Fundamentals
Core concepts for uploading and streaming media with Shelby
Blob
Any file stored on Shelby is referred to as a "blob". This can be video, audio, images, or other data.
Blob Key
A blob is identified by a "blob key" which is a specific format for the combination of a file name and account address.
@<account-address-without-0x>/<file-name>| Format Example | File Name | Account Address |
|---|---|---|
@7b1adaadeacaf74e2ac446030163c3d61df22a9a72883c17d0e6285c0e203996/video.mp4 | video.mp4 | 0x7b1adaadeacaf74e2ac446030163c3d61df22a9a72883c17d0e6285c0e203996 |
@0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001/audio.mp3 | audio.mp3 | 0x1 |
@0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000c02/image.png | image.png | 0xc02 |
Blob Lifecycle
A blob exists in one of three states:
| State | Description |
|---|---|
| Encoded | The blob is encoded and ready to be uploaded to the network. |
| Registered | The blob is registered on the network but has not yet been stored. |
| Stored | The blob is stored on the network and can be read from the network. |
Next Steps
Quick Start
Learn how to get started with Shelby
Video Player
React video player for streaming from Shelby
Media Prepare
FFmpeg presets for HLS + CMAF streaming
Aptos Account
They hold your tokens used for payments and authorizes interactions such as uploading files.
They can be identified by an "account address" which is a 64 character string:
0x7b1adaadeacaf74e2ac446030163c3d61df22a9a72883c17d0e6285c0e203996You may also identifiy your account by a truncated version of the address:
0x76ba..473bThe truncated version is not the same as the address. It is a shortened version of the address for convenience.
Create an Aptos account
To create a new account, login to Petra Web which will generate a new account for you.
Towards the top of the screen, you should be able to see the truncated version of your account address. You can click on it to copy your address to your clipboard.
Payment
In order to upload files to Shelby, you will need to acquire payment tokens in order to pay for storing your files.
Shelby uses two tokens for payments, both are generally required for uploading files:
| Token | Purpose |
|---|---|
| APT | Paid every time a file is uploaded |
| ShelbyUSD | Payment is dependent on the size of the file being stored. |
APT
This token is required for everytime an upload is performed. In the early stages of Shelby, you can acquire this token by using an APT faucet.
You can do this by visiting the APT faucet and pasting your account address into the input field.
ShelbyUSD
This token is required for every time a file is stored on Shelby. In the early stages of Shelby, you can acquire this token by using a ShelbyUSD faucet.
You can do this by visiting the ShelbyUSD faucet and pasting your account address into the input field.
Balances
You can view the balance of your tokens by visiting your Aptos account dashboard on Petra Web. You will see a balance for both APT and ShelbyUSD.
If you don't see your balance, make sure to click the Network dropdown and select the Shelbynet network. This is typically in the top right of the screen under "Mainnet".