HLS Streaming Explained for Broadcasters

HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is the most widely used format for delivering video to viewers on phones, browsers and smart TVs. If your channel reaches people through a player, it is very likely using HLS.

How HLS works

The stream is split into short video segments. A playlist file (with the .m3u8 extension) tells the player which segments to download and in what order. For live streams, the playlist keeps updating as new segments are produced.

Adaptive bitrate

An HLS stream usually comes in several qualities. A master playlist lists them all, and the player switches between them according to the viewer's connection, so playback continues even when the network changes.

Why HLS scales

Because segments are regular files delivered over HTTP, they can be cached and served by CDNs, which makes it practical to reach large audiences.

Ad breaks in HLS

Break information that arrives as SCTE-35 in the source stream can be carried into the HLS playlist as tags, such as EXT-X-DATERANGE or CUE-OUT and CUE-IN markers. Players and server-side ad insertion services read these tags to know where ads go.

Where it fits in your workflow

A typical chain is: production, contribution to the platform (often over SRT), packaging into HLS and delivery through a CDN to the viewer's player. Fast Monkey Pass helps connect that distribution chain to monetization workflows.

Read: Server-side ad insertion explained · Learn about Fast Monkey Pass