Streaming a video with PHP - php

Question

I currently have this code:
function Stream($file)
{
header_remove();
$arr = get_headers($file);
foreach ($arr as &$value) {if((strpos($value,'Content-Type')!== false)){header($value);}}
if (isset($_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE'])) {
rangeDownload($file);
}
else {
header('HTTP/1.1 206 Partial Content');
header("Content-Length:1");
//foreach ($arr as &$value) {if((strpos($value,'Content-Length')!== false)){header($value);}}
//header("Content-Range:bytes 21056-21056/243957100");
readfile($file);
}
}
function rangeDownload($file) {
$fp = #fopen($file, 'rb');
$size = filesize($file); // File size
$length = $size; // Content length
$start = 0; // Start byte
$end = $size - 1; // End byte
// Now that we've gotten so far without errors we send the accept range header
/* At the moment we only support single ranges.
* Multiple ranges requires some more work to ensure it works correctly
* and comply with the spesifications: http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec19.html#sec19.2
*
* Multirange support annouces itself with:
* header('Accept-Ranges: bytes');
*
* Multirange content must be sent with multipart/byteranges mediatype,
* (mediatype = mimetype)
* as well as a boundry header to indicate the various chunks of data.
*/
header("Accept-Ranges: 0-$length");
// header('Accept-Ranges: bytes');
// multipart/byteranges
// http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec19.html#sec19.2
if (isset($_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE'])) {
$c_start = $start;
$c_end = $end;
// Extract the range string
list(, $range) = explode('=', $_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE'], 2);
// Make sure the client hasn't sent us a multibyte range
if (strpos($range, ',') !== false) {
// (?) Shoud this be issued here, or should the first
// range be used? Or should the header be ignored and
// we output the whole content?
header('HTTP/1.1 416 Requested Range Not Satisfiable');
header("Content-Range: bytes $start-$end/$size");
// (?) Echo some info to the client?
exit;
}
// If the range starts with an '-' we start from the beginning
// If not, we forward the file pointer
// And make sure to get the end byte if spesified
if ($range0 == '-') {
// The n-number of the last bytes is requested
$c_start = $size - substr($range, 1);
}
else {
$range = explode('-', $range);
$c_start = $range[0];
$c_end = (isset($range[1]) && is_numeric($range[1])) ? $range[1] : $size;
}
/* Check the range and make sure it's treated according to the specs.
* http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html
*/
// End bytes can not be larger than $end.
$c_end = ($c_end > $end) ? $end : $c_end;
// Validate the requested range and return an error if it's not correct.
if ($c_start > $c_end || $c_start > $size - 1 || $c_end >= $size) {
header('HTTP/1.1 416 Requested Range Not Satisfiable');
header("Content-Range: bytes $start-$end/$size");
// (?) Echo some info to the client?
exit;
}
$start = $c_start;
$end = $c_end;
$length = $end - $start + 1; // Calculate new content length
fseek($fp, $start);
header('HTTP/1.1 206 Partial Content');
}
// Notify the client the byte range we'll be outputting
header("Content-Range: bytes $start-$end/$size");
header("Content-Length: $length");
// Start buffered download
$buffer = 1024 * 8;
while(!feof($fp) && ($p = ftell($fp)) <= $end) {
if ($p + $buffer > $end) {
// In case we're only outputtin a chunk, make sure we don't
// read past the length
$buffer = $end - $p + 1;
}
set_time_limit(0); // Reset time limit for big files
echo fread($fp, $buffer);
flush(); // Free up memory. Otherwise large files will trigger PHP's memory limit.
}
fclose($fp);
}
I can see that all 3 requests are made and the file download begins yet instead of the video screen appearing the stream cancels. I have tried mimics standards apache headers without success, I am trying to have it serve video content with the widest possible support (e.g. content type detection).

