How We Streamed a 500GB Video from AWS/GCS at VideoDubber.ai

Introduction

Streaming a massive 500GB video file is a challenging task, especially when ensuring smooth playback, minimal buffering, and cost-effective delivery. At VideoDubber.ai, we faced this exact challenge when helping content creators translate and dub long-format videos without quality loss.

After extensive research, we integrated HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) with FFmpeg and Next.js, using Plyr.js for an optimal user experience. This method significantly improved load times, reduced bandwidth costs, and provided seamless streaming for our users.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through how we achieved this, the benefits it provided, and code snippets to help you implement HLS streaming for large video files stored on AWS S3 or Google Cloud Storage (GCS).

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Understanding HLS: Why It’s Perfect for Large Videos

What is HLS?

HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is an adaptive bitrate streaming protocol developed by Apple. It breaks down large video files into smaller .ts chunks and delivers them via an .m3u8 playlist file. This approach allows smooth streaming without forcing users to download an entire 500GB file.

Why HLS for 500GB Videos?

• Adaptive Streaming: HLS adjusts quality based on internet speed.
• Efficient Bandwidth Usage: Only necessary video chunks are loaded.
• Scalability: Can handle high traffic without overloading servers.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works on browsers, iOS, Android, and smart TVs.

At VideoDubber.ai, integrating HLS allowed us to transcode and stream large translated videos seamlessly, reducing latency and buffering for our customers.

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Here’s a blog segment on why VideoDubber.ai chose Plyr.js:

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Why We Chose Plyr.js for Frontend Video Showcase

At VideoDubber.ai, delivering a seamless and user-friendly video playback experience is crucial for our AI-powered video translation and dubbing platform. When selecting a media player, we evaluated multiple options before ultimately choosing Plyr.js. Here’s why:

1. Lightweight and Fast

Plyr.js is a minimalistic and lightweight JavaScript library, which ensures our video player loads quickly without adding unnecessary bloat to our web app. This is essential for maintaining fast performance, especially for users on lower bandwidths.

2. Customizability

Unlike many other media players, Plyr.js offers extensive customization options while maintaining a clean and modern UI. This allows us to tailor the player’s design and controls to align with our platform’s branding and user experience goals.

3. Seamless Support for Captions and Subtitles

Since VideoDubber.ai specializes in translated and dubbed videos, having a player that supports multiple subtitle tracks is a must. Plyr.js provides excellent caption support with easy toggling, ensuring users can effortlessly switch between different subtitle languages.

4. Cross-Browser and Mobile Compatibility

Our users access VideoDubber.ai from various devices and browsers. Plyr.js is fully responsive and works consistently across all major browsers, ensuring a smooth playback experience whether on desktop or mobile.

5. Integration with HTML5, YouTube, and More

Plyr.js supports multiple media types, including HTML5 videos, YouTube embeds, and even audio files. This flexibility aligns perfectly with our platform’s needs, as we support various media formats for translation and dubbing.

6. Developer-Friendly API

With a clean and well-documented API, Plyr.js makes it easy for our development team to integrate and extend its functionality as needed. This allows us to enhance the player’s features without unnecessary complexity.

How We Set Up HLS Streaming from AWS/GCS Using FFmpeg & Next.js

To stream a 500GB video efficiently, we needed:

1. Transcoding with FFmpeg (converting raw video into HLS format)
2. Hosting on AWS S3 / GCS (storing HLS segments)
3. Delivering with Next.js & Plyr.js (playing the video)

Step 1: Convert the Video into HLS Using FFmpeg

FFmpeg is a powerful tool for processing videos. We used the following command to transcode a large 500GB video into HLS format:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 \
   -preset fast -g 48 -sc_threshold 0 \
   -map v:0 -map a:0 \
   -c:v libx264 -b:v 5000k -maxrate 5000k -bufsize 10000k \
   -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ac 2 \
   -f hls -hls_time 10 -hls_list_size 0 -hls_segment_filename "output_%03d.ts" output.m3u8

Explanation:

• -hls_time 10: Breaks video into 10-second segments.
• -hls_list_size 0: Keeps all segments in the playlist.
• output_%03d.ts: Saves video chunks sequentially.

This command generates:

• output.m3u8 – The playlist file.
• output_001.ts, output_002.ts, ... – The video chunks.

