Is it possible to play video using Avplayer in Background?

Question

I am using Avplayer to show video clips and when i go back (app in background) video stop. How can i keep playing the video?

I have search about background task & background thread ,IOS only support music in background (Not video) http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/iphone/conceptual/iphoneosprogrammingguide/ManagingYourApplicationsFlow/ManagingYourApplicationsFlow.html

here is some discussion about play video in background

1) https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2799090?start=0&tstart=0

2) http://www.cocoawithlove.com/2011/04/background-audio-through-ios-movie.html

But there are many apps in AppStore, that play video in Background like

Swift Player : https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/swift-player-speed-up-video/id545216639?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D2

SpeedUpTV : https://itunes.apple.com/ua/app/speeduptv/id386986953?mt=8

Answer 1

This method supports all the possibilities:

• Screen locked by the user;
• List item
• Home button pressed;

As long as you have an instance of AVPlayer running iOS prevents auto lock of the device.

First you need to configure the application to support audio background from the Info.plist file adding in the UIBackgroundModes array the audio element.

Then put in your AppDelegate.m into

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions:

these methods

[[AVAudioSession sharedInstance] setDelegate: self];    
[[AVAudioSession sharedInstance] setCategory:AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayback error:nil];

and #import < AVFoundation/AVFoundation.h >

Then in your view controller that controls AVPlayer

-(void)viewDidAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
  [super viewDidAppear:animated];
  [[UIApplication sharedApplication] beginReceivingRemoteControlEvents];
  [self becomeFirstResponder];
}

and

- (void)viewWillDisappear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [mPlayer pause];    
    [super viewWillDisappear:animated];
    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] endReceivingRemoteControlEvents];
    [self resignFirstResponder];
}

then respond to the

 - (void)remoteControlReceivedWithEvent:(UIEvent *)event {
        switch (event.subtype) {
            case UIEventSubtypeRemoteControlTogglePlayPause:
                if([mPlayer rate] == 0){
                    [mPlayer play];
                } else {
                    [mPlayer pause];
                }
                break;
            case UIEventSubtypeRemoteControlPlay:
                [mPlayer play];
                break;
            case UIEventSubtypeRemoteControlPause:
                [mPlayer pause];
                break;
            default:
                break;
        }
    }

Another trick is needed to resume the reproduction if the user presses the home button (in which case the reproduction is suspended with a fade out).

When you control the reproduction of the video (I have play methods) set

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self selector:@selector(applicationDidEnterBackground:) name:UIApplicationDidEnterBackgroundNotification object:nil];

and the corresponding method to be invoked that will launch a timer and resume the reproduction.

- (void)applicationDidEnterBackground:(NSNotification *)notification
{
    [mPlayer performSelector:@selector(play) withObject:nil afterDelay:0.01];
}

Its works for me to play video in Backgorund. Thanks to all.