A stored media server is a device capable of playing prerecorded media from disk to the network, and recording multimedia content to disk. RTSP offers controls similar to those in a VCR remote control. A client can instruct the server to play, record, fast forward, rewind, and pause.
Media servers can play media into an existing conference.
For example, if participants in a multiparty conference are discussing a movie, it would be useful to be able to bring a media server into the conference, and have it play portions of the movie into the conference. Media servers can record voice mail. RTSP clients can use the protocol to control playback of the message. RTSP can also be used to record the incoming or outgoing voice mail message. A client executes the following steps to cause a media server to play back content.