Is it possible to use data URIs in video and audio tags?

Asked 16/2, 2010 at 1:45 Answered 11/5, 2022 at 6:59

Assuming the following:

The browser in question doesn't limit the size of data URIs.
There is actually a purpose to doing this (so please refrain from asking "what's the point?" and "you do realize base64 encoding will expand your file by 33%, right?").

Is it technically possible to encode an entire video or audio file into base64, and embed it in an HTML document using either <audio> or <video>?

Abacist answered 16/2, 2010 at 1:45 Comment(5)

Wrong. The browser does limit the size of a data: URI. Opera limits them to 4K; IE8 limits them to 32K. – Rabblement 16/2, 2010 at 1:53

You misunderstood me. I meant FORGET about the fact that some browsers limit the size of data URIs. – Abacist 16/2, 2010 at 1:56

@SLaks: Current versions of Opera can definitely handle URIs larger than 4KB. I've successfully opened 1.3MB data: URI in 10.5. – Olivarez 18/2, 2010 at 20:42

@SLaks: The OP said "Assuming the following:" not "Knowing the following:". In other words, the OP acknowledges that this is wrong for some browsers and wants to ignore this fact for the issue that they are trying to solve. – Silencer 31/5, 2012 at 16:1

There are some applications where it is very useful to bundle css, javascript, and all assets (images + sounds) into a single html file, so this is definitely a useful thing to know! – Harriettharrietta 2/8, 2015 at 15:8

It should be possible, except in IE8 and below, which does not support Audio/Video elements. Note that Opera does limit the size of the URI.

Rabblement answered 16/2, 2010 at 1:56 Comment(3)

Do you know of any example of this in the wild? I'm curious to try it out. – Abacist 16/2, 2010 at 1:58

I probably should've just tried it myself =) It and it appears to work in Chrome, not sure about other browsers. Thanks. – Abacist 16/2, 2010 at 2:10

Here is a nice example: codebase.es/riffwave It even lets you create the WAV content on the fly, then generates a data URI for you. – Tangier 19/10, 2011 at 10:31

These are my test results. I'll try with Ogg as well if prompted.

Legend

W = Wave, WD = Wave with base64 encoded data:uri
M = MP3, MD = MP3 with base64 encoded data:uri

Test results

Chrome 6.0.472.55: M, MD (no wave)
Firefox 3.6: W, WD (no mp3:s)
Firefox 4.0b1: W, WD (no mp3:s)
iPad iOS 3.2: W, M (no data:uri)
iPhone iOS 4: W, M (no data:uri)
Opera 10.62: W, WD (no mp3:s)
Safari 5.0.1: W, WD, M, MD

Plossl answered 27/9, 2010 at 9:47 Comment(1)

Thanks for the results! I wanted to use sounds for iPad offline mode, looks like impossible, have to fall back to PhoneGap. – Electroanalysis 20/3, 2011 at 1:17

IE9 supports this, but only for file formats it supports. For instance, it works for MP3 files but it will not work for WAV files. Tried http://www.themaninblue.com/experiment/JS-909/ and the following test:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>

<audio controls="controls" autobuffer="autobuffer" autoplay="autoplay">
    <source src="data:audio/wav;base64,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" />
</audio>

</body>
</html>

Tympanum answered 26/9, 2010 at 20:33 Comment(1)

Thanks for the update, Eric. Too bad that IE9 doesn't support WAV, as that's the one format that could be generated client-side and could be supported on all browsers (no format patent issues that I'm aware of). – Tympanum 9/1, 2012 at 5:31

It should be possible, except in IE8 and below, which does not support Audio/Video elements. Note that Opera does limit the size of the URI.

Rabblement answered 16/2, 2010 at 1:56 Comment(3)

Do you know of any example of this in the wild? I'm curious to try it out. – Abacist 16/2, 2010 at 1:58

I probably should've just tried it myself =) It and it appears to work in Chrome, not sure about other browsers. Thanks. – Abacist 16/2, 2010 at 2:10

Here is a nice example: codebase.es/riffwave It even lets you create the WAV content on the fly, then generates a data URI for you. – Tangier 19/10, 2011 at 10:31

That's probably because IE9 doesn't support WAV format in its audio element. Only MP3 is supported by now. I really hope that they change that in the RTM version.

Witt answered 30/1, 2011 at 18:31 Comment(1)

IE10 (RTM) and still no support for WAVs. You can play the WAV's using embed, however, no support for base64 there. – Naturalist 10/8, 2013 at 22:10

As of 2022 I ran into file size limits with Firefox (v100.0) when using dataURI versions of podcast MP3s that were above about 30 minutes long or about 20MB.

Invalid URI. Load of media resource data:audio/mpeg;base64,...

Converting the FileReader result to binary and then a Blob as described here solved the issue.

Ruddock answered 11/5, 2022 at 6:59 Comment(0)

For what it's worth, I was able to get a large (14mb) mp4 uuencoded and playing as a data uri in OSX Safari, but not Chrome. Still have more testing to do with smaller chunks, once I find some.

Also worth checking out the HTML5 MediaSource API. It's not widely supported yet, but allows for appending arbitrary bytes for media playback.

http://html5-demos.appspot.com/static/media-source.html

Fabliau answered 3/6, 2013 at 15:31 Comment(0)

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