Overview: Players and playback environments
Playback environments determine which media interfaces, device resources and delivery routes an application can use.
The same source can meet different conditions in a native app, browser, external player or television. Mobile and offline use add another resource or availability context, while protected media introduces its own access path. This branch identifies the environment before interpreting a reported playback capability.
Native media players
A native media player uses application and platform media components to retrieve, decode and present content within an operating system’s playback environment.Browser playback
Browser playback uses web media interfaces and browser policies within the device's available decoding environment.External players
External-player playback hands a media resource from one application to a separate player whose access, track choices and reporting form a distinct playback path.Smart TV playback limitations
Smart TV playback limits belong to the selected model, application media path and output configuration, with container, codec, cadence and track handling contributing separately.Media playback on mobile devices
Mobile media playback combines a device-specific decoding path with changing delivery, power, application lifecycle and audio-output conditions.Offline playback
Offline playback uses media and required supporting resources retained on the viewing device before the session, while preserving a compatible representation and catalogue context.Protected media
Protected media playback connects encrypted content with the authorization and platform mechanisms needed to present it.