A server may provide information describing characteristics of audio and video components to a client, separately from encoded samples of the audio and video components themselves. The client may use the information to select components, and then to request the selected components, e.g., in accordance with a streaming network protocol. In one example, an apparatus for sending encapsulated video data includes a processor configured to determine characteristics for components of a plurality of representations of video content, wherein the characteristics comprise at least one of a frame rate, a profile indicator, a level indicator, and dependencies between the components, and one or more interfaces configured to send the characteristics to a client device, receive a request from the client device for at least one of the components after sending the characteristics, and send the requested components to the client device in response to the request.