I’m working on an experimental media specification called Self Media Decoder (SMD).
The core idea is to move from a “codecs-in-OS” model to a “codecs-in-media” model: each media file can embed its own decoder logic as a WebAssembly module, alongside the actual media data. A player executes the decoder shipped with the content, rather than relying on pre-installed codecs.
Some technical aspects that may be interesting to this community:
• Decoder logic is versioned and can be hot-swapped mid-sequence (“highest version wins”), allowing upgrades without re-encoding existing content.
• Decoder state is preserved across fragmented media and branching hierarchies (DAGs), enabling non-linear playback, multi-angle, or adaptive narratives without resetting context.
• Targets modern Wasm features (SIMD, threads, memory64) for near-native performance.
This is early-stage and intended primarily as a technical exploration rather than a product pitch. I’d be very interested in feedback, prior art, or criticism, especially from people familiar with codecs, containers, or standards work (e.g. MPEG, WASI, streaming systems).
jesusluque•2h ago
The core idea is to move from a “codecs-in-OS” model to a “codecs-in-media” model: each media file can embed its own decoder logic as a WebAssembly module, alongside the actual media data. A player executes the decoder shipped with the content, rather than relying on pre-installed codecs. Some technical aspects that may be interesting to this community: • Decoder logic is versioned and can be hot-swapped mid-sequence (“highest version wins”), allowing upgrades without re-encoding existing content. • Decoder state is preserved across fragmented media and branching hierarchies (DAGs), enabling non-linear playback, multi-angle, or adaptive narratives without resetting context. • Targets modern Wasm features (SIMD, threads, memory64) for near-native performance.
This is early-stage and intended primarily as a technical exploration rather than a product pitch. I’d be very interested in feedback, prior art, or criticism, especially from people familiar with codecs, containers, or standards work (e.g. MPEG, WASI, streaming systems).