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Introduction - How to Create Streaming Video
This tutorial covers the different types of video streaming on the internet.
When creating streaming video, there are two things you need to understand: The video file format and the streaming method.
Here is an excellent tutorial on most of the different techniques you will need to shoot video. http://www.mediacollege.com/video/
File Formats
There are many video file formats to choose from when creating video streams. The most common formats are:
- Windows Media
- RealMedia
- Quicktime
- MPEG (in particular MPEG-4)
- Macromedia Flash
There are pros and cons for each format but in the end it comes down to personal preference. Be aware that many of your users will have their own preferences and some users will only use a particular format, so if you want to reach the widest possible audience you should create separate files for each format. In reality this isn't usually practical so you need to make a judgment call on which formats to provide. Obviously the better you understand all the options, the better your decision is likely to be.
At this stage we won't worry too much about individual formats
Streaming Methods
There are two ways to view media on the internet (such as video, audio, animations, etc): Downloading and streaming.
Downloading
When you download a file the entire file is saved on your computer (usually in a temporary folder), which you then open and view. This has some advantages (such as quicker access to different parts of the file) but has the big disadvantage of having to wait for the whole file to download before any of it can be viewed. If the file is quite small this may not be too much of an inconvenience, but for large files and long presentations it can be very off-putting.
The easiest way to provide downloadable video files is to use a simple hyperlink to the file. A slightly more advanced method is to embed the file in a web page using special HTML code.
Delivering video files this way is known as HTTP streaming or HTTP delivery. HTTP means Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, and is the same protocol used to deliver web pages. For this reason it is easy to set up and use on almost any website, without requiring additional software or special hosting plans.
Note: This is not technically "true" video streaming — the best it can do is a passable imitation.
Streaming
Streaming media works a bit differently — the end user can start watching the file almost as soon as it begins downloading. In effect, the file is sent to the user in a (more or less) constant stream, and the user watches it as it arrives. The obvious advantage with this method is that no waiting is involved. Streaming media has additional advantages such as being able to broadcast live events (sometimes referred to as a webcast or netcast).
True streaming video must be delivered from a specialized streaming server.
Progressive Downloading
There is also a hybrid method known as progressive download. In this method the video clip is downloaded but begins playing as soon as a portion of the file has been received. This simulates true streaming, but doesn't have all the advantages.
This is the method we as Internet Marketers use most as it does not require special servers etc.
Which Method to Use?
The method you choose will depend on your situation, but most people will opt for HTTP streaming (download or progressive download). This is the easiest and cheapest way to get started. If necessary you can upgrade to a streaming server later.
Still, you will want to understand both options so the next two pages of this tutorial look at each one in a bit more detail. After that we'll talk about how to create the actual video files.
HTTP Streaming Video
This is the simplest and cheapest way to stream video from a website. Small to medium-sized websites are more likely to use this method than the more expensive streaming servers.
For this method you don't need any special type of website or host — just a host server which recognises common video file types (most standard hosting accounts do this). You also need to know how to upload files and how to create hyperlinks (see our website tutorials for more info).
There are some limitations to bear in mind regarding HTTP streaming:
- HTTP streaming is a good option for websites with modest traffic, i.e. less than about a dozen people viewing at the same time. For heavier traffic a more serious streaming solution should be considered.
- You can't stream live video, since the HTTP method only works with complete files stored on the server.
- You can't automatically detect the end user's connection speed using HTTP. If you want to create different versions for different speeds, you need to create a separate file for each speed.
- HTTP streaming is not as efficient as other methods and will incur a heavier server load.
These things won't bother most website producers — it's normally only when you get into heavy traffic that you should be worried about them.
To Create HTTP Streaming Video
- Create a video file in a common streaming media format
- Upload the file to your web server
- Make a simple hyperlink to the video file, or use special HTML tags to embed the video in a web page.
That's essentially all there is to it. When a user clicks the hyperlink, their media player opens and begins streaming the video file. If the file is embedded, it plays right there on the page.
