When a video is uploaded, the system automatically processes it in the background to make it ready for streaming. Below is how encoding and transcoding are performed step-by-step.
Video Upload
- The original video file is uploaded to the server.
- It is stored securely as the source file.
- Processing begins immediately after upload.
Encoding Process
- The system reads the source video.
- It compresses the video using a streaming-friendly codec (such as H.264).
- Audio is encoded separately and then combined with the video stream.
- The result is a compressed, optimized version suitable for playback.
Transcoding Into Multiple Resolutions
If multiple resolutions are enabled (for example 1080p, 720p, 480p):
- The system creates separate output versions for each selected resolution.
- Each version is resized and assigned an appropriate bitrate.
- Lower resolutions use lower bitrates to reduce bandwidth usage.
- Higher resolutions preserve more detail but require more storage.
Adaptive Streaming Packaging
- All generated resolutions are segmented into small chunks.
- A master playlist file (such as HLS
.m3u8) is created.
- The video player reads the playlist and automatically switches quality based on internet speed.
Storage & Availability
- All transcoded versions are stored.
- Encoding progress is tracked in real-time.
- Once processing is complete, the video becomes available for preview and public playback.
Enabling more resolutions increases processing time and storage usage.
