Free White Paper: Scaling Your Online Video Business

June 13, 2009 – 8:12 pm

Learn from one the largest content delivery providers on how to build one-to-one relationships with your customers and give them access wherever and however they want it.

From mobile phones with wireless broadband to Blu-Ray players with integrated Ethernet, digital media is not just available on a PC any more. Consumers expect access from all of their devices—in the highest fidelity possible—no matter where they are, what time they access it, or how popular the content. These expectations extend beyond digital media to e-commerce purchases, web applications and business transactions.

Jason Thibeault, Senior Director of Technical Services, at Limelight Networks, answers these questions and more so you can develop content with consumption across different platforms and devices in mind.

Get this free white paper now
Learn more about the Limelight Networks CDN Network

Whether your goal on the web is to inform, amuse, sell, entertain, or persuade, your site needs to meet the escalating expectations of today’s Internet users. Rich web pages, rapidfire communications, huge software downloads, and an ever-expanding universe of digital media—ranging from the popular to the personal—require a new approach to content delivery. Partner with Limelight Networks to gain access to:

  • Nearly 11,000 servers
  • 25 regional Delivery Centers around the world
  • 9 petabytes of customer content storage
  • Direct connection with more than 900 access networks
  • Direct delivery of over 85 percent of all objects
  • Global network capacity in excess of 2Tbps

You’ll delight users with 100 percent availability and cutting-edge performance. Your business will benefit from the unmatched flexibility, scalability, and reliability of Limelight’s CDN architecture. Learn more about how they can accelerate your Internet presence in this Limelight Networks CDN Network Overview!

Download a free white paper with detailed information about Limelight Networks CDN Network

By VideoPro | Posted in Free Stuff, Tips & Tricks | Comments (0)

YouTube Tips & Tricks: Formats, Embedded Players, APIs and More

February 22, 2009 – 7:31 pm

YouTube Tips & Tricks

YouTube Video Formats

Different formats are created depending on the dimensions of your source videos.   Here is a comparison of what versions you can expect when you upload your videos.  Other formats may be created as well, but at the time of this post, these are the ones you are most likely to encounter.  Once you upload your video and wait for all the versions  to be encoded, you can force YouTube to show you the different versions by appending fmt= and the format number.  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf_PtJeTbuI&fmt=22)  The technique for embedding players with different formats is explained further in this post.

High Definition (16:9)  e.g.  Upload a 1280×720 or 1920×1080 video

  • fmt=0 (Default low quality version)
    Video:  320×180 H.263 (Sorenson Spark) FLV Approx. 330 Kbps
    Audio:  MP3 Approx. 64Kbps 22KHz MONO
  • fmt=6  (Higher quality FLV version)
    Video:  480×270 H.263 (Sorenson Spark) FLV Approx. 800 Kbps
    Audio:  MP3 Approx. 96Kbps 44.1KHz MONO CBR
  • fmt=18 (High quality MP4)
    Video: 480×270 AVC H.264 MP4 Approx. 500 Kbps VBR
    Audio: AAC Approx. 128Kbps 44.1KHz Stereo VBR
  • fmt=22 (Highest quality MP4)
    Video: 1280×720 H.264 MP4 Approx. 2Mbps VBR
    Audio: AAC Approx. 254Kbps Stereo VBR

Notes:
The full HD fmt=22 version is one of the best video formats seen on the web.  Unfortunately YouTube does not have a option to display it at the actual 1280×720 dimensions.

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By VideoPro | Posted in Tips & Tricks, YouTube | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Bigger and Better: Encoding for YouTube 720p HD

December 7, 2008 – 11:19 am

When I wrote my first YouTube post 4 months ago entitled “How to Encode Your Videos for YouTube’s New High Quality Option” , I would never have thought YouTube would make the move to HD resolution so quickly.  They went from a maximum resolution of 480×270 directly to 1280×720!  I’m sure this change has caught many off guard and everyone is now scrambling to get their videos converted to HD to take advantage of the awesome new quality settings being offered.  Many users that are new to HD or encoding for YouTube are probably wondering where to begin.   This guide will attempt to explain the new changes in detail and show you how to encode your videos for YouTube HD.

