Mohammad Alam

Coming from live streaming background, I keep myself updated with new technology in this area. Recently I heard lot about Meerkatapp.co, live streaming app supported on twitter. So I decided to find out how meerkat works. I started with installing meerkat app on my iPhone. After installation it asks for twitter account and once you add twitter account you are ready to stream. I logged in with my twitter handle. Meerkat app interface is very simple and easy to use. Everything can be done with single account if you just want to explore how your live broadcasting looks like, you don’t need second twitter account. There are two options in app – schedule and stream.

Touch on stream and you are ready to stream your Live video to whole world. Remember its a live broadcasting app. It starts as soon as you touch stream icon on app. A link of your Live video will be tweeted on your account. Your followers can watch your live streaming by clicking on your tweet, Link will open a new window with your live broadcast.

Under the Hood.

Meerkat is using HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) for Live Broadcasting. Initially I thought that everything will be HTTPS encrypted and I won’t be able to know which technology Meerkat is using for Live broadcast, But It wasn’t. I captured packets through wireshark and found few interesting things.

Meerkat is using HLS for Live Streaming with target duration of 4 seconds. HLS playlist generated by Meerkat

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:4
#EXT-X-VERSION:4
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0
#EXTINF:0.1
../loading/loading.ts
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY
#EXTINF:3.703
chunk_0000000.ts
#EXTINF:3.75
chunk_0000001.ts
#EXTINF:3.748
chunk_0000002.ts
#EXTINF:3.75
chunk_0000003.ts

Video streaming plays smooth but there is delay of 15 seconds. Once I noted delay of 20 seconds. Which makes sense with the choice of their target duration and chunk size.

Media Supported on Mac Book:

Overall good performance by Meerkat. I am more interested now on what technology is supported by periscope.tv. Periscope is not launched yet. Once it gets launched, I will write technical report on Periscope.