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Mohamed Shaban
Mohamed Shaban

Posted on • Originally published at robovai.tech

Media3 1.9.0: What's New and How to Make the Most of It

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Media3 1.9.0: What's New and How to Make the Most of It

The Media3 library has just released its latest version, 1.9.0, and it's packed with exciting new features and improvements. As an Engineering Manager, Kristina Simakova, highlights the key updates in this release. In this article, we'll dive into the details of what's new in Media3 1.9.0, explore the new modules, and provide practical tips on how to leverage them in your projects.

New Modules and Features

The Media3 1.9.0 release includes four new or largely rewritten modules that are sure to make a significant impact on your media-related projects. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

media3-inspector: Extract Metadata and Frames Outside of Playback

The media3-inspector module allows you to extract metadata and frames from media files outside of playback. This can be particularly useful for tasks such as video analysis, thumbnail generation, or content moderation.

Here's an example of how to use media3-inspector to extract metadata from a media file:

import com.google.android.exoplayer.media3.inspector.MediaInspector;

// Create a MediaInspector instance
MediaInspector inspector = new MediaInspector(context);

// Extract metadata from a media file
Metadata metadata = inspector.extractMetadata(Uri.parse("https://example.com/video.mp4"));

// Print the extracted metadata
Log.d("MediaInspector", metadata.toString());
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With media3-inspector, you can now easily extract valuable information from your media files without having to play them back.

media3-ui-compose-material3: Build a Basic Material3 Compose Media UI

The media3-ui-compose-material3 module provides a set of pre-built UI components for creating a Material3-style media UI using Jetpack Compose. This module makes it easy to build a consistent and visually appealing media UI in just a few steps.

Here's an example of how to use media3-ui-compose-material3 to build a basic media UI:

import com.google.android.exoplayer.media3.ui.compose.Material3MediaUI

@Composable
fun MediaUI() {
    Material3MediaUI(
        // Provide the media item and playback state
        mediaItem = mediaItem,
        playbackState = playbackState,
        // Customize the UI as needed
        modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth()
    )
}
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With media3-ui-compose-material3, you can create a professional-looking media UI with minimal effort.

media3-cast: Seamlessly Handle Transitions Between Cast and Local Playback

The media3-cast module simplifies the process of handling transitions between Cast and local playback. This module automatically manages the complexities of switching between different playback modes, ensuring a seamless experience for your users.

Here's an example of how to use media3-cast to handle transitions between Cast and local playback:

import com.google.android.exoplayer.media3.cast.CastPlayer;

// Create a CastPlayer instance
CastPlayer castPlayer = new CastPlayer(context);

// Set up the CastPlayer to handle transitions
castPlayer.setPlaybackModeListener(new CastPlayer.PlaybackModeListener() {
    @Override
    public void onPlaybackModeChanged(int playbackMode) {
        // Handle playback mode changes as needed
    }
});
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With media3-cast, you can now easily manage the complexities of Cast and local playback transitions.

media3-decoder-av1: Consistent AV1 Playback

The media3-decoder-av1 module provides a consistent and reliable way to play back AV1-encoded media files. This module ensures that your app can handle AV1 playback with ease, regardless of the underlying device capabilities.

Key Takeaways

  • The Media3 1.9.0 release includes four new or largely rewritten modules: media3-inspector, media3-ui-compose-material3, media3-cast, and media3-decoder-av1.
  • media3-inspector allows you to extract metadata and frames from media files outside of playback.
  • media3-ui-compose-material3 provides pre-built UI components for creating a Material3-style media UI using Jetpack Compose.
  • media3-cast simplifies the process of handling transitions between Cast and local playback.
  • media3-decoder-av1 ensures consistent and reliable AV1 playback.

Best Practices and Tips

To get the most out of the Media3 1.9.0 release, follow these best practices and tips:

  • When using media3-inspector, be sure to handle any errors that may occur during metadata extraction.
  • When building a media UI with media3-ui-compose-material3, customize the UI to fit your app's branding and style.
  • When using media3-cast, ensure that you handle playback mode changes correctly to provide a seamless experience for your users.
  • When playing back AV1-encoded media files with media3-decoder-av1, verify that your app is compatible with the underlying device capabilities.

Conclusion

The Media3 1.9.0 release is a significant update that brings new features, improvements, and modules to the table. By leveraging the new media3-inspector, media3-ui-compose-material3, media3-cast, and media3-decoder-av1 modules, you can enhance your media-related projects and provide a better experience for your users. Whether you're building a media player, video editor, or other media-related app, the Media3 1.9.0 release has something to offer. So, what are you waiting for? Upgrade to Media3 1.9.0 today and start exploring the new possibilities!

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