Module ngx_http_hls_module

The ngx_http_hls_module module provides HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) server-side support for MP4 and MOV media files. Such files typically have the .mp4, .m4v, .m4a, .mov, or .qt filename extensions. The module supports H.264 video codec, AAC and MP3 audio codecs.

For each media file, two URIs are supported:

• A playlist URI with the “.m3u8” filename extension. The URI can accept optional arguments:
  • “start” and “end” define playlist boundaries in seconds (1.9.0).
  • “offset” shifts an initial playback position to the time offset in seconds (1.9.0). A positive value sets a time offset from the beginning of the playlist. A negative value sets a time offset from the end of the last fragment in the playlist.
  • “len” defines the fragment length in seconds.
• A fragment URI with the “.ts” filename extension. The URI can accept optional arguments:
  • “start” and “end” define fragment boundaries in seconds.

This module is available as part of our commercial subscription.

location / {
    hls;
    hls_fragment            5s;
    hls_buffers             10 10m;
    hls_mp4_buffer_size     1m;
    hls_mp4_max_buffer_size 5m;
    root /var/video/;
}

With this configuration, the following URIs are supported for the “/var/video/test.mp4” file:

http://hls.example.com/test.mp4.m3u8?offset=1.000&start=1.000&end=2.200
http://hls.example.com/test.mp4.m3u8?len=8.000
http://hls.example.com/test.mp4.ts?start=1.000&end=2.200

Turns on HLS streaming in the surrounding location.

hls_buffers 8 2m;

Sets the maximum number and size of buffers that are used for reading and writing data frames.

hls_forward_args off;

Adds arguments from a playlist request to URIs of fragments. This may be useful for performing client authorization at the moment of requesting a fragment, or when protecting an HLS stream with the ngx_http_secure_link_module module.

For example, if a client requests a playlist http://example.com/hls/test.mp4.m3u8?a=1&b=2, the arguments a=1 and b=2 will be added to URIs of fragments after the arguments start and end:

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:15
#EXT-X-PLAYLIST-TYPE:VOD

#EXTINF:9.333,
test.mp4.ts?start=0.000&end=9.333&a=1&b=2
#EXTINF:7.167,
test.mp4.ts?start=9.333&end=16.500&a=1&b=2
#EXTINF:5.416,
test.mp4.ts?start=16.500&end=21.916&a=1&b=2
#EXTINF:5.500,
test.mp4.ts?start=21.916&end=27.416&a=1&b=2
#EXTINF:15.167,
test.mp4.ts?start=27.416&end=42.583&a=1&b=2
#EXTINF:9.626,
test.mp4.ts?start=42.583&end=52.209&a=1&b=2

#EXT-X-ENDLIST

If an HLS stream is protected with the ngx_http_secure_link_module module, $uri should not be used in the secure_link_md5 expression because this will cause errors when requesting the fragments. Base URI should be used instead of $uri ($hls_uri in the example):

http {
    ...

    map $uri $hls_uri {
        ~^(?<base_uri>.*).m3u8$ $base_uri;
        ~^(?<base_uri>.*).ts$   $base_uri;
        default                 $uri;
    }

    server {
        ...

        location /hls {
            hls;
            hls_forward_args on;

            alias /var/videos;

            secure_link $arg_md5,$arg_expires;
            secure_link_md5 "$secure_link_expires$hls_uri$remote_addr secret";

            if ($secure_link = "") {
                return 403;
            }

            if ($secure_link = "0") {
                return 410;
            }
        }
    }
}

hls_fragment 5s;

Defines the default fragment length for playlist URIs requested without the “len” argument.

hls_mp4_buffer_size 512k;

Sets the initial size of the buffer used for processing MP4 and MOV files.

hls_mp4_max_buffer_size 10m;

During metadata processing, a larger buffer may become necessary. Its size cannot exceed the specified size, or else nginx will return the server error 500 (Internal Server Error), and log the following message:

"/some/movie/file.mp4" mp4 moov atom is too large:
12583268, you may want to increase hls_mp4_max_buffer_size