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# Streaming Learning Center

Where Streaming Professionals Learn to Excel

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [The Correct Way to Choose an x264 Preset, Part 2: Your Audience Changes the Answer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/the-correct-way-to-choose-an-x264-preset-part-2-your-audience-changes-the-answer.html) - Here's the question on the table. x264's veryslow preset delivers better quality than the medium preset but takes roughly 4x longer to encode, boosting your encoding costs by a healthy 4x (2-3x if using a cloud encoder). Which is the right preset for you, medium or veryslow? Like everything else in streaming, it depends. By
- [SBE Portfolio: Measuring BD-Rate and Break-Even Across a Full Library](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/sbe-portfolio-measuring-bd-rate-and-break-even-across-a-full-library.html) - The new Portfolio feature in SLC Bitrate Explorer (SBE) version 2.0 aggregates BD-Rate and break-even results across multiple source files. This walkthrough covers the workflow from data entry to Excel export. Portfolios were NOT available in SBE version 1.0. If your version doesn't show the portfolio buttons described below, you can upgrade to the new
- [Cutting CDN Costs: A Conversation with CDN77](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/cutting-cdn-costs-a-conversation-with-cdn77.html) - Recently, I sat down with Katerina "Kate" Dobnerova and Juraj Kacaba of CDN77 to discuss one of the largest recurring line items that every video publisher faces: CDN costs. By way of background, CDN77 is a video-focused global CDN that's been in the market for 14 years, running a network with more than 300 Tbps
- [Computing VMAF: How Missing Color Metadata Tanked the Score](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/computing-vmaf-its-all-about-the-edge-cases.html) - Developing a metrics tool is the easy part. Wire up FFmpeg, shell out to libvmaf, parse the JSON, draw a pretty line chart. It's a weekend project, and the part they show you at vibe-coding camp. The part they don't show you are the edge cases: the files that are a frame short, the variable frame
- [Access Advance vs. Avanci Video: How the Streaming Programs Calculate Royalties](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/access-advance-vs-avanci-video-how-the-streaming-programs-calculate-royalties.html) - This report illustrates and compares the royalty calculations of two patent licensing programs, Access Advance's Video Distribution Patent (VDP) Pool and Avanci Video, using eight streaming service templates modeled after well-known platforms. The purpose is to help streaming services understand how the two programs calculate royalties and compare potential royalty costs side by side. I
- [How Fast Will AV2 Deploy?: Ask Joe Sixpack](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-fast-will-av2-deploy-ask-joe-sixpack.html) - The AV2 spec went final in late May 2026, AOMedia announced it on June 9, and VeriSilicon had a decode IP core out within about two weeks. An AOMedia member survey reports that 53% of respondents plan to adopt AV2 within a year and 88% within two years. Over the next several months, expect a
- [Three Paths to Compression for Machine Vision: VCM, FCM, and the V-Nova Wild Card](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/three-paths-to-compression-for-machine-vision-vcm-fcm-and-the-v-nova-wild-card.html) - Video is increasingly captured primarily or exclusively for machine viewing, including applications like surveillance cameras, autonomous vehicles, industrial inspection, and drone footage. Traditional codecs like H.264 and HEVC were designed around human perception rather than machine vision tasks, which has opened the door to new compression approaches tailored to AI-driven workflows. Three emerging standards tackle
- [What Is Media over QUIC (MoQ) and Why It Matters for Real-Time Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/what-is-media-over-quic-moq-and-why-it-matters-for-real-time-streaming.html) - Live streaming has a fundamental tension that no existing protocol fully resolves. On one side sits WebRTC, which Ant Media describes as “ideal for real-time, interactive, low-latency communication like video calls, conferences, and interactive live streams.” On the other side sit HLS and DASH, which remain HTTP-based, CDN-friendly, and operationally mature at large scale, but
- [Comparing H.264, HEVC, VP9, and AV1 in SBE: From BD-Rate to Contextual ROI](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/comparing-h-264-hevc-vp9-and-av1-in-sbe-from-bd-rate-to-contextual-roi.html) - Most video engineers use a similar tool stack. MediaInfo for file data, Bitrate Viewer to view the bitrate of H.264-encoded files on Windows, Moscow State University VQMT on Windows for metrics, with a custom combination of data input scripts and Excel for RD curves and BD-Rate data. Most tools have critical gaps. Few let you
- [SLC Bitrate Explorer: Encode Verification for Professionals](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/slc-bitrate-explorer.html) - I spent 30 years assessing and interpreting codec quality. Here's the tool I built to do it. The Toolchain You're Stuck With You know the stack. MediaInfo for file information. Bitrate Viewer for data rate profiles. MSU VQMT for metrics and frame viewing. Excel for BD-Rate and RD curves. Another spreadsheet to estimate the financial
- [Where Ad Dollars Quietly Break: Beyond the Obvious in Streaming Monetization](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/where-ad-dollars-quietly-break-beyond-the-obvious-in-streaming-monetization.html) - If you work in product, operations, or revenue at a streaming platform, you’re probably already tracking fill rates, CPMs, and demand quality. But the biggest revenue losses often happen elsewhere, quietly, invisibly, and without triggering a single alert. A growing body of technical guidance, operational reports, and publisher best practices reveal much quieter threats to
- [What I Learned About Deploying AV1 from Two Deployers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/what-i-learned-about-deploying-av1-from-two-deployers.html) - I recently hosted a Streaming Media Connect panel titled "Benefits and Trade-Offs of Adopting and Implementing Codecs." The contributors were Hassene Tmar from Meta, Behnam Kakavand from Evolution Gaming, and analyst Alex Davies from Rethink TV. The most striking information was not about future codecs. It was about what AV1 deployment looks like when real
