Get thumbail / preview image from a server video URL in Swift 3.0

Question

I want a thumbnail image from a video underlying on the server. The video file is not on local. It's on my server. The video file has extension .m3u8.

Answer 1

You can do it.

First step: You need to import AVFoundation:

    import AVFoundation

Then add the code below to your controller:

func getThumbnailImage(forUrl url: URL) -> UIImage? {
    let asset: AVAsset = AVAsset(url: url)
    let imageGenerator = AVAssetImageGenerator(asset: asset)

    do {
        let thumbnailImage = try imageGenerator.copyCGImage(at: CMTimeMake(value: 1, timescale: 60), actualTime: nil)
        return UIImage(cgImage: thumbnailImage)
    } catch let error {
        print(error)
    }

    return nil
}

Usage:

    let imageView = UIImageView()
    let url = URL(string: "your_video_url")

    if let thumbnailImage = getThumbnailImage(forUrl: url) {
        imageView.image = thumbnailImage
    }

Change url to your video link.

Answer 2

Step 1

import AVFoundation

Step 2

Add the following function in your ViewController:

func getThumbnailImageFromVideoUrl(url: URL, completion: @escaping ((_ image: UIImage?)->Void)) {
    DispatchQueue.global().async { //1
        let asset = AVAsset(url: url) //2
        let avAssetImageGenerator = AVAssetImageGenerator(asset: asset) //3
        avAssetImageGenerator.appliesPreferredTrackTransform = true //4
        let thumnailTime = CMTimeMake(value: 2, timescale: 1) //5
        do {
            let cgThumbImage = try avAssetImageGenerator.copyCGImage(at: thumnailTime, actualTime: nil) //6
            let thumbNailImage = UIImage(cgImage: cgThumbImage) //7
            DispatchQueue.main.async { //8
                completion(thumbNailImage) //9
            }
        } catch {
            print(error.localizedDescription) //10
            DispatchQueue.main.async {
                completion(nil) //11
            }
        }
    }
}

Step 3

self.getThumbnailImageFromVideoUrl(url: videoUrl) { (thumbNailImage) in
    self.yourImageView.image = thumbNailImage
}

If you need a complete explanation, refer to Get a thumbnail from a video URL in the background in Swift.