Understanding Adaptive Streaming in Three Short Videos

I got a email question yesterday that went like this:

Please forgive me if this question sounds obvious but when I encode a master clip for different streaming outputs (using AME C6) I end up with a different file for each separate outlet. A file for YouTube, a file for the iPad etc. Do the big providers like YouTube have encoders which work for every output combined into one file?..so that no matter who clicks on their single link with any device, the clip plays correctly.

How does a person post those separate files into a single link on their own site? I’m sure this is a basic question but I am stumped. Is there a Multi Bitrate way to combine everything into one file?

Basically, the person was asking, “how can I implement adaptive streaming?”

Here’s my response, which constitutes a short course on understanding and implementing adaptive streaming.

Not obvious, but complicated. The short answer is that you need to use an adaptive streaming technology, which means encoding files in a special way and creating a special player. The easiest way to do this is to:

–        Use YouTube

–        Use an online platform like Brightcove

If you want to do it yourself, watch these:

-Tutorial: Adaptive Streaming to Desktops and Mobile via HLS: No Coding Required  (what adaptive streaming is and why HLS is the easiest technology to implement)

-Tutorial: Creating HLS Files in Sorenson Squeeze: Easy Peasy! (how to create HLS files in Sorenson Squeeze, very easy, very efficient).

-Adaptive Streaming to Desktops and Mobile: No Coding Required (how to use the JW Player for desktop and mobile playback of HLS streams).

Hope this helps.

I’m guessing this individual isn’t the only person with these questions; hence the post. I hope you find it useful.

About Jan Ozer

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I help companies train new technical hires in streaming media-related positions; I also help companies optimize their codec selections and encoding stacks and evaluate new encoders and codecs. I am a contributing editor to Streaming Media Magazine, writing about codecs and encoding tools. I have written multiple authoritative books on video encoding, including Video Encoding by the Numbers: Eliminate the Guesswork from your Streaming Video (https://amzn.to/3kV6R1j) and Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg: In Thirty Minutes or Less (https://amzn.to/3ZJih7e). I have multiple courses relating to streaming media production, all available at https://bit.ly/slc_courses. I currently work as www.netint.com as a Senior Director in Marketing.

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