We've successfully implemented an AVAssetWriter to produce HLS streams (all code is Objective-C++ for interop with existing codebase) but are struggling to extend the operations to use tagged buffers.
We're starting to wonder if the tagged buffers required for an MV-HEVC signal are fully supported when producing HLS segments in a live-stream setting.
We generate a live stream of data using something like:
UTType *t = [UTType typeWithIdentifier:AVFileTypeMPEG4];
m_writter = [[AVAssetWriter alloc] initWithContentType:t];
// - videoHint describes HEVC and width/height
// - m_videoConfig includes compression settings and, when using MV-HEVC,
// the correct keys are added (i.e. kVTCompressionPropertyKey_MVHEVCVideoLayerIDs)
// The app was throwing an exception without these which was
// useful to know when we got the configuration right.
m_video = [[AVAssetWriterInput alloc] initWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeVideo outputSettings:m_videoConfig sourceFormatHint:videoHint];
For either path we're producing CVPixelBufferRefs that contain the raw pixel information (i.e. 32BGRA) so we use an adapter to make that as simple as possible.
If we use a single view and a AVAssetWriterInputPixelBufferAdaptor things work out very well. We produce segments and the delegate is called.
However, if we use the AVAssetWriterInputTaggedPixelBufferGroupAdaptor as exampled in the SideBySideToMVHEVC demo project, things go poorly.
We create the tagged buffers with something like:
CMTagCollectionRef collections[2];
CMTag leftTags[] = {
CMTagMakeWithSInt64Value(
kCMTagCategory_VideoLayerID, (int64_t)0),
CMTagMakeWithSInt64Value(
kCMTagCategory_StereoView, kCMStereoView_LeftEye)
};
CMTagCollectionCreate(
kCFAllocatorDefault, leftTags, 2, &(collections[0])
);
CMTag rightTags[] = {
CMTagMakeWithSInt64Value(
kCMTagCategory_VideoLayerID, (int64_t)1),
CMTagMakeWithSInt64Value(
kCMTagCategory_StereoView, kCMStereoView_RightEye)
};
CMTagCollectionCreate(
kCFAllocatorDefault, rightTags, 2, &(collections[1])
);
CFArrayRef tagCollections = CFArrayCreate(
kCFAllocatorDefault, (const void **)collections, 2, &kCFTypeArrayCallBacks
);
CVPixelBufferRef buffers[] = {*b, *alt};
CFArrayRef b = CFArrayCreate(
kCFAllocatorDefault, (const void **)buffers, 2, &kCFTypeArrayCallBacks
);
CMTaggedBufferGroupRef bufferGroup;
OSStatus res = CMTaggedBufferGroupCreate(
kCFAllocatorDefault, tagCollections, b, &bufferGroup
);
Perhaps there's something about this OBJC code that I've buggered up? Hopefully!
Anyways, when I submit this tagged bugger group to the adaptor:
if (![mvVideoAdapter appendTaggedPixelBufferGroup:bufferGroup withPresentationTime:pts]) {
// report error...
}
Appending does not raise any errors - eventually it just hangs on us and we never return from it...
Real Issue:
So either:
The delegate assigned to the AVAssetWriter doesn't fire its assetWriter callback which should produce the segments
The adapter hangs on the appendTaggedPixelBufferGroup before a segment is ready to be completed (but succeeds for a number of buffer groups before this happens).
This is the same delegate class that's assigned to the non multi view code path if MV-HEVC is turned off which works perfectly.
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i need to make app for iOS to get code for XCode
Topic:
Media Technologies
SubTopic:
Streaming
Hi Team,
We are using AVFoundation to read metadata from a stream and have noticed some delay between when the stream provides metadata and when the app receives it. Could someone from the team advise on ways to reduce this?
Thanks
Hello,
We're seeing an intermittent issue when playing back FairPlay-protected HLS downloads while the device is offline.
Assets are downloaded using AVAggregateAssetDownloadTask with FairPlay protection.
After download, asset.assetCache.isPlayableOffline == true.
On first playback attempt (offline), ~8% of downloads fail.
Retrying playback always works. We recreate the asset and player on each attempt.
