Streaming Media Conversion for Offline Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing streaming media technologies face challenges in playing media streams across different platforms due to firewall and NAT router issues, with the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol being unsupported by many terminals and not allowing offline playback, leading to a degraded user experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that obtain an index file and slice files, combine and convert them into a local media file format supported by the terminal's media player, enabling playback on various platforms, including Android, iOS, and Windows Phone devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If HLS protocol is used for streaming media transmission, then network transmission efficiency is improved and firewall compatibility is enhanced, but terminal compatibility deteriorates and offline playback capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protocol conversion mechanism that acts as an intermediary between HLS protocol and traditional streaming protocols. The system downloads HLS format media data and converts it into formats compatible with various terminals (Flash, H.264, etc.), thereby maintaining terminal compatibility while preserving the network transmission advantages of HLS protocol
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the format parameter of media data from HLS-specific format to multiple conventional formats (Flash, H.264, etc.) through conversion. This parameter transformation enables the same media content to be played on different terminal types, resolving the compatibility issue while maintaining the efficiency benefits of HLS transmission
2Productivity
If HLS protocol is used for streaming media transmission, then network transmission efficiency is improved, but offline playback capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary downloading of media data in HLS format before offline playback is needed. The system converts the downloaded HLS data into conventional formats and stores it locally, enabling offline playback without requiring network connection during playback. This preliminary conversion and storage action resolves the limitation of HLS protocol for offline use
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional streaming media protocols are used, then terminal compatibility is improved, but network transmission efficiency deteriorates due to firewall and NAT router issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the streaming media process into two independent stages: network transmission stage (using HLS protocol for efficiency) and playback stage (using converted formats for compatibility). This segmentation allows each stage to use the most appropriate protocol, achieving both network efficiency and terminal compatibility without compromise
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a method and a device for playing streaming media, and a non-transitory storage medium, and the method comprises: obtaining an index file of a media stream, wherein the media stream includes the index file and at least two slice files, and time information and address information of each of the at least two slice files are recorded in the index file; obtaining all slice files of the media stream according to the index file; combining and converting all the slice files obtained into a local media file; and playing the local media file by a local media player, wherein, the local media file is of a format supported by the local media player. By the present invention, a media stream of a format not supported by the local media player can be played by the local media player.