M3U (MP3 URL or Moving Picture Experts Group Audio Layer 3 Uniform Resource Locator in full) and M3U8 (UTF-8 M3U) are both playlist files that are used to point media players to audio and video files. Both M3U and M3U8 files are simple text files that can be edited with any text editor, such as Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on macOS. However, there are some key differences between M3U and M3U8 files that are important to understand.
M3U files
M3U is a file format that stores a list of music or video files. It is often used to create playlists for media players, such as VLC, Windows Media Player, and Winamp. M3U files are simple text files that contain a list of paths to media files, along with some additional metadata, such as the title and length of the media file. The paths to the media files can be either absolute or relative.
Here is an example of an M3U file that contains a list of three audio tracks:
#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:123, Sample track 1
C:\Music\Sample track 1.mp3
#EXTINF:124, Sample track 2
C:\Music\Sample track 2.mp3
#EXTINF:125, Sample track 3
C:\Music\Sample track 3.mp3The first line, #EXTM3U, indicates that this is an M3U file. The #EXTINF lines provide metadata about the media files, such as the length (in seconds) and the title. The lines that follow the #EXTINF lines contain the paths to the media files. In this example, the paths are absolute, meaning that they specify the full path to the media files on the computer.
M3U files can also contain URLs (web addresses) to media files, as well as information about the bitrate and sampling rate of the media files.
M3U8 files
M3U8 is a variant of M3U that uses UTF-8 character encoding. It was developed to support the playback of audio and video files on streaming servers, such as those used by online radio stations and video-on-demand services. M3U8 files are similar to M3U files, but they can contain additional information, such as the codecs used by the media files and the names of the playlists.
Here is an example of an M3U8 file that contains a list of three audio tracks:
#EXTM3U#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:10#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0#EXTINF:9.7,http://example.com/audio/sample1.mp3#EXTINF:9.7,http://example.com/audio/sample2.mp3#EXTINF:9.7,http://example.com/audio/sample3.mp3#EXT-X-ENDLIST
The first line, #EXTM3U, indicates that this is an M3U file. The #EXT-X-TARGETDURATION line specifies the maximum duration (in seconds) of any media file in the playlist. The #EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE line specifies the sequence number of the first media file in the playlist. The #EXTINF lines provide metadata about the media files, such as the length (in seconds) and the title. The lines that follow the #EXTINF lines contain the URLs to the media files. In this example, the URLs are absolute, meaning that they specify the full web address of the media files on the server.
The #EXT-X-ENDLIST line indicates the end of the playlist.
M3U8 files are often used in conjunction with the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, which is a streaming protocol developed by Apple. HLS allows audio and video files to be streamed over the internet, using standard HTTP servers. HLS divides the media files into small segments, which are downloaded by the media player as needed. This allows the media player to smoothly play back the media files, even if the internet connection is not stable.
Differences between M3U and M3U8
The main difference between M3U and M3U8 files is the character encoding. M3U files use the default character encoding of the operating system, while M3U8 files use UTF-8 encoding. This makes M3U8 files more compatible with international characters and languages.
Another difference is the types of media that M3U and M3U8 files can contain. M3U files can contain local media files or URLs to media files on the internet. M3U8 files, on the other hand, are primarily used to stream media over the internet, using the HLS protocol.
Finally, M3U8 files can contain additional information, such as the codecs used by the media files and the names of the playlists. This makes M3U8 files more suitable for use on streaming servers, where the media files may be encoded in different formats and may be organized into different playlists.
How to open M3U and M3U8 files
M3U and M3U8 files can be opened with any text editor, such as Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on macOS. However, to play the media files listed in the playlist, you will need a media player that supports M3U or M3U8 files.
Some popular media players that support M3U and M3U8 files include VLC, Windows Media Player, and Winamp. To open an M3U or M3U8 file with one of these media players, simply drag and drop the file into the media player, or use the “Open” or “Open file” command in the media player’s menu.
If you want to stream the media files listed in an M3U8 file, you will need a media player that supports the HLS protocol, such as VLC or Apple’s QuickTime player. To stream the media files, you can simply open the M3U8 file with the media player, and the media player will download and play the media files as needed.
How to create M3U and M3U8 files
To create an M3U or M3U8 file, you will need a text editor, such as Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on macOS. Simply open the text editor, create a new document, and enter the paths or URLs to the media files that you want to include in the playlist.
Here is an example of an M3U file that contains a list of three audio tracks:
#EXTM3U #EXTINF:123, Sample track 1 C:\Music\Sample track 1.mp3 #EXTINF:124, Sample track 2 C:\Music\Sample track2.mp3#EXTINF:125, Sample track 3C:\Music\Sample track 3.mp3
To create an M3U8 file, you can use the same format as an M3U file, but make sure to use UTF-8 character encoding. You can also include additional information, such as the codecs used by the media files and the names of the playlists.
Here is an example of an M3U8 file that contains a list of three audio tracks:
#EXTM3U#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:10#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0#EXTINF:9.7,http://example.com/audio/sample1.mp3#EXTINF:9.7,http://example.com/audio/sample2.mp3#EXTINF:9.7,http://example.com/audio/sample3.mp3#EXT-X-ENDLIST
To save the M3U or M3U8 file, go to the “File” menu and choose “Save As.” In the “Save As” dialog, choose “All Files” as the file type, and enter a name for the file, with the “.m3u” or “.m3u8” extension. Then click “Save.”
Conclusion
M3U and M3U8 are both playlist files that are used to point media players to audio and video files. The main difference between M3U and M3U8 is the character encoding and the types of media that they can contain. M3U files can contain local media files or URLs to media files on the internet, while M3U8 files are primarily used to stream media over the internet, using the HLS protocol. Both M3U and M3U8 files can be opened with any text editor and played with media players that support them. To create an M3U or M3U8 file, you can use a text editor and follow the format specified in this article.
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