In beta: HLS video streaming

Update (April 2026): A lot has changed since we first published this post. Apple Podcasts now supports native HLS video streaming (as of iOS 26.4), and Transistor is one of Apple's approved hosting partners. We're rolling out full video podcast hosting — upload your video, and we'll distribute it to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and your podcast RSS feed. Learn more about Transistor's video hosting →

When we first wrote this post in July 2025, we were beta testing HLS video with a handful of podcasters. Back then, you had to host your video on a third-party service like Cloudflare Stream and paste the HLS manifest URL into Transistor. It worked, but it wasn't simple.

Since then, a lot has happened:

• Apple launched native HLS video in Apple Podcasts (March 2026, iOS 26.4). Listeners can now watch video podcast episodes directly inside the app and switch between audio and video at any time. Here's the full breakdown →

• Transistor became one of Apple's approved hosting partners for HLS video. We're one of about six hosting platforms that have a working HLS video integration with Apple Podcasts.

• We're building full video podcast hosting. The vision: upload once, distribute everywhere. You upload your video episode to Transistor, and we handle distribution to Apple Podcasts (via HLS), Spotify, YouTube, and your podcast RSS feed.

What is HLS Video Streaming?

HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is the same adaptive streaming technology that powers Netflix and YouTube. Instead of downloading one big video file, it streams the video in small chunks and adjusts quality based on the listener's connection. It's faster, more efficient, and works the way modern video consumers expect.

For this beta, we implemented HLS in the podcast:alternateEnclosure (as described by Podcasting 2.0 and the Podcast Standards Project).

This allows creators to upload video for their episodes, and link to it in their RSS feeds. Podcast apps that support it (like Fountain and True Fans) will allow listeners to switch from audio-mode to video mode.

How Transistor handles video podcast hosting

We're rolling out video podcast hosting gradually. Here's what the experience looks like:

1. Upload your video episode to Transistor using our dashboard

2. We encode and host it — including HLS streaming for Apple Podcasts and podcast apps that support podcast:alternateEnclosure

3. Your show is distributed everywhere — Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and open RSS — from one upload

4. Your listeners choose how they want to consume it: video or audio, streaming or downloaded

Your podcast remains fully compatible with all existing audio-only podcast players. Video is an enhancement, not a requirement.

Here's an example of the Primary Technology podcast, with video enabled on True Fans:

Why video matters for the open podcast ecosystem

Transistor is the only hosting platform that puts HLS video in both Apple's format and the podcast:alternateEnclosure tag in your RSS feed. That means your video episodes don't just work in Apple Podcasts, they also work in independent podcast apps like Pocket Casts, Fountain, and True Fans.

One feed. Audio and video. Open and accessible.

Getting Started

We're rolling this out gradually. If you want early access to video podcast hosting on Transistor:

1. Be a Transistor customer (or start your free trial)

2. Join the waitlist — sign up here

3. We'll walk you through the setup and help you get your first video episode live

Questions? Reach out to our support team — we're happy to help.