YouTube HD Specs

I downloaded a few YouTube HD videos (Using the Firefox extension DownloadHelper) and used MediaInfo to peek under the hood to find out all the juicy technical details.  I have seen many sites speculate on the data rates and resolution of the new format but few are reporting accurate information.

Video

  • 1280×720 at 29.97 progressive (other framereates like 24, 25, 30 should work as well)
  • H.264 codec in MP4 wrapper
  • Variable bit rate averaging 2mpbs

Audio

  • AAC
  • 44.1 kHz Stereo
  • Variable bit rate from averaging 100kbps - 256kbps

So yes, for everyone wondering, YouTube is really in HD.  Next I will show you how to encode your files…

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By VideoPro | Posted in Tips & Tricks | Tagged , , | Comments (63)

How To Encode Your Videos For YouTube’s New High Quality Option

August 23, 2008 – 12:01 am

You Tube

Now that YouTube has started offering higher quality videos, the old settings for encoding your videos should be tossed out the window. This tutorial will walk you through the steps required to encode your video for YouTube using the free SUPER Video Encoder . If you are using a professional software like Sorenson Squeeze or Apple Compressor, or even the inexpensive QuickTime Pro Player, many of the same settings will be available. Additionally, if your editing software supports H.264 (as either MP4 or MOV) encoding, you may be able to skip the reencoding process and export directly for upload to YouTube using the compression settings below. If you are unsure of the equivalent setting or would like me to include specific instructions for your application, please leave a note in the comments.

*******************************************

 

UPDATE 12/6/2008

If you are producing HD (16:9) videos for YouTube, you should refer to my latest post on how to encode for YouTube HD format located at:

http://webvideotechniques.com/123/bigger-and-better-encoding-for-youtube-hd

UPDATE 5/30/09

The default QuickTime H.264 export only supports up to 2Mbps as it uses the Baseline profile.  You may want to use SUPER, Handbrake or a professional encoding software like Squeeze or Episode Pro to compress your video.

This guide recommends SUPER, but I now prefer and recommend the free and open source encoder Handbrake (http://handbrake.fr/) 

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By VideoPro | Posted in Encoding Software, Services, Tips & Tricks, Video Hosting | Tagged , , , | Comments (38)

JW FLV Media Player - Website Media Player With Plugin Support

August 3, 2008 – 4:04 am

JW FLV Player logo

Jeroen Wijering’s JW FLV Player is one of the most versatile website media players available. You can easily embed it into your website to display any media format supported by the Adobe Flash Player. Now at version 4, the JW FLV Player has been in active development for many years and has an active forum & user community.

One of the biggest drawbacks of most website media players is the lack of support for content management systems, blogging platforms and other 3rd party applications. This is where the JW FLV Player shines with multiple plugins available to easily use the player in your Wordpress blog, Drupal/Joomla website and many more applications.

Below is a demo of the player using it’s default skins. I was able to embed this player into the post using only one line of code!

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By VideoPro | Posted in Flash Video Players | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Free HD Footage Download (720p): Water

June 10, 2008 – 7:39 pm

This is the first free download offered by WebVideoTechniques. It is a free :30 clip that was shot with a Canon Vixia HF100. It has been slightly compressed to keep the file size down and converted to a QuickTime MOV 1280×720 at 30fps so it is easy to use with most editing software.

Web sample version and link to download after the break.

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By VideoPro | Posted in Free Footage | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)

Making Money With Your Web Videos

May 5, 2008 – 7:08 pm

Scott Kirsner of CinemaTech has compiled a cool list of sites where filmmakers and video producers can get paid for their video productions.  His list includes the companies names and web addresses, subject matter, length restrictions, details about how you get paid, and notes about each opportunity.  He collected all of this info between 2005 and 2007 for part of his recently publisted book, The Future of Web Video: New Opportunities for Producers, Entrepreneurs, Media Companies and Advertisers. 