Answer 1

I just had to go through the same thing for a job I was asked to do. I had no issues making it work for chrome/firefox but I had issues with Safari on the Mac/iPad. I had referenced multiple sources and tried many things, in the end I threw everything I had to get a clean slate, and decided to try fix the issue using the code that was in this issue since it was very similar to what I already had, but different enough to give me more clarity.
Here is the final working version using the code from the original question as a base but with the necessary fixes that worked for me. Hopefully this helps someone else.
if (isset($_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE'])) {
header('Content-Type: video/'.$ext); // reference your own mime variable here
$fp = #fopen($filepath, 'rb');
$size = filesize($filepath); // File size
$length = $size; // Content length
$start = 0; // Start byte
$end = $size - 1; // End byte
// Now that we've gotten so far without errors we send the accept range header
/* At the moment we only support single ranges.
* Multiple ranges requires some more work to ensure it works correctly
* and comply with the spesifications: http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec19.html#sec19.2
*
* Multirange support annouces itself with:
* header('Accept-Ranges: bytes');
*
* Multirange content must be sent with multipart/byteranges mediatype,
* (mediatype = mimetype)
* as well as a boundry header to indicate the various chunks of data.
*/
header("Accept-Ranges: 0-$length");
// multipart/byteranges
// http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec19.html#sec19.2
$c_start = $start;
$c_end = $end;
// Extract the range string
list(, $range) = explode('=', $_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE'], 2);
// Make sure the client hasn't sent us a multibyte range
if (strpos($range, ',') !== false) {
// (?) Shoud this be issued here, or should the first
// range be used? Or should the header be ignored and
// we output the whole content?
header('HTTP/1.1 416 Requested Range Not Satisfiable');
header("Content-Range: bytes $start-$end/$size");
// (?) Echo some info to the client?
exit;
}
// If the range starts with an '-' we start from the beginning
// If not, we forward the file pointer
// And make sure to get the end byte if spesified
if ($range == '-') {
// The n-number of the last bytes is requested
$c_start = $size - substr($range, 1);
}
else {
$range = explode('-', $range);
$c_start = $range[0];
$c_end = (isset($range[1]) && is_numeric($range[1])) ? $range[1] : $size;
}
/* Check the range and make sure it's treated according to the specs.
* http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html
*/
// End bytes can not be larger than $end.
$c_end = ($c_end > $end) ? $end : $c_end;
// Validate the requested range and return an error if it's not correct.
if ($c_start > $c_end || $c_start > $size - 1 || $c_end >= $size) {
header('HTTP/1.1 416 Requested Range Not Satisfiable');
header("Content-Range: bytes $start-$end/$size");
// (?) Echo some info to the client?
exit;
}
$start = $c_start;
$end = $c_end;
$length = $end - $start + 1; // Calculate new content length
header('HTTP/1.1 206 Partial Content');
// Notify the client the byte range we'll be outputting
header("Content-Range: bytes $start-$end/$size");
header("Content-Length: $length");
// Start buffered download
$buffer = 1024 * 8;
fseek($fp,$start);
while(!feof($fp) && ($p = ftell($fp)) <= $end) {
if ($p + $buffer > $end) {
// In case we're only outputtin a chunk, make sure we don't
// read past the length
$buffer = $end - $p + 1;
}
set_time_limit(0); // Reset time limit for big files
echo fread($fp, $buffer);
flush(); // Free up memory. Otherwise large files will trigger PHP's memory limit.
}
fclose($fp);
}
This is the ENTIRE code that I use, with the exception of a few variables before it to build the filepath and video extension/mime type. This has been tested on Chrome(latest), Firefox(latest), Safari 7.0.6 on macbook pro, Safari on iOS 7

Answer 2

The issue is in the range download function.In this function you are headers are correct.but you are printing the complete file as the response.
These changes should fix your problem.
// Notify the client the byte range we'll be outputting
header("Content-Range: bytes $start-$end/$size");
header("Content-Length: $length");
Here you need to seek the file to start specified in the content-range headers.
fseek($fp,$start) /* MISSING CODE */
Inserting the above line should fix your problem.
// Start buffered download
$buffer = 1024 * 8;
while(!feof($fp) && ($p = ftell($fp)) <= $end) {
if ($p + $buffer > $end) {
// In case we're only outputtin a chunk, make sure we don't
// read past the length
$buffer = $end - $p + 1;
}
set_time_limit(0); // Reset time limit for big files
echo fread($fp, $buffer);
flush(); // Free up memory. Otherwise large files will trigger PHP's memory limit.
}
fclose($fp);