What is MK.IO?
MK.IO is a cloud-native Software as a Service (SaaS) platform for processing, protecting, and delivering live and on-demand video. You can work through guided workflows in the MK.IO portal or automate its resources through the MK.IO APIs.
Choose live or on-demand video
Section titled “Choose live or on-demand video”MK.IO supports two main media workflows. The right starting point depends on whether your video is arriving continuously or already exists as a file.
Video on Demand (VOD) describes video that viewers can start when they choose, rather than a stream tied to a live source. Live recordings can also become VOD assets after an event ends.
Live workflows include scheduled events, interviews, continuous channels, and prerecorded content sent as a live source. When MK.IO creates adaptive bitrate (ABR) output, it produces several quality levels so a compatible player can select the rendition that suits the viewer’s connection and device.
Understand the resource model
Section titled “Understand the resource model”MK.IO combines a small set of resources into complete media workflows:
| Resource | Role in a workflow |
|---|---|
| Project | Contains the storage, media, processing, and delivery resources for a workload. |
| Storage account | Connects MK.IO to the cloud storage that holds source files, outputs, and live recordings. |
| Asset | References a set of files in connected cloud storage. |
| Transform | Defines a reusable processing task for file-based content. |
| Job | Applies a transform to an input and writes the result to an output asset. |
| Live event | Receives a continuous input for passthrough or encoding. |
| Streaming locator | Associates an asset with a streaming policy and provides the path used for playback. |
| Streaming endpoint | Packages and delivers content through playback protocols such as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) and Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH). |
| Content key policy | Defines how MK.IO issues content keys and authorizes protected playback. |
You do not need every resource for every task. For example, a live workflow uses a live event instead of a transform and job while the stream is running. The media resource model explains these relationships in more detail.
Deliver video to viewers
Section titled “Deliver video to viewers”A streaming endpoint acts as the origin service for your content. A streaming locator links an asset to that endpoint and generates its playback paths.
For wider delivery, a Content Delivery Network (CDN) uses a distributed network of servers to cache content closer to viewers. MK.IO supports integrated CDN endpoints and external CDN configurations. Streaming endpoints and playback explains the available publishing workflows.
You can also protect playback with encryption and Digital Rights Management (DRM). Content protection explains streaming policies, content key policies, and DRM options.
Choose where to begin
Section titled “Choose where to begin”- Live stream in five minutes for a first live workflow with a prepared source.
- Publish your first VOD asset for a file-based workflow.
- Set up your account if you do not yet have a project.
- Navigate the MK.IO portal to find product areas and organization settings.
- Choose an MK.IO API when you are ready to automate a workflow.