---
title: Streaming media
framework: quicktime-file-format
role: article
role_heading: Article
path: quicktime-file-format/streaming_media
---

# Streaming media

Store streaming data in a streaming media track for QuickTime movies.

## Overview

Overview QuickTime movies store streaming data in a streaming media track. This media has a media type of 'strm'. Streaming Media Sample Description The streaming media sample description contains information that defines how to interpret streaming media data. This sample description is based on the standard sample description header, as described in Sample table atom ('stbl'). The streaming media sample description is documented in the QuickTime header file QTSMovie.h, as follows: struct QTSSampleDescription {     long                            descSize;     long                            dataFormat;     long                            resvd1;     /* set to 0*/     short                           resvd2;     /* set to 0*/     short                           dataRefIndex;     UInt32                          version;     UInt32                          resvd3;     /* set to 0*/     SInt32                          flags;                                                 /* qt atoms follow:*/                                     /* long size, long type, some  data*/                                                 /* repeat as necessary*/ }; typedef struct QTSSampleDescription     QTSSampleDescription; The sample format depends on the dataFormat field of the QTSSampleDescription. The dataFormat field can be any value you specify. The currently defined values are 'rtsp' and 'sdp '. If 'rtsp', the sample can be just an rtsp URL. It can also be any value that you can put in a .rtsp file, as defined at http://streaming.apple.com/qtstreaming/documentation/userdocs/rtsptags.htm If 'sdp ', then the sample is an SDP file. This would be used to receive a multicast broadcast.

## See Also

### Track features

- [Modifier tracks](quicktime-file-format/modifier_tracks.md)
- [Creating movies with modifier tracks](quicktime-file-format/creating_movies_with_modifier_tracks.md)
- [Track references](quicktime-file-format/track_references.md)
- [Chapter lists](quicktime-file-format/chapter_lists.md)