Media Server 26.1
Media Server Help

# DescribeMedia

Returns information about a media file or stream, estimates the ability of Media Server to ingest it, and recommends an ingest engine to use.

Type: synchronous

Parameter | Description | Required
--- | --- | ---
`Source` | The media source to describe. For example: a path to a file residing on a file system that Media Server can access. To strengthen security, Media Server can be configured to read files only from specified directories. For information about the directories that Media Server is permitted to read from, see the parameter AllowedInputDirectories. the URL of a stream. | Set either `Source` or `SourceData`
`SourceData` | The media source to describe. You can use the following methods to send data: send the file using an HTTP POST request with the `multipart/form-data` content type. send the file using an HTTP POST request with the `application/x-www-form-urlencoded` content type. In this case the binary data must be base-64 encoded.

## Example

    /action=DescribeMedia&source=./media/my_video.ts

## Response

The following XML is an example response:

    <autnresponse>
      <action>DESCRIBEMEDIA</action>
      <response>SUCCESS</response>
      <responsedata>
        <description>
          <ingestEngine>video</ingestEngine>
          <media path="./media/my_video.ts" url="./media/my_video.ts" mimeType="video/unknown">
            <streams>
              <videoStream id="0" width="720" height="576" sar="64:45" codec="MPEG-2 video"/>
              <audioStream id="1" channels="1" sampleRate="48000" format="planar 16bit signed" codec="MP2 (MPEG audio layer 2)" language="fra"/>
              <audioStream id="2" channels="1" sampleRate="48000" format="planar 16bit signed" codec="MP2 (MPEG audio layer 2)" language="eng"/>
              <audioStream id="3" channels="1" sampleRate="48000" format="planar 16bit signed" codec="MP2 (MPEG audio layer 2)" language="deu"/>
              <audioStream id="4" channels="1" sampleRate="48000" format="planar 16bit signed" codec="MP2 (MPEG audio layer 2)" language="ita"/>
              <audioStream id="5" channels="1" sampleRate="48000" format="planar 16bit signed" codec="MP2 (MPEG audio layer 2)" language="spa"/>
            </streams>
            <metadata>
              <tag name="creation_time">2011-01-31 08:23:35</tag>
            </metadata>
          </media>
          <supported>yes</supported>
        </description>
      </responsedata>
    </autnresponse>

- The `supported` element indicates the likelihood that Media Server can ingest the media. The value can be:

  - `yes` - the format and codecs are supported, so in most cases Media Server should be able to ingest the media. Ingestion can still fail in some cases, for example if Media Server encounters corrupt data.
  - `maybe` - Media Server can open the media but the format or codecs have not been tested.
  - `no` - the media cannot be ingested.
- The `ingestEngine` element suggests which ingest engine to use to ingest the media.
- The `media` element provides the path or URL of the media, and its MIME type.
- The `streams` element contains information about the video, audio, and subtitle (closed-caption) streams that are contained within the media.
- The `metadata` element provides metadata that is extracted from the media.

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Version 26.1 | Last updated January 2026

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Product: Knowledge Discovery Media Server 26.1

Topic Title: DescribeMedia