crobibero · Sep 5, 2026 · Sep 2, 2026
diff --git a/MediaBrowser.Controller/MediaEncoding/EncodingHelper.cs b/MediaBrowser.Controller/MediaEncoding/EncodingHelper.cs
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
            { "eac3", 6 },
            { "dca", 6 },
            { "mlp", 6 },
            { "truehd", 6 },
        };

        private static readonly Dictionary<HardwareAccelerationType, string> _mjpegCodecMap = new()
@@ -695,7 +695,11 @@
                 "ogg" or "oga" or "ogv" or "webm" or "webma" => "opus",
                 "m4a" or "m4b" or "mp4" or "mov" or "mkv" or "mka" => "aac",
                 "ts" or "avi" or "flv" or "f4v" or "swf" => "mp3",
-                _ => inferredCodec
+                // Containers that share their name with the codec they carry.
+                "aac" or "ac3" or "alac" or "dts" or "eac3" or "flac" or "mp2" or "mp3" or "opus" or "truehd" or "vorbis" => inferredCodec,
+                // Anything else - manifests such as m3u8/mpd in particular - names a container that
+                // is not an audio codec. Never hand that name to ffmpeg as an encoder.
+                _ => "aac"
             };
         }
 

diff --git a/MediaBrowser.Model/Dlna/StreamBuilder.cs b/MediaBrowser.Model/Dlna/StreamBuilder.cs
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ public class StreamBuilder
         internal const TranscodeReason VideoReasons = TranscodeReason.VideoCodecNotSupported | VideoCodecReasons;
         internal const TranscodeReason DirectStreamReasons = AudioReasons | TranscodeReason.ContainerNotSupported | TranscodeReason.VideoCodecTagNotSupported;
 
+        private const string ManifestContainers = "hls,applehttp,dash";
+
         private readonly ILogger _logger;
         private readonly ITranscoderSupport _transcoderSupport;
         private static readonly string[] _supportedHlsVideoCodecs = ["h264", "hevc", "vp9", "av1"];
@@ -718,6 +720,14 @@ private StreamInfo BuildVideoItem(MediaSourceInfo item, MediaOptions options)
                 isEligibleForDirectPlay = false;
             }
 
+            // A manifest is not a byte stream, so it cannot be handed to the client as one. The variant
+            // and segment URIs inside it are relative to the origin and do not resolve against the
+            // Jellyfin url the client would fetch it from.
+            if (ContainerHelper.ContainsContainer(ManifestContainers, item.Container))
+            {
+                isEligibleForDirectPlay = false;
+            }
+
             if (bitrateLimitExceeded)
             {
                 transcodeReasons = TranscodeReason.ContainerBitrateExceedsLimit;

diff --git a/src/Jellyfin.LiveTv/TunerHosts/M3UTunerHost.cs b/src/Jellyfin.LiveTv/TunerHosts/M3UTunerHost.cs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ public class M3UTunerHost : BaseTunerHost, ITunerHost, IConfigurableTunerHost
     {
         private static readonly string[] _mimeTypesCanShareHttpStream = ["video/MP2T"];
         private static readonly string[] _extensionsCanShareHttpStream = [".ts", ".tsv", ".m2t"];
+        private static readonly string[] _manifestExtensions = [".m3u8", ".m3u", ".mpd"];
 
         private readonly IHttpClientFactory _httpClientFactory;
         private readonly IServerApplicationHost _appHost;
@@ -151,11 +152,20 @@ protected virtual MediaSourceInfo CreateMediaSourceInfo(TunerHostInfo info, Chan
             var protocol = _mediaSourceManager.GetPathProtocol(path);
 
             var isRemote = true;
-            if (Uri.TryCreate(path, UriKind.Absolute, out var uri))
+            Uri.TryCreate(path, UriKind.Absolute, out var uri);
+            if (uri is not null)
             {
                 isRemote = !_networkManager.IsInLocalNetwork(uri.Host);
             }
 
