Embodiments provide for methods, computer program products, and systems to improve media playback comprising receiving a variant stream, identifying respective maximum segment durations for a plurality of different types of client devices that will play media content contained in the variant stream, generating, using the variant stream, a respective playlist for each of the plurality of different types of client devices, wherein the respective playlists each contain different maximum segment durations, and delivering the respective playlists to at least one of the plurality of different types of client devices via a distribution network.
BACKGROUND
Adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) is a computer network streaming technique that can provide continuous, uninterrupted media playback to a client device. ABR involves measuring the network bandwidth and data throughput of the client device in real time, and adjusting the streaming quality delivered to the client device accordingly.
The streaming quality is indicative of the size of the file containing the media content. A high quality stream indicates a high streaming bitrate, and thus a relatively large file size. Hence, the high quality stream requires more network bandwidth and greater data throughput of the client device to ensure continuous, uninterrupted media playback on the client device. Similarly, a low quality stream indicates a small streaming bitrate, and thus a relatively small file size. Hence, the low quality stream requires less network bandwidth and less data throughput of the client device to ensure continuous, uninterrupted media playback on the client device.
1. A method, comprising: identifying respective maximum segment durations for a plurality of different types of client devices that will play media content contained in a first variant stream; generating, based on the first variant stream, a respective playlist for each of the plurality of different types of client devices, wherein the respective playlists each contain different maximum segment durations; and delivering at least one of the respective playlists to at least one client device of the plurality of different types of client devices via a distribution network. ||
7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer program code that, when executed by operation of one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising: identifying respective maximum segment durations for a plurality of different types of client devices that will play media content contained in a first variant stream; generating, based on the first variant stream, a respective playlist for each of the plurality of different types of client devices, wherein the respective playlists each contain different maximum segment durations; and delivering the respective playlists to at least one of the plurality of different types of client devices via a distribution network. ||
13. A system, comprising: a data unit comprising data indicating maximum segment durations for a plurality of different types of client devices; a playlist unit configured to: identify respective maximum segment durations for a plurality of different types of client devices that will play media content contained in a first variant stream; and generate, based on the first variant stream, a respective playlist for each of the plurality of different types of client devices, wherein the respective playlists each contain different maximum segment durations; and a delivery unit configured to deliver the respective playlists to at least one of the plurality of different types of client devices via a distribution network. ||
19. A computing system, comprising: a processor; and a memory, wherein the memory stores a program that performs an operation when executed by the processor, the operation comprising: receiving a request for a first playlist from a first type of client device, wherein the first playlist includes a first maximum segment duration customized for the first type of client device; receiving a request for a second playlist from a second type of client device, wherein the second playlist includes a second maximum segment duration customized for the second type of client device, wherein the first type of client device and second type of client device are different, and the first and second maximum segment durations are different; and transmitting the first and second playlists to the first and second types of client devices, respectively.