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The problem with Apple HLS is that it uses MPEG TS container, which is not supported natively by the browsers (except Safari). So, any implementation of HLS in

by sesm 11y ago

The problem with Apple HLS is that it uses MPEG TS container, which is not supported natively by the browsers (except Safari). So, any implementation of HLS in Chrome/Firefox should do the job of extracting video/audio from container using JavaScript (or Flash, like FlashHLS player does). A more standard-friendly solution is MPEG DASH, which is similar to HLS, but can use MP4 container supported natively by the browsers (as a part of HTML5 video standard)

praseodym 11y ago
The MPEG-TS container (from 1995!) is also a lot less efficient than the more modern MP4 container. Overhead can range from 5% to 30% with bad muxing settings. See: * http://blog.zencoder.com/2011/12/08/announcing-the-clouds-most-efficient-http-live-streaming/ http://blog.zencoder.com/2011/12/08/announcing-the-clouds-mo... * http://features.encoding.com/blog/2014/02/24/simplify-http-live-streaming-encoding-com-hls-segmenter/ http://features.encoding.com/blog/2014/02/24/simplify-http-l... * http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15661664/how-do-i-alter-my-ffmpeg-command-to-make-my-http-live-streams-more-efficient http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15661664/how-do-i-alter-m... * https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/2857 https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/2857
- cpeterso 11y ago
  I wonder how much of the transcoding of MPEG-TS to MP4 for MSE could be written in optimized asm.js code.
biokoda 11y ago
> A more standard-friendly solution is MPEG DASH Standard friendly yes. But not nearly as widely supported. Apple HLS runs on adroid, iOS, a large number of set-top-boxes, flash and now javascript.
clouddrover 11y ago
But a problem with DASH is that the MPEG LA is attempting to form a patent pool, presumably with the goal of charging a patent license fee. The MPEG LA's Larry Horn says, "Market adoption of DASH technology standards has increased to the point where the market would benefit from the availability of a convenient nondiscriminatory, nonexclusive worldwide one-stop patent pool license". I think this means the future of DASH is not user friendly: http://www.mpegla.com/main/pid/MPEG-DASH/default.aspx http://www.mpegla.com/main/pid/MPEG-DASH/default.aspx
- sesm 11y ago
  Thanks a lot for sharing, this was new to me.
sethd 11y ago
Another reason HLS is so widely used is that the App Store Guidelines require it for video streaming longer than 10 minutes: Video streaming content over a cellular network longer than 10 minutes must use HTTP Live Streaming and include a baseline 192 kbps or lower HTTP Live stream It's also the only format that works with Apple TV via AirPlay. If you're already deploying HLS to target iOS and Apple TV (natively as well as in Safari), and HLS is already supported in other devices like Android, desktop browsers via Flash, and now JavaScript, then it seems like the path of least resistance.

by sesm 11y ago

praseodym 11y ago

The MPEG-TS container (from 1995!) is also a lot less efficient than the more modern MP4 container. Overhead can range from 5% to 30% with bad muxing settings. See: * http://blog.zencoder.com/2011/12/08/announcing-the-clouds-most-efficient-http-live-streaming/ http://blog.zencoder.com/2011/12/08/announcing-the-clouds-mo... * http://features.encoding.com/blog/2014/02/24/simplify-http-live-streaming-encoding-com-hls-segmenter/ http://features.encoding.com/blog/2014/02/24/simplify-http-l... * http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15661664/how-do-i-alter-my-ffmpeg-command-to-make-my-http-live-streams-more-efficient http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15661664/how-do-i-alter-m... * https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/2857 https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/2857

cpeterso 11y ago
I wonder how much of the transcoding of MPEG-TS to MP4 for MSE could be written in optimized asm.js code.

biokoda 11y ago

> A more standard-friendly solution is MPEG DASH Standard friendly yes. But not nearly as widely supported. Apple HLS runs on adroid, iOS, a large number of set-top-boxes, flash and now javascript.

clouddrover 11y ago

But a problem with DASH is that the MPEG LA is attempting to form a patent pool, presumably with the goal of charging a patent license fee. The MPEG LA's Larry Horn says, "Market adoption of DASH technology standards has increased to the point where the market would benefit from the availability of a convenient nondiscriminatory, nonexclusive worldwide one-stop patent pool license". I think this means the future of DASH is not user friendly: http://www.mpegla.com/main/pid/MPEG-DASH/default.aspx http://www.mpegla.com/main/pid/MPEG-DASH/default.aspx

sesm 11y ago
Thanks a lot for sharing, this was new to me.

sethd 11y ago

Another reason HLS is so widely used is that the App Store Guidelines require it for video streaming longer than 10 minutes: Video streaming content over a cellular network longer than 10 minutes must use HTTP Live Streaming and include a baseline 192 kbps or lower HTTP Live stream It's also the only format that works with Apple TV via AirPlay. If you're already deploying HLS to target iOS and Apple TV (natively as well as in Safari), and HLS is already supported in other devices like Android, desktop browsers via Flash, and now JavaScript, then it seems like the path of least resistance.