During the playback setup, we try to load variants via:
try await asset.load(.variants)
This call sometimes fails with:
Error Domain=NSURLErrorDomain Code=-1009 “The Internet connection appears to be offline.” UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x105654a00 {Error Domain=NSURLErrorDomain Code=-1009 “The Internet connection appears to be offline.” UserInfo={NSDescription=The Internet connection appears to be offline.}}, NSErrorFailingURLStringKey=file:///private/var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/2DDF9D7C-9197-46BE-8690-C23EE75C9E90/Library/com.apple.UserManagedAssets.XVvqfh/Baggage_9DD4E2D3F9C0E68F.movpkg/, NSErrorFailingURLKey=file:///private/var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/2DDF9D7C-9197-46BE-8690-C23EE75C9E90/Library/com.apple.UserManagedAssets.XVvqfh/Baggage_9DD4E2D3F9C0E68F.movpkg/, NSURL=file:///private/var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/2DDF9D7C-9197-46BE-8690-C23EE75C9E90/Library/com.apple.UserManagedAssets.XVvqfh/Baggage_9DD4E2D3F9C0E68F.movpkg/, AVErrorFailedDependenciesKey=(
“assetProperty_HLSAlternates”
), NSLocalizedDescription=The Internet connection appears to be offline.}
This variant load is used to determine available audio tracks, check for Dolby support, and apply user language preferences.
After this step, the AVPlayerItem also fails via Combine’s publisher for .status.
However, retrying the entire process immediately after (same offline conditions, same asset path, new AVURLAsset) results in successful playback.
Assets are represented using the following class:
public class DownloadedAsset: AVURLAsset {
public let id: String
public let localFileUrl: URL
public let fairplayLicenseUrlString: String?
public let drmToken: String?
var isProtected: Bool {
return fairplayLicenseUrlString != nil
}
public init(id: String,
localFileUrl: URL,
fairplayLicenseUrlString: String?,
drmToken: String?) {
self.id = id
self.localFileUrl = localFileUrl
self.fairplayLicenseUrlString = fairplayLicenseUrlString
self.drmToken = drmToken
super.init(url: localFileUrl, options: nil)
}
}
We use user-selected quality levels to control bitrate and multichannel (e.g. Dolby 5.1) downloads:
let downloadQuality = UserDefaults.standard.downloadVideoQuality
let bitrate: Int
let shouldDownloadMultichannelTracks: Bool
switch downloadQuality {
case .dataSaver:
shouldDownloadMultichannelTracks = false
bitrate = 596564
case .standard:
shouldDownloadMultichannelTracks = false
bitrate = 1503844
case .best:
shouldDownloadMultichannelTracks = true
bitrate = 7038970
}
var selections = multichannelIdentifiedMediaSelections
if !shouldDownloadMultichannelTracks {
selections = selections.filter { !$0.isMultichannel }
}
let task = session.aggregateAssetDownloadTask(
with: asset,
mediaSelections: selections.map { $0.mediaSelection },
assetTitle: title,
assetArtworkData: nil,
options: [AVAssetDownloadTaskMinimumRequiredMediaBitrateKey: bitrate]
)
Seen on devices running iOS 16, iOS 17, and iOS 18.
What could cause the initial failure of an otherwise valid, offline-ready FairPlay HLS asset?
Could .load(.variants) internally trigger a failed network resolution, even when offline?
Is there an internal caching or initialization behavior in AVFoundation that might explain why the second attempt works?
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Topic:
Media Technologies
SubTopic:
Streaming
Tags:
FairPlay Streaming
iOS
HTTP Live Streaming
AVFoundation
Keywords: FairPlay, FPS Certificate, DRM, FairPlay Streaming, license server
Hi all,
We are currently using FairPlay Streaming in production and already have an FPS certificate in place.
However, the passphrase for the existing FPS certificate has unfortunately been lost.
We are now considering reissuing a new FPS certificate, and I would like to confirm a few points before proceeding:
1️⃣ If we reissue a new FPS certificate, will the existing certificate be automatically revoked?
Or will it remain valid until its original expiration date?
2️⃣ Is it possible to have both the newly issued and the existing certificates valid at the same time?
In other words, can we serve DRM licenses using either certificate depending on the packaging or client?
3️⃣ Are there any caveats or best practices we should be aware of when reissuing an FPS certificate?
For example, would existing packaged content become unplayable, or would CDN/packaging server configurations need to be updated carefully?
Since this affects our production environment, we would like to minimize any service disruption or compatibility issues.
Unfortunately, when we contacted Apple support directly, we were advised to post this question here in the Forums for additional guidance.
Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance.
I’m building a music app using Apple Music streaming via ApplicationMusicPlayer.
My goal is to decrease the volume of the current song during the last 10 seconds, and when the next track begins, restore the volume to its normal level.
I know that ApplicationMusicPlayer doesn’t expose a volume API, and I want to avoid triggering the system volume HUD.
✅ Using Apple Music streaming (not local files)
❓ Is it possible to implement per-track fade-out/fade-in logic with ApplicationMusicPlayer?
Appreciate any clarification or official guidance!
While validating a Dolby Vision Profile 5 playlist in CMAF format (with segments in MP4), the Media Stream Validator reported the following error in the MUXT-FIX-ISSUES list:
However, the playlist correctly specifies Dolby Vision Profile 5 in both the EXT-X-STREAM-INF and EXT-X-I-STREAM-INF tags.
