A brief overview of HLS (http live streaming). These slides are from a lightning talk given at a local meetup.

1. Intro To HLS
(http live streaming)
Rand Graham
rmcore.com

2. Why Should You Care About HLS?
Used to stream the 2014 World Cup
Advantages
◦ Uses Standard Web Server
◦ ABR (Adaptive Bit Rate)
◦ Built into iOS and OS X
photo courtesy: warrenski

3. Overview
See: Draft of RFC
Pass a URL to a play list file
Transport stream .TS container
Preferred codecs: H.264 AAC
Block Diagram from Apple

4. Sample Playlist File .m3u8
#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:10
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0
#EXT-X-PLAYLIST-TYPE:VOD
#EXT-X-INDEPENDENT-SEGMENTS
#EXTINF:8.40000,
bb0.ts
#EXTINF:7.68000,
bb1.ts
#EXTINF:9.68000,
bb2.ts
#EXT-X-ENDLIST

5. Tools To Create Stream Files
ffmpeg
Apple Tools:
mediastreamsegmenter
mediafilesegmenter
mediastreamvalidator

6. Actual ffmpeg command
$ ffmpeg -re -i input.mkv -vcodec libx264 -preset
veryfast -maxrate 3000k
-bufsize 6000k -pix_fmt yuv420p -g 50 -acodec
libmp3lame -b:a 128k -ac 2
-ar 44100 -f flv rtmp://live.justin.tv/app/<stream key>
-ZOMG! if you think this is complicated
-have you tried reading the ffmpeg source code?

7. Is it cross platform?
Built into iOS
JavaScript: videojs, clappr
Android: ExoPlayer
Desktop: VLC

8. Thanks!
ANY QUESTIONS?

9. Connect with me on twitter:
@rdg_rmcore
Read more at my website:
http://rmcore.com/

10. CREDITS
Special thanks to all the people who made and
released these awesome resources for free:
◦ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
◦ Photo Credits:
◦ World Cup photo by warrenski
◦ HLS block diagram by Apple
◦ Ultimate swiss army knife
◦ Will It Blend on Youtube