Shelby Media Player

Purpose

This skill assists developers integrating the Shelby Protocol media player SDK into React applications for video streaming. The player is a lightweight React wrapper around Shaka Player, designed for adaptive HLS/DASH streaming from Shelby's decentralized storage network.

When to Use

This skill should be invoked when:

• User mentions "@shelby-protocol/player", "SimpleShakaVideoPlayer", or "Shelby video player"
• User wants to build video streaming applications with React
• User needs help with HLS or DASH adaptive streaming
• User asks about Shaka Player integration with Shelby
• User needs custom video player layouts or controls
• User is troubleshooting TailwindCSS 4 integration with the player
• User wants to stream videos from Shelby decentralized storage
• User asks about video player components, controls, or customization

Process

1. Installation and Setup

Install the package:

npm install @shelby-protocol/player
# or
pnpm add @shelby-protocol/player
# or
yarn add @shelby-protocol/player
# or
bun add @shelby-protocol/player

TailwindCSS 4 Requirement:

The player requires TailwindCSS 4 for default styles:

npm install tailwindcss@4

Configure styles in globals.css:

Option 1 - Source directive (recommended):

@source "@shelby-protocol/player";

Option 2 - Direct import:

@import "@shelby-protocol/player/shadcn.css";

2. Basic Implementation

Simple player setup:

import { SimpleShakaVideoPlayer } from '@shelby-protocol/player';

function MyVideoPlayer() {
  return (
    <SimpleShakaVideoPlayer
      src="https://example.com/video.m3u8"
      poster="https://example.com/thumbnail.jpg"
      title="My Video Title"
    />
  );
}

Props:

• src (required): Video source URL (HLS .m3u8 or DASH .mpd format)
• poster (optional): Poster image URL displayed before playback
• title (optional): Video title for accessibility and display

3. Integration with Shelby Storage

Stream videos from Shelby blobs:

import { SimpleShakaVideoPlayer } from '@shelby-protocol/player';

interface ShelbyVideoPlayerProps {
  blobName: string;
  poster?: string;
  title: string;
}

function ShelbyVideoPlayer({ blobName, poster, title }: ShelbyVideoPlayerProps) {
  // Construct Shelby API URL
  const videoUrl = `https://api.shelbynet.shelby.xyz/shelby/blobs/${blobName}`;

  return (
    <SimpleShakaVideoPlayer
      src={videoUrl}
      poster={poster}
      title={title}
    />
  );
}

// Usage
<ShelbyVideoPlayer
  blobName="videos/intro.m3u8"
  poster="/thumbnails/intro.jpg"
  title="Introduction Video"
/>

4. Custom Player Layouts

Build custom layouts using primitive components:

import {
  VideoOutlet,
  Controls,
  PlayButton,
  VolumeButton,
  TimeSlider,
  FullscreenButton,
  usePlayer
} from '@shelby-protocol/player';

function CustomVideoPlayer({ src, poster, title }: VideoPlayerProps) {
  const { containerRef } = usePlayer();

  return (
    <div ref={containerRef} className="relative">
      <VideoOutlet />

      {/* Custom controls layout */}
      <Controls>
        <div className="flex items-center gap-4 px-4 py-2">
          <PlayButton />
          <TimeSlider />
          <VolumeButton />
          <FullscreenButton />
        </div>
      </Controls>
    </div>
  );
}

Available primitive components:

• VideoOutlet: Main video container
• Poster: Poster image display
• Controls: Player control container
• PlayButton: Play/pause button
• VolumeButton: Volume control with slider
• TimeSlider: Seek bar/timeline
• FullscreenButton: Fullscreen toggle
• DefaultLayout: Pre-configured layout

5. Advanced Customization with usePlayer Hook

Access Shaka Player instance for advanced controls:

import { usePlayer } from '@shelby-protocol/player';
import { useEffect } from 'react';

function AdvancedVideoPlayer({ src }: { src: string }) {
  const { containerRef, player } = usePlayer();

  useEffect(() => {
    if (player) {
      // Access Shaka Player instance for advanced controls
      player.configure({
        streaming: {
          bufferingGoal: 30,
          rebufferingGoal: 10,
        }
      });

      // Add event listeners
      player.addEventListener('error', (event) => {
        console.error('Player error:', event);
      });
    }
  }, [player]);

  return (
    <div ref={containerRef}>
      {/* Custom player UI */}
    </div>
  );
}

6. Complete Example Components

Video gallery component:

import { SimpleShakaVideoPlayer } from '@shelby-protocol/player';

interface Video {
  id: string;
  blobName: string;
  title: string;
  poster: string;
  duration: string;
}

function VideoGallery({ videos }: { videos: Video[] }) {
  const [selectedVideo, setSelectedVideo] = useState<Video | null>(null);

  return (
    <div>
      {/* Video grid */}
      <div className="grid grid-cols-3 gap-4">
        {videos.map((video) => (
          <div
            key={video.id}
            onClick={() => setSelectedVideo(video)}
            className="cursor-pointer"
          >
            <img src={video.poster} alt={video.title} />
            <h3>{video.title}</h3>
            <p>{video.duration}</p>
          </div>
        ))}
      </div>

