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MPEG-TS (Transport Stream)

Quick look-up table​

MPEG-TS
Type of streamingAll
Development StateMaintained
Expected LatencyLow to medium
Connection typeUDP & TCP
Container typeMPEG2-TS
WhereIt's complicated
Default Portnone
Modern codecsAll
Difficulty of readBeginner
Notes*MPEG-TS is very much a True streaming protocol, however most usage is seen with the transport stream container, which would be file progressive based

What do I need to know about MPEG-TS?​

MPEG-TS (TS) is also known as Transport Stream, specified by MPEG. It is been around since 1995 and it is the standard for Digital Video Broadcast (DVB), which is the old and proven delivery to TV. Because it was made for broadcast it is extremely robust and can handle even high levels of packet loss. The downside to this is almost 20% of overhead. It has been the base for many more modern protocols so it's hard to imagine streaming media without the existance of MPEG-TS. MPEG-TS can be streamed as a true streaming protocol both over UDP and TCP, however the most popular choice is using it as file based delivery over HTTP(S). As an example the first versions of HLS were based on TS files.

When would you use MPEG-TS?​

Compatibility with other systems/applications, part of the delivery chain

Unless your media uses asks specifically for MPEG-TS you will most likely only use it through other delivery methods and aren't aware of it. Many other methods implement a version of MPEG-TS which has specialized use. If MPEG-TS is specifically needed for your usage you most likely know why you are using it.

The scheme for MPEG-TS as a streaming protocol looks like this:

udp/tcp://address:port

If MPEG-TS is used as TCP a direct connection between two points is made. If MPEG-TS is used as UDP there will generally be another application listening on the same address to input the stream. Though multiple viewers could connect.

If MPEG-TS is used only as a container there is associated scheme.

Things you should know about MPEG-TS

  • You will most likely use MPEG-TS without knowing it.
  • A common broadcasting method within local networks is multicasting, by using specifically reserved addresses a broadcast can be easier to find. The multicast range is: 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255
  • MPEG-TS could contain programs, which is a method to indicate which stream tracks are meant to go together.

Advantages of MPEG-TS​

  • Choice of type of delivery and connection protocol
  • Robust and widely supported

Disadvantages of MPEG-TS​

  • Could require a custom player depending on the usage
  • Generally has a lot of extra bandwidth or resource usage

How do you get started with MPEG-TS?​

Eager to get started with MPEG-TS, but overwhelmed by the options? Perhaps it's best to contact us and discuss what you want to build and what you might need.