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Video: What Is CMAF?

Learn more about CMAF at Streaming Media's next event.

Watch the complete video of this presentation from the Video Engineering Summit at Streaming Media West, VES201. Using CMAF to Cut Costs, Simplify Workflows, & Reduce Latency, in the Streaming Media Conference Video Portal.

Read the complete transcript of this clip:

Iraj Sodagar: Is there any way to reduce everything to a single copy, a single format? CMAF started with that idea. CMAF stands for Common Media Format, "Common" meaning using the same format for different streaming protocols. It started with Microsoft and Apple talking to each other. Is there a way to bring HLS and DASH together, and have one common format for them? The initial proposal was to impact in February 2016. Around 30, 40 companies attended and developed code to develop the spec further. Finally, it was published officially in January 2018, just this year. Technically it was frozen in July 2017.

As you can see, this was relatively very quick development. The goal was not to introduce a new format, but try to come up with a format that most devices can today deploy and use it, and hopefully our additional technology you need to build on the existing devices would be minimal. The spec is 23,019, part 19, and it has code aspects. Right now, it has two amendments and a call is coming out. The second edition will be issued probably this year, or early next year.

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