Android Player SDK 2.1.0: fast start, caching, and preloading

The FastPix Android Player SDK 2.1.0 adds four independent levers to cut video startup time in short-form feeds, plus a video resize mode. See Preload and cache for faster startup and Set the video resize mode.

What’s new:

• Fast start (on by default): the player now installs a tuned LoadControl so playback begins after 500 ms of buffered media instead of Media3’s 1000 ms. Tune it with BufferConfig, including a BufferConfig.FEED preset for reels or BufferConfig.MEDIA3_DEFAULT to restore the previous behavior.

• Disk caching: opt in with CacheConfig for a process-wide, LRU-evicted read-through cache so re-watches and scroll-backs play from local storage. Use CacheConfig.forOnDemandFeed() for VOD to cache playlists as well as segments, and inspect or reset the store with MediaCacheProvider.

• Pre-caching upcoming items: FastPixPreCacher warms the next feed items into the cache while the current one plays, removing the swipe-to-play delay. Tune it with PreCacheConfig, and pin ABR to the warmed rendition with AbrConfig.

• Next-item preload: PreloadConfig.FEED preloads the next queued item when one player holds a queue set with setMediaItems.

• Video resize mode: set how video scales in the PlayerView with ResizeMode (FIT, FILL, ZOOM, and more), in code or with the app:fastPixResizeMode XML attribute.