I recently received an email asking about resources for video and webinar production. I sent off a list of video, audio, and lighting related resources, so I thought I would expand upon that in three blog posts. This first is on video-related resources for streaming production.  Choosing Cameras and Lighting for Single-Speaker Webinars (1): I actually presented this as a webinar, …

Perhaps it’s just me, but something about being a book author often feels like I have a sign on my back that says “Kick Me,” or worse. Maybe it’s that publishers get to hold onto my royalties for 3-6 months, so I can finance their business. Isn’t that special? Or maybe it’s Amazon’s Kindle royalty strategy; I get 70% if …

Book by streaming expert Jan Ozer provides media and technical training to help non-media professionals produce top quality audio and video. Galax, VA, June 2, 2015. Doceo Publishing announces a new book entitled Mastering Webcam and Smartphone Video: How to Look and Sound Great in Webinars and Videoconferences: Webinar Edition ($24.95), by streaming expert Jan Ozer. The book provides media …

Just a quick note about my new book, Mastering Webcam and Smartphone Video: How to Look & Sound Great in Webinars and Videoconferences ($24.95). Here’s the who, what, where, why, and when. Who:  The book is targeted towards non-media professionals who produce webinars or frequently Skype or FaceTime with business associates.  What: The book provides media and technical training to help those …

Handout at the main article. Here’s the description. This session explores the current status of HEVC, identifying options for encoding live and on-demand video using HEVC and discussing player options in the streaming and OTT markets. Topics include the comparative quality and usability of HEVC encoders—including encoders from x265 and MainConcept and techniques for maximizing output quality using both codecs.

Handouts for Replacing Flash with MSE/EME session – click below. Here’s the description:  The Media Source Extensions and Encrypted Media Extensions are the standardized toolsets that enable browsers to deliver adaptive streaming and digital rights management without plug-ins. This session details what these extensions are, how they’re being supported by the different browser and tools vendors, and how soon those …

My article, The Great UHD Codec Debate: Google’s VP9 vs. HEVC/H.265, is up on Streaming Media. Here’s the intro that describes what I tried to do. As of today, the great UHD codec debate involves two main participants: Google’s VP9 and HEVC/H.265. Which one succeeds—and where—involves a number of factors and will likely differ in various streaming-related markets, which I …

(February 4, 2017: While the Fnord plug-in appears to be available, there’s no mention of the HEVC plug-in on the Vanguard site. Note that AME now has HEVC encoding in the latest version, most likely using the MainConcept HEVC codec). In their latest Creative Cloud reveal, which I wrote about here, Adobe didn’t include either HEVC or VP9 in Adobe …

Someone sent me an email this morning asking about DRM-related information. I collected these resources for him, and then thought it might make a useful blog post. So, if you’re interested in Digital Rights Management, here are four resources you can check out on the Streaming Learning Center and beyond. 1. I gave a session on DRM at Streaming Media …

My article on HEVC Advance is up on Streaming Media. Here’s the opening section which tells what’s covered. On March 24, HEVC Advance, an independent licensing administrator announced a new HEVC patent pool, in addition to the one being offered by MPEG LA. In this article, we’ll explore exactly what that means and what the implications are. To gather this …