Format Atlas

Guides

Checking an HLS or DASH package before handoff

Inventory referenced media and delivery conditions, not just playlists or an MPD, then verify playback, seeking and track switching at the destination.

Which format should you choose?

Choose by the role each file plays in your workflow.

  • Define delivery scope and recipient
  • Check references and access requirements
  • Test playback and switching at the destination

Define delivery scope and recipient

Record live or on-demand delivery, video version and time span, renditions, audio and subtitle tracks, codecs and target player. A live manifest snapshot is not an archive of the entire stream. Manage preservation originals separately from delivery packages.

Check references and access requirements

Inventory child playlists, media, required initialization data, subtitles and resources referenced by byte ranges. Verify relative URIs and other references after relocation. Check authentication and license acquisition for authorized recipients; do not place keys or tokens in public files.

Test playback and switching at the destination

Test startup, seeking, quality, audio and subtitle switching, and synchronization at the real endpoint. For live delivery, check updates and resource availability; for on-demand, check playback through the end. HLS EXT-X-ENDLIST signals no further additions but does not recover missing history. XML parsing or HTTP success is not a playback pass.

Formats to consider

HLS playlist

Good for: Delivering playlists and referenced media to HLS players

Less suitable for: Treating an M3U8 alone as an archive of all video

MPEG-DASH MPD

Good for: Delivering an MPD and referenced media to DASH players

Less suitable for: Inferring codec support from successful MPD parsing

Before you export

  • Keep source media, delivery settings, a reference inventory and checksums. Not every segment requires a separate initialization file.
  • This is not a procedure for bypassing encryption or rights management. Verify playback authorization and account for expiring URLs and live references.

Related comparisons

MPD vs M3U8MPD is DASH's XML manifest. M3U8 is a UTF-8 playlist; this comparison covers its HLS use. Neither is the media payload.

Guides

Choose a video distribution formatChoose the container and the codecs inside it according to the playback destination and production workflow.Checking subtitle timing and display before handoffAfter choosing a format, verify synchronization with the same video edit, timing interpretation and conversion losses, then test in the recipient's player.

References and specifications