HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) is very popular for live-streaming and on-demand video (VOD) technology by Apple. HLS need HTTP/HTTPS protocol which allows to stream from a regular web server.
FFmpeg is multimedia framework used for stream play, decode, encode, mux, demux, stream, transcode and filter.
Install FFMPEG on Ubuntu
# apt install ffmpeg
How to Convert MP4 to HLS?
# ffmpeg -i filename.mp4 -codec: copy -bsf:v h264_mp4toannexb -start_number 0 -hls_time 10 -hls_list_size 0 -f hls filename.m3u8
# ffmpeg -i filename.mp4 -profile:v baseline -strict -2 -level 3.0 -start_number 0 -hls_time 10 -hls_list_size 0 -f hls filename.m3u8
Above both commands will convert MP4 VOD files to HLS segment m3u8 / ts files.
Like this you will have HLS M3U8 Stream Link from HTTP or HTTPS
HLS: https://www.domain.com/filename.m3u8
#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:12
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0
#EXTINF:12.000000,
filename0.ts
#EXTINF:9.000000,
filename1.ts
#EXTINF:9.000000,
filename2.ts
#EXTINF:12.000000,
filename3.ts
#EXTINF:2.666667,
filename4.ts
#EXT-X-ENDLIST
# ffmpeg -i filename.mp4 -codec: copy -bsf:v h264_mp4toannexb -start_number 0 -hls_time 10 -hls_list_size 0 -f hls filename.m3u8
ffmpeg version 2.8.15-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 Copyright (c) 2000-2018 the FFmpeg developers
built with gcc 5.4.0 (Ubuntu 5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.10) 20160609
configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-version=0ubuntu0.16.04.1 --build-suffix=-ffmpeg --toolchain=hardened --libdir=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu --incdir=/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu --cc=cc --cxx=g++ --enable-gpl --enable-shared --disable-stripping --disable-decoder=libopenjpeg --disable-decoder=libschroedinger --enable-avresample --enable-avisynth --enable-gnutls --enable-ladspa --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libcdio --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-libpulse --enable-librtmp --enable-libschroedinger --enable-libshine --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libssh --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzvbi --enable-openal --enable-opengl --enable-x11grab --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libiec61883 --enable-libzmq --enable-frei0r --enable-libx264 --enable-libopencv
libavutil 54. 31.100 / 54. 31.100
libavcodec 56. 60.100 / 56. 60.100
libavformat 56. 40.101 / 56. 40.101
libavdevice 56. 4.100 / 56. 4.100
libavfilter 5. 40.101 / 5. 40.101
libavresample 2. 1. 0 / 2. 1. 0
libswscale 3. 1.101 / 3. 1.101
libswresample 1. 2.101 / 1. 2.101
libpostproc 53. 3.100 / 53. 3.100
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'filename.mp4':
Metadata:
major_brand : isom
minor_version : 512
compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
encoder : Lavf57.56.101
Duration: 00:00:58.13, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 297 kb/s
Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 480x768, 159 kb/s, 30 fps, 30 tbr, 15360 tbn, 60 tbc (default)
Metadata:
handler_name : VideoHandler
Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp, 129 kb/s (default)
Metadata:
handler_name : SoundHandler
Output #0, hls, to 'filename.m3u8':
Metadata:
major_brand : isom
minor_version : 512
compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
encoder : Lavf56.40.101
Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 480x768, q=2-31, 159 kb/s, 30 fps, 30 tbr, 90k tbn, 30 tbc (default)
Metadata:
handler_name : VideoHandler
Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, 129 kb/s (default)
Metadata:
handler_name : SoundHandler
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
frame= 1744 fps=0.0 q=-1.0 Lsize=N/A time=00:00:58.13 bitrate=N/A
video:1131kB audio:917kB subtitle:0kB other streams:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead: unknown
