Device and app evidence
Distinguish HLS and DASH in Android Media3
Android’s Media3 documentation lists HLS and DASH as separate delivery formats and documents their supported container and media features.
Android’s Media3 documentation lists HLS and DASH as separate delivery formats and documents their supported container and media features.
Confirm the exact product or platform
| Check | Manufacturer or publisher evidence |
|---|---|
| Platform | Android TV and Google TV |
| Publisher | Android |
| Formats | HTTP Live Streaming and Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP |
| Evidence | Manifest type, container, codecs and selected player |
What to do on your device
- Identify the manifest type and video and audio codecs in your own or an authorized test source.
- Compare the app’s implementation and device’s decode support with Media3’s format table.
- For a player compatibility report, include the device, Android version and a redacted format summary.
Test the viewing task
Use one authorized programme with a known audio or caption track. Check the same task after the documented change. If the result differs, report the model, OS or app version and the format or connection that the guide above applies to.
Record both the delivery format and the media inside it
An Android app may read an HLS playlist or a DASH manifest and still fail when it reaches a particular audio or video track. Android’s Media3 documentation separates the delivery format, the segment container and the sample formats. The actual device decoder and the app’s implementation still matter. Record the manifest type, container, codec profile and which app played it.
Use a known-good authorised test source and note what stage passed. If the playlist or manifest opened, the initial fetch worked. If the video has a picture but no sound, check the selected audio track and codec. If it stops as the resolution changes, note the original and next rendition, the timestamp and the device’s reported output.
Turn the comparison into a reproducible app report
An illustrative pair would be HLS with H.264 video and AAC sound versus DASH with the same video codec but a different audio track. If the first works and the second is silent, inspect the media differences as well as delivery. To isolate the delivery format on test media you control, keep the same audio and video tracks for the next run.
Write down device model and Android version, player build, delivery format, codec identifiers and exact error text. Keep the manifest URL and any licence or account parameters private. For a third-party service, ask the publisher about the supported playback path.
| Stage | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|
| Manifest load | Delivery format and whether the channel entry opened |
| First audio and video | Container, selected tracks and decoder error if shown |
| Adaptation or switching | Rendition change and elapsed time |
| Protected playback | The official app’s message and supported device details |