New Kids on the Block
Unless you are staying in an underground cave for more than a year without an internet connection, there's a healthy chance that you have atleast watched, if not downloaded, an online video on Youtube or Google Videos.
The online video sharing space has exploded in the recent months with the entry of new players like Metacafe, Blip.tv, Revver, Yahoo Videos and so on. Millions of video clips, technology shows, music albums, movie trailers are available on these video sites for online viewing or they can also be downloaded to your hard drive for offline viewing.
This is great for you business as you can now use them to promote products, services and anything you want. All you need is a camera, a bit of software and an Internet connection.
Digital and Analog Camcorders
If you already have a digital camcorder (one that captures in Digital8, MiniDV, HDV, or any of the DVD formats), then you're ready to start shooting your masterpiece. Your camcorder will need some kind of direct connection to your computer, either to the USB or FireWire ports or by inserting the DVD you've recorded. Once you've downloaded the video from the camera, you can upload it to YouTube or bring it into an editing program to play with it some more.
If you have an analog camcorder (one that uses VHS, VHS-C, SVHS-C, 8mm, or Hi8 tape), you can still get your videos onto YouTube. It will require an extra step and some additional equipment, though, since these camcorders are not usually equipped with computer connections. You will need to digitize the video with a converter box, which will convert the analog signal from the camcorder to a digital signal that the computer can understand. After the video has been digitized, you can manipulate it further or upload it.
Editing and Improving Your Videos
If you want to be a bit more hands-on with your video, most new computers come with basic video-editing software installed (like Apple's iMovie or Windows MovieMaker). Once you have copied the video from your phone, camera, or camcorder to your computer, you can bring the video into these programs. Most allow you to not only edit the video, but add effects, titles, and music to make your video look and sound more interesting. I personally use Sony Vegas movie Studio
Uploading Your Videos to YouTube, Google Video etc
Most of these services use the same system. Once you're happy with your final result, you'll need to save the video in a format that they can accept in order to upload. Unless you're a professional video producer, we recommend that you save your videos as either QuickTime .MOV, Windows .AVI, or .MPG files — these are the most common formats and they work well within most systems. Check with them in the help area to see which they prefer. I specifically recommend the MPEG2 or 4 (Divx, Xvid) format at 320x240 resolution with MP3 audio. Resizing your video to these specifications before uploading will help your clips look better on these sites.
When you upload your video, they will require you to choose at least one category and enter at least one tag to describe the content in your video. Adding this information helps other members find your video, so if you want an audience, help them out! The more accurate the tags are on each video, the easier it is for everyone to find cool videos to watch.
Make your tags as descriptive as you can—if you took a video of your friends at the beach, you might want to tag it like this: party beach surfing. Each tag is separated from the others by a space.
Ten video sharing services compared
Posted Apr 7th 2006 5:45PM by Ryan Bilsborrow-Koo The number of video-sharing sites has shot through the roof recently, as dozens of companies try to become the Flickr of the online video world. To this end, many video services have started offering new features like editing and remixability in an attempt to snatch a piece of the ever-expanding online video pie. But for the average user--who just wants to post a video on the 'net and share it with some friends--there are already too many options out there. All one really wants to know is, which site is going to work, with the least amount of hassle?
I took 10 of these sites out for a test drive, and picked some winners. If you want to post, watch, share, or edit video online, this post's for you.
To test each service, I uploaded my demo reel (a 15MB Sorenson 3-encoded Quicktime file) to each site and compared video quality, site interface, community features, and functionality. Where applicable I also tried to embed the resulting video in a Wordpress page. Many of these sites are still in beta, and their functionality could change in the coming months, but if you're looking to post and share video today, this is the current state of things.
Eyespot
Appeal: Easy-to-use video uploading and remixing.
Interface: Bright and colorful. Tagging, forums, groups. Not a lot of community features.
Editing: Trim beginning and end, reorder clips on a timeline, add music and photos.
