URL Format for HLS Access

Description of the URL formats for accessing HLS streams, covering live, time-shifted (DVR), and on-demand (VOD) content.

1. URL Structure

• Base path: /<channel_name> (e.g., /discovery)
• Variant path (multi-bitrate): /<channel_name>/<variant> (e.g., /discovery/1080p)
• Filenames (default, configurable in HLS Access):
  • index.m3u8: Main access point for both live and on-demand content
    • Without parameters: Streams live content
    • With start parameter: Provides time-shifted content
  • media.m3u8 – Direct access to live content without session creation
  • vod.m3u8 – Direct access to on-demand content without session creation; URL includes start and duration parameters

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2. Index Playlist (Stream Mode)

URL:

  /<channel_name>/index.m3u8

or with optional parameters:

/<channel_name>/index.m3u8?start=<time>&duration=<sec>

• start (optional):
  • Relative: Seconds before now (e.g., -300)
  • Absolute: Unix timestamp (e.g., 1747485787)
• duration (optional): Playback length in seconds

Examples:

# 5 minutes ago to now
/discovery/index.m3u8?start=-300

# 40-second segment from a timestamp
/discovery/index.m3u8?start=1747485787&duration=40

Note

Index streams are near-real-time. Rewind is limited to buffer duration.

2.1. Index Playlist with Embedded Timestamp (Flussonic-like behavior)

Alternative syntax where parameters are embedded in the filename instead of query string. Both index- and archive- prefixes are supported for compatibility with Flussonic-like behavior.

URL:

/<channel_name>/index-<timestamp>-<duration>.m3u8

or

/<channel_name>/archive-<timestamp>-<duration>.m3u8

• timestamp:
  • now: Current time (live stream)
  • Absolute: Unix timestamp (e.g., 1747485787)
• duration: Playback length in seconds (use now for unlimited/live)

Examples:

# 15-minute segment from specific timestamp
/discovery/index-1747485787-900.m3u8

# Live stream from specific timestamp (increased constantly)
/discovery/index-1747485787-now.m3u8

# Same using `archive-` prefix
/discovery/archive-1747485787-900.m3u8

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3. Media Playlist (Live)

URL:

/<channel_name>/<variant>/media.m3u8

• Streams current live segments
• No query parameters
• Use variant path for multi-bitrate playback

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4. VOD Playlist (On-Demand)

URL:

/<channel_name>/<variant>/vod.m3u8?start=<time>&duration=<sec>

• start: Relative or absolute
• duration: Required

Examples:

# 30s clip from 100s ago for SD variant
/discovery/sd/vod.m3u8?start=-100&duration=30

# 30s clip from timestamp using variant
/discovery/hd/vod.m3u8?start=1747485787&duration=30

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5. Query Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
start	relative/absolute	Playback start time (offset or Unix time)
duration	seconds	Length of playback

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6. Playback Notes

• Access: Public by default. Enable authentication if needed.

• Pause/Seek:

  • Index: Limited rewind
  • VOD: Full seek within requested range

• Multi-bitrate:

  • index.m3u8 lists available variants
  • Direct URL forces specific variant

• Archive: Access to VOD or index requires archive to be enabled (Storage must be assigned in channel settings)