Creating video renditions is the foundation of a smooth and efficient adaptive streaming experience. Whether you're streaming to mobile, desktop, or smart TVs, delivering the right rendition at the right time improves quality, reduces buffering, and ensures a seamless viewing experience.
What Are Video Renditions?
A video rendition is a specific version of a video with a defined resolution, bitrate, and codec. Adaptive streaming platforms (like HLS or MPEG-DASH) use these renditions to dynamically switch video quality based on the user’s network conditions.
Example Bitrate Ladder:
Choosing the Right Codecs
The codec you use significantly impacts compression efficiency and compatibility.
Choose based on your audience’s devices and performance priorities.
Building Your Bitrate Ladder
When constructing your rendition ladder:
- Start with 3–6 renditions depending on your audience and device coverage.
- Include a low-quality fallback (~240p).
- Maintain consistent keyframe intervals across renditions.
- Use a VMAF target score of 93+ to guide visual quality.
Use Coconut’s default ladders or customize via API for your specific needs.
Enhancing UX and Player Behavior
Rendition switching is invisible to the user—but only if done well. Optimize:
- Startup time: prioritize smaller renditions to load instantly.
- Switching smoothness: align GOP lengths and keyframes.
- Buffer safety: encode segments with a ~4s duration to balance latency and stability.
Testing and Continuous Optimization
Don’t rely on defaults. Actively test your renditions:
- Use ffmpeg + VMAF to measure quality.
- Track which renditions are most used in real sessions.
- A/B test different ladders for specific regions or devices.
- Monitor startup time, buffer ratio, and exit rates.
Don’t Overlook DRM
If you’re delivering premium or protected content:
- Ensure renditions are correctly encrypted.
- Use compatible container formats: fMP4 for HLS, WebM or MP4 for MPEG-DASH.
- Align key IDs and license signaling across all renditions.
Stream Smarter, Not Harder
Renditions are not just technical artifacts—they shape the viewer’s experience. By choosing the right codec, constructing an efficient ladder, and constantly testing, you ensure your content performs optimally on every device.
