Dash vs. HLS - Streaming Protocols Compared

The streaming market will soon be worth over $180 billion, with a 20% projected yearly growth.

This means businesses and marketers have a new playground.

For as long as video content, mainly live video content, continues to be consumers' preferred way to engage with their favorite brands, there is no getting around streaming protocols.

If you have decided to join the live video streaming revolution, you may wonder which video streaming protocol to use. And which is also widely supported.

It all comes down to DASH vs. HLS. Both these video streaming protocols are industry leaders rising above the RTMP protocol, which is aging out.

Are you looking to learn which live streaming protocol between HLS vs. DASH would work best for your business? Then you have found the complete comparison guide.

What Is HLS?

Created in 2009 by Apple, HLS stands for HTTP live streaming. The streaming platform was created to provide smooth streaming over HTTP for iPhone users. But with time, this protocol became popular with other devices and brands.

Today, this adaptive bitrate streaming protocol is supported on other operating systems like Windows and Android. Not to mention search engines like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

Its popularity soared because it could provide HD quality videos over standard HTTP servers. And for most businesses, this meant that there was no need to invest in additional infrastructure to support live streaming.

How the protocol works is that it cuts the videos into smaller segments of varying lengths. The largest time segment accommodated in HLS is 10 seconds. The files are then ordered according to which comes first, and we call this a playlist.

The segments are then delivered in a continuous stream to the viewer's device. Since HLS is also an adaptive bitrate streaming protocol, it can detect the user's internet speed and device capabilities to deliver the highest quality supported by that device.

What Is DASH?

DASH is like the up-and-coming new guy of live streaming. Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP or MPEG-DASH is the second protocol businesses can turn to.

Like Apple's HLS, MPEG's DASH is an adaptive bitrate streaming protocol, meaning it delivers video content at the highest quality the viewer's device can support, helping you deliver a smooth streaming experience.

Work on DASH started in 2010 and was officially published in 2012, though some revisions to the protocol came in 2019.

DASH's popularity rises from its ability to support advertising. And did we mention that it's an open-source standard?

DASH also delivers content in segments to give viewers a complete video stream. The segments, which are only 2 to 4 seconds long, are encoded to fit different devices and delivered through a content delivery network or CDN. The receiving device will then decode and play the video.

The Differences Between DASH vs. HLS

Now that we know a bit of the history behind these two video players let's get into their differences. Deciding which streaming technology suits your business will depend on how each difference meets your needs.

Safari Browser

Since the Safari browser is the default browser on most of Apple's devices, it is given that HLS is supported on the browser. But DASH was not created nor revised with the Safari browser in mind, meaning that if you want to run the protocol on your mobile Safari, you are sure to run into some trouble.

Video Functionality

Both HLS and MPEG-DASH allow videos to carry subtitles and captions. Though when it comes to adding ads to your video, DASH is your best friend.

DASH also has a leg up on HLS regarding its multi-view ability in a single player.

Similarities Between HLS vs. DASH

HLS and MPEG-DASH are similar in areas that matter most for your business. From resolution to streaming reliability, we have outlined them below.

Streaming Quality

Here there is no distinct winner. In its earlier days, MPEG-DASH was the winner in this round. With codec agnostic, it was delivering video at a better quality.

But refusing to be outdone, HLS created support for HEVC, which improved its streaming quality and put it on the same footing as DASH.

Resolution

This is another arena where DASH was the winner. But with time, HLS added a 4K video resolution support. That update to resolution put both these protocols on the same footing.

When it comes to live video streaming, nothing is more important than streaming quality and resolution. No client will want to watch a video with poor streaming quality and bad resolution. This is the recipe for video abandonment.

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Streaming Protocol Reliability

We already established that both HLS and MPEG-DASH are adaptive Bitrate protocols, which will deliver the highest possible quality based on the viewer's device and internet speed.

So, if you are wondering which one is better, both these protocols will serve their purpose regarding reliability and delivering high-quality video content to your clients.

Latency

Video latency is a big problem in live streaming, and it is an important factor to consider when you are deciding to add a video to your website.

In its earlier days, HLS didn't prioritize low latency. But in 2017, Apple made revisions to its protocol to allow for low latency.

DASH is no different; coupled with the common media application format, the protocol provides low latency for online streaming.

Which Protocol Should You Pick?

When it comes to the verdict on DASH vs. HLS, there is not much of a difference. Both protocols support high-quality video content and enable low latency. However, HLS is more widely supported, while DASH will provide you with seamless ad insertion.

Picking the right protocol will depend on your business and video needs.

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