Playground for http://www.openradar.me/radar?id=5020043825905664

Player.swift

import AVFoundation
import PlaygroundSupport

PlaygroundPage.current.needsIndefiniteExecution = true

extension AVPlayerItemStatus {
    var description: String {
        switch self {
        case .failed:
            return "Failed"
        case .readyToPlay:
            return "ReadyToPlay"
        case .unknown:
            return "Unknown"
        }
    }
}

extension AVPlayerTimeControlStatus {
    var description: String {
        switch self {
        case .paused:
            return "Paused"
        case .playing:
            return "Playing"
        case .waitingToPlayAtSpecifiedRate:
            return "WaitingToPlayAtSpecifiedRate"
        }
    }
}


class AVPlayerTest {
    // Results
    
    // LIVESTREAM
    // Using a mp3 live stream will apparently fail every time
    // Using the same stream embedded in a m3u playlist will also fail
    // Using an acc stream will fail as well
    
    // REMOTE FILES
    // Using a mp3 file is working
    // Using a m4a file is working
    // Playlists not tested
    
    // Conclusion
    // Is there any format that is working with live streams using AVPlayer?
    
    let player = AVPlayer()
    
    // MP3 live stream
    let streamurl = URL(string: "http://mp3.ffh.de/radioffh/hqlivestream.mp3")!
    // MP3 live stream embedded in playlist
//    let streamurl = URL(string: "http://streams.ffh.de/radioffh/mp3/hqlivestream.m3u")!
    
    // AAC live Stream
//    let streamurl = URL(string: "http://mp3.ffh.de/radioffh/hqlivestream.aac")!
    // Remote M4A File
//    let streamurl = URL(string: "http://tracking.feedpress.it/link/13453/4805625/fs187-knueppelgraetsche-richtig-geil.m4a")!
    // Remote MP3 File
//    let streamurl = URL(string: "http://files.wrint.de/WR307_Was_ist_Politik.mp3")!
    func startTest() {
        let item = AVPlayerItem(url: streamurl)
        item.canUseNetworkResourcesForLiveStreamingWhilePaused = true
        player.replaceCurrentItem(with: item)
        player.play()

        Timer.scheduledTimer(timeInterval: 15, target: self, selector: #selector(timerTickedToPause), userInfo: nil, repeats: false)
        printStatus()
    }
    
    @objc func timerTickedToPause(timer: Timer) {
        
        player.pause()
        // pause now for some time. 90s is not enough.
        Timer.scheduledTimer(timeInterval: 120, target: self, selector: #selector(timerTickedToPlay), userInfo: nil, repeats: false)
    }
    
    @objc func timerTickedToPlay(timer: Timer) {
        // try to resume playback
        
        printStatus()
        
        player.play()
        
        printStatus()
        
        // check in some seconds if it recovered
        Timer.scheduledTimer(timeInterval: 10, target: self, selector: #selector(timerTickedCheck), userInfo: nil, repeats: true)
    }
    
    @objc func timerTickedCheck(timer: Timer) {
        printStatus()
    }
    
    func printStatus() {
        guard let item = player.currentItem else { return }
        print("###########")
        print("rate: \(player.rate)")
        print("currentItem errror: \(item.error)")
        print("currentItem errrorLog: \(item.errorLog())")
        print("timeControlStatus: \(player.timeControlStatus.description)")
        print("reasonForWaitingToPlay; \(player.reasonForWaitingToPlay?.description)")
        print("playbackLikelyToKeepUp: \(item.isPlaybackLikelyToKeepUp)")
        print("playbackBufferEmpty: \(item.isPlaybackBufferEmpty)")
        print("playbackBufferFull: \(item.isPlaybackBufferFull)")
        print("status ", item.status.description )
        print("###########")
    }
}

let test = AVPlayerTest()
test.startTest()

did you find a solution to issue?