What is a adaptive player?

Adaptive Player

Adaptive player is a software that streams audio or video content over the internet. It works differently from traditional streaming methods, which deliver videos at a fixed resolution and bitrate. Adaptive streaming adjusts the video quality based on the viewer's internet connection speed and other factors.

About

The video content is encoded at different quality levels, with different resolutions and bitrates. The player continuously monitors the viewer's internet connection speed and other conditions to choose the most suitable quality level to deliver the best viewing experience. The player can change the quality level without interrupting playback if the viewer's internet connection improves or worsens.

Adaptive streaming provides smoother playback, reduces buffering, and delivers high-quality videos to viewers with varying internet connection speeds and device capabilities.

Popular adaptive streaming protocols include HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH), and Microsoft Smooth Streaming. Many streaming platforms and services, such as YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video, use adaptive streaming technology to deliver their content to viewers.