HLS server
Use HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) and Red5 as the origin for your content delivery network.
HLS at scale. Solved.
Red5 Pro’s HLS Server technology provides support for HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), which is designed to serve as the origin for a content delivery network (CDNs) handling large-scale broadcasts. Built for delivering live event streams, the HLS server ensures that your video reaches the CDN efficiently, including adaptive bitrate for smooth streaming in variable network conditions. Use any of Red5’s many ingest streaming protocols (RTMP, RTSP, Zixi, MPEG-TS, and more) to create HLS. Your HLS stream can be used for DVR purposes or as a fallback when other streaming protocols aren’t supported and only HTTP can reach your audience.
As an HTTP-based live-streaming protocol, HLS guarantees compatibility across a wide variety of devices, including mobile, desktop, and smart TVs, ensuring your live streams are accessible to audiences on all platforms. By leveraging Red5 Pro’s HLS Server as the origin, your live streams are ready to scale globally through integration with a CDN—offering high-quality performance while managing network load effectively.
Deliver reliable live streams without compromising on quality, and manage high-demand broadcasting seamlessly by pairing Red5 Pro’s HLS Server with a CDN for optimal scalability.
Deliver Streams Dependably
Red5 Pro’s HLS Server ensures dependable live video streaming, delivering reliable performance across various devices, from smartphones to desktop browsers. With adaptive bitrate streaming, viewers experience seamless playback, even under changing network conditions, making Red5 Pro’s HLS the ideal choice for delivering live content to diverse, wide-reaching audiences when real-time latency doesn’t matter.
While other protocols supported by Red5 specialize in ultra-low latency, HLS stands out for its consistent delivery and extensive compatibility. It’s not just about speed; it’s about getting your live stream where it needs to go without interruptions.
HLS Streaming Scalability
Red5 Pro’s HLS Server is designed to scale live video streaming to massive audiences through integration with a CDN. Built on an HTTP-based framework, HLS can handle distributing streams efficiently across millions of viewers, regardless of device or platform. By using the HLS server as an origin, you can reliably scale live streams globally, ensuring consistent viewing experiences without the risk of overloading a single server.
With adaptive bitrate streaming and broad device compatibility, Red5 HLS server infrastructure makes it easy to deliver seamless live video to an unlimited number of viewers while maintaining efficient and reliable network performance.
Flexibility
Red5 Pro’s HLS technology provides flexible deployment options for live-streaming infrastructure. Build and deliver live streaming applications for any device using Red5 Pro’s scalable server environment, integrating seamlessly with Red5 Cloud, or your cloud or data center of choice. Whether leveraging public cloud providers or edge deployments like private 5G MEC or in-venue networks, Red5 Pro’s HLS Server offers the adaptability needed to meet your demands.
HLS’ HTTP-based protocol offers broad compatibility, allowing live streams to reach a wide range of devices with scalability and reliability. When paired with Red5 Pro’s infrastructure, you can create customized solutions for delivering live video streams across various network environments—ensuring your audience experiences uninterrupted broadcasting no matter where or how they’re watching.
Power Live Streaming at Scale Across Diverse Industries with Broad Device Compatibility
Government + iOT, Video Games + eSports, Social Media, Broadcast, OTT
5 Features
Reliable High-Quality Streaming
Leverage HLS to ensure smooth live video delivery to any audience, maintaining consistent stream quality across unstable networks and a broad range of devices. By integrating Red5 Pro’s HLS server, you can count on scalable performance and seamless distribution to globally dispersed viewers.
DVR Capabilities with HLS streams: Power to Pause, Rewind, and Replay Live Streams
With Red5 Pro’s HLS Server, DVR functionality is seamlessly integrated, allowing viewers to pause, rewind, and replay live streams without missing a single moment. Using HLS as the backbone for live stream timeshifting, our platform captures and stores live video, making it accessible for rewind and replay.
Whether it’s for live sports, concerts, or other high-stakes broadcasts, Red5 Pro’s HLS Server ensures that viewers never miss a beat, delivering a reliable DVR experience integrated with other ultra-low latency protocols. From pausing the stream to replaying highlights, HLS makes real-time video replay not only possible but seamless.
Consistent Quality Across Network Conditions
With Red5 Pro’s HLS Server and adaptive bitrate streaming technology, live videos are delivered in high quality, even across unreliable or fluctuating network connections. By adjusting the video stream in real-time based on available bandwidth, HLS ensures optimal viewing experiences without interruptions.
Whether your audience is on a high-speed broadband connection or a spotty mobile network, Red5 Pro’s HLS Server dynamically adapts to maintain consistent video quality, reducing the impact of packet loss and network instability. From live events to interactive broadcasts, HLS provides a reliable and robust streaming experience across all devices and platforms.
Broad Network and Browser Compatibility
Thanks to its HTTP-based delivery, HLS streams from Red5 Pro’s media servers are able to reach a wide range of networks and browsers with minimal friction. HLS is supported on most modern browsers, allowing viewers to enjoy live streams without the need for additional plugins or software installations.
This protocol’s web-friendly nature ensures that HLS can bypass many firewalls and strict network configurations where other protocols, like WebRTC or RTMP, may be blocked. Whether your audience is using mobile devices, desktops, or smart TVs, HLS guarantees wide accessibility and consistent playback—delivering a truly reliable streaming experience across all network environments.
Secure Live Video Streaming
Red5 Pro’s HLS Server ensures secure video streaming using the industry-standard Transport Layer Security (TLS) to encrypt streams delivered over HTTP. This security helps protect your live streams from unauthorized access, ensuring that the data remains secure throughout the delivery process.
In addition to TLS encryption, HLS supports the integration of Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems. This gives content providers added control over who can access their streams—further securing live and recorded video against piracy or unauthorized distribution. Whether streaming to a handful of viewers or broadcasting globally via a CDN, Red5 Pro’s HLS Server allows you to confidently deliver content knowing it’s protected with industry-standard security measures.
HLS Server Diagram
FAQs
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What is HLS, and why should I use it for live video streaming?
HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is a popular HTTP-based protocol for delivering live video streams. It’s widely supported across a variety of devices, including mobile, desktop, and smart TVs, making it an excellent choice for reaching large audiences. HLS provides reliable video delivery and scales well when combined with a CDN, making it ideal for live event broadcasting.
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Does Red5 Pro HLS Server support adaptive bitrate streaming?
Yes! Red5 Pro’s HLS Server fully supports adaptive bitrate streaming, which means the stream quality adjusts automatically based on the viewer’s available bandwidth. This ensures smooth playback and consistent video quality, even in less-than-optimal network conditions.
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Is HLS good for low-latency streaming?
While HLS can handle live video streaming quite well, it isn’t known for ultra-low latency. HLS will have a more delay than protocols like WebRTC or RTMP. However, it provides reliable delivery and can still perform competitively in environments where ultra-low latency isn’t critical.
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How secure is streaming with Red5 Pro’s HLS Server?
Red5 Pro’s HLS Server offers robust security by supporting industry-standard Transport Layer Security (TLS), which encrypts your data as it’s streamed over the internet. Additionally, HLS integrates with Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies for stronger control over who can access and view the video stream.
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Does Red5 Pro offer SDKs for building applications with HLS support?
Red5 Pro offers SDKs compatible with HLS for both desktop and mobile applications. These SDKs allow developers to build custom live-streaming applications, leveraging HLS for video delivery to ensure streams reach diverse devices and platforms.
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How does Red5 Pro’s HLS Server handle scaling for large audiences?
The Red5 Pro HLS Server can handle an impressive number of live connections through a CDN. As the origin server, it delivers streams efficiently to the CDN, which then helps distribute the content to a massive number of viewers while maintaining stream quality and network efficiency.
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Can Red5 Pro’s HLS Server handle live DVR functionality?
Absolutely. Red5 Pro’s HLS Server supports DVR functionality, allowing viewers to pause, rewind, and replay live streams without missing out on any of the action. This is perfect for live sporting events, concerts, and any scenario where viewers might want to rewatch key moments.
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What kind of devices and browsers are compatible with HLS?
Thanks to its HTTP-based nature, HLS is compatible with nearly all modern devices and browsers. Whether it’s mobile phones, tablets, desktop computers, smart TVs, or other connected devices, you can be sure that your live stream will reach your audience seamlessly.
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How do I integrate Red5 Pro’s HLS Server with a CDN for large-scale live streaming?
Red5 Pro’s HLS Server easily integrates with major CDNs for scalable live streaming of your video and audio data. By using the Red5 as the origin, you can distribute your content globally through the CDN, ensuring smooth playback for large audiences without overwhelming your network or server.
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What network environments work best with HLS streaming?
HLS works particularly well in environments with varying network conditions thanks to its HTTP-based delivery. Whether streaming on a high-speed broadband connection or a mobile network, HLS adjusts the quality based on bandwidth, ensuring reliable streams even in challenging environments.