The document outlines the packetv® mobile solution for delivering HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) video to mobile devices, highlighting its growing importance due to increased mobile video consumption. HLS simplifies video streaming by eliminating the need for specialized hardware and offers advantages such as compatibility with firewalls and various mobile platforms. Visionary Solutions' integrated server enhances operational efficiency by combining content preparation and delivery, catering to a range of organizations needing effective video communications.

1.
_______________________________________________________________________
PackeTV®
Mobile
Delivering
HLS
Video
to
Mobile
Devices
White
Paper
Created
by
Visionary
Solutions,
Inc.
July,
2013
http://www.vsicam.com
_______________________________________________________________________
http://www.linkedin.com/company/visionary-­‐solutions-­‐inc.
http://www.facebook.com/vsiptv
http://www.twitter.com/vsiptv
http://www.youtube.com/vsiptv

2. Delivering
HLS
Video
to
Mobile
Devices
Executive
Summary
HTTP
Live
Streaming
(HLS)
is
now
one
of
the
primary
methods
for
delivery
of
video
content
to
mobile
devices
such
as
tablets
and
smartphones.
The
HLS
format
is
supported
by
a
wide
range
of
devices,
including
those
that
use
Apple’s
iOS,
like
the
iPhone,
iPad,
and
iPad
mini,
as
well
as
a
variety
of
desktop
and
portable
devices
including
those
that
use
Android,
Java
ME,
Symbian
or
Blackberry
operating
systems.
The
market
for
delivering
streaming
video
content
to
end
users
is
growing
rapidly,
especially
for
mobile
devices.
An
increase
in
tablet
usage
of
over
60
percent
year
over
year
is
forecast
by
Gartner,
and
sales
of
the
iPad
Mini
represented
60
percent
of
overall
iOS
tablet
sales
for
Q1
2013.
Bringing
video
content
of
optimal
quality
with
seamless
speed
to
these
devices
is
an
imperative.
HLS
is
a
popular
delivery
format
because
it
is
easy
to
deploy
on
a
standard
Web
server,
and
because
it
performs
well
in
mobile
environments.
Applications
running
on
mobile
devices
can
easily
download
chunks
of
content
on-­‐demand
and
ensure
smooth,
uninterrupted
playback
of
high-­‐quality
video
content.
HLS
requires
a
sequence
of
processing
steps
for
delivery
of
live
and
pre-­‐recorded,
compressed
video
to
mobile
and
other
devices.
This
whitepaper
provides
an
overview
that
explains
the
primary
technology
required
for
streaming.
This
includes
video
capture
systems,
video
processing
hardware,
and
software
needed
to
create
HLS
streams.
This
paper
also
describes
a
unique,
single
device
integrated
file
server
that
can
support
hundreds
of
users,
eliminating
the
need
for
content
delivery
network
(CDN)
services.
A
Closer
Look
at
HTTP
Live
Streaming
One
of
the
historic
challenges
of
delivering
real-­‐time
video
to
PCs
and
other
online
devices
is
the
requirement
that
the
video
provider
and
viewer
both
use
specialized,
compatible
hardware
and
software.
On
the
provider
side,
streaming
servers
were
needed
to
format
and
rate-­‐control
each
video
stream
so
that
every
video
data
packet
was
delivered
to
the
viewer
before
the
video
player’s
buffer
became
empty,
ensuring
smooth
video
delivery.
For
the
viewer,
special
client
software
was
needed
to
manage
the
video
stream
data
delivery
process.
While
this
functionality
was
a
nuisance
for
PCs
on
hardwired
networks,
it
became
an
even
bigger
headache
for
mobile
devices
opening
on
wireless
or
3G/4G
networks.
HLS
was
developed
to
improve
performance
both
for
delivery
servers
and
end-­‐user
applications
on
client
devices.
On
the
server
side,
the
need
for
specialized
software
and
hardware
to
deliver
individual
video
packets
at
a
rate-­‐controlled
pace
was
replaced
with
proven
HTTP
file
server
technology,
which
has
been
the
standard
used
for
website
content
delivery
for
more
than
20
years.
On
the
client
side,
the
tedious
process
of
sending
stream
control
data
to
the
server
was
eliminated.
With
HLS,
each
client
can
download
video
data
files
as
needed.

