HDS (HTTP Dynamic Streaming) Components

The Adobe HTTP Streaming solution contains the following components:

Live Packager

Live Packager is a Flash Media Server application installed to rootinstall/applications/livepkgr. The server ingests a live stream over RTMP and the Live Packager translates it into F4F files and MPEG-2 TS files in real-time.

F4F HTTP Module

An Apache HTTP Server module that serves files to Flash Player and AIR. The F4F module (also known as the HTTP Origin Module), serves live content. It also serves on-demand content that was packaged offline with the File Packager tool. The F4F HTTP Module installs with Flash Media Server 4 and later to rootinstall/Apache2.2/modules/mod_f4fhttp.so. The module is also available from adobe.com as a stand-alone Apache module.

HLS HTTP Module

An Apache HTTP Server module that serves files to iOS devices and Mac OS. The HTTP HLS Module installs with Flash Media Server 4.5 and later to rootinstall/Apache2.2/modules/mod_hlshttp.so. It is not available as a stand-alone Apache module.

JIT HTTP Module

An Apache HTTP Server module that packages on-demand files just-in-time and serves them to Flash Player and AIR. “Just-in-time” means that media files are packaged in real-time when clients request them. The JIT HTTP Module installs with Flash Media Server 4.5 and later to rootinstall/Apache2.2/modules/mod_jithttp.so. It is not available as a stand-alone Apache module.

File Packager

A command-line, offline tool that translates on-demand media into F4F fragments. The File Packager is located in the rootinstall/tools/f4fpackager folder and is available from adobe.com.

OSMF media players

There are several media players built on the Open Source Media Framework (OSMF) that support HTTP Dynamic Streaming to Flash Player and AIR. See Pre-built media players.

F4F File Format Specification

The F4F file format describes how to divide media content into segments and fragments. The Live Packager, the File Packager, and the JIT HTTP module output content based on this specification. Each fragment has its own bootstrap information that provides cache management and fast seeking. For more information, see F4F File Format Specification.

F4M File Format Specification

The Flash Media Manifest file format contains information about a package of files that the HTTP Origin Module can serve. Manifest information includes codecs, resolutions, and the availability of files encoded at multiple bit rates. Manifest information also includes DRM data. The media player uses the F4M file to play a piece of media. For more information, see F4M File Format Specification.

Flash Access

Flash Access delivers protected media to Flash Player. To use HTTP Dynamic Streaming with Flash Access, use the File Packager and Flash Media Server to both package and encrypt content. For more information, see Protecting content with Flash Access.Flash Media Server 4.5 adds support for Flash Access level protection without using a Flash Access server. See Configure protected HTTP Dynamic Streaming (PHDS) and Configure protected HTTP Live Streaming (PHLS).