What is the difference between HLS (M3U8) and MPEG-DASH (MPD)?

Difference between HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) or M3U8 and MPEG-DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) or MPD, two popular streaming protocols:

1. Table of Contents

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   Purpose and Origin:

   • HLS:

     • Developed by Apple, HLS was initially designed to enable live streaming on iPhones.
     • It delivers content via standard HTTP web servers and is widely supported across devices.

   • MPEG-DASH:

     • A newer protocol that serves the same purpose as HLS.
     • It is codec-agnostic and has gained prominence in recent years.

2. Encoding Formats:

   • MPEG-DASH allows the use of any encoding standard.
   • HLS requires the use of H.264 or H.265 for video encoding.

3. Device Support:

   • HLS:
     • Exclusive to Apple devices (iPhones, MacBooks, etc.).
     • Almost every device now supports HLS.
   • MPEG-DASH:
     • Compatible with non-Apple devices.
     • iPhones and other Apple products cannot natively play video delivered over MPEG-DASH.

4. Adaptive Streaming and Quality:

   • Both protocols offer adaptive streaming and similar levels of quality and latency.
   • Previously, MPEG-DASH had an advantage due to its codec-agnostic nature, allowing better quality at lower bitrates.
   • However, HLS now supports HEVC/H.265, narrowing the gap.

In summary, HLS excels in live streaming, especially on Apple devices, while MPEG-DASH is ideal for on-demand streaming and broader compatibility with other devices. Choose based on your specific use case!