How do I play a live HTTP audio stream in MediaPlayer on Android?

Question

I want to play a live HTTP stream in my Android app, so I installed the Windows Media Encoder 9 on another PC on the same LAN, and used it to create a live HTTP audio stream.

The live HTTP stream is okay: I tested it, and it can be played by Windows Media Player or VLC on a PC, and can be played by VLC for Android on my mobile.

So, in my Android app, I wrote this code:

private MediaPlayer player = null;

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    StrictMode.setThreadPolicy(new StrictMode.ThreadPolicy.Builder()
            .detectDiskReads()
            .detectDiskWrites()
            .detectNetwork()   // or .detectAll() for all detectable problems
            .penaltyLog()
            .build());
    StrictMode.setVmPolicy(new StrictMode.VmPolicy.Builder()
            .detectLeakedSqlLiteObjects()
            //.detectLeakedClosableObjects()
            .penaltyLog()
            .penaltyDeath()
            .build());

    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

    btnPlay = (Button)findViewById(R.id.play);
    address = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.address);

    btnPlay.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
        public void onClick(View v) {
            play();
        }
    });

}

private void play()
{
    String serverIp;

    serverIp = address.getText().toString(); // get the uri address, for example http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:2340

    if (player == null)
    {
        player = new MediaPlayer();
    }
    else
    {
        player.stop();
        player.reset();
    }
    try {
        Log.v("", "Init a new MediaPlayer");

        player.setAudioStreamType(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC);
        Log.v("", "Set the stream type to STREAM_MUSIC");

        player.setDataSource(this, Uri.parse(serverIp));
        Log.v("", "Set the source is " + serverIp);

        player.setOnBufferingUpdateListener(this);
        player.setOnPreparedListener(this);
        player.setOnErrorListener(this);

        player.prepareAsync();
        Log.v("", "After prepareAsync");
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
        // TODO Auto-generated catch block
        Log.v("IllegalArgumentException", e.toString());
    } catch (SecurityException e) {
        // TODO Auto-generated catch block
        Log.v("SecurityException", e.toString());
    } catch (IllegalStateException e) {
        // TODO Auto-generated catch block
        Log.v("IllegalStateException", e.toString());
    } catch (IOException e) {
        // TODO Auto-generated catch block
        Log.v("IOException", e.toString());
    } catch (Exception e) {
        Log.v("Exception",e.toString());
    }

}

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.activity_main, menu);
    return true;
}


@Override
public void onPrepared(MediaPlayer mp) {
    // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    try {
        Log.v("onPrepared", "After prepareAsync");
        mp.start();
    }
    catch (Exception e) {
        Log.v("play", e.toString());
    }
}

@Override
public void onBufferingUpdate(MediaPlayer mp, int percent) {
    // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    Log.v("onBufferingUpdate", "Buffering Update");
}

@Override
public boolean onError(MediaPlayer mp, int what, int extra) {
    // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    Log.v("MediaPlayer onError", "what=" + what + " extra=" + extra);

    return true;
}

But it didn’t work. When I click the play button, nothing happens. But if I input some other URL I found on the internet (for example, http://www.example.com/song.mp3), it works.

So can anyone help me? The Log info is below. My mobile is HTC s710e, and my Android version is 4.0.4.

11-20 22:28:14.137: V/(580): Init a new MediaPlayer
11-20 22:28:14.137: V/(580): Set the stream type tp STREAM_MUSIC
11-20 22:28:14.147: D/MediaPlayer(580): Couldn't open file on client side, trying server side
11-20 22:28:14.178: E/Trace(39): error opening trace file: No such file or directory (2)
11-20 22:28:14.178: V/(580): After prepareAsync
11-20 22:28:14.297: V/ChromiumHTTPDataSource(39): connect on behalf of uid 10044
11-20 22:28:14.339: I/qtaguid(39): Tagging socket 27 with tag 3f500000000(1013) for uid 10044 failed errno=-2
11-20 22:28:14.629: I/ChromiumHTTPDataSourceSupport(39): Server responded with http status 400
11-20 22:28:14.648: I/qtaguid(39): Untagging socket 27 failed errno=-2
11-20 22:28:14.657: I/AwesomePlayer(39): mConnectingDataSource->connect() returned -1004
11-20 22:28:14.657: E/MediaPlayer(580): error (1, -1004)
11-20 22:28:14.667: E/MediaPlayer(580): Error (1,-1004)
11-20 22:28:14.667: V/MediaPlayer onError(580): what=1 extra=-1004

Answer 1

you can play HLS on android 3.0and 3.0 + version, older versions doesnt support HLS. This code below, can work on 3.0 + version. To play video all android version you have to use rtsp streaming or http prograssive download.

