# Open Media 12 – Open Multimedia Innovation for Eco-Social Transformation > [! note]- > This summary is based on several sessions within this topic. It summarizes the most important content and places it in an eco-social context. The texts are based on audio/video transcription and text transformation - generated from the content and links of these sessions. ## What is this track about? The 'Open Media 12' track at FOSDEM 2025 brings together a wide range of sessions focused on open source innovation in multimedia, video streaming, and hardware/software integration. The presentations cover everything from efficient video decoding and resilient media servers to creative tools for glitch art and frameworks for accessible web media. Many talks explore how open standards, modular design, and collaborative development can make media technology more sustainable, accessible, and adaptable. Key topics include new APIs for media composition, resilient infrastructure for live streaming at scale (such as election monitoring), advances in embedded video systems, and the development of open hardware for conferences. The sessions are presented in an accessible way, emphasizing how these technical advances can be used to foster sustainable, community-oriented, and inclusive media ecosystems. The track is highly relevant for designers, developers, and activists seeking to leverage technology for social good, environmental responsibility, and collaborative innovation. ## Sessions **Toward a unified abstract content API** A session on creating a unified API for abstract multimedia content, focusing on dynamic media management and efficient streaming using Liquidsoap and FFmpeg. [Obsidian link](Toward%20a%20unified%20abstract%20content%20API.md) **Writing an MP4 Muxer for Fun and Profit** Explores the technical and practical challenges of developing a robust MP4 multiplexer for OBS Studio, highlighting open source collaboration and innovation in media formats. [Obsidian link](Writing%20an%20MP4%20Muxer%20for%20Fun%20and%20Profit.md) **PipeWire State of the Union** An update on PipeWire, the open source multimedia framework for Linux, focusing on new features, security, and future directions for audio/video integration. [Obsidian link](PipeWire%20state%20of%20the%20union.md) **FFglitch the multimedia bitstream editor** Demonstrates how FFglitch turns video/audio glitches into art, using open source tools for creative expression and exploring the boundaries of digital media. [Obsidian link](FFglitch%20the%20multimedia%20bitstream%20editor.md) **How MistServer handles SRT connections in independ** Details how MistServer improves reliability and security in streaming by isolating SRT connections in separate processes, ensuring robust open source media serving. [Obsidian link](How%20MistServer%20handles%20SRT%20connections%20in%20independ.md) **Multiview decoding in libavcodec and ffmpeg CLI** Presents advances in multiview video decoding with FFmpeg, enabling efficient handling of 3D and multi-angle video streams for diverse applications. [Obsidian link](Multiview%20decoding%20in%20libavcodec%20and%20ffmpeg%20CLI.md) **Embedded Video Systems With Zephyr** Explores how the Zephyr RTOS supports embedded video systems for applications in agriculture, healthcare, and IoT, fostering open hardware innovation. [Obsidian link](Embedded%20Video%20Systems%20With%20Zephyr.md) **More innovations in H 264 AVC software decoding** Showcases new software and architectural optimizations for efficient H.264 video decoding, with implications for sustainability and cross-platform support. [Obsidian link](More%20innovations%20in%20H264AVC%20software%20decoding.md) **GStreamer State of the Union 2025** An overview of the latest developments in GStreamer, the open source multimedia framework, emphasizing cross-platform support and sustainable media solutions. [Obsidian link](GStreamer%20State%20of%20the%20Union%202025.md) **Enhancing Web Media Support A WebAssembly Driven O** A look at how WebAssembly and open source frameworks can make web media more accessible, dynamic, and inclusive, lowering barriers for creators and users. [Obsidian link](Enhancing%20Web%20Media%20Support%20A%20WebAssembly%20Driven%20O.md) **Scaling to 12k Live Streams** Describes the deployment of a large-scale, open source live streaming system for Bulgarian elections, promoting transparency and civic engagement. [Obsidian link](Scaling%20to%2012k%20Live%20Streams.md) **fosdem videobox 2025** Presents the FOSDEM Videobox, an open hardware solution for video capture and streaming at events, designed for sustainability and reusability. [Obsidian link](fosdem%20videobox%202025.md) ## Significance for an eco-social transformation This track demonstrates how open source multimedia technologies can drive eco-social transformation by making