Playlist:
#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:8
#EXT-X-INDEPENDENT-SEGMENTS
#EXT-X-MEDIA:TYPE=AUDIO,GROUP-ID="audio-ec3",LANGUAGE="und",NAME="Undetermined",AUTOSELECT=YES,CHANNELS="6",URI="var14711339/aud1257/playlist.m3u8?device_profile=hls&seg_size=6&cmaf=1"
#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=14680000,AVERAGE-BANDWIDTH=14676380,VIDEO-RANGE=PQ,CODECS="ec-3,dvh1.05.06",RESOLUTION=3840x2160,AUDIO="audio-ec3"
var14711339/vid/playlist.m3u8?device_profile=hls&seg_size=6&cmaf=1
#EXT-X-I-FRAME-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=1419881,URI="trk14711339/playlist.m3u8?device_profile=hls&cmaf=1",VIDEO-RANGE=PQ,CODECS="dvh1.05.06",RESOLUTION=3840x2160
Could you please review this and clarify:
Why is the Media Stream Validator reporting this error, even though the playlist correctly includes Dolby Vision Profile 5 parameters in CMAF format?
Why is this error not reported when using a playlist with TS segments instead of CMAF (MP4)?
Hi there,
We're working on offline playback of DRM tracks. The persistent keys (also known as track licenses) for offline playback are stored locally on the device and are served from cache when a user initiates playback of a downloaded track.
Our persistent keys have a limited validity time and need to be refreshed when they expire. To prevent a situation where a persistent key expires while the user is offline, we've decided to eagerly refresh these keys one week before their expiration date. To make that happen we need to be able to obtain the expiration date of the given track license.
We've been attempting to use the makeSecureTokenForExpirationDateOfPersistableContentKey API to facilitate this process. The documentation states that this API returns a secret token representing the persistent key, which we can then exchange with our license server for the expiration date: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/avfoundation/avcontentkeysession/makesecuretokenforexpirationdate(ofpersistablecontentkey:completionhandler:)?language=objc
However, every time we call makeSecureTokenForExpirationDateOfPersistableContentKey, we receive an error with code -46250. We haven't been able to find any public references or documentation for this specific error code, which is preventing us from troubleshooting the issue. We are conducting our tests on a physical device, as the simulator does not support FairPlay playback. We don't use dual expiry approach.
Is our understanding of how to obtain the expiration timestamp correct? Are we using the makeSecureTokenForExpirationDateOfPersistableContentKey API as it was intended? What does the -46250 error code mean, and what steps should we take to fix our FairPlay implementation to make this work?
Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Hey there,
We're seeing a high rate of 403 - Invalid Authentication on this endpoint v1/me/library/artists since a few days.
Does anyone have the same issue ?
We have a Low-Latency HLS stream, and on iOS 26, even though the bandwidth is sufficient, it still selects a low-bandwidth resolution (e.g., RESOLUTION=640x360) for playback instead of using a higher-bandwidth resolution (e.g., RESOLUTION=1920x1080) when using AVPlayerViewController with AVPlayer.
This works fine on iOS version 18 and previous versions. What could be the solution to this issue?
Topic:
Media Technologies
SubTopic:
Streaming
Hi, I submitted the FairPlay Streaming Credentials Approval request, but it's been 15 days and I haven't received a response yet. Do you happen to know how long they usually take to reply to these requests?
Hello,
I'm investigating an issue with LL-HLS playback using AVPlayer, specifically during DVR Live seeking (seeking to a past time).
I noticed that in certain seeking scenarios, AVPlayer sends a Blocking Playlist Reload request that includes the _HLS_msn parameter but is missing the _HLS_part parameter.
While I understand this is compliant with the HLS spec, I would like to know the specific criteria AVPlayer uses to decide when to drop the _HLS_part parameter. Does AVPlayer intentionally omit the part info when it determines that loading a specific partial segment is unnecessary during a seek operation?
Clarification on this behavior would help us greatly in debugging our stream delivery.
Thanks in advance.
I am working on Screen Record function in Apple Vision Pro, when I use broadcast upload extension, after I click record button, the XCode console show the exception:
<<<< FigAudioSession(AV) >>>> audioSessionAVAudioSession_CopyMXSessionProperty signalled err=-19224 (kFigAudioSessionError_UnsupportedOperation) (getMXSessionProperty unsupported) at FigAudioSession_AVAudioSession.m:606
we create and config the project as flow:
Create a Apple Vision Project.
Create a Broadcast Upload Extension Target.
Add App Group for Project Target and Extension Target, both use the same identifier.
Add "Main Camera Access", "Passthrough in Screen Capture" Capabilities for all targets.
Add "NSScreenCaptureUsageDescription", "NSMicrophoneUsageDescription" in Plist.
Add record button in view
Run debug in Apple Vision Pro device, after click record button, throw the exception.
