It is a file format used to store multimedia playlists, based on json.

Json is the acronym for JavaScript Object Notation, a lightweight text format for data exchange. A subset of the literal notation of JavaScript objects although today, due to its wide adoption as an alternative to xml, it is considered a separate language format.

Why is it created?

w3u was born as an improvement of the m3u format, adding more advanced functionalities and facilitating the use of new features in multimedia players, such as the possibility of synchronizing a list hosted on a remote server or the inclusion of additional information by the author on the list.

M3U (MPEG Version 3.0 URL) is a file format that stores media playlists. Initially, the possibility of creating and opening M3Us was only supported by Winamp, but currently the format is supported by multiple players: AIMP, foobar2000, iTunes, JuK, VLC, Windows Media Player, Wiseplay and XMMS among others.

What do you use it for?

The main use of the w3u lists is to gather in a single file different audio, video and streaming links, for personal use or to be shared with other users in a simple way.

Thanks to w3u , any user can create their own list of multimedia content from different sources and formats and share it with anyone.

For example, a w3u list is very useful for gathering all your videos and ordering them to your liking regardless of where they are staying.

What is a w3u like?

A w3u is nothing more than a text file . Txt that contains ordered references to show the different fields of a list.

Pastebin: https://pastebin.com/iZGHVCFR

{ 
   "name": "w3u list",
   "author": "w3u author",
   "url": "https://pastebin.com/iZGHVCFR",
   "image": "https://i.imgur.com/5rjqSPj.png",
   "contact": "w3u@testmail.com",
   "info": "Sample list for w3u tutorial using publicly available links",
   "groups": [ 
      { 
         "name": "Movies",
         "image": "https://i.imgur.com/ExU2ep3.png",
         "stations": [ 
            { 
               "name": "Tears of Steel",
               "image": "https://i.imgur.com/zHW0cSVl.jpg",
               "url": "https://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/graphics/blender/demo/movies/ToS/ToS-4k-1920.mov",
               "subtitle": "https://pastebin.com/JDfuRkZe"
            },
            { 
               "name": "Sintel",
               "image": "https://i.imgur.com/s2Xd81sl.jpg",
               "url": "https://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/graphics/blender/demo/movies/Sintel.2010.720p.mkv"
            }
         ]
      },
      { 
         "name": "Live",
         "image": "https://i.imgur.com/WP7j2dX.png",
         "stations": [ 
            { 
               "name": "NASA",
               "image": "https://i.imgur.com/aCj27P5.png",
               "url": "https://nasa-i.akamaihd.net/hls/live/253565/NASA-NTV1-Public/master.m3u8"
            },
            { 
               "name": "NASA ISS",
               "image": "https://i.imgur.com/aCj27P5.png",
               "url": "https://iphone-streaming.ustream.tv/uhls/9408562/streams/live/iphone/playlist.m3u8"
            }
         ]
      }
   ],
   "stations": [
      {
         "name": "Timelapse Paris",
         "image": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Timelapse_Tour_Eiffel_%C3%A0_Paris.webm/800px--Timelapse_Tour_Eiffel_%C3%A0_Paris.webm.jpg",
         "imageScale": "centerCrop",
         "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Timelapse_Tour_Eiffel_%C3%A0_Paris.webm",
         "isHost": true
      },
      {
         "name": "HTML5 Video",
         "image": "https://i.imgur.com/sjrn6Ii.png",
         "url": "http://clappr.io/demo/",
         "embed": true
      },
      {
         "name": "Me at the zoo",
         "image": "https://img.youtube.com/vi/jNQXAC9IVRw/0.jpg",
         "imageScale": "centerCrop",
         "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNQXAC9IVRw"
      }
  ]
}

Updated on: 25/10/2019