How To Make Your Own Live Streaming Server (DIY Guide)
Apple created HLS as a better alternative to RTMP and Flash Player.
Have you heard of HLS streaming? If you haven’t, you must know it is an essential piece of streaming protocol technology.
Apple created HLS streaming to allow video streaming on mobile devices with an iOS operating system, such as the iPhone and iPad.
That was necessary because mobile devices using the iOS operating system were not compatible with Flash Player and the RTMP technology used by Flash Player.
Why Is HSL So Popular With Broadcasters?
HSL requires little more than the ordinary web server to stream video data without compromising on video playback speed.
Another key feature of using an HLS stream was video quality. The video stream would automatically adjust video quality according to available network conditions.
Mobile devices with an iOS operating system, including the iPhone and iPad, are incompatible with Flash Player, which primarily uses RTMP.
HLS, shorthand for HTTP live streaming, was Apple’s solution to ensure that live video streaming was possible for its mobile users.
Is HSL Compatible With All Devices?
Don’t worry; HLS’s streaming protocols are compatible with more than just Apple iOS devices. It is compatible with most internet-enabled devices.
Another Android-friendly solution is Microsoft Smooth Streaming. Although not natively supported by all Android devices, this streaming protocol is primarily used for the adaptive streaming of video content.
Microsoft’s Streaming Solution- How to Use MSS to Turn RTMP Into HSL
Microsoft Smooth Streaming can also be used to convert RTMP into HLS using stream packaging tools, such as Akamai, the one used by Mslive.
These tools convert the RTMP feed from the video encoder into HLS at the server’s end using Microsoft Smooth Streaming protocol.
We’d like to point out that HTTP live streaming or HLS is sometimes called an HTML5 video, but this is erroneous. HTML5 is an entirely different standard.
Converting RTMP to HLS for Live Streaming
Having RTMP and HLS feeds available is valuable.
An HLS stream is based on HTTP. The HTTP protocol and HLS streaming protocol are two different formats that exist for different types of devices.
If you want to reach the largest possible audience with your live stream, you need to encode your RTMP stream to HLS. That’s known as HLS ingest for live streaming. That way, the client’s device can access any of these streams.
How Mslive Simplifies the Conversion Process Using Akamai
With the right video streaming host, you can automatically convert a single RTMP feed from your video encoder to HLS on the server end.
Here at Mslive, we use a live streaming packaging tool from Akamai.
Akamai uses RTMP ingest for live streaming and video delivery from your encoder, then automatically transcodes the stream as HTTP live streaming in near real-time, preparing the live broadcasts for any device format.
For live streaming, The process creates a minimal (30-45 seconds) delay on the camera feed.
As you can see, converting RTMP to an HLS stream for live video streaming and video delivery happens behind the scenes.
All you have to do is choose a service, like Mslive, with the right tools and streaming protocols to make this process happen for your video content.
Once the service transcodes the video content, Mslive uses two top-tier live streaming CDNs (content delivery networks) to distribute the content via hundreds of thousands of servers worldwide.
This global service network ensures that live streams are delivered quickly and seamlessly anywhere on the planet.
Using these top-tier video CDNs also helps ensure reliability. If a server goes down or a million viewers suddenly show up for your broadcast, your content will flow smoothly.
All of this also means that any device can view your content seamlessly. The content delivery network automatically selects and delivers the best streaming protocol automatically.
Using a global CDN reduces costs by ensuring that you only need one encoder. You can reach a global audience with a single setting and encoder.
Benefits of HLS Streaming
There are a few reasons why RTMP ingest to HLS streaming is so popular that you should be aware of.
1. Cross-device compatible:
HLS streaming can be used on any device with a compatible video player, such as HTML5. Most all internet-connected devices support HLS.
2. Multiple audio tracks:
If you are streaming content worldwide and want to provide audio in different languages, HTTP live streaming HLS supports multiple audio tracks for one video track. That makes multi-language live streams possible.
3. Ad insertion:
Want to monetize your video content? That can easily be achieved with ad insertion through VPAID and VAST interfaces.
4. Subtitles:
Need accessible content? most HLS streams support closed captions, making your content accessible to a larger audience.
5. Privacy protection:
HTTP live streaming HLS streaming works with a wide variety of DRM technologies, helping to support privacy protection.
Leave a Comment