Ant Media Server
Ant Media Server 3.2 adds WHEP playback, Prometheus metrics and plugin installs from the dashboard.
Comparison · Meetings
Asterisk vs JW Player
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Asterisk and JW Player — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Asterisk vs JW Player: at a glance
What is Asterisk?
Asterisk 24.0.0 is out, with 20, 22 and 23 getting their matching releases the same hour.
Asterisk closed its release round on November 5 with 24.0.0 final plus 23.6.0, 22.12.0 and 20.22.0, each resolving 32 to 37 issues across roughly 45 commits. The final tags followed four release candidates, the last of which repaired park slot hints and a presence-hint segfault left by 22.11.0. No security advisories were part of the round.
What is JW Player?
JW Player's Android SDK 4.28 adds live Chromecast and new background audio controls.
JWX has spent the autumn adding defaults and dashboard features: automatic captions for new uploads, CMAF VOD with AV1, audio-only Broadcast Live, DRM monitoring and motion thumbnails with CTA buttons in Vertical Video carousels. On November 13 Android SDK 4.28.0 reworks background audio, adds control over audio interruptions and extends Chromecast to live streams.
Asterisk vs JW Player: editorial side-by-side
Asterisk
5.0MEETINGS
Asterisk 24.0.0 is out, with 20, 22 and 23 getting their matching releases the same hour.
◆ Current state
Asterisk closed its release round on November 5 with 24.0.0 final plus 23.6.0, 22.12.0 and 20.22.0, each resolving 32 to 37 issues across roughly 45 commits. The final tags followed four release candidates, the last of which repaired park slot hints and a presence-hint segfault left by 22.11.0. No security advisories were part of the round.
◆ Where it's heading
The project ships every supported branch in lockstep, so fixes land everywhere at once and the version number mostly signals which line a deployment is on. With 24 now final, the next round should move 24 into the same maintenance rhythm as the older branches.
◆ Prediction
Expect 24.0.1 or 24.1.0 alongside matching 20, 22 and 23 point releases in the next cycle, likely starting with release candidates again; the entries do not show which branch will drop out of the round next.
JW Player
5.0MEETINGS
JW Player's Android SDK 4.28 adds live Chromecast and new background audio controls.
◆ Current state
JWX has spent the autumn adding defaults and dashboard features: automatic captions for new uploads, CMAF VOD with AV1, audio-only Broadcast Live, DRM monitoring and motion thumbnails with CTA buttons in Vertical Video carousels. On November 13 Android SDK 4.28.0 reworks background audio, adds control over audio interruptions and extends Chromecast to live streams.
◆ Where it's heading
Platform work is aimed at lower delivery cost and more engagement surface, while the native SDKs follow with playback reliability: iOS 4.28.2 in October, Android 4.28.0 now. Nothing in the feed suggests a change of direction.
◆ Prediction
An iOS release matching Android's live Chromecast and audio changes is the most likely next SDK step.
Alternatives to Asterisk and JW Player
Other Meetings products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Asterisk or JW Player.
3CX
3CX sets the end of 2026 to switch off its own transcription service.
Eventcombo
Eventcombo adds webinar demo checklists to its 2027 buyer guides.
Fourwaves
Fourwaves doubles Free plan submissions to 50 and reworks reviewer assignment.
Nextcloud Talk
Nextcloud Talk v23.0.14 fixes Firefox video and keeps v25 waiting at RC3.
Kurento
Kurento's JavaScript client gets a 7.3.1 point release with no notes.
See all Asterisk alternatives → · See all JW Player alternatives →
Recent activity from Asterisk and JW Player
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 22h agoJW PlayerAndroid 4.28.0: Modernized background audio and expanded Chromecast support
- 3d agoJW PlayerMotion thumbnails and CTA buttons for Vertical Video carousels
- 4d agoJW PlayerAutomatic caption generation for uploaded videos
- 8d agoAsteriskAsterisk 24.0.0 final ships after four release candidates
- 8d agoAsteriskAsterisk 23.6.0: 35 fixes from the shared release round
- 8d agoAsteriskAsterisk 22.12.0 closes the 22.11 hint regressions
- 8d agoAsteriskAsterisk 20.22.0: 37 fixes on the oldest branch
- 15d agoAsteriskAsterisk 24.0.0-rc4: park hints and presence-hint crash fixed
- 15d agoAsteriskAsterisk 23.6.0-rc4: same two hint fixes
- 16d agoJW PlayeriOS 4.28.2: Playback Stability Improvements and CocoaPods Deprecation
- 18d agoJW PlayerAudio-only streams for Broadcast Live
- 18d agoJW PlayerAV1 support for CMAF VOD
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Asterisk and JW Player?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Asterisk and JW Player are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Asterisk better than JW Player?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Asterisk and JW Player are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Meetings products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Asterisk?
Top Asterisk alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Asterisk alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/asterisk for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to JW Player?
Top JW Player alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "JW Player alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/jwplayer for the full list with editorial commentary on each.