified self-hosting method.
Please provide an argument that is not repeating your “worst possible outcome” argument.
I’m doing what? Where?
You were the one suggesting you need another computer / VM to do this. I was (actually still am) asking if there was any reason to do so. My ffmpeg runs on the same Windows I use to play TU but I haven’t tried streaming with that setup yet.
All I’m saying is that I don’t see a practical difference between a) uploading certain content to your own YouTube channel to stream it in TU and b) streaming it from your own machine. So this suggestion doesn’t seem to impact that problem.
(Toggles increase the codebase which leads to more complexity and bugs, I’ve made fun of the idea of making everything toggleable before.)
I don’t see where I give any argument against self-hosting, if anything I see where I neutralize it.
Please provide an argument that is not repeating your “You appear to be hating on this” argument. 
It needs to be on two computers cuz ffserver doesn’t have support for windows and tower unite’s linux port isn’t finished.
Toggles are literally just an extra boolean which means it’s not much more than a line of code.
YouTube doesn’t allow videos longer than 15 minutes and it also has a bad habit of false copyright strikes.
Apparently ffserver also won’t be a thing much longer. Maybe Steams Broadcast backend could be used by TU?
That boolean needs UI and splits the userbase into two possible cases to be tested, you don’t want to do that for everything ever that’s being suggested. But that’s another topic and we already established I’m not against the suggestion.
I agree YouTube is not perfect. The problem discussed was if you can upload inappropriate content there. Yes you can. Can you stream inappropriate content yourself? Yes you can. Can you host your Condo privately for yourself and friends who want to stream inappropriate content? Technically, I don’t see a reason not to make this possible. So I don’t see inappropriate content as a reason not to consider this suggestion.
The boolean does not need UI. Tower unite config files are located at “%localappdata%\Tower\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor” and a single line of code in the config would do the trick.