Mux is an API-first video platform designed by experts to make world-class video streaming and analytics possible for every development team.
Industry
Software and technology
Use Cases
Video streaming, signed URLs, access log retrieval
Using StackPath’s CDN, Mux supports billions of high performance video streams for leading publishers such as CBS Interactive, PBS, Vimeo, TED, and Udemy.
API-first video platform starting up
Upon recognizing a gap in the video streaming industry, Mux’s founders set out to make video exceptionally easy and accessible with a focus on the developer experience. In 2018, the company launched its video product which bundles video hosting, streaming, and delivery services all through a simple API.
Early on, the Mux team knew they would require a premium grade content delivery network (CDN) if they were to deliver video streaming services that matched the performance and reporting capabilities of platforms used by Netflix and YouTube.
Deliver the highest quality video streaming
The objective was to match the pinnacle of video streaming without requiring a team of expert video engineers and could be used by any sized developer team. Mux planned to make it as simple as possible to stream video—at the same quality as Netflix or YouTube—while enabling companies to retain full parameter control over how and where video is streamed.
The Mux team understood that their global product delivery model had to include a CDN that could handle their unique requirements around signed URLs and access log retrieval, as well as the ability to take down content at will.
Find the best CDN to satisfy performance standards
As a Y Combinator graduate, Mux brought game changing innovation to the table, but it had not yet secured all the funding it required. Budget limitations became a challenge while seeking a top performing CDN was a must-have. Mux eventually discovered Highwinds (now owned and operated by StackPath) and the Propel Startup Program. This collaboration helped Mux push product development forward quickly in a cost-effective manner.
Leading streaming forward and dealing with the unexpected
Mux currently supports billions of streams for millions of viewers and its Video customers include Daily.co, Crowdcast, Zeit, Wealthfit, Hush, Scale, Osmosis.org, Shred, and Metaverse. These customers use Mux because of its developer friendly environment and ability to consistently deliver high performance streams, even during network outages.
For example, in June 2019, Verizon made an erroneous routing announcement update which channelled a major chunk of Internet traffic through a small ISP in Pennsylvania. This led to significant network congestion and degraded performance for some large CDNs in its multi-CDN setup. By using CDN switching, Mux was able to divert most video traffic to StackPath and continue to deliver optimal viewing performance during the outage.
With StackPath’s CDN, Mux plans to drive HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) latency down to the lowest levels possible in the company’s continued mission to support development teams that need to build video streaming solutions.
Adam Brown • Cofounder, Mux
