2022-11-10 7:53
(This post was last modified: 2022-11-10 8:07 by GoodLookingMofo.)
(2022-11-09 17:37)qqqsss2 Wrote: Eh, not really, coming up with an authentication system that works properly with HLS is not that hard, and their private shows do properly check authentication. They just only check auth for spy shows on the frontend, not on stream serving. It's not really a protocol thing.
Basically, authentication system relies on stateless considerations (We are talking about HTTP based stuff here), which in addition, relies on a CDN, which is by design some kind of a distributed client-server infrastructure involving random latency, cache and client-side sync/async issues blablabla... you get the big picture.
I won't write you a book on that but claiming that it's "not that hard" to implement an authentication system properly means you probably haven't had to deal a lot with high availability, real-time communication and stateless protocols.
(2022-11-09 17:37)qqqsss2 Wrote: CB's implementation seems well done. For spy shows, from what I can tell, they charge per ~10s period served so if you don't pay, you don't get the segment. video download helper makes this behavior pretty clear - on F4F's site, when you start recording a spy show, it will keep recording even if you leave the show, because it's not authenticated. on CB, when you leave a spy show, it will keep recording up until the current paid period is up.
I wouldn't say it's a bad implementation, but HLS segments may be still delivered due to server-side latency or cache issues (e.g. HLS not throwing immediately a 403 on a m3u8 list or its segments for reasons I already mentioned) on client-side. It happens, as well as other bugs which are specific to Hidden and Ticket shows apps. This is also why Group shows have been removed from CB a few years ago.
I only talk about architecture issues here. I could also tell you stories about Wowza. O:-)
(2022-11-09 17:37)qqqsss2 Wrote: CB is much bigger and more active than F4F, and they even have a few 4K streams, all on HLS. so if they can do it, F4F can do it.
I don't know F4F so much to be objective.
What I can say however is that delivering 4K streams is expensive (for everyone: cam sites, models, viewers) and not a priority. Some studies have shown that User Experience is significantly improved by going from 480p to 720p streaming but NOT by going from 720p to 1080p (or higher). 4K will be mainstream on "cam sites" when VR headsets, broadband Internet and bandwidth will become cheap. I put "cam sites" in quotes because in 10 to 20 years, it should be merged with "metaverse stuff", a million miles away from what we know and use today.