3. Delivering
HLS
Video
to
Mobile
Devices
A
major
advantage
of
HTTP
streaming
is
its
ability
to
successfully
deliver
streaming
video
content
into
home
and
enterprise
environments
that
are
protected
by
firewalls.
Because
HTTP
files
comprise
the
vast
majority
of
websites
(normally
delivered
through
port
80
on
a
TCP/IP
connection),
firewalls
are
almost
universally
configured
to
permit
their
passage,
with
extremely
rare
high-­‐security
exceptions.
In
contrast,
traditional
streaming
protocols
use
other
ports
and
different
data
transfer
protocols
(such
as
RTP
and
UDP)
that
often
require
users
to
specially
configure
firewalls.
For
each
video
program,
HLS
provides
a
content
stream
that
corresponds
to
the
bit
rate
of
the
compressed
video
and
audio
signals.
Bit
rate
of
the
video/audio
stream
is
determined
by
several
factors,
including
video
image
resolution
(vertical
and
horizontal
pixel
count),
frame
rate,
and
compressed
image/sound
quality.
A
high
bit
rate
file
sequence
enables
larger
image
sizes,
faster
frame
rates,
improved
sound,
and
more
high-­‐quality
images
than
a
lower
bit
rate
file.
Every
video
stream
is
then
sliced
into
a
series
of
files
so
that
each
file
(or
chunk)
represents
a
fixed
amount
of
time
(typically
2,
5,
10
or
30
seconds)
in
the
content
sequence.
These
files
are
published
on
an
HTTP
server
in
an
ordered
sequence
that
can
be
downloaded
on
demand.
Implementing
HLS
Three
main
functions
need
to
be
accomplished
to
create
an
HLS
stream,
as
shown
in
Figure
1.
First
an
H.264
video
stream
(with
an
accompanying
audio
signal)
is
generated
from
a
camera
or
other
source.
Next,
the
HLS
video
processor
separates
the
video
and
audio
content
into
file
chunks
and
creates
a
manifest
(directory)
file
that
will
be
delivered
to
the
client
device.
Finally,
the
content
files
are
loaded
onto
a
server
that
allows
a
client
device
to
download
and
display
them,
using
a
media
viewer.
Each
of
these
steps
is
explained
in
greater
detail
in
the
following
sections.
Video
Source:
From
a
practical
standpoint,
a
well-­‐designed
HLS
server
can
accept
content
from
virtually
any
video
source.
However,
the
type
of
source
dictates
which
server
equipment
is
required
and
how
the
system
workflow
is
configured.
For
live
streams,
a
video
camera
or
video
production
switcher
output
is
typically
used.
These
are
available
in
many
varieties:
analog
or
digital,
consumer
or
professional,
SD
or
HD.
The
output
video
signal
needs
to
be
compressed
using
H.264
compression,
and
the
audio
output
using
HE-­‐AAC,
AAC-­‐LC
or
MP3
encoding.
In
Figure
1,
an
AVN441
encoder
is
depicted,
which
enables
flexibility
in
handling
analog
and
digital
video
and
audio,
including
HDMI
signals.
The
resulting
output
can
be
fed
directly
into
the
video
processor.
Pre-­‐recorded
video,
including
videotapes,
discs,
and
solid-­‐state
memory
devices
can
also
be
converted
to
HLS
streams.
By
connecting
the
output
of
the
video
playback
device
to
an
AVN441
(or
equivalent)
encoder,
one
can
simultaneously
digitize
and
compress
the
video
content
for
optimal
mobile
delivery.

4. Delivering
HLS
Video
to
Mobile
Devices
Computer
files
containing
video
content
are
easiest
to
work
with.
When
these
files
have
been
created
using
H.264
and
are
in
.mov
or
.mp4
video
file
formats,
they
can
be
loaded
directly
into
the
content
processor
and
prepared
for
client
download.
MPEG
Transport
Stream
(TS)
files
that
contain
H.264
encoded
video
can
also
be
uploaded
directly
to
the
content
processor.
A
live
MPEG-­‐TS
can
also
be
accommodated.
When
this
type
of
stream
is
available
(from
an
IPTV
or
a
broadcast
application),
it
can
be
fed
into
the
content
processor
and
converted
into
HLS
in
real
time.