Sharing: Post to a group, invite a friend to the service (but not directly to your clip).
Verdict: Uploading straightforward and painless. But: 25MB filesize limit too small. Mashup features fall short of Grouper's "groovies," and it's not even in the same ballpark as Jumpcut when it comes to mixing and editing. Not a lot of reason to use Eyespot, in its current incarnation.
Google Video
Appeal: It's Google.
Interface: Typically clean and sparse Google layout. Uploading requires you download the Google Video Uploader. Allows you to add plenty of metadata, including a transcript. You can monetize your content by assigning a sale price to each clip (you can also give users a "day pass," giving them access to the content for a limited time, but not ownership).
Editing: None.
Sharing: See below.
Verdict: Google Video requires a "video verification" process, where your submission is reviewed to ensure it conforms to Google's technical standards and legal policies. This process "may take several days," so check back for an update.
Grouper
Appeal: YouTube with a file-sharing application built on top.
Interface: For full functionality, requires an application download. Windows Media Player-based (converts other formats). Ratings, tagging, groups, RSS feeds.
Editing: Create mashups of your videos and photos, set to music ("groovies").
Sharing: Post direct to myspace, friendster, eBay. Download to hard drive, iPod.
Verdict: "Groovies" are easy to create and could be very popular. But: File-sharing application seems half-baked (and is undifferentiated from existing options). "Groovies" will prove much more popular if they can be built online without having to download the app. E-mail registration system was a pain; had to do it twice to get confirmed. After several hours, my file was still unavailable, as the service was still "upload processing."
Jumpcut
Appeal: Create, edit, and remix video online.
Interface: Slick interface feels more like an application than a web page. Scales all videos to a larger size than other sites, but videos don't autoplay and there is no indication of what portion of the video has already been downloaded.
Editing: Bar-none the best editing options of the bunch. Splice your footage, reorder the shots, add music, photos, transitions, even effects--think iMovie in an online interface. Very, very slick.
Sharing: Email to a friend, embed in a web page (worked flawlessly in Wordpress).
Verdict: Playing with Jumpcut's features, you immediately understand that the future of online video is here. No current competitor can touch it. But: Get too effects crazy and your video slows down. Jumpcut doesn't re-render your files with every remix--which leaves the original video quality intact--but playback of edited files is not perfectly smooth. Don't throw out iMovie just yet.
Ourmedia
Appeal: "The Global Home for Grassroots Media."
Interface: Slow, confusing, and messy. Requires an Internet Archive account, and the integration of the two services is convoluted. Keeps your content in its native format, which is both good and bad--it doesn't recompress your video, but it requires its users to have several different players installed correctly. Creative Commons licenses built-in.
Editing: None.
Sharing: RSS feeds, email to a friend, direct link to files from your own site.
Verdict: Going forward, a good place to upload your media if it is socially-conscious or activist by nature. Also works as an online repository for video/audio storage. But: One of the most difficult sites to upload video to. Current "alpha" version falls far short of potential--wait for the next version.
Revver
Appeal: YouTube with monetization--if people watch your video (and the embedded ad), you get paid 20% of what the advertiser pays Revver. If they click on the Revver link at the end, you split the proceeds 50/50.
Interace: Quicktime-based. Requires you to download a client for uploading content. Tagging, emailing, rating, playlisting.
Editing: None.
Sharing: See below.
Verdict: Offers a unique revenue-sharing model that may appeal to content owners and producers. But: Uploading process is convoluted (the promised drag-and-drop functionality was nowhere to be found). After trying to upload my file using the Revver client twice, my video was still listed as "unavailable." I later received an email from Revver stating that my submission may contain unauthorized material that requires clearances--which is true. Because Revver and Google Video are the only sites in this roundup that let you monetize your content, we'll be back with an update comparing the two.
Videoegg
Appeal: Lets you painlessly upload video of any format to the web and post it to other sites or share it with friends.