There are quite a few recognizable names like YouTube and Blip.tv, but most of them I had never heard of including Break.com,  ExpertVillage.com, Jaman and more. Although some of the information is out of date considering how fast things change on the web, most of the sites listed are still active.  In addition to online distribution, Scott also lists some sites that offer DVD Burning and DVD Merchandising services. If you produce web video and would like to look into ways you can get paid for your work, then this list is a great starting point.  Be sure to check out his book as well.

http://www.scottkirsner.com/webvid/gettingpaid.htm

Do you know of any other ways to make money on your web videos or tried any of the services in the list?  Be sure to post your feedback in the comments!

By VideoPro | Posted in Resources, Services | Comments (0)

Sorenson Squeeze 5 Released

April 22, 2008 – 8:54 pm

Squeeze 5 Pro is the latest release of Sorenson Media’s professional media encoding software. The new release is a major upgrade in features and usability compared to earlier versions. Improved audio and video quality, faster multithreaded encoding, and smoother workflow are just a few reasons Squeeze 5 should be in your arsenal of multimedia tools.

New Features

  • Variety of audience & device preset bundles
  • 3 new H.264 MPEG4 codecs including support for Flash H.264 video
  • Enhanced filters for deinterlacing and other video & audio preprocessing
  • Surround Sound 5.1 and 7.1 encoding
  • Vast input codec support
  • Watermarking for all output formats

Read More »

By VideoPro | Posted in Encoding Software, tools | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Who Wants To Be A Web Video Superstar?

April 21, 2008 – 9:09 pm

TechCrunch has posted a short (but sweet) primer on the tools you need to get started in the online video world including recording, streaming and distribution advice. They review several live streaming options and cover some of the technical aspects of online distribution. Online media expert Chris Pirillo shares some pro tips as well.

If you are looking to start a career as a video blogger or just looking learn more about live streaming services and web video distribution be sure to check it out.

Tools For Your Video Career via TechCrunch

By VideoPro | Posted in Resources, Tips & Tricks | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Free Magazine Subscriptions for Video & Internet Professionals

April 8, 2008 – 8:27 pm

Here at Web Video Techniques, we enjoy free stuff. Here are some great industry magazines that you can subscribe to for free as long as you are a internet or video professional with a U.S. mailing address.

Website Magazine Cover

Website Magazine
Until now, there has not been a magazine that caters exclusively to the business of running a website. Website Magazine has tapped premier talent in the Internet industry for our content and each and every issue will contain practical advice and insights for website owners. Subscribe Now!


Streaming Media Magazine

Streaming Media Magazine
Each issue of Streaming Media Magazine will focus on a special theme, but every issue offers must-read features, commentary, and reviews for readers in all markets. Written and edited by industry practitioners, experienced users, and streaming business experts Streaming Media Magazine is the trusted resource for organizations investing in enterprise, news/entertainment, and education applications for streaming and other digital media. Subscribe Now!


Videography Magazine

Videography
Videography’s objective is to offer its readers—film, video and audio professionals in the production and post-production communities—a current, relevant resource for business and technology information. The magazine’s readers depend on its combination of news, reviews, interviews and tutorials to keep them informed and connected to their industry. Subscribe Now!


Streaming Media Magazine

DV Magazine
Since 1993, DV (Digital Video) Magazine has served the information needs of professionals involved in the production, postproduction, and delivery of digital video. Written and produced by experts in the field, DV (Digital Video) provides objective, hard-hitting, and in-depth product information. Subscribe Now!

Keep in mind that these are top quality leading publications available at no cost! Make sure to subscribe while the offer is still available.

By VideoPro | Posted in Books, Free Stuff, Resources | Tagged , , | Comments (0)