Content
that
has
been
compressed
using
MPEG-­‐2
encoders
can
be
processed,
but
these
signals
will
not
play
out
correctly
on
Apple
devices.
They
are
only
compatible
to
Android
systems
with
compatible
viewing
applications.1
Regardless
of
the
source,
all
video
content
needs
to
be
delivered
to
the
content
processor
over
an
Ethernet
connection.
In
many
cases,
this
consists
of
a
real-­‐time
stream
of
packets
from
an
encoder
or
other
device
that
are
collected
and
prepared
for
HLS
streaming
immediately
as
the
packets
arrive.
In
other
instances,
the
content
will
be
contained
in
a
data
file
that
is
transferred
using
a
protocol
like
FTP.
In
either
case,
as
soon
as
the
video
content
arrives,
it
can
be
prepared
for
HLS
streaming
to
a
client
device.
Content
Processing:
This
step
creates
the
files
and
manifest
lists
that
are
downloaded
by
the
client
devices
during
playback.
Each
of
the
compressed
H.264
video
files
or
streams
(and
associated
audio
content)
must
be
converted
into
a
series
of
files.
Each
file
is
stored
on
the
server
and
listed
in
the
manifest,
which
is
delivered
to
the
client
device
before
playback
begins.
The
most
important
task
of
the
content
preparation
system
is
slicing
the
content
streams
into
fixed-­‐size
blocks
(or
chunks)
of
the
exact
same
length.
This
process
allows
the
client
device
to
schedule
the
download
of
the
next
chunk
in
measured
time
to
ensure
uninterrupted
video
display.
By
calculating
the
time
required
to
download
each
chunk
with
the
amount
of
time
that
is
required
to
play
it,
the
client
device
appropriately
calibrates
when
to
start
the
next
piecemeal
download.
Content
Delivery:
The
server
delivers
video
streams
to
just
a
few
or
hundreds
of
mobile
client
devices
simultaneously,
taking
into
account
the
available
network
bandwidth
is
available.
Typically,
two
types
of
networks
are
used
for
mobile
devices.
Local
wireless
networks
(such
as
Wi-­‐Fi)
can
deliver
signals
to
devices
that
are
within
reach
of
the
signal,
and
are
typically
limited
to
one
or
more
buildings
located
on
an
organization’s
campus.
For
remote
users,
who
can
literally
be
located
anywhere
in
the
world,
mobile
carrier
3G/4G
LTE
networks
are
frequently
used.
Before
playback
begins,
the
client
device
must
request
the
manifest
list
from
the
server.
This
log
contains
information
about
the
files,
including
the
chunk
duration,
file
addresses
(URLs),
and
file
sizes.
Using
the
manifest,
client
devices
can
calculate
when
the
next
chunk
needs
to
be
downloaded
in
order
to
begin
playback
without
interrupting
or
delaying
the
stream.
Client
devices
then
use
standard
HTTP
file
transfer
protocols
to
download
each
chunk
of
content
as
needed
and
play
the
video
requested.
1
MPEG-­‐2
content
can
also
be
transcoded
into
H.264
format
to
accommodate
Apple
devices.

5. Delivering
HLS
Video
to
Mobile
Devices
HLS
Applications
The
value
of
video
communications
is
increasing
very
quickly
and
the
need
to
distribute
video
content
to
mobile
devices
will
only
continue
to
grow.
Last
year,
mobile
video
views
jumped
300%
last
year,
according
to
the
U.S.
Digital
Benchmark
Video
Review.
HLS
is
an
ideal
technology
for
mobile
device
delivery,
because
it
is
supported
by
the
major
mobile
platforms
including
Apple
iOS
and
Android.
HLS
can
also
be
viewed
on
desktop
and
portable
devices,
including
laptops
and
tablets.
Nonprofit
and
for-­‐profit
organizations
rely
on
video
communications
as
an
effective
way
to
deliver
business-­‐related
content
to
employees.
Internal
usage
might
include
new
hire
training,
delivery
of
human
resources
communiques,
or
presentation
of
executive
speeches
or
quarterly
earnings
reports.
Such
technology
is
especially
vital
for
organizations
and
businesses
with
locations
across
the
country
or
around
the
world,
as
well
as
remote
employees.
