[clouddrover]

I always find it disappointing when video from Apple doesn't work in Firefox. There are quite a few JavaScript libraries available these days which support HLS in browsers which don't have built-in HLS support but Apple doesn't make use of them.

[shmerl]

Apple should stop fooling around, and start using DASH+MSE instead. But being Apple, they have very hard time letting go of their NIH and lock-in.

[clouddrover]

The problem with DASH these days is that you might have to buy a patent license to use it. The MPEG LA wants to sell you one anyhow:

http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/MPEG-DASH/Pages/Intro.as...

HLS has no such problems which makes it the better choice.

[shmerl]

Ah, so these freaks already managed to make claims. I hope someone will work on busting them. I highly doubt HLS is in any better shape in this regard.

And Columbia University is in that patent trolls list. Disgusting.

UPDATE:

Going through that site, I found their attempt to leech on VC-1: http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/VC1/Documents/vc-1-att1....

And they list Microsoft there, which is strange, since MS are part of Alliance for Open Media which is an antithesis of this trolling cartel. Either MS are sitting on both chairs, or MPEGLA are trying to fool everyone.

[alwillis]

Apple should stop fooling around, and start using DASH+MSE instead. But being Apple, they have very hard time letting go of their NIH and lock-in.

Apple was doing video [1] long before Firefox and the web were a thing; perhaps it's Mozilla that needs to get with the times and industry standards.

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QuickTime

[clouddrover]

> perhaps it's Mozilla that needs to get with the times

Mozilla is with the times. HLS works well in Firefox. You just do it with JavaScript and it's disappointing that Apple doesn't bother to do that on their website.

Here's an article on JavsScript based HLS from a couple of years ago:

https://blog.peer5.com/http-live-streaming-in-javascript/

[alwillis]

Again, performance and battery life is going to be better with Apple’s approach for mobile devices, especially since iOS devices have hardware accelerated playback.

[clouddrover]

> with Apple’s approach for mobile devices

Web browser considerations aren't relevant on iOS because Apple forbids alternative browser engines. Firefox on iOS is not Firefox because Apple doesn't allow it to use Firefox's JS runtime or Firefox's render engine. As a result there isn't any true browser competition on the iOS platform, which is a shame.

Personally, I want to run full, real Firefox on my iPhone. It's a low quality move from Apple that they stop me doing that.

[shmerl]

Well, ditch Apple. Why do you put up with this?

[shmerl]

That's a bogus argument, since nothing stops Apple from supporting common standards in their hardware, instead if NIH.

[shmerl]

DASH is being with the times and standards. HLS is being Apple.