How Hulu Built a Scalable, High‑Quality Live‑Streaming Platform with DASH

Speaker and Event

Li Bin, Chief Software Development Manager at Hulu R&D Center, was invited to speak at the 2017 Global Architect Summit (July 7‑8, Shenzhen, InterContinental Hotel).

Talk Theme

"Live‑Streaming System Architecture and Practice in Hulu’s HD Internet TV Product".

Background

Hulu, one of the three major U.S. online video services, launched its own TV live‑streaming service in May 2017, extending beyond on‑demand video.

Leveraging its experience with high‑definition on‑demand services, Hulu rebuilt the entire live‑streaming system and upgraded the existing VOD infrastructure to support a wide range of devices from mobile to living‑room screens, delivering HD, low‑latency streaming.

Key Requirements

High stability and scalability: 24/7 operation, handling thousands of concurrent live streams and sudden user spikes.

High quality: up to 1080p at 60 fps, latency comparable to cable TV (5‑10 seconds), with real‑time quality monitoring.

Complex business logic: user location, concurrent view limits, and program metadata must be considered for playback control.

The system must also cope with typical Internet challenges such as network fluctuations and diverse client devices.

Presentation Outline

Introduction to Hulu’s live‑streaming product and its core features.

Architecture of the DASH‑based live‑streaming core system, covering stream ingestion, transcoding, packaging, encryption, CDN delivery, and client playback.

Live‑streaming experience optimization:

Latency control

Video quality tracking and improvement

System stability and scalability

Future outlook.

Audience Benefits

Gain insight into the latest product and technology trends in the U.S. video industry.

Learn about the DASH streaming format and its recent developments.

Acquire practical experience in building high‑definition live‑streaming and on‑demand systems.