+            // A manifest is not a byte stream. Serving one directly hands the client a playlist whose
+            // variant and segment URIs are relative to the origin, and those do not resolve against the
+            // Jellyfin url the client fetched it from. Remux or transcode these instead.
+            if (IsManifest(path, uri))
+            {
+                supportsDirectPlay = false;
+            }
+
             var httpHeaders = new Dictionary<string, string>();
 
             if (protocol == MediaProtocol.Http)
@@ -210,6 +220,20 @@ protected virtual MediaSourceInfo CreateMediaSourceInfo(TunerHostInfo info, Chan
             return mediaSource;
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Determines whether a channel path points at an HLS or DASH manifest rather than at a byte stream.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="path">The channel path.</param>
+        /// <param name="uri">The channel path parsed as an absolute uri, or <c>null</c> if it is not one.</param>
+        /// <returns><c>true</c> if the path names a streaming manifest.</returns>
+        private static bool IsManifest(string path, Uri uri)
+        {
+            // Use the uri path when there is one so that a query string does not hide the extension.
+            var extension = Path.GetExtension(uri is null ? path : uri.AbsolutePath);
+
+            return _manifestExtensions.Contains(extension, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+        }
+
         public Task<List<TunerHostInfo>> DiscoverDevices(int discoveryDurationMs, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
         {
             return Task.FromResult(new List<TunerHostInfo>());

