Every year I review streaming encoding programs for StreamingMedia.com. This year’s issue is up, here’s the lead. The ideal streaming encoding tool should provide great quality, blazing performance, a discrete set of critical encoding parameters, and a range of other time-saving automation and input/output options. We all know the names—Adobe Media Encoder, Compressor, Squeeze, Episode (in its many flavors), and …
Read More »Review: ViewCast Niagara 2120 Live Encoder
ViewCast’s Niagara 2120 is a multiple stream, live H.264 encoding appliance that produced very good quality compared to software-based solutions like Telestream’s Wirecast. The sub-5 pound unit is very portable, and can be configured in the home office for one-touch use in the field, and you can log-on remotely to resolve any issues experienced by your on-location streaming crew. With …
Read More »What is HTML5?
An explanation of HTML5 and HTML5 Video, including history, patent issues, and current use by Apple, Microsoft, Google, Adobe, and others.
Read More »Choosing a Streaming Encoding Tool
The ideal streaming encoding tool should provide great quality, blazing performance, a discrete set of critical encoding parameters, and a range of other time-saving automation and input/output options. We all know the names—Adobe Media Encoder
Read More »How to Upload a Video and Embed it on Your Website
You can use free sites like YouTube and Vimeo to host your videos for you, and then embed those videos into the pages of your website. This step-by-step video guides you through the upload process, and then helps you customize the embed code so the final result looks perfect on your site.
Read More »Less than 1% of Websites Fully HTML5 Compatible
Pretty catchy headline, eh? Well, I wrote it because I’m tired of seeing headlines like this one in CNET – “Mefeedia: HTML5-compatible video is on the rise.” Kind of makes you think that websites are adapting HTML5 en mass, doesn’t it? Well, the reality is, they’re not. The second paragraph of the CNET article states: A whopping 63 percent of …
Read More »H.264 Encoding Tools: Five Popular Encoders Compared
Here’s a video tutorial comparing the performance, quality and H.264 controls afforded by Adobe Media Encoder Apple Compressor, Microsoft Expression Encoder, Sorenson Squeeze and Telestream Episode Pro. In seven minutes, you’ll know which tool is fastest, which produces the highest quality and which gives you the most control over H.264 encoding.
Read More »Innovations in Live Event Streaming
If you produce live events, there are two relatively recent innovations you should know about. The first relates to supporting multiple playback formats, like Flash, Apple iOS devices, Silverlight and others. In the past, to support multiple output formats, you needed to encode multiple streams, each in the required format. Now that most live events have standardized on the H.264 …
Read More »What is Streaming?
This is the first installment in a series of “What Is…?” articles, designed to offer definitions, history, and context around significant terms and issues in the online video industry. Executive Summary Streaming media usage has grown exponentially over the past few years, both for entertainment purposes and as a vehicle for organizations to market, sell, and support their products and …
Read More »Live Streaming from a Notebook
If you’re interested in portable event streaming from a notebook, check out this article that just posted on StreamingMedia.com. Here’s the enticing intro. “Live event streaming on a notebook can be the best of all worlds, with several programs available for free or relatively inexpensively, and generally easy to use. But how powerful of a notebook do you need to …
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