Retrieve and update media asset information
After a media file is uploaded or processed, you can retrieve and update its media asset information. This topic describes how to perform these operations using the ApsaraVideo VOD console, an API, or an SDK.
Use case 1: Retrieve and update using APIs
To support different business scenarios, ApsaraVideo VOD categorizes media asset information into the following types. You can retrieve and update each type independently using different APIs:
Information type | APIs for retrieval | APIs for update | Use cases |
Basic information | Retrieve basic information, such as title, duration, and status, for display in your application. You can also update attributes like the title, description, thumbnail, category ID, and tags for content management. | ||
Source file information | Source file information is metadata extracted from the file itself and cannot be updated. | Retrieve the URL and parameters of the original file. This is often used for archiving, secondary processing, or troubleshooting. | |
Playback information | Playback information cannot be updated. However, you can generate new audio and video streams by transcoding the media. SubmitTranscodeJobs | Retrieve playback URLs, including authentication credentials. This is essential for video playback functionality. |
We recommend using a server-side SDK to call APIs for retrieving and updating media asset information. For more information, see VOD SDK usage guide.
Use case 2: Using the console
The console provides an intuitive interface for viewing and managing individual media asset details. It is ideal for daily management by operations staff or for quick verification during development.
Log on to the ApsaraVideo VOD console.
In the navigation pane on the left, choose Media Files, and then click Audio/Video, Image, or Short Video Material to go to the corresponding page.
Click Manage to view a media asset's details.
The following example shows how to manage an Audio/Video asset:
Basic information
On the Basic information tab, you can view or modify the title, description, category, tags, and thumbnail of the audio or video. After editing, click Save.
The following table describes the parameters.
Parameter | Description |
Cover | You can set a default video thumbnail by uploading an image or selecting a video snapshot. Note You can upload a custom thumbnail in JPG or PNG format. The image must be 1 MB or smaller and have a resolution of 1920x1080 or less. |
Name | The name of the audio or video file. This name is displayed in the player during playback and can be 1 to 128 bytes long. |
Description | A detailed description of the audio or video file, up to 1,024 bytes in length. |
Categories | You can assign a category to the video. For more information, see Manage media asset categories. |
Tag | You can add multiple tags to each audio or video file. Tags can contain Chinese characters, English letters, digits, and underscores (_). Separate multiple tags with a comma (,), a semicolon (;), or by pressing Enter. |
Video URLs
You can view the URLs of the source file and all transcoded streams in different formats and qualities, along with their corresponding resolutions and bitrates.
The following table describes the actions.
Actions | Description |
Copy | Copies the playback URL for the selected quality. You can paste the URL into a browser or player to preview the video. |
Preview | Previews the video of the selected quality directly in the console. |
Delete | Deletes the video stream for the selected quality. |
Delete All | Deletes all transcoded files but keeps the source file. This action cannot be undone. Proceed with caution. |
Web player code
For each video, developers can use the provided HTML or JavaScript code snippets. The configuration tool helps you quickly modify parameters, such as player size and autoplay, for faster setup.
The Web Player Code tab is available only for video assets.
For integration, use the latest version of ApsaraVideo Player for Web. For more information, see ApsaraVideo Player for Web.