diff --git a/tests/Jellyfin.Controller.Tests/MediaEncoding/EncodingHelperInferAudioCodecTests.cs b/tests/Jellyfin.Controller.Tests/MediaEncoding/EncodingHelperInferAudioCodecTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+using MediaBrowser.Common.Configuration;
+using MediaBrowser.Controller.IO;
+using MediaBrowser.Controller.MediaEncoding;
+using Moq;
+using Xunit;
+using IConfiguration = Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.IConfiguration;
+
+namespace Jellyfin.Controller.Tests.MediaEncoding;
+
+public class EncodingHelperInferAudioCodecTests
+{
+    [Theory]
+    // Manifests and other containers that carry no inferable audio codec.
+    [InlineData("m3u8", "aac")]
+    [InlineData("mpd", "aac")]
+    [InlineData("wtv", "aac")]
+    [InlineData("", "aac")]
+    // Containers with a well known audio codec.
+    [InlineData("mp4", "aac")]
+    [InlineData("mkv", "aac")]
+    [InlineData("webm", "opus")]
+    [InlineData("ts", "mp3")]
+    // Containers named after the codec they carry.
+    [InlineData("flac", "flac")]
+    [InlineData("opus", "opus")]
+    [InlineData("ac3", "ac3")]
+    public void InferAudioCodec_ReturnsAnAudioCodec(string container, string expected)
+    {
+        Assert.Equal(expected, Create().InferAudioCodec(container));
+    }
+
+    private static EncodingHelper Create()
+        => new(
+            Mock.Of<IApplicationPaths>(),
+            Mock.Of<IMediaEncoder>(),
+            Mock.Of<ISubtitleEncoder>(),
+            Mock.Of<IConfiguration>(),
+            Mock.Of<IConfigurationManager>(),
+            Mock.Of<IPathManager>());
+}
diff --git a/tests/Jellyfin.LiveTv.Tests/M3UTunerHostTests.cs b/tests/Jellyfin.LiveTv.Tests/M3UTunerHostTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Net.Http;
+using System.Threading;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using Jellyfin.LiveTv.TunerHosts;
+using MediaBrowser.Common.Net;
+using MediaBrowser.Controller;
+using MediaBrowser.Controller.Configuration;
+using MediaBrowser.Controller.Library;
+using MediaBrowser.Controller.LiveTv;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.Dto;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.IO;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.LiveTv;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.MediaInfo;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
+using Moq;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace Jellyfin.LiveTv.Tests
+{
+    public class M3UTunerHostTests
+    {
+        [Theory]
+        // A manifest is not a byte stream, so it must never be offered for direct play.
+        [InlineData("http://example.com/live/1234.m3u8", false)]
+        [InlineData("http://example.com/live/1234.m3u8?token=abc", false)]
+        [InlineData("http://example.com/live/1234.mpd", false)]
+        // Byte streams are unaffected.
+        [InlineData("http://example.com/live/1234.ts", true)]
+        [InlineData("http://example.com/live/1234", true)]
+        public async Task GetChannelStreamMediaSources_ManifestPath_DisablesDirectPlay(string path, bool expectDirectPlay)
+        {
+            var mediaSourceManager = new Mock<IMediaSourceManager>();
+            mediaSourceManager.Setup(x => x.GetPathProtocol(It.IsAny<string>())).Returns(MediaProtocol.Http);
+
+            var host = new TestableM3UTunerHost(
+                Mock.Of<IServerConfigurationManager>(),
+                mediaSourceManager.Object,
+                Mock.Of<ILogger<M3UTunerHost>>(),
+                Mock.Of<IFileSystem>(),
+                Mock.Of<IHttpClientFactory>(),
+                Mock.Of<IServerApplicationHost>(),
+                Mock.Of<INetworkManager>(),
+                Mock.Of<IStreamHelper>());
+
+            var sources = await host.GetMediaSources(
+                new TunerHostInfo { TunerCount = 0, EnableStreamLooping = false },
+                new ChannelInfo { Path = path });
+
+            Assert.Equal(expectDirectPlay, sources[0].SupportsDirectPlay);
+        }
+
+        private sealed class TestableM3UTunerHost : M3UTunerHost
+        {
+            public TestableM3UTunerHost(
+                IServerConfigurationManager config,
+                IMediaSourceManager mediaSourceManager,
+                ILogger<M3UTunerHost> logger,
+                IFileSystem fileSystem,
+                IHttpClientFactory httpClientFactory,
+                IServerApplicationHost appHost,
+                INetworkManager networkManager,
+                IStreamHelper streamHelper)
+                : base(config, mediaSourceManager, logger, fileSystem, httpClientFactory, appHost, networkManager, streamHelper)
+            {
+            }
+
+            public Task<List<MediaSourceInfo>> GetMediaSources(TunerHostInfo tuner, ChannelInfo channel)
+                => GetChannelStreamMediaSources(tuner, channel, CancellationToken.None);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/Jellyfin.Model.Tests/Dlna/StreamBuilderManifestContainerTests.cs b/tests/Jellyfin.Model.Tests/Dlna/StreamBuilderManifestContainerTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+using System;
+using Jellyfin.Data.Enums;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.Dlna;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.Dto;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.Entities;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.MediaInfo;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.Session;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions;
+using Moq;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace Jellyfin.Model.Tests.Dlna;
+
+public class StreamBuilderManifestContainerTests
+{
+    [Theory]
+    // A manifest describes a stream instead of carrying one, so it can never be direct played,
+    // even when the client claims to support the container.
+    [InlineData("hls")]
+    [InlineData("hls,applehttp")]
+    [InlineData("applehttp")]
+    [InlineData("dash")]
+    public void GetOptimalVideoStream_ManifestContainer_DoesNotDirectPlay(string container)
+    {
+        var streamInfo = BuildFor(container);
+
+        Assert.NotNull(streamInfo);
+        Assert.Equal(PlayMethod.Transcode, streamInfo.PlayMethod);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void GetOptimalVideoStream_ByteStreamContainer_StillDirectPlays()
+    {
+        var streamInfo = BuildFor("mp4");
+
+        Assert.NotNull(streamInfo);
+        Assert.Equal(PlayMethod.DirectPlay, streamInfo.PlayMethod);
+    }
+
+    private static StreamInfo? BuildFor(string container)
+    {
+        var mediaSource = new MediaSourceInfo
+        {
+            Id = "test-source",
+            Path = "http://example.com/live/channel",
+            Protocol = MediaProtocol.Http,
+            Container = container,
+            SupportsDirectPlay = true,
+            SupportsDirectStream = true,
+            SupportsTranscoding = true,
+            IsInfiniteStream = true,
+            IsRemote = true,
+            MediaStreams =
+            [
+                new MediaStream { Type = MediaStreamType.Video, Index = 0, Codec = "h264" },
+                new MediaStream { Type = MediaStreamType.Audio, Index = 1, Codec = "aac" }
+            ]
+        };
+
+        var profile = new DeviceProfile
+        {
+            Name = "Manifest aware client",
+            DirectPlayProfiles =
+            [
+                new DirectPlayProfile
+                {
+                    Type = DlnaProfileType.Video,
+                    Container = "mp4,hls,applehttp,dash",
+                    VideoCodec = "h264",
+                    AudioCodec = "aac"
+                }
+            ],
+            TranscodingProfiles =
+            [
+                new TranscodingProfile
+                {
+                    Type = DlnaProfileType.Video,
+                    Context = EncodingContext.Streaming,
+                    Protocol = MediaStreamProtocol.hls,
+                    Container = "ts",
+                    VideoCodec = "h264",
+                    AudioCodec = "aac"
+                }
+            ]
+        };
+
+        var options = new MediaOptions
+        {
+            ItemId = new Guid("11D229B7-2D48-4B95-9F9B-49F6AB75E613"),
+            MediaSourceId = mediaSource.Id,
+            MediaSources = [mediaSource],
+            DeviceId = "test-deviceId",
+            Profile = profile,
+            AllowAudioStreamCopy = true,
+            AllowVideoStreamCopy = true,
+            EnableDirectStream = false // This is disabled in server
+        };
+
+        var transcodeSupport = new Mock<ITranscoderSupport>();
+
+        return new StreamBuilder(transcodeSupport.Object, new NullLogger<StreamBuilderManifestContainerTests>())
+            .GetOptimalVideoStream(options);
+    }
+}