Player class

import android.app.Activity;
import android.media.MediaPlayer;
import android.media.MediaPlayer.OnBufferingUpdateListener;
import android.media.MediaPlayer.OnCompletionListener;
import android.media.MediaPlayer.OnPreparedListener;
import android.media.MediaPlayer.OnVideoSizeChangedListener;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.SurfaceHolder;
import android.view.SurfaceView;


public class VideoPlayerActivity extends Activity implements
        OnBufferingUpdateListener, OnCompletionListener,
        OnPreparedListener, OnVideoSizeChangedListener, SurfaceHolder.Callback {

    private static final String TAG = "MediaPlayerDemo";
    private int mVideoWidth;
    private int mVideoHeight;
    private MediaPlayer mMediaPlayer;
    private SurfaceView mPreview;
    private SurfaceHolder holder;
    private String path;
    private Bundle extras;
    private static final String MEDIA = "media";
    private static final int STREAM_VIDEO = 5;
    private boolean mIsVideoSizeKnown = false;
    private boolean mIsVideoReadyToBePlayed = false;

    /**
     * 
     * Called when the activity is first created.
     */
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle icicle) {
        super.onCreate(icicle);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);
        mPreview = (SurfaceView) findViewById(R.id.VideoView);
        holder = mPreview.getHolder();
        holder.addCallback(this);
        holder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);
        extras = getIntent().getExtras();

    }

    private void playVideo(Integer Media) {
        doCleanUp();
        try {

            path = "http://www.pocketjourney.com/downloads/pj/video/famous.3gp";


            // Create a new media player and set the listeners
            mMediaPlayer = new MediaPlayer();
            mMediaPlayer.setDataSource(path);
            mMediaPlayer.setDisplay(holder);
            mMediaPlayer.prepare();
            mMediaPlayer.setOnBufferingUpdateListener(this);
            mMediaPlayer.setOnCompletionListener(this);
            mMediaPlayer.setOnPreparedListener(this);
            mMediaPlayer.setOnVideoSizeChangedListener(this);
            //mMediaPlayer.setAudioStreamType(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC);


        } catch (Exception e) {
            Log.e(TAG, "error: " + e.getMessage(), e);
        }
    }

    public void onBufferingUpdate(MediaPlayer arg0, int percent) {
        Log.d(TAG, "onBufferingUpdate percent:" + percent);

    }

    public void onCompletion(MediaPlayer arg0) {
        Log.d(TAG, "onCompletion called");
    }

    public void onVideoSizeChanged(MediaPlayer mp, int width, int height) {
        Log.v(TAG, "onVideoSizeChanged called");
        if (width == 0 || height == 0) {
            Log.e(TAG, "invalid video width(" + width + ") or height(" + height + ")");
            return;
        }
        mIsVideoSizeKnown = true;
        mVideoWidth = width;
        mVideoHeight = height;
        if (mIsVideoReadyToBePlayed && mIsVideoSizeKnown) {
            startVideoPlayback();
        }
    }

    public void onPrepared(MediaPlayer mediaplayer) {
        Log.d(TAG, "onPrepared called");
        mIsVideoReadyToBePlayed = true;
        if (mIsVideoReadyToBePlayed && mIsVideoSizeKnown) {
            startVideoPlayback();
        }
    }

    public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder surfaceholder, int i, int j, int k) {
        Log.d(TAG, "surfaceChanged called");

    }

    public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder surfaceholder) {
        Log.d(TAG, "surfaceDestroyed called");
    }


    public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
        Log.d(TAG, "surfaceCreated called");
        playVideo(STREAM_VIDEO);


    }

    @Override
    protected void onPause() {
        super.onPause();
        releaseMediaPlayer();
        doCleanUp();
    }

    @Override
    protected void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        releaseMediaPlayer();
        doCleanUp();
    }

    private void releaseMediaPlayer() {
        if (mMediaPlayer != null) {
            mMediaPlayer.release();
            mMediaPlayer = null;
        }
    }

    private void doCleanUp() {
        mVideoWidth = 0;
        mVideoHeight = 0;
        mIsVideoReadyToBePlayed = false;
        mIsVideoSizeKnown = false;
    }

    private void startVideoPlayback() {
        Log.v(TAG, "startVideoPlayback");
        holder.setFixedSize(mVideoWidth, mVideoHeight);
        mMediaPlayer.start();
    }
}

Main XML

    <VideoView
        android:id="@+id/VideoView"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:layout_weight="1"/>

    <LinearLayout
        android:id="@+id/linearLayout1"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
        android:orientation="vertical" android:layout_weight="1" android:background="#aaaaaa">
    </LinearLayout>

</LinearLayout>

And you have to add to your manifest internet permission

uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />