Video encoding and transcoding recommendations for HTTP Dynamic Streaming on the Flash Platform

by Maxim Levkov

Adobe

Created

19 October 2010

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HTTP Dynamic Streaming delivery, introduced in Adobe Flash Player 10.1 and Adobe Flash Media Server 4, enables live and on-demand streaming over standard HTTP infrastructures. Special considerations must be made in preparing content for delivery using this method, as the files need to be fragmented and packaged according to certain specifications. Understanding these specifications and their associated settings is imperative to achieve optimum playback quality.

About this document

This white paper describes techniques, best practices, and recommended settings for encoding live and video-on-demand (VOD) files for use with Flash Media Server and HTTP Dynamic Streaming delivery.

Read the white paper

Video encoding and transcoding recommendations for HTTP Dynamic Streaming on the Flash Platform (PDF, 4.5 MB)

Topics covered:

H.264-specific settings
Keyframe intervals
Bitrate switching
MP4 stream packaging
Encoding variants (recommended settings)

Intended audience

This technical white paper is intended for the following audiences:

Developers and content publishers who want to understand limitations and considerations for HTTP Dynamic Streaming delivery
Encoding professionals who are seeking insight and specific guidelines for encoding media for HTTP Dynamic Streaming delivery

Where to go from here

For more information about Flash Media Server, please visit the Flash Media Server product page and the Flash Media Server Developer Center.

Learn more about HTTP Dynamic Streaming for flexible delivery of on-demand and live video streaming.

Learn the recipes of video compression—both as an art form and as a highly technical process—by downloading the Video Encoding Cookbook and Profile Guidelines for the Adobe Flash Platform.