Livestreaming and Chunked Streaming: Concepts and Differences

As video consumption grows rapidly across the globe, understanding the technology behind video delivery becomes increasingly important. Two widely used techniques in this domain are livestreaming and chunked streaming. Although both are used to distribute video and audio content, they serve different purposes and have unique implementations. In this article, we will delve into these concepts, their differences, and how to implement them using Kotlin.

What is Livestreaming?

Livestreaming refers to the delivery of video and audio content in real time. This technique involves capturing content directly from a source (like a camera or microphone) and broadcasting it to viewers without significant storage or processing delays. Livestreaming requires efficient encoding, transmission, and decoding processes to ensure minimal latency.

Common Technologies in Livestreaming:

• RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol): An older but widely used protocol for transmitting video from devices to servers. Despite its age, RTMP is still popular for its reliability and low latency.
• HLS (HTTP Live Streaming): Developed by Apple, HLS is currently the most popular protocol for livestreaming. It breaks down the video into small chunks and sends them over HTTP, making it highly compatible with modern web servers and CDNs.
• DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP)…