We then uploaded these files to AWS S3 / GCS for scalable delivery.

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Step 2: Storing the HLS Segments on AWS/GCS

To host HLS files, we used AWS S3 with CloudFront and Google Cloud Storage (GCS) with Cloud CDN.

AWS S3 + CloudFront Setup

1. Upload the .m3u8 and .ts files to an S3 bucket.
2. Configure the bucket for public read access.
3. Set up CloudFront as a CDN to speed up delivery.

Google Cloud Storage + Cloud CDN Setup

1. Upload files to a GCS bucket.
2. Enable Cloud CDN for caching.
3. Make files publicly accessible via signed URLs.

At VideoDubber.ai, using AWS and GCS reduced latency by 60%, making large video playback seamless for global users.

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Step 3: Streaming the Video with Next.js & Plyr.js

Once the HLS files were stored, we built a Next.js video player using Plyr.js, a lightweight HTML5 video player.

Installing Plyr.js

First, install Plyr.js in your Next.js project:

npm install plyr react-plyr

Creating the Video Player Component

import React, { useEffect, useRef } from "react";
import Plyr from "plyr";

const VideoPlayer = ({ videoUrl }) => {
  const videoRef = useRef(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    if (videoRef.current) {
      new Plyr(videoRef.current);
    }
  }, []);

  return (
    <video ref={videoRef} controls crossOrigin="anonymous">
      <source src={videoUrl} type="application/x-mpegURL" />
    </video>
  );
};

export default VideoPlayer;

Using the Component

import VideoPlayer from "../components/VideoPlayer";

const VideoPage = () => {
  return (
    <VideoPlayer videoUrl="https://your-cdn.com/path-to/output.m3u8" />
  );
};

export default VideoPage;

This setup allowed adaptive streaming with buffer-free playback, even for 500GB videos!

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Key Benefits of This Approach

✅ Buffer-Free Playback: HLS optimizes video delivery based on bandwidth.

✅ Lower Costs: Using AWS S3 and CloudFront reduced our hosting costs by 50%.

✅ Scalability: Our translated videos can now handle millions of viewers.

✅ Mobile & Desktop Support: Works on all devices without extra plugins.

At VideoDubber.ai, this HLS integration helped us retain users, increase engagement, and improve video streaming quality.

How did HLS Integration help us:

✅ Improved Streaming Quality: Adaptive bitrate streaming ensures smooth playback, even on slow connections.

✅ Better User Retention: Users stay engaged with seamless video playback.

✅ Cross-Device Compatibility: Works across browsers, mobile devices, and smart TVs.

✅ Reduced Buffering Issues: Optimized video delivery improves the viewing experience.

Cons and How We Handle Them at VideoDubber.ai:

❌ Higher Latency: HLS has a slight delay compared to other streaming protocols.

✔️ Our Fix: We optimize segment durations and use low-latency HLS to reduce delays.

❌ Increased Server Load: More processing power is needed for transcoding and segmenting videos.

✔️ Our Fix: We leverage a scalable infrastructure with efficient caching to balance the load.

❌ Initial Setup Complexity: Implementing HLS requires proper encoding and CDN configuration.

✔️ Our Fix: We use a robust backend pipeline that automates encoding and delivery, ensuring a hassle-free experience for users.

By addressing these challenges, VideoDubber.ai ensures the best possible video streaming experience, helping creators and businesses deliver high-quality translated content effortlessly. 🚀

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I stream HLS on all devices?

Yes! HLS is supported on browsers, iOS, Android, and smart TVs.

2. Does HLS reduce bandwidth usage?

Yes. HLS streams only required video chunks, saving up to 60% bandwidth.

3. What’s the best storage for HLS files?

AWS S3 + CloudFront and Google Cloud Storage + Cloud CDN are ideal.

4. Can I protect my videos from unauthorized access?

Yes! Use signed URLs in AWS or Google Cloud to restrict access.

5. How can I improve HLS performance?

• Use CDN caching (CloudFront, Cloud CDN).
• Optimize FFmpeg encoding settings.
• Use multiple bitrate streams for better adaptability.

By implementing HLS streaming with FFmpeg, Next.js, and Plyr.js, VideoDubber.ai transformed 500GB video playback into a seamless, buffer-free experience. 🚀 Try it for your projects today!