Jan Ozer

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I help streaming and video technology companies solve complex technical and market-facing problems in practical business terms. Engagements range from fixed-scope audits and codec strategy reviews to product testing and technical content that helps customers, prospects, and internal teams connect technical performance to business outcomes. I am a contributing editor to Streaming Media Magazine, writing about codecs and encoding tools. I have written multiple authoritative books on video encoding, including Video Encoding by the Numbers: Eliminate the Guesswork from your Streaming Video (https://amzn.to/3kV6R1j) and Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg: In Thirty Minutes or Less (https://amzn.to/3ZJih7e). I have multiple courses relating to streaming media production, all available at https://bit.ly/slc_courses.

Ozer releases Udemy Course: Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback

Ozer releases Udemy Course: Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback New video compression course helps novice to intermediate streaming producers optimize quality and encoding efficiency when producing for multiple target platforms Galax, VA – March 5, 2014 – The Streaming Learning Center announced the immediate availability of Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback, an online course …

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Webinar: Removing Noise from Your Video with the Neat Video Filter

Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 2:00 – 2:30 EST As much as we try to avoid it, sometimes we have to shoot video in low light. To brighten the video, we have to boost gain, which inserts visible noise into the video, which looks bad and can lead to compression artifacts. In these instances, the best option is remove the noise …

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Ozer Announces New Video Compression Course on Udemy

I’m pleased to announce my new video compression course on Udemy entitled Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback. The course will help those new to compression get up to speed quickly, and will serve as a valuable resource for novice to intermediate users seeking to optimize their encoding quality and workflows. You can see a video describing the …

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Osprey Lives On, ViewCast Disappears

Author’s note:  The article has been updated with information about Valdor acquiring the Niagara and GoStream product lines. It’s no secret that ViewCast, one of the longest tenured veterans in the streaming media marketplace, has been under a lot of financial pressure lately, though their products have always been solid, at least for me. Last August, they formed a strategic …

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In Defense of MPEG LA

MPEG LA is the licensing authority that manages the patent portfolios for MPEG-2 and H.264 patent groups. The organization has received some bad press lately from Steve Forbes, writing in Fox News, and Howard Williams, writing for TelecomTV. The common complaint seems to be that MPEG LA is charging royalties for old and expired patents, which, in the words of Williams, …

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How to Create Video Emails

An article I wrote for OnlineVideo.net on how to create video emails just posted. Here’s the intro, which describes what’s in the article.  As more companies add video to their marketing and communications efforts, it’s natural to want to include videos in emails, or at least the appearance of videos in emails. To do so, you have two options. First …

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YouTube Preparing to Deploy VP9 on 4K Content

In a TV Technology article, Deborah D. McAdams reported that “YouTube is preparing to use Google’s own VP9 compression for 4K content otherwise known as “UltraHD.” McAdams was recounting Google’s presentation from Day 2 of the Hollywood Post Alliance, an informal gathering of technical glitterati from Hollywood. Interestingly, when Google’s Anil Kokaram showed slides comparing VP9 to H.264 and H.265, …

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Tutorial: Adaptive Streaming to Desktops and Mobile via HLS: No Coding Required

Adaptive streaming is the best technique for delivering video to viewers watching on a diverse range of platforms and connections. But implementing adaptive streaming has traditionally been complicated and expensive. Not any more. In this webi

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Premiere Pro Title Tips

Here are three title-related tips you can use from within Premiere Pro. 1.  How to save a title style 2.  How to create a title template 3.  How to save a title as a separate file Premiere Pro Title Tips_1

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Telestream Wirecast 5: The Definitive Review

My review of Wirecast 5 is up on Streaming Media Magazine. To make a long story short, if you’re a Wirecast user, you’re going to want to upgrade.  Here’s the intro, which sets the stage: Telestream has significantly improved usability with a redesigned interface, beneficially expanded the product’s input capabilities, and upgraded the product’s plumbing with features such as x264 …

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