      {/* Video player modal */}
      {selectedVideo && (
        <div className="fixed inset-0 bg-black/80 flex items-center justify-center">
          <div className="w-full max-w-4xl">
            <SimpleShakaVideoPlayer
              src={`https://api.shelbynet.shelby.xyz/shelby/blobs/${selectedVideo.blobName}`}
              poster={selectedVideo.poster}
              title={selectedVideo.title}
            />
            <button onClick={() => setSelectedVideo(null)}>Close</button>
          </div>
        </div>
      )}
    </div>
  );
}

Output Format

When helping users integrate Shelby media player:

1. Check dependencies - Verify React and TailwindCSS 4 are installed
2. Provide complete examples - Include imports and full component code
3. Explain styling setup - Show TailwindCSS configuration
4. Demonstrate integration - Show Shelby storage URL construction
5. Handle edge cases - Show error handling and loading states

Best Practices

Video Format and Encoding

• Use adaptive streaming formats: HLS (.m3u8) or DASH (.mpd)
• Provide multiple quality levels for adaptive bitrate streaming
• Optimize encoding settings for target devices and bandwidth
• Use proper video codecs: H.264 for compatibility, H.265 for efficiency

Performance

• Lazy load video components when possible to improve page load
• Implement intersection observer to load videos only when visible
• Optimize poster images - compress and use appropriate sizes
• Consider CDN or edge caching for frequently accessed videos
• Use appropriate buffering settings based on use case

User Experience

• Always provide poster images for better visual experience
• Include meaningful video titles for accessibility
• Implement loading states while video initializes
• Handle errors gracefully with user-friendly messages
• Provide playback controls appropriate for your use case
• Consider autoplay policies - most browsers restrict autoplay

Accessibility

• Use semantic HTML with proper ARIA labels
• Provide keyboard navigation for all controls
• Include captions/subtitles when available
• Ensure adequate color contrast for controls
• Test with screen readers

Styling

• Override CSS variables for custom theming
• Use Tailwind utility classes on wrapper elements
• Create reusable styled components for consistency
• Maintain responsive design across device sizes
• Test on different screen sizes and orientations

Examples

Example 1: Simple Video Player Page

User Request: "Create a page to play a video from Shelby storage"

Implementation:

// app/video/[blobName]/page.tsx
import { SimpleShakaVideoPlayer } from '@shelby-protocol/player';

interface VideoPageProps {
  params: {
    blobName: string;
  };
}

export default function VideoPage({ params }: VideoPageProps) {
  const { blobName } = params;

  // Decode blob name from URL
  const decodedBlobName = decodeURIComponent(blobName);

  // Construct video URL
  const videoUrl = `https://api.shelbynet.shelby.xyz/shelby/blobs/${decodedBlobName}`;

  return (
    <div className="container mx-auto py-8">
      <SimpleShakaVideoPlayer
        src={videoUrl}
        poster="/default-poster.jpg"
        title="Video from Shelby Storage"
      />
    </div>
  );
}

Example 2: Custom Player with Playlist

User Request: "Build a video player with a playlist sidebar"

Implementation:

// components/PlaylistPlayer.tsx
import { useState } from 'react';
import { SimpleShakaVideoPlayer } from '@shelby-protocol/player';

interface PlaylistItem {
  id: string;
  blobName: string;
  title: string;
  poster: string;
  duration: string;
}

interface PlaylistPlayerProps {
  playlist: PlaylistItem[];
}

export function PlaylistPlayer({ playlist }: PlaylistPlayerProps) {
  const [currentIndex, setCurrentIndex] = useState(0);
  const currentVideo = playlist[currentIndex];

  const videoUrl = `https://api.shelbynet.shelby.xyz/shelby/blobs/${currentVideo.blobName}`;

  return (
    <div className="flex gap-4">
      {/* Main player */}
      <div className="flex-1">
        <SimpleShakaVideoPlayer
          key={currentVideo.id} // Force remount on video change
          src={videoUrl}
          poster={currentVideo.poster}
          title={currentVideo.title}
        />
        <div className="mt-4">
          <h2 className="text-2xl font-bold">{currentVideo.title}</h2>
        </div>
      </div>

      {/* Playlist sidebar */}
      <div className="w-80 space-y-2">
        <h3 className="font-semibold text-lg mb-4">Playlist</h3>
        {playlist.map((video, index) => (
          <div
            key={video.id}
            onClick={() => setCurrentIndex(index)}
            className={`
              p-3 rounded cursor-pointer transition-colors
              ${index === currentIndex ? 'bg-blue-500 text-white' : 'bg-gray-100 hover:bg-gray-200'}
            `}
          >
            <div className="flex gap-3">
              <img
                src={video.poster}
                alt={video.title}
                className="w-24 h-14 object-cover rounded"
              />
              <div className="flex-1">
                <p className="font-medium text-sm line-clamp-2">{video.title}</p>
                <p className="text-xs opacity-70">{video.duration}</p>
              </div>
            </div>
          </div>
        ))}
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