Hi
Is it possible to have a playlist where I have a indication of a stream in clear, but then, someone started a DRM encrypted period and then someone turns it off.
Can I just do the following (I've removed the video segments part, I'm just interested in the parts where I want notify the new drm region )?
#EXT-X-MAP:URI="video_2_10000000_t17586401730000000_init.mp4"
#EXT-X-KEY:METHOD=NONE
...
#EXT-X-MAP:URI="video_2_10000000_t17587374640000000_init.mp4"
#EXT-X-KEY:METHOD=SAMPLE-AES,URI="skd://5df0b36ac4bb4d0ff954a73b502ac332",KEYFORMAT="com.apple.streamingkeydelivery",KEYFORMATVERSIONS="1"
...
#EXT-X-MAP:URI="video_2_10000000_t17587376740000000_init.mp4?"
#EXT-X-KEY:METHOD=NONE
Should I insert discontinuity tags or something else?
Right now what I can observe is that I got some audio drops when I try to do this.
Our license service is based on version 4.5.4 and we make use of sample .c/.h files for building license service.
We are told that version 4.5.4 is going to be deprecated in 2026 and we should migrate to latest SDK version 26.
When explored the SDK, we noticed that only python and Swift based SDk is provided.
Does Apple also provide C/C++ based SDK as it is going to easier for us to integrate.
If yes, please share the SDK package and sample license service solution.
Hi,
I understand that AVPlayer/AVFoundation doesn’t natively play MPEG-DASH manifests (.mpd) today, while HLS is supported and widely documented by Apple.
I’m not asking for roadmap commitments, but I’d like to understand whether there is any publicly documented rationale for not supporting DASH/MPD in AVFoundation (e.g., technical constraints, platform integration, DRM ecosystem, power/performance considerations, etc.).
Questions:
Is there any Apple statement / documentation explaining why DASH (MPD) isn’t supported in AVFoundation?
Is Apple’s recommended approach still “provide HLS for Apple clients” (potentially sharing CMAF segments and generating separate manifests)?
If there’s no public rationale, is filing Feedback Assistant the best channel for requesting MPD playback support?
Thanks!
Hello, we have HLS Stream app on Apple TV. Our streams are DRM protected. We have problem with streams when source device is turned off. For example, user start to watch our HLS DRM Protected content. After some time, user turns off device (it can be Monitor or TV via connected HDMI). Our app does not understand HDMI Source device turned off. Is there any way to understand HDMI connected device is turned off on Swift?
Topic:
Media Technologies
SubTopic:
Streaming
Tags:
FairPlay Streaming
Swift
Apple TV
HTTP Live Streaming
I want my iOS app to be able to use USB client mode to send LiDAR data and camera frames to another device. What are my options for doing this. I've found IOUSBHost for host mode, but I want to see all my options. The device I want driving the bus is a Meta Quest 3, which, and I mention for the sake of clarity, is inherently an Android device. The iPhone is to be used as a sensor hub, sending data to the Quest 3 for further processing.
As a workaround, I could let the iPhone drive the bus and have the Quest 3 use Android's accessory mode, which lets other devices drive the USB bus. But, there are more USB devices I want to attach for my project, and doing this makes such more difficult. I want to avoid it.
Topic:
Media Technologies
SubTopic:
Streaming
I am developing an app to stream and download DRM protected HLS videos based on the official “FairPlay Streaming Server SDK”.
When I play the downloaded video, it asks the server for .ts or .aac, even though I have passed the path of the downloaded video to AVURLAsset.
As a result, playback fails when the device is offline, such as in airplane mode.
This behavior depends on the playback time of the video and occurs when trying to download and play a video with a playback time of 19 hours or more.
It did not occur for videos with a playback time of 18 hours.
The environment we checked is iOS 18.3.
The solution at this time is to limit the video playback time to 18 hours, but if possible, we would like to allow download playback of videos longer than 19 hours.
Does anyone have any information or know of a solution to this problem, such as if you have experienced this type of event, or if you know that content longer than 19 hours cannot be played offline?
// load
let path = ".../xxx.movpkg" // Path of the downloaded file
videoAsset = AVURLAsset(url: path)
playerItem = AVPlayerItem(asset: videoAsset!)
player.replaceCurrentItem(with: playerItem)
// isPlayableOffline
print("videoAsset.assetCache.isPlayableOffline = \(videoAsset.assetCache.isPlayableOffline)") // true
Our team conducted security testing and found one vulnerability with fairplay license acquisition.
Our QA engineer manually changed the device's system date and time (setting it 4 days into the future) and was able to successfully obtain a license response and initiate playback on an iOS device. However, on an Android device, the license acquisition failed.
Can you please tell us if Time Manipulation Detection is available in FairPlay SDK?