Further,
video
can
also
be
a
very
effective
tool
for
communicating
with
customers
or
clients,
whether
it
be
for
sales
presentations,
post-­‐purchase
product/service
training,
and
compelling
outreach
to
existing
and
prospective
customers.
Government
agencies
at
the
local,
regional,
state
and
national
level
can
use
video
streaming
via
mobile
devices
to
communicate
with
constituents.
Agency
employees
can
benefit
from
the
same
applications
as
commercial
enterprises.
Government
usage
of
real
time
video
content
delivery
has
been
proven
to
improve
awareness
by
constituents,
as
well
as
first
responders,
during
emergencies
and
natural
disasters.
Video
content
also
makes
an
excellent
use
of
the
high-­‐speed
networks
that
many
government
agencies
have
deployed,
helping
to
improve
communications
with
remote
staff
members
who
use
mobile
devices
for
network
access.
Servers
that
include
a
self-­‐contained
content
distribution
functionality
can
work
behind
firewalls
and
within
secure
networks,
avoiding
the
potential
risks
involved
with
using
a
commercial
CDN
provider.
Secondary
and
university-­‐level
educational
institutions
need
to
communicate
with
a
student
audience
that
relies
nearly
exclusively
on
mobile
devices
that
can
receive
and
play
HLS
content.
By
supporting
students’
personal
devices,
which
are
moving
quickly
to
100
percent
absorption
of
smartphones
and
tablets,
these
institutions
can
increase
viewing
of
video
programming
without
incurring
the
cost
of
deploying
and
managing
set-­‐top
boxes
or
other
display
devices.
Houses
of
worship
often
wish
to
provide
live
and
pre-­‐recorded
video
streams
to
existing
and
prospective
members
of
their
congregations
who
are
unable
attend
services
in
person.
With
parishioner
access
to
mobile
devices,
it
makes
sense
to
deliver
content
in
HLS
format.
“The
need
to
distribute
video
content
to
mobile
devices
will
only
continue
to
grow”

6. Delivering
HLS
Video
to
Mobile
Devices
Alternatively,
a
device
such
as
the
Amino
H140
set-­‐top
box
can
be
installed
in
the
viewer’s
home,
connected
to
a
television
and
an
Internet
circuit,
and
used
to
play
HLS
content.
Telephone
companies
offering
IPTV
services
and
regional
cable
providers
can
increase
the
appeal
of
their
subscription
packages
by
offering
HLS
streaming
services
to
mobile
devices.
By
using
a
server
with
a
built-­‐in
CDN
function,
only
internal
network
resources
are
required,
lowering
the
operational
cost
of
delivering
content
to
mobile
users.
Deploying
HLS
with
PackeTV®
Mobile
In
order
to
simplify
and
consolidate
HLS
installations,
Visionary
Solutions
created
the
PackeTV®
Mobile
HLS,
a
single
device
that
performs
content
preparation
and
delivery.
This
integrated
file
server
can
support
hundreds
of
users,
eliminating
the
need
for
content
delivery
network
(CDN)
services.
Equipped
with
two
gigabit
Ethernet
ports
that
provide
a
substantial
amount
of
network
bandwidth,
the
unit
can
store
hundreds
of
hours
of
pre-­‐recorded
content.
The
entry-­‐level
system
is
housed
in
a
single,
compact
1RU
chassis
that
fits
perfectly
into
any
standard
20-­‐
inch
deep
AV
rack.
The
PackeTV®
Mobile
HLS
server
supports
all
of
the
functions
needed
to
accept
H.264
video
streams
(real-­‐time
or
file-­‐based)
and
deliver
HLS
streams,
including
content
preparation,
file
storage,
and
content
delivery.
All
of
this
functionality
is
contained
within
a
server
that
has
been
specifically
designed
to
optimize
throughput
and
ease
of
use.
PackeTV®
Mobile
HLS
dramatically
lowers
operational
costs
compared
with
systems
that
use
traditional
streaming
CDNs
to
simultaneously
distribute
video
to
multiple
clients.
System
ownership
ensures
seamless,
around-­‐the-­‐clock
availability
of
the
video
streams.
Each
video
stream
can
be
published
once
and
made
available
to
all
viewers
with
a
simple
set
of
user
commands.
