Media/openh264

OpenH264 is a codec library that has been is used since Desktop Firefox version 33 to help enable real-time communication technologies, like WebRTC, especially in situations where the WebRTC connection may be gatewayed to devices that support H.264 but not VP8. It is also used when talking to some FxOS devices that are using hardware H.264 codecs to reduce CPU load.

OpenH264 is not packaged with Firefox; it is downloaded and updated from Cisco's servers automatically. It can be disabled from the Addon's page.

With a few specific exceptions (certain Linux systems that don't support sandboxing), OpenH264 is sandboxed for security reasons, and it always runs in a separate process.

• See http://www.openh264.org/ for more information about it.

Project Status Updates

• In Firefox 33
  • OpenH264 is for WebRTC only for the time being. Streaming video decode typically requires H.264 profiles not included yet in OpenH264 and also audio codecs that are not freely available.
    • which means: it doesn't enable playing back MP4 videos at this time
    • it will enable real-time communication from the FxOS phone using the WebRTC and the Hardware H.264 codec to OpenH264 on the browser.
  • We have sand-boxing turned on with OpenH264 (except for some Linux variants)

• Android is not yet supported

OpenH264 support for WebRTC (desktop)

• Bug 948160 tracks continuing development for OpenH264.

35 Total; 9 Open (25.71%); 0 Resolved (0%); 26 Verified (74.29%);