Explaining Media Profiles

When you upload or record media in Sardius, you’ll choose media profiles that determine how your content is processed, played back, and downloaded. Each profile serves a different purpose depending on how you plan to use the asset.                 

This article explains 

• The difference between MP3, MP4, HLS, and Thumbnails            

• What Enhanced profiles mean 

• Common use cases for each                                                           

• How Transcoded vs Un-transcoded assets work (especially for live stream recordings)

• Which profile is the most user-friendly    

---

Overview: What Each Media Profile Does: 

MP3 (Audio)

Best used for:

• Sermon audio

• Podcasts

• Audio-only teaching content

• Users who want a simple download

Key notes:

• Audio only (no video)

• Very small file size

• Highly compatible across devices

MP4 (Video – Download Friendly)

Best used for:

• On-demand video libraries

• Downloadable sermon videos

• Sharing files outside the platform

• Archival storage

Key notes:

• Creates one downloadable file

• Works well on nearly all devices

• Required if you want a download button

HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)

Best used for:

• Live streaming

• Web playback across multiple devices

• Viewers on unstable, mobile or low-bandwidth connections

Key notes:

• Media Delivery using Adaptive bitrate streaming (automatically adjusts quality)

• Not a single downloadable file

• Ideal for smooth playback, not file distribution

Thumbnails Only

What it does:

• Generates thumbnail images only

• Does not create a playable video format

Best used for:

• Updating or regenerating thumbnails

• Fixing missing or incorrect preview images

• Making visual changes without reprocessing video

Thumbnails are used in:

• Video grids and collections

• On-demand libraries

• Asset previews

• Player posters before playback starts

If thumbnails are not generated:

• The video will still play but no preview image will appear in grids or libraries

• The asset may appear blank or use a default placeholder image

  

  

---

What Does “Enhanced” Mean?

Each MP4 and HLS option may have a Standard or Enhanced version.

Standard Profiles:

• Supports 720p and older Standard Definition (SD) content in addition to HD content

• Slightly higher compression quality

Enhanced Profiles:

• Supports multiple HD workflows

• Processes more quickly than the standard profiles

• Are recommended for most HD use cases

General recommendation:

If you’re unsure (or working with a live stream archive), always choose Enhanced.

---

Transcoded vs Un-transcoded Assets (Important for Live Streams)

This is where things can feel confusing — especially with HLS.

Live Stream Recordings:

• Any live stream recording is automatically saved as HLS

• Even if it shows as not transcoded, the HLS playback already exists

• You do not need to transcode it as HLS again

Why does it say “Not Transcoded”?

Because transcoding controls what formats are generated, not whether the recording exists.

---

To enable downloads:

• Transcode the asset as MP4 (Enhanced recommended)

• This creates the missing downloadable file

• Once transcoded as MP4, a Download button will appear

Important:
Assets transcoded only as HLS will not show a download option.

Common Use Cases (Quick Reference)

---

What Is the Most User-Friendly & Downloadable Option?

MP4 (Enhanced) is the most user-friendly option for most clients. Why?

• Creates a single video file

• Enables the Download button

• Works across devices and platforms

• Ideal for sharing, archiving, and offline viewing

Recommended default for on-demand content:

MP4 (Enhanced)
Pair with HLS (Enhanced) if you also want optimized streaming playback.

---

Recommended Media Profile Setup (Best Practice)

For most video content:

• ✅ HLS (Enhanced) → best playback experience

• ✅ MP4 (Enhanced) → enables downloads

This gives you both streaming performance and download access.