Occasional
users
will
find
that
this
single,
integrated
system
eliminates
much
of
the
configuration
complexity
that
normally
occurs
when
multiple
subsystems
from
different
manufacturers
and
service
providers
need
to
be
integrated
to
form
a
complete
solution.
Heavy
users
will
appreciate
the
flexibility
that
is
available
within
the
device
configuration
menus,
which
allow
system
operations
to
be
customized
to
accommodate
a
wide
range
of
bit
rates,
signal
formats,
and
target
devices.
Also,
because
standard
HTTP
Web-­‐server
technologies
are
used
for
content
delivery,
the
added
fees
required
for
high
throughput
streaming
service
providers
such
as
CDNs
are
eliminated,
saving
the
content
provider
money.
With
an
on-­‐site
PackeTV®
Mobile
HLS,
content
asset
management
can
be
greatly
simplified
and
centralized
on
a
single
server.
A
single
video
file
can
be
created
and
delivered
to
an
organization’s
internal
and
external
viewers,
eliminating
the
need
to

7. Delivering
HLS
Video
to
Mobile
Devices
manage
multiple
streams
on
different
servers.
Network
bandwidth
is
also
used
more
efficiently,
as
chunks
can
be
downloaded
quickly,
and
each
client
device
only
consumes
as
much
data
as
the
quality
of
their
network
connection
allows.
More
than
half
of
all
overall
video
consumption
is
consumed
on
a
Wi-­‐Fi
device,
according
to
Streaming
Media,
so
content
providers
must
make
mobile
content
delivery
an
immediate
priority.
Conclusion
Video
delivery
to
mobile
devices
is
rapidly
expanding
both
in
terms
of
its
scope
and
penetration.
With
the
installed
base
of
video-­‐capable
devices
growing
explosively
(tripling
in
2010,
and
more
than
doubling
again
in
2011),
consumers
expect
and
demand
video
content
on
their
portable
devices.
This
is
good
news
for
businesses
and
organizations.
Video
is
a
powerful
way
to
communicate
with
employees
and
customers,
and
can
help
optimize
all
types
of
communication.
Marketing
and
sales
outreach,
efficient
and
broad-­‐based
communication,
and
comprehensive
education
functions
can
all
be
achieved
with
this
technology
and
the
availability
of
increasingly
affordable,
easy-­‐to-­‐use
delivery
systems.
HLS
is
a
leading
technology
for
delivering
video
to
mobile
devices,
based
on
its
wide
range
of
target
devices,
flexibility,
and
compatibility
with
virtually
any
type
of
private
or
public
network.
It
can
support
applications
for
many
types
of
organizations,
including
corporate,
nonprofit,
government,
faith-­‐based
and
educational.
Using
HLS,
organizations
can
cost-­‐effectively
deliver
seamless
video
content
to
viewers
in
real
time
anywhere
around
the
globe.
PackeTV®
Mobile
HLS
is
the
ideal
platform
for
any
organization
that
is
launching
HLS
video
services.
The
self-­‐contained
system
can
take
compressed
video
signals
from
live
and
pre-­‐recorded
sources
and
convert
them
into
the
content
and
manifest
files
that
are
downloaded
by
mobile
devices
that
play
video
to
users.
The
built-­‐in
server
can
deliver
simultaneous
streams
to
tens
or
hundreds
of
devices
without
the
need
for
expensive
service
contracts
with
external
CDN
providers.
Easy
to
install,
PackeTV®
Mobile
HLS
accommodates
both
experts
and
novices
in
the
world
of
video
streaming.
Visionary
Solutions,
Inc.
has
established
a
strong
record
over
the
past
decade
for
delivering
reliable,
high-­‐performance
IPTV
encoding
solutions
for
professional
applications.
Every
Visionary
Solutions
product
is
easy
to
configure
and
install,
and
fully
supported
by
a
responsive
and
experienced
customer
service
team.
For
more
information
about
any
Visionary
Solutions
product,
or
to
schedule
a
live
demonstration,
please
contact
our
sales
department
at
1+
805-­‐845-­‐8900,
email
us
at
sales@vsicam.com,
or
visit
our
website
www.vsicam.com
to
locate
a
nearby
dealer.