private InputStream getInputStream(
      String urlStr, Format outputFormat, ContentDescriptor outputContentDescriptor)
      throws Exception {
    final ProcessorModel processorModel =
        new ProcessorModel(
            new MediaLocator(urlStr),
            outputFormat == null ? null : new Format[] {outputFormat},
            outputContentDescriptor);

    final Processor processor = Manager.createRealizedProcessor(processorModel);

    final DataSource ds = processor.getDataOutput();

    final DataSink[] streamDataSinkHolder = new DataSink[] {null};
    // connect the data output of the processor to a StreamDataSink, which
    // will make the data available to PipedInputStream, which we return.
    final PipedInputStream in =
        new PipedInputStream() {
          // override close to clean up everything when the media has been
          // served.
          @Override
          public void close() throws IOException {
            super.close();
            logger.fine("Closed input stream");
            logger.fine("Stopping processor");
            processor.stop();
            logger.fine("Closing processor");
            processor.close();
            logger.fine("Deallocating processor");
            processor.deallocate();
            if (streamDataSinkHolder[0] != null) {
              logger.fine("Closing StreamDataSink");
              streamDataSinkHolder[0].close();
            }
          }
        };
    final PipedOutputStream out = new PipedOutputStream(in);
    final DataSink streamDataSink = new StreamDataSink(out);
    streamDataSinkHolder[0] = streamDataSink;

    streamDataSink.setSource(ds);
    streamDataSink.open();
    streamDataSink.start();

    logger.info("Starting processor");
    processor.start();

    // TODO: if there is an error, make sure we clean up.
    // for example, if the client breaks the connection.
    // we need a controller listener to listen for errors.

    return in;
  }