- [Emerging Markets for Video and Video Codecs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/emerging-markets-for-video-and-video-codecs.html) - Executive Summary Most codec discussions orbit a familiar set of markets—consumer streaming, broadcast contribution, video conferencing—where the economics are well understood and the roadmaps relatively stable. But a growing share of the world's video bits flow under constraints those markets don't share: feeds that no human ever watches, downlinks measured in kilobits per second, latency
- [DASH or HLS? Which is the Best Format Today?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/dash-or-hls-which-is-the-best-format-today.html) - The survey results are in: So, out of 87 responses, over 50% chose DASH, while over 30% choose HLS. The balance chose to explain why, and there were some very useful comments. "Not sure why I wouldn't cover both options." "DASH also doesn't work on OTT boxes like AppleTV and Roku, where HLS does. DASH
- [All Encoding Decisions Are Economic Decisions. It's Time to Start Treating Them Accordingly](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/all-encoding-decisions-are-economic-decisions-its-time-to-start-treating-them-accordingly.html) - You think you know RD Curves. You think you know encoding ladders. I'm here to tell you, you don't know diddly. The RD Curve above compares encoding ladders for VP9, HEVC, and H.264. It's a short, idiosyncratic clip. Don't focus on what you know about codec efficiencies. Focus on what you think the RD Curves
- [Ozer ships new book Video Encoding by the Numbers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ozer-ships-new-book-video-encoding-by-the-numbers.html) - I'm proud to announce my latest book, Video Encoding by the Numbers, Eliminate the Guesswork from your Streaming Video, which is available now on Amazon. You can read all about the book by clicking here, or click here for a detailed table of contents. Briefly, after introductory chapters get you up to speed and familiar with objective
- [Encoding by the Numbers "Shortcut" to FFmpeg Mastery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-numbers-shortcut-ffmpeg-mastery.html) - One of the least well known features of the book, Video Encoding by the Numbers, is the content related to FFmpeg. Specifically, for most operations discussed in the book, from setting resolution and data rate to segmenting a file for HLS delivery, the book details the corresponding FFmpeg commands. The latest review up on Amazon includes
- [Ozer ships new book Video Encoding by the Numbers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ozer-ships-new-book-video-encoding-by-the-numbers-2.html) - I’m proud to announce my latest book, Video Encoding by the Numbers: Eliminate the Guesswork from Your Streaming Video, which is available now on Amazon. You can read all about the book by clicking here, or click here for a detailed table of contents. Briefly, after introductory chapters get you up to speed and familiar with objective quality metrics, the next
- [Another Five-Star Review of Video Encoding by the Numbers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/another-five-star-review-of-video-encoding-by-the-numbers.html) - Any book author will tell you that while the revenue is nice, hearing from readers that find your book useful is even better. In this regard, I'm excited to blog about the following new five-star review of my book Encoding by the Numbers. What I tried to do in Encoding by the Numbers was to
- [CMSD-MQA: Carrying Quality Scores Through the Live Streaming Chain](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/cmsd-mqa-carrying-quality-scores-through-the-live-streaming-chain.html) - I've been tracking CMSD-MQA for a while now. Briefly, Common Media Server Data for Media Quality Assessment (CMSD-MQA) is a draft SVTA standard that defines how video quality scores like VMAF, PSNR, and SSIM, generated at the encoder, can be carried downstream through the delivery chain as standardized metadata, giving packagers, origin shields, and monitoring
- [Broadpeak Debuts "Best of Both Worlds" Multi-Package Multiview](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/broadpeak-debuts-best-of-both-worlds-multi-package-multiview.html) - I recently interviewed Damien Sterkers, VP of Products and Solutions Marketing at Broadpeak, to discuss the company's new multiview solution for live streaming. Briefly, Broadpeak has developed an innovative server-side approach that delivers the best of both worlds: the universal device compatibility of server-side multiview without the massive encoding costs that approach typically requires. You
- [Compute Your Own Bjontegaard Functions (BD-Rate)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/compute-bd-rate-functions.html) - When Facebook compared the AV1 codec to VP9 and two flavors of H264, their researcher precisely stated, “In terms of PSNR, the average BD-rate savings of AV1 relative to x264 main, x264 high and libvpx-vp9 were 51.0%, 47.0% and 29.9%, respectively.” This means that AV1 delivered the same quality as x264 main at 49% the
- [When There's No FRAND: What Dolby's Suit Against Snap Means for the Industry](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/when-theres-no-frand-what-dolbys-suit-against-snap-means-for-the-industry.html) - On March 24, 2026, Dolby sued Snap Inc. (Snapchat) for AV1 and HEVC patent infringement in the United States and Brazil. The suits are the first AV1 assertion against a streaming platform by an Access Advance licensor, and Dolby is seeking injunctive relief in both countries. The reason this matters beyond Snap is a single
- [From SEO to AI Overviews for Content Marketers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/from-seo-to-ai-overview-for-content-marketers.html) - This post describes Google's transition from SEO to AI Overviews for content marketers and offers nine tips for smoothing your transition. By way of background, the Streaming Learning Center is content-driven, and we've always tried to adhere to SEO best practices. Now that we are writing for other websites, our focus on SEO has become
- [INXPO Publishes Q & A Session Regarding Video Encoding by the Numbers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/inxpo-publishes-q-a-session-regarding-video-encoding-by-the-numbers-2.html) - On February 2, online event producer INXPO published a question and answer session regarding my new book, Video Encoding by the Numbers. The session included six questions, ranging from, “how did you get into writing a book on compression?” to “who is this book for?” The most revealing question was, “what’s different from other books on streaming production?”
- [The Next Big Feature in Live Streaming: VMAF-Driven Bitrate Control](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/the-next-big-feature-in-live-streaming-vmaf-driven-bitrate-control.html) - For most of the live encoding era, the operator's main job was picking a bitrate. You'd set a target, the encoder would hit it, and quality was whatever came out the other end. Simple content looked great. Complex content looked terrible. The encoder didn't care because you told it to deliver bits, not quality. Then
- [Contextual Targeting’s Second Act: Past, Present, and Future](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/contextual-targetings-second-act-past-present-and-future.html) - Contextual advertising matches ads to content rather than to people. The logic is straightforward: a viewer watching content about home renovation is likely receptive to a Home Depot ad at that moment, whereas a behavioral retarget from last week's browsing is not. The problem is that behavioral targeting depends on third-party data that is becoming
- [Capped CRF in a Multi-Codec World: FFmpeg and NVIDIA Implementations](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/capped-crf-in-a-multi-codec-world-ffmpeg-and-nvidia-implementations.html) - I recently consulted with a company that was running capped CRF-type encoding across four codecs simultaneously: x264, VP9, NVIDIA H.264, and NVIDIA AV1. The first two were VOD encoding, the second two live. I was genuinely impressed by the sophistication and practicality of this video engineering setup, so I asked the client if I could
- [David Ronca Details VCAT Beta 4.0 with VVC Decode](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/david-ronca-details-vcat-beta-4-0-with-vvc-decode.html) - On February 12, I interviewed David Ronca, formerly of Netflix and Meta, now RoncaTech, about the latest Beta version of his Video Codec Acid Test, or VCAT, which now includes VVC decode courtesy of Fraunhofer's open-source VVeC decoder. The interview is available here on YouTube. Here's an overview of the highlights we covered, with timestamps
- [Lies, Damn Lies, and Estimated Bandwidth Savings](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/lies-damn-lies-and-estimated-bandwidth-savings.html) - When a codec researcher declares that a newer codec is up to 40% more efficient than the baseline codec, they are making a highly accurate, well-defined claim. However, much like the EPA fuel economy ratings on a new car’s window sticker, these white papers should include a disclaimer stating, “actual bandwidth savings almost certainly will
- [My Three Take Evolution in Vibe Coding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/vibe-coding-in-three-takes.html) - The marketing story around vibe coding is awe-inspiring: a non‑programmer can describe any app they can imagine, and AI will do all the hard work. No code, no problem. Just vibes. It turns out I was vibe coding before I ever heard the term. My goals were both less and more ambitious. Less ambitious, because
- [Per‑Title Before New Codecs: Fixing Your H.264 Baseline](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/per-title-before-new-codecs.html) - Before comparing your existing H.264 encodes to HEVC, AV1, or any other advanced codec, you need a baseline you can trust. In practice, many codec efficiency claims collapse once you examine how inefficient the underlying H.264 ladder actually is. This article focuses on fixing that baseline before any codec comparison begins. Let's take a step
- [Beyond H.264. Why Codec Choices Now Carry Legal and Financial Risk](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/beyond-h-264-why-codec-choices-now-carry-legal-and-financial-risk.html) - Codec decisions used to be an engineering sport. Today, they are capital allocation decisions with legal risk attached. For most of the H.264 era, codec choices were technical and reversible: you ran some tests, watched the BD‑rate curves, and rolled out what looked best on your ladder. If it disappointed, you could back it out
- [Netflix’s Masterclass: Engineering Live Streaming at Scale](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/netflixs-masterclass-engineering-live-streaming-at-scale.html) - As a technologist and part-time couch potato, I appreciate Netflix on many levels. During the evening hours, it's the creativity and breathtaking beauty of its productions. During working hours, it’s their technical contributions, like per-title encoding and VMAF, and their development and promotion of AV1. Unlike other publishers (cough, cough, Amazon), Netflix has always been
- [Deep Render and the Streaming Learning Center: A Sustained Visibility and Validation Campaign](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/news/deep-render-and-the-streaming-learning-center-a-sustained-visibility-and-validation-campaign.html) - Deep Render entered 2024 with real technical progress on its AI-based codec. The team had a working model, encoding and decoding live in FFmpeg and VLC, published research, funding, and a belief that AI-based compression represented a step change rather than an academic experiment. What they lacked was sustained visibility with streaming professionals who make
- [What the Access Advance / Via LA Deal Doesn’t Change About Codec Adoption](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/what-the-access-advance-via-la-deal-doesnt-change-about-codec-adoption.html) - The acquisition of Via Licensing Alliance’s HEVC and VVC programs by Access Advance is being framed as a cleanup of codec licensing. Instead of dealing with two pool administrators, licensees now deal with one, reducing administrative friction and simplifying negotiations. That’s a real improvement, particularly for device manufacturers, and it may reduce effective royalties at
- [The Business Models Powering Modern Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/the-business-models-powering-modern-streaming.html) - Every streaming service runs on a business model which shapes everything from content acquisition to monetization. This PDF walks through the core models every professional should know: SVOD, AVOD, TVOD, FAST, vMVPD, and Hybrid. Each slide explains how the model works and highlights a key insight into its strengths and challenges. For a deeper look
- [Monetizing Multiview](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/monetizing-multiview.html) - Traditional and streaming content and service providers, MVPDs, and other rights holders that dismiss multiview as an unnecessary expense are leaving revenue on the table. Wherever it has been deployed, multiview has delighted customers, driven acquisition, and reduced churn. Just as important, it adds new ad inventory and formats, creating monetization opportunities that weren’t possible
- [Building the Future of Multiview: Skreens CEO Marc Todd on Tessera and BYOMV](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/skreens_tessera_delivers_byomv.html) - I recently sat down with Marc Todd, CEO of Skreens, to discuss how multiview has evolved from a niche feature into a must-have capability for sports and live-event streaming. Skreens has been at the center of this transformation, powering multiview deployments for millions of subscribers. What follows is a slide-by-slide look at Todd’s presentation, told
- [The Future of Multiview: Client, Server, and Build Your Own (BYOMV)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/multiview_future_is_byomv.html) - Multiview, or the ability to view multiple live feeds simultaneously, is quickly becoming a must-have feature for sports and live-event streaming. The core technical question for providers is how to implement it. There are two main architectural options: client-side and server-side multiview. Both can display multiple games or camera angles on a screen, but they
- [When Metrics Don’t Mislead: Why VMAF Still Works for Neural Codecs—Sometimes](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/when-metrics-dont-mislead-why-vmaf-still-works-for-neural-codecs-sometimes.html) - When I published When Metrics Mislead: Evaluating AI-Based Video Codecs Beyond VMAF earlier this year, the takeaway was blunt: traditional video quality metrics like PSNR, MS-SSIM, and VMAF simply can’t be trusted for AI-based codecs. My tests with Deep Render, and supporting research from JPEG AI and Microsoft’s MLCVQA project, showed that those metrics consistently
- [InterDigital’s Deep Render Bet: AI-Native Codec or Strategic IP Hedge?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/interdigitals-deep-render-bet-ai-native-codec-or-strategic-ip-hedge.html) - InterDigital’s acquisition of Deep Render marks one of the first instances where a traditional codec IP powerhouse has invested in AI-native compression. Deep Render was built from a clean slate, with an architecture that doesn’t trace its roots to the block-based model that has defined every standard codec for the last 30 years. At some
- [Inside AV2: Architecture, Performance, and Adoption Outlook](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/inside-av2-architecture-performance-and-adoption-outlook.html) - Three recent Alliance for Open Media presentations on YouTube shed new light on AV2's performance and utility. Andrew Norkin, Director of Codec Development at Netflix, presented the current status and architecture of AV2. He outlined the codec's design goals, early performance results, and hardware-focused development approach, noting that the low-level toolset is now finalized. The
- [Feature Coding for Machines: Optimizing Video for Machine-Driven Operations](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/feature-coding-for-machines-optimizing-video-for-machine-driven-operations.html) - I recently visited Florida Atlantic University’s Multimedia Lab to record the first real-time demonstration of Feature Coding for Machines (FCM), a new approach to video compression designed for AI and edge-based applications. The system, developed by OP Solutions in collaboration with FAU, demonstrates low-power, efficient operation. You can watch a video of the demonstration and This article describes how Feature Coding for Machines (FCM), developed by OP Solutions and FAU, enables efficient, real-time video processing for AI and edge applications.
- [New Interview: Dominic Sunnebo on how Sports Programming Drives Subscriber Growth](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/new-interview-dominic-sunnebo-on-how-sports-programming-drives-subscriber-growth.html) - I recently interviewed Dominic Sunnebo, Commercial Director at Worldpanel by Numerator, for Streaming Media. We discussed new data from the Q2 2025 Entertainment on Demand report. Topics covered include: Sports driving nearly 1 in 4 new streaming subscriptions Why sports are a rented audience—loyal to teams, not platforms The rapid rise of women’s sports and
- [Rethinking Multiview Economics: When Server-Side Beats Client-Side](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/multiview-economics-analysis.html) - As you may have seen, I've been spending a lot of time analyzing multiview solutions and studying the technical alternatives, client-side vs. server-side (see here for an extensive analysis of the two). Briefly, client-side multiview uses existing encoded streams assembled into the multiview by the client, while server-side essentially creates a new multiview channel on
- [Practical Troubleshooting with Elecard: From Quality Loss to Ad Insertion](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/practical-troubleshooting-with-elecard-from-quality-loss-to-ad-insertion.html) - In a recent interview, Elecard's Alexander Kruglov shared practical approaches for diagnosing and fixing common streaming problems. Alex, the product manager for StreamEye Studio, demonstrated this product, as well as Boro, a live QoS/QoE monitoring tool. This blog summarizes the discussion, which you can watch on YouTube here. As Alex explained, Elecard started out as
- [Ozer Launches New Course Entitled Streaming Monetization 101](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/ozer-launches-new-course-entitled-streaming-monetization-101.html) - I just launched Streaming Monetization 101, a 50+ lesson, roughly seven-hour course created in partnership with the Streaming Video Technology Alliance (SVTA). It's available now through SVTA University for $399. The course provides new hires in streaming services and the companies that support them with a comprehensive, real-world understanding of how platforms generate and grow
- [Netflix’s Live Platform: What Streaming Engineers Can Learn — and What They Can’t](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/netflixs-live-platform-what-streaming-engineers-can-learn-and-what-they-cant.html) - Three years ago, Netflix asked a deceptively simple question: What would it take to stream live events with the same quality, scale, and reliability as our on-demand catalog? What followed wasn’t a moonshot. It was a methodical, multi-year buildout that turned Netflix into a serious live platform that now supports everything from comedy specials and
- [Why Broadcasters Are Turning to Server-Side Multi-View Solutions](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/why-broadcasters-are-turning-to-server-side-multi-view-solutions.html) - In a recent conversation with Jan Ozer from the Streaming Learning Center, Marc Todd, Founder and CEO of Skreens, shared insights into his company's background, its mission, and its multi-view technology, which is already deployed by a major US service provider, and available either directly from Skreens or through MediaKind. You can watch the interview
- [What Is the Market for the Second-Best Sports Experience?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/what-is-the-market-for-the-second-best-sports-experience.html) - Content and Service Providers, MVPDs, and other rights holders spend billions on sports rights. Without investing in the viewing experience, the return on those investments may shrink fast. For decades, all sports broadcasters —traditional and streaming —competed on a common platform with the same fundamental building blocks: live streaming sports to big-screen TVs, basic client-side application
- [AI Scraping and Publisher Revenue: The Great Content Robbery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/ai-scraping-and-publisher-revenue-the-great-content-robbery.html) - More than 80 media executives met in New York last week under the IAB Tech Lab banner to address unauthorized AI content scraping, which enables AI companies to harvest publisher content for model training without compensation. While Google and Meta participated, the AI companies most implicated, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity, declined to attend. The industry's
- [David Ronca Unveils VCAT: An Open Benchmarking Tool for Android Playback](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/david-ronca-unveils-vcat-an-open-benchmarking-tool-for-android-playback.html) - I recently interviewed David Ronca, who you probably know from his work at Meta and Netflix, but who’s now running his own company, RoncaTech. We discussed the upcoming release of VCAT (Video Codec Acid Test), a tool that benchmarks video playback performance on Android devices. By way of background, I reviewed an earlier version of
- [LinkedIn Live: How to Nail for Your First Event](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/linkedin_live_how_to_nail_your_first_event.html) - I've just completed my first LinkedIn Live experience, and I have to say (in all modesty), that it went pretty well, but only because I tested three trial events before I finally went live (and three after to figure out what happened and why and write this article). In this post, I share some lessons
- [Real-Time Feature Coding for Machines: Inside the New MPEG Standard](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/real-time-feature-coding-for-machines-inside-the-new-mpeg-standard.html) - On July 3, I spoke with Hari Kalva and Velibor Adzic from Florida Atlantic University about Feature Coding for Machines (FCM), a new MPEG standard being developed for machine-to-machine video applications. You can watch the full interview on YouTube and it's embedded below. This blog presents that conversation in a lecture-style format. It follows the
- [AI Video Compression Standards: Who’s Doing What and When](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/ai-video-compression-standards-whos-doing-what-and-when.html) - AI video compression standards have moved from the research lab to the standards committee. This post summarizes the current status of formal standardization efforts as of July 2025, the groups driving them, and the anticipated timeline for real-world deployment. If you’re wondering whether the next generation of video codecs will be AI-native or just AI-enhanced,
- [Tuning Up Your H.264 and HEVC Streams](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/tuning-up-your-h-264-and-hevc-streams.html) - Dan Rayburn recently published the video and slides from my NAB Streaming Summit session, where I walked through real-world techniques to optimize x264 and x265 for quality and efficiency. No AI, no codecs from 2030, just practical optimizations that work today. If You’re Still Encoding with x264 and x265—Good You don’t need to jump to
- [First-Party Data: The “Panacea” for a Cookie-less World? Is Consent Its Achilles’ Heel?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/first-party-data-the-panacea-for-a-cookie-less-world-is-consent-its-achilles-heel.html) - As third-party cookies fade into digital history, first-party data has risen to the top of every marketer’s wish list. Touted as the ultimate solution for targeting, personalization, and measurement in a privacy-centric era, first-party data is often positioned as the “panacea” for the challenges left in the wake of cookie deprecation. But beneath the optimism
- [Deep Render AI Codec in Action: FFmpeg Encoding and VLC Playback Demo](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/deep-render-ai-codec-in-action-ffmpeg-encoding-and-vlc-playback-demo.html) - I recently tested the Deep Render AI codec and issued a report, which you can read here. The bottom line was that in the tested low-latency use case, the Deep Render AI codec substantially outperformed SVT-AV1 quality-wise and was only slightly behind VVenC. While the codec lacks features like bitrate control that are necessary for most
- [HEVC Licensing: Misunderstood, Maligned, and Surprisingly Successful](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/hevc-licensing-misunderstood-maligned-and-surprisingly-successful.html) - I've been involved in a seemingly never-ending debate that started with the dubious (to me) concept of blaming Brightcove's recent layoffs on HEVC licensing practices. The three questions involved are: Was HEVC's licensing structure an aberration or similar to other technologies? Was HEVC a commercial success despite these licensing practices? Why didn't non-premium content publishers
- [AV1 vs. VVC Mobile Playback: A Quick and Dirty Test](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/av1-vs-vvc-mobile-playback-a-quick-and-dirty-test.html) - Streaming Media recently published my article on VVC and AV1, Software Decoding and the Future of Mobile Video. An honest evaluation of the article might observe that while the quality comparisons between SVT-AV1 and VVenC were relatively complete, the article didn't share any mobile playback performance data. That's because I couldn't find any VVC players for
- [When Metrics Mislead: Evaluating AI-Based Video Codecs Beyond VMAF](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/video-quality-metrics-for-ai-codecs.html) - Recently, I reviewed the Deep Render AI codec and noticed a substantial disconnect between subjective and objective results. Subjective testing showed Deep Render with a 45 percent BD-Rate advantage over SVT-AV1. VMAF showed just 3 percent. While subjective evaluation has always been the gold standard, this gap forced a more basic question: how accurate are
- [Deep Render: An AI Codec That Encodes in FFmpeg, Plays in VLC, and Outperforms SVT-AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/deep-render-an-ai-codec-that-encodes-in-ffmpeg-plays-in-vlc-and-outperforms-svt-av1.html) - While many AI-based codecs are still making their first appearance in white papers, often with tortured playback requirements and no working decoder, the Deep Render codec is already encoding in FFmpeg, playing in VLC, and running on the billions of NPU-enabled devices already in the market. Let’s take a step back. I’ve been following the
- [x265 and WPP: What’s Fast Isn’t Always Efficient](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/x265-and-wpp-whats-fast-isnt-always-efficient.html) - If you’re optimizing x265 for speed, enabling Wavefront Parallel Processing (WPP) looks like a no-brainer. Table 1 shows a staggering 7.3x improvement in encoding time. A 3:15 encode with WPP turns into a painful 23:51 without it. The quality penalty? Negligible. VMAF drops just 0.19, with the low-frame VMAF off by only 0.77 (low-frame is
- [Free "Must-Have" Applications for Video Engineers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/free-must-have-apps-for-video-engineers.html) - Here are the free "must-have" apps I install on every Windows computer (and three for-fee tools for deeper analysis). I just received a new Dell Precision 7820 server and had to prepare it for video transcoding and analysis. Here are the tools I installed to get up and running. I present the list and links
- [Mac Video Apps for Streaming Professionals](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/mac-video-apps-for-streaming-professionals.html) - Though I work primarily on Windows computers, I also have several Macs. Here are the Mac video Apps I use on them and other Mac tools you should consider. Free or Almost Free MediaInfo ($0.99) Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux Description: MediaInfo is an essential tool that displays technical and tag data for video and audio
- [Evaluating DCVC-RT: A Real-Time Neural Video Codec That Delivers on Speed and Compression](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/evaluating-dcvc-rt-a-real-time-neural-video-codec-that-delivers-on-speed-and-compression.html) - Background Authors & Affiliations: Zhaoyang Jia and Linfeng Qi (USTC), Bin Li, Jiahao Li, Wenxuan Xie, Houqiang Li, and Yan Lu (Microsoft Research Asia). This project stems from an open-source effort initiated in late 2023, with code available on GitHub. The paper targets a long-standing obstacle for neural video codecs (NVCs): achieving real-time performance without
- [Enhancing Video Quality with Super-Resolution](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/enhancing-video-quality-with-super-resolution.html) - Super-resolution techniques scale low-resolution videos to higher resolutions at high quality, and any video publisher with older, low-resolution footage should be aware of them. This article provides an overview of what super-resolution is, how it works, where to get it, and its limitations. Introduction to Super-Resolution As stated, super-resolution describes techniques used to scale lower
- [Google’s Cookie Reversal: While Advertisers Rejoice, Legal Trouble Lurks in the Weeds](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/googles-cookie-reversal-while-advertisers-rejoice-legal-trouble-lurks-in-the-weeds.html) - Google just kicked the can down the road—again—on killing third-party cookies in Chrome. While much of the advertising world rejoiced at the announcement, privacy professionals and legal teams should be sweating. This isn’t a free pass. It’s a stay of execution. Specifically, in a statement released on April 22, 2025, Anthony Chavez, Vice President of
- [Adobe Updates Premiere Pro for NAB 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/adobe-updates-premiere-pro-for-nab-2025.html) - If you edit using the Adobe Creative Suite, you've doubtless heard about the updates released just prior to NAB 2025 (officially the 25.2 release). This article notes the key new features available in my video editor of choice, Adobe Premiere Pro. Generative Extend Generative Extend lets you extend video clips by up to two seconds
- [TV 3.0 and LCEVC: From Standards Win to Real-World Stakes](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/tv-3-0-and-lcevc-from-standards-win-to-real-world-stakes.html) - One of the more intriguing questions surrounding Brazil’s TV 3.0 broadcast upgrade is whether it will help drive LCEVC’s success. LCEVC seems like a technology in need of a tailwind — will TV 3.0 provide it? Alongside VVC, LCEVC is now mandated in receiver devices as part of the spec, which is a significant milestone.
- [Amazon Takes a License From Nokia: A Milestone for Content-Side Codec Royalties](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/amazon-takes-a-license-from-nokia-a-milestone-for-content-side-codec-royalties.html) - Nokia has announced a patent agreement with Amazon, covering video technologies used in both “streaming services and devices.” That wording matters. While device licensing is nothing new, this marks one of the clearest public signs yet that content-side patent claims are being taken seriously and successfully enforced. This is the first time Nokia has publicly
- [Netflix's HDR10+ AV1: Finally Matching HEVC for Premium Content Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/netflixs-hdr10-av1-finally-matching-hevc-for-premium-content-delivery.html) - Netflix just announced that it is delivering AV1 video with HDR10+ to certified devices, which means that AV1 has achieved practical parity with HEVC for premium content delivery. This long-awaited announcement, when combined with YouTube's proprietary HDR support, tends to indicate that there is a critical mass of AV1/HDR10+ capable devices worth addressing. Let's review
- [Maximizing Quality and Throughput in FFmpeg Scaling](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/ffmpeg/maximizing-quality-and-throughput-in-ffmpeg-scaling.html) - The thing about FFmpeg is that there are almost always multiple ways to accomplish the same basic function. In this post, we look at four approaches to scaling. We found that if you’re scaling using the default -s function (-s 1280x720), you’re leaving a bit of quality on the table as compared to other methods.
- [Choosing a Preset for SVT-AV1 (Or Any Codec)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/choosing-a-preset-for-svt-av1-or-any-codec.html) - This post explores the economic factors to consider when choosing a preset for the SVT-AV1 codec. It's adapted from a new lesson added to the course, Encoding with the AV1 Codec. While this analysis uses the SVT-AV1 codec, it's useful for choosing a preset for any codec. I've always considered codec preset selection a cost
- [Mile High Video 2025: Industry Leaders Discuss VVC Adoption Challenges and Opportunities](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/mile-high-video-2025-industry-leaders-discuss-vvc-adoption-challenges-and-opportunities.html) - At Mile High Video, I interviewed multiple industry executives. Where appropriate, I asked for their perspectives and experiences with VVC. Here are their responses, which have been edited lightly for readability. You can watch the video on YouTube here, or embedded below. Mickaël Raulet, Ateme Q: So what are you seeing with VVC? I know
- [Comparing Fixed GOPs to Variable GOPs with I-Frames at Scene Changes](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/comparing-fixed-gops-to-variable-gops-with-i-frames-at-scene-changes.html) - I first encountered the line, "Anything worth doing is worth overdoing," in the Robert Heinlein novel Time Enough for Love. I bring this up because this is my third recent article on GOP size, and I think I'm close to beating this topic into the ground. I'll let you be the judge. To recount, I
- [Encoding Ladder: Choosing the Best Codec for Streaming Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/encoding-ladder-choosing-the-best-codec-for-streaming-video.html) - This is the first in a series of posts detailing what you need to know to create the perfect encoding ladder. It's a high-level introductory series good for streaming novices, but too basic for most experienced streaming producers. This article details how to choose the best codec for streaming video. What's a codec? A compression
- [Codec Royalties on Content and the Jaws Moment](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/codec-royalties-on-content.html) - I was raised in a beachfront commuter town about 60 miles south of Manhattan and five miles north of Springsteen’s Asbury Park. I went to Seashore Day Camp years 8-13, swimming laps in the pool each morning and clowning around in the ocean each afternoon. I spent middle school and high school in the Atlantic
- [Streaming Learning Center Goes Mobile](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/streaming-learning-center-goes-mobile.html) - Just a quick announcement to let you know that if you're taking a course on the Streaming Learning Center, you can now access lessons via a mobile app. By way of background, we use a learning management system called Thinkific to host all Streaming Learning Center courses. Thinkific recently launched its new mobile app for
- [Video Codec Quick Reference Guide](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/video-codec-quick-reference-guide.html) - This article provides a quick reference for video codec details from H.264 to LCEVC, excluding EVC, because so little progress has been made on productization. Codec Overview Starting at the top, the year released emphasizes how long H.264 has remained the dominant codec, as evidenced by ReThink's 2023 usage rate of about 72%. Browser penetration,
- [Codec Update for Streaming Media 101 Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/codec-update-for-streaming-media-101-course.html) - I've just posted a major codec update to my course, Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. The update incorporates the latest on H.264, HEVC, VP9, AV1, LCEVC, and VVC, with EVC excluded since it's made such little progress on productization and royalty status to date (though the MPAI is doing some interesting
- [Deep Thoughts on AI Codecs and Encoders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/deep-thoughts-on-ai-codecs.html) - This post focuses on AI in preprocessing and encoding products. I'll examine two aspects: how to consider AI in encoding performance and how to consider AI in the user interface and operation. I'll conclude by discussing where I see AI going in codec development over the next few years. For perspective, I recently spoke with
- [Free Course On LCEVC Video-Enhancement](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/free-course-on-lcevc-video-enhancement.html) - I'm thrilled to introduce my newest course on LCEVC video enhancement! It’s designed to introduce newbies to LCEVC, explain why it’s important, identify the tools available for enhancing and decoding, and teach you how to get the most out of encoding videos with LCEVC enhancement. Here's what you'll learn: Lesson 1: LCEVC Fundamentals - Learn
- [Common Errors Obscured by Automated Video Quality Assessment](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/errors-automated-quality-assessment.html) - This article discusses five common errors that can be obscured by automated video quality assessment scripts and how to avoid them. Most video producers use some measure of automated testing in their codec or encoder comparisons or during normal production. While automated testing is essential, it's easy to make the five following errors if you
- [Simplify Your Workflow: Command-Line Variables in FFmpeg Batch Files](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/simplify-your-workflow-command-line-variables-in-ffmpeg-batch-files.html) - Creating batch files with variables is one of the more efficient ways to run FFmpeg. However, most producers build their batch files with variables inserted directly into the batch file, which means that you have to customize each batch file for different source files or encoding parameters. This is particularly inefficient when you're encoding multiple
- [Deep Render AI Codec Running in FFmpeg and VLC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/deep-render-ai-codec-running-in-ffmpeg-and-vlc.html) - AI-based video compression has been discussed in research for years, but practical implementations are virtually nonexistent. In a recent conversation with Arsalan Zafar, CTO and co-founder of Deep Render, and Sebastjan Cizel, Head of Engineering, we explored the real-world performance of Deep Render's AI codec real-world encoding and decoding performance, how its quality compares to
- [How AdCurate Helps Publishers Improve Ad Quality and Boost Revenue](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/adcurate-helps-publishers-improve-ad-quality.html) - In this conversation, Jan Ozer from the Streaming Learning Center interviews Gabe Thomas, VP of Strategy and Business Development at A Parent Media Company (APMC). They discuss AdCurate, a powerful tool that helps streaming publishers improve ad quality and brand safety. Below is a detailed breakdown of their conversation, with each question and answer presented
- [How Witbe Measured Super Bowl Streaming Performance — Insights on Latency, QoE, and 4K Quality](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-witbe-measured-super-bowl-streaming-performance-insights-on-latency-qoe-and-4k-quality.html) - On March 11, 2025, I (Jan Ozer) from the Streaming Learning Center interviewed Yoann Hinard, COO of Witbe. We discussed Witbe's innovative approach to quality of experience (QoE) testing, their findings from Super Bowl performance monitoring, and what Witbe plans to showcase at NAB 2025. Key topics included the impact of device variability on performance,
- [Review of Multi-Resolution Encoding for HTTP Adaptive Streaming using VVenC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/review-of-multi-resolution-encoding-for-http-adaptive-streaming-using-vvenc.html) - In their paper entitled, Multi-resolution Encoding for HTTP Adaptive Streaming using VVenC, Kamran Qureshi, Hadi Amirpour, and Christian Timmerer from the Christian Doppler Laboratory ATHENA (Alpen-Adria-Universität, Klagenfurt, Austria) propose an accelerated multi-resolution encoding strategy for HTTP Adaptive Streaming (HAS) using VVenC, an optimized open-source Versatile Video Coding (VVC) encoder. Their approach, called MEVHAS (Multi-resolution Encoding
- [The Codec Conundrum: Navigating the Challenges of Video Codec Adoption](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/navigating-video-codec-adoption.html) - For years, we've heard about the allure of HEVC, AV1, and even VVC, all new video codecs promising better quality and reduced bandwidth. But how do content providers, platforms, and CDNs navigate the complexities of adopting these new technologies? A recent panel discussion at Streaming Media Connect 2025 shed light on this crucial topic, featuring
- [Sandwiched Compression: Repurposing Standard Codecs with Neural Network Wrappers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/sandwiched-compression-repurposing-standard-codecs-with-neural-network-wrappers.html) - The white paper titled "Sandwiched Compression: Repurposing Standard Codecs with Neural Network Wrappers" is authored by a team from Google Research, including notable contributors such as Onur G. Guleryuz, Philip A. Chou, Berivan Isik, Hugues Hoppe, Danhang Tang, Ruofei Du, Jonathan Taylor, Philip Davidson, and Sean Fanello. Their collective expertise in image and video processing,
- [Will Law on Akamai’s Media Delivery and Edge Computing at Mile High Video 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/will-law-on-akamais-media-delivery-and-edge-computing-at-mile-high-video-2025.html) - In this Mile High Video 2025 interview, Jan Ozer from the Streaming Learning Center spoke with Akamai's Will Law about the latest developments in media delivery and edge computing. Will discussed Akamai’s global media delivery network, advancements in Common Media Client Data (CMCD), Media over QUIC, and emerging trends in video codecs. You can watch the
- