Is there a method for source fallback?

[kinetachien]

I'm working on a project that runs a live video stream that isn't always running. I need to have a fallback video but the normal way - adding a second source file - doesn't work. Is there documentation on this? Any advice?

[gkatsev]

There isn't really an automatic way to change sources if there is an error during playback. Your best bet is to listen to the error event and then set a new source.
For example:

player.one('error', function() {
  player.src({
    src:: 'newsource.m3u8',
    type: 'application/x-mpegurl'
  });
});

On a separate note, we have a new option in Video.js 7.12 called retryOnError. When set, this will choose a different source if the source fails to load on initial source setting.
For example:

<video-js id="vid" controls>
  <source src="source1.m3u8" type="application/x-mpegurl">
  <source src="source2.mp4" type="video/mp4">
</video-js>

const player = videojs('vid', {
  retryOnError: true
});

So, with the above example, assuming that source1.m3u8 isn't actually available, we would automatically catch that error and continue loading source2.mp4. Previously, we would choose source1.m3u8 and fail playback. If source1.m3u8 succeeds playing and fails mid-way, we will not switch sources.

Hope this helps!

[phloxic]

retryOnError seems not documented yet. Or is it?
Infering from the tests here: 22e9843#diff-b62e95b3e474754b0b665ff01617843398a03815683899a9c79f141bab6a1fa7R407 it seems not meant to be used in the case canPlayType fails, for instance to try HLS when DASH fails (iPhone) - is that correct?

[gkatsev]

It's not documented yet (we forgot) beyond what I just wrote above. iPhone shouldn't ever choose DASH if there is HLS or other playable content.

[kinetachien]

Thanks much for the replies. FWIW I ended up using readyState() along with a javascript timeout and it's working great. I had first used the error function but it took too long to check and load the fallback.

setTimeout(function () {
if (player1.readyState() === 0) {
.....