Interface: Requires you download an application in order to upload. The download seamlessly embeds in your browser to give you drag-and-drop functionality.
Editing: Basic trimming of beginning and end points.
Sharing: Post direct to eBay, Blogger, and Typepad. Creates a simple URL, lets you email the video, and gives you javascript and html code for embedding in your own pages.
Verdict: Painless experience. If you only need to post and share video with friends, Videoegg just works. Flash 8 video quality is pretty decent. But: Video didn't embed properly in other pages (Wordpress).
Vimeo
Appeal: Flickr for video.
Interface: Nice and clean, uses a flash wrapper to play native formats. No download required, simple and easy uploads. Tagging, commenting, voting. Nice player with a volume control and no burned-in logo.
Editing: None in the current version.
Sharing: Post to Flickr, send to del.icio.us, download original file, embed in your MySpace profile or blog, create an RSS feed.
Verdict: Good video quality. Embedding the video in Wordpress worked flawlessly. But: Light on community features, and weekly storage cap of 20 megs is too limiting.
vSocial
Appeal: "The fastest, easiest way to upload, watch and share your favorite video clips."
Interface: All Web 2.0'd-out. Big fonts, AJAX, tagging, rating, reviewing, RSS feeds, creative commons licenses.
Editing: Offers "edit this video" functionality, which I couldn't test (see below). Can also create "Video Rolls," which are customized playlists generated from your selected criteria.
Sharing: Embed in your own page, MySpace, Typepad, Blogger, del.icio.us, Flickr, Blog It! (write a post on your own blog about a video without leaving vSocial).
Verdict: Lots of community features. But: Didn't live up to their "fastest" or "easiest" claim--I never successfully got a video uploaded (tried three times). Quality of existing clips is less than stellar--everything's resized to 320X240. Your mileage may vary, but even with a Quicktime file that uploaded to other sites without a problem, I never got vSocial to work.
YouTube
Appeal: The video-sharing site everyone's already heard of. Mindshare-winner by a mile.
Interface: Tabbed pages feature ratings, favorites, flagging, tagging, and commenting. Create playlists, subscribe to other's uploads, subscribe to tags. The player only features a mute button (rather than level control), and full-screening the video opens a new window and starts playback over.
Editing: None.
Sharing: Embed in other websites, including Friendster, eBay, Blogger, MySpace.
Verdict: Easy to use, no major issues. Decent video quality, audio sounds compressed. Video embedded in Wordpress fine (but was off-center). But: No progress bar for uploading. Fairly lengthy "processing" delay before you (or anyone else) can watch your video.
AND THE WINNERS ARE...
For posting: If you just want to get a video clip online and share it with friends via email or on your own blog, Vimeo wins for its speed, ease-of-use, and simple playback functions. It also lets users download the original file, and features some light community features (note that a new version is launching very soon). One of the few sites I used that I never had a problem with. Alternate choice: Videoegg.
For viewership: If you want to step up to more community features and get widespread viewership of your viral clip, YouTube gets the job done with a lot less hassle than vSocial or Grouper.
For editing: If you want to alter your video online in any way--through editing, remixing, or combining your clips with those from other users--then head on over to Jumpcut and don't look back. Jumpcut really offers the first leap forward in online video sharing, and is worth a look even if you have no use for editing features (its full-fledged community is launching "very soon"). Alternate choice: none, yet, although Motionbox looks to be a potential competitor.
For this roundup, I left out more services than I reviewed. This is because many of them are mere YouTube clones, at least in their current state (e.g., CastPost, ClipShack, Dailymotion). Others, like Dabble and the aforementioned Motionbox, are not yet publicly available. You're welcome to check out a list of 40 video sharing sites at eConsultant, all of which I at least glanced at. TechCrunch also has some great coverage of the developing online video scene.
For a larger list visit http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=112147
Have fun,
Expect Success
Quentin Brown
Streaming Media Made Easy
http://www.beststreamingmedia.com
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