If you're learning about OTT (Over-The-Top) video streaming, Smart TV apps, or working with web video players, this cheat sheet will help you understand the essential terms used in the streaming industry.
(And will help me get back here whenever I forget about a term 😅 )
⚠️ This cheat sheet is evolving. More terms and explanations will be added over time.
📌 Key OTT Streaming Terms
| Term | Category | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| HLS (.m3u8) | Format | Apple adaptive streaming format widely used in OTT |
| MPEG-DASH (.mpd) | Format | Open standard adaptive streaming format |
| Manifest (Playlist) | Streaming Concept | File listing video segments, audio, and subtitles |
| ABR (Adaptive Bitrate) | Streaming Concept | Automatic quality switching based on network speed |
| DRM | Security / Playback | Protects premium content from unauthorized access |
| Widevine / PlayReady / FairPlay | DRM Systems | Most common DRM platforms for web & Smart TVs |
| MSE | Browser API | Browser API for feeding video chunks to playback |
| EME | Browser API / DRM | Browser API required for encrypted playback |
| Segment / Chunk | Streaming Concept | Small pieces of video (chunks) delivered during playback |
| VOD vs Live | Streaming Type | On-demand vs real-time streaming content |
| CDN | Delivery | Content Delivery Network for fast global streaming |
💬 Feedback or Suggestions?
If you want me to expand this cheat sheet into a full OTT Developer Handbook, or include topics like:
- Codecs (AV1, HEVC, VP9, AVC)
- SSAI (Server-Side Ad Insertion) vs CSAI (Client-Side Ad Insertion)
- Multi-CDN routing
Drop a comment below!
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Made with ❤️ for the streaming developer community by Braggio - GitHub
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