Example 3: Advanced Player with Analytics

User Request: "Create a video player that tracks viewing analytics"

Implementation:

// components/AnalyticsPlayer.tsx
import { usePlayer } from '@shelby-protocol/player';
import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';

interface AnalyticsPlayerProps {
  src: string;
  poster?: string;
  title: string;
  videoId: string;
  onAnalytics?: (event: string, data: any) => void;
}

export function AnalyticsPlayer({
  src,
  poster,
  title,
  videoId,
  onAnalytics
}: AnalyticsPlayerProps) {
  const { containerRef, player } = usePlayer();
  const watchTimeRef = useRef(0);
  const lastTimeRef = useRef(0);

  useEffect(() => {
    if (!player) return;

    // Track play events
    const handlePlay = () => {
      onAnalytics?.('video_play', { videoId, title });
      lastTimeRef.current = Date.now();
    };

    // Track pause events
    const handlePause = () => {
      const watchTime = (Date.now() - lastTimeRef.current) / 1000;
      watchTimeRef.current += watchTime;

      onAnalytics?.('video_pause', {
        videoId,
        title,
        watchTime: watchTimeRef.current
      });
    };

    // Track completion
    const handleEnded = () => {
      onAnalytics?.('video_complete', {
        videoId,
        title,
        totalWatchTime: watchTimeRef.current
      });
    };

    // Track errors
    const handleError = (event: any) => {
      onAnalytics?.('video_error', {
        videoId,
        title,
        error: event.detail
      });
    };

    // Add listeners
    player.addEventListener('play', handlePlay);
    player.addEventListener('pause', handlePause);
    player.addEventListener('ended', handleEnded);
    player.addEventListener('error', handleError);

    // Track initial load
    onAnalytics?.('video_load', { videoId, title });

    // Cleanup
    return () => {
      player.removeEventListener('play', handlePlay);
      player.removeEventListener('pause', handlePause);
      player.removeEventListener('ended', handleEnded);
      player.removeEventListener('error', handleError);
    };
  }, [player, videoId, title, onAnalytics]);

  return (
    <div ref={containerRef}>
      {/* Use built-in components */}
      <SimpleShakaVideoPlayer
        src={src}
        poster={poster}
        title={title}
      />
    </div>
  );
}

// Usage
<AnalyticsPlayer
  src="https://api.shelbynet.shelby.xyz/shelby/blobs/videos/intro.m3u8"
  poster="/posters/intro.jpg"
  title="Introduction Video"
  videoId="intro-2024"
  onAnalytics={(event, data) => {
    // Send to analytics service
    console.log('Analytics:', event, data);
    // analytics.track(event, data);
  }}
/>

Error Handling

Common issues and solutions:

• Styles not working: Install TailwindCSS 4 and add source directive to globals.css
• Video not playing: Check URL accessibility, format (HLS/DASH), and CORS headers
• Player not rendering: Verify React is installed and component is properly imported
• CORS errors: Ensure Shelby API or video CDN has proper CORS headers
• Buffering issues: Adjust Shaka Player buffering configuration
• Fullscreen not working: Check browser permissions and Fullscreen API support
• Black screen: Verify video format compatibility with browser
• Controls not responding: Check event listeners and state management

Troubleshooting

Styles Not Rendering

Problem: Player appears unstyled or broken.

Solutions:

1. Verify TailwindCSS 4 is installed:

   npm install tailwindcss@4
   

2. Add source directive to globals.css:

   @source "@shelby-protocol/player";
   

3. Restart development server

Video Not Loading

Problem: Video doesn't load or play.

Solutions:

1. Check video URL is accessible (test in browser)
2. Verify video format is HLS (.m3u8) or DASH (.mpd)
3. Check browser console for errors
4. Ensure CORS headers are set correctly
5. Test with a known working HLS/DASH stream

Performance Issues

Problem: Video stutters or buffers excessively.

Solutions:

1. Optimize video encoding settings
2. Use appropriate bitrate for target bandwidth
3. Implement proper chunking for large videos
4. Configure Shaka Player buffering settings
5. Consider CDN or edge caching

Notes

• Based on Shaka Player: Uses Google's adaptive streaming library
• Streaming formats: Supports HLS and DASH adaptive streaming
• TailwindCSS 4 required: For default styling (shadcn-style components)
• Browser support: Modern browsers with HLS (Safari native) or DASH support
• Fullscreen API: Uses browser's native fullscreen capabilities
• Adaptive bitrate: Automatically adjusts quality based on network conditions
• Custom controls: Build completely custom UIs with primitive components
• Shelby integration: Works seamlessly with Shelby decentralized storage
• TypeScript support: Fully typed for better DX

Related Resources

• Shelby SDK: Upload videos programmatically (@shelby-protocol/sdk)
• Shelby CLI: Upload videos via command line
• Shaka Player Docs: https://shaka-player-demo.appspot.com/docs/api/
• HLS Spec: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc8216
• DASH Spec: https://www.iso.org/standard/79329.html
• TailwindCSS: https://tailwindcss.com/