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Version: 8.14.0

How to programmatically select a video track quality

This article describes how you can use the API to select a video track quality. If you select a specific quality, you overrule the ABR algorithm.

The VideoTrack API, which is a sub-API of the MediaTrack API, can be used to implement this functionality. Implementing this functionality is a common use-case for developers who want to build their own UI to toggle a specific video quality.

SDKs​

Web SDKAndroid SDKiOS SDKtvOS SDKAndroid TV SDKChromecast SDK
YesYesYesYesYesYes

Code examples​

The code examples below show how to implement selecting video track qualities across SDKs.

Web SDK​

The Web SDK leverages the MediaTrack API.

// enable a specific video track quality
player.videoTracks[0].targetQuality = player.videoTracks[0].qualities[indexOfRequestedVideoTrackQuality];

// do ABR on a set of qualities
player.videoTracks[0].targetQuality = [
  player.videoTracks[0].qualities[indexOfRequestedVideoTrackQuality1],
  player.videoTracks[0].qualities[indexOfRequestedVideoTrackQuality2],
];

// set to default ABR algorithm
player.videoTracks[0].targetQuality = null;
Android (TV) SDK​

The Android SDK leverages the MediaTrack API.

// enable a specific video track quality
theoplayer.getPlayer().getVideoTracks().getItem(0).setTargetQuality(theoplayer.getPlayer().getVideoTracks().getItem(0).getQualities().getItem(indexOfRequestedVideoTrackQuality));

// do ABR on a set of qualities
ArrayList<VideoQuality> selectedVideoQualities = new ArrayList<>();
selectedVideoQualities.add(theoplayer.getPlayer().getVideoTracks().getItem(0).getQualities().getItem(0));
selectedVideoQualities.add(theoplayer.getPlayer().getVideoTracks().getItem(0).getQualities().getItem(1));
theoplayer.getPlayer().getVideoTracks().getItem(0).setTargetQualities(selectedVideoQualities); // ABR algorithm only executed to qualities belonging to selectedVideoQualities

// set to default ABR algorithm
theoplayer.getPlayer().getVideoTracks().getItem(0).setTargetQualities(Collections.emptyList());
iOS (/tvOS) SDK​

The iOS SDK leverages the ABR API. The underlying AVFoundation stack, which THEOplayer has to use, brings along the technical limitation that you cannot select a specific video quality. Instead, you can set a maximum resolution or bitrate.

// set preferred peak bitrate
self.theoplayer.abr.preferredPeakBitRate = 200000

// self.theoplayer.abr.preferredPeakBitRate = nil // removes any bitrate limitation

// preferredMaximumResolution supported starting from iOS 11 and above
// self.theoplayer.abr.preferredMaximumResolution = CGSize(width: 1280, height: 720)
// self.theoplayer.abr.preferredMaximumResolution = CGSize.zero // removes any resolution limitation

Remarks​