Streaming video to iPhone Frequently Asked Questions

1. What kinds of encoders are supported?

   The protocol specification does not limit the encoder selection. However, the current Apple implementation should interoperate with encoders that produce MPEG-2 Transport Streams containing H.264 video and AAC audio (HE-AAC or AAC-LC). Encoders that are capable of broadcasting the output stream over UDP should also be compatible with the current implementation of the Apple provided segmenter software.

   Apple has tested the current implementation with the following commercial encoders:

   • Inlet Technologies Spinnaker 7000
   • Envivio 4Caster C4
2. What are the specifics of the video and audio formats supported?

   Although the protocol specification does not limit the video and audio formats, the current Apple implementation supports the following formats:

   • Video: H.264 Baseline Level 3.0
    Read more... (2139 words, estimated 8:33 mins reading time)

One of the drawbacks of many kinds of streaming media is that there are special protocols and non-standard ports used, which can lead to several different types of failures, and ultimately, a lot of frustration. When Apple set out to include a streaming video feature on their iPhone OS, they decided to use HTTP for several reasons. First and foremost, they could avoid many of the pitfalls of typical streaming media setups. For example: RTSP streams are often rejected by overzealous firewalls and routers, which means that many viewers who reside behind corporate/office firewalls will not be able to view your video stream.  Read more... (469 words, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)