digital media more accessible, sustainable, and community-driven. By focusing on modular and open frameworks (such as GStreamer, PipeWire, and Zephyr), the sessions encourage the development of tools that can be adapted to local needs, reused across projects, and maintained collaboratively. This reduces electronic waste, prolongs hardware life, and fosters technological sovereignty. The strong emphasis on open standards and interoperability ensures that media tools can be used across diverse contexts—from civic engagement in elections to artistic expression and inclusive web access. Projects like the Bulgarian election streaming and the FOSDEM Videobox illustrate how technology can support transparency, participation, and equity, while minimizing proprietary lock-in and maximizing community benefit. Furthermore, the track addresses key sustainability challenges by promoting energy-efficient software (e.g., optimized video decoding), resilient infrastructure (e.g., MistServer's process isolation), and creative reuse of existing resources (e.g., glitch art as a form of digital upcycling). Ethical, social, and ecological considerations are foregrounded, with discussions on privacy, accessibility, and the responsible use of digital media. ## Possible applications 1. **Open Media Streaming for Transparency and Civic Engagement**: The Bulgarian election streaming project provides a blueprint for using open source tools and affordable hardware to increase transparency in democratic processes. [Scaling to 12k Live Streams](Scaling%20to%2012k%20Live%20Streams.md) 2. **Sustainable Event Technology with Open Hardware**: The FOSDEM Videobox demonstrates how modular, open hardware can be used for community events, reducing e-waste and enabling shared resources. [fosdem videobox 2025](fosdem%20videobox%202025.md) 3. **Accessible and Inclusive Web Media**: The WebAssembly-driven framework allows designers to create accessible, plugin-free media experiences, supporting digital inclusion and legacy format preservation. [Enhancing Web Media Support A WebAssembly Driven O](Enhancing%20Web%20Media%20Support%20A%20WebAssembly%20Driven%20O.md) 4. **Energy-Efficient Multimedia Processing**: Innovations in software decoding (e.g., for H.264) can be applied to reduce the energy footprint of media playback on diverse devices. [More innovations in H 264 AVC software decoding](More%20innovations%20in%20H264AVC%20software%20decoding.md) 5. **Open, Modular Frameworks for Community Media Creation**: GStreamer and PipeWire enable the creation of custom, cross-platform media applications for education, activism, and the arts. [GStreamer State of the Union 2025](GStreamer%20State%20of%20the%20Union%202025.md), [PipeWire State of the Union](PipeWire%20state%20of%20the%20union.md) 6. **Embedded Systems for Sustainable Sectors**: Zephyr OS and its video APIs empower eco-social designers to build smart agricultural, health, or environmental monitoring systems using open hardware. [Embedded Video Systems With Zephyr](Embedded%20Video%20Systems%20With%20Zephyr.md) 7. **Creative Reuse and Digital Upcycling**: FFglitch exemplifies how errors and artifacts can be transformed into art, encouraging a culture of creative reuse in digital media. [FFglitch the multimedia bitstream editor](FFglitch%20the%20multimedia%20bitstream%20editor.md) ## Challenges & open questions Several technical and social challenges surfaced throughout the track: - **Technical Complexity and Accessibility**: Many tools require specialized knowledge (e.g., video codecs, multi-threading, WebAssembly), potentially limiting access for non-experts or under-resourced communities. - **Interoperability and Standards**: Ensuring compatibility across devices, software, and formats remains a challenge, especially with proprietary standards or rapidly evolving technologies. - **Security and Privacy**: Live streaming and media sharing (e.g., election monitoring) raise concerns about data protection, privacy, and the potential misuse of recorded content. - **Sustainability of Open Source Projects**: Maintaining community engagement, funding, and long-term support for open source tools requires ongoing effort. - **Ethical Use and Social Impact**: The deployment of surveillance technologies, even for positive ends, must be balanced with respect for privacy and consent. - **Adoption Barriers**: Resistance to open source or modular solutions in institutional or governmental contexts can slow down eco-social transformation. - **Hardware Constraints**: Some innovations (like efficient decoding or embedded systems) still depend on hardware capabilities, which may not be universally available or affordable. - **Need for Inclusive Design**: Ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities and non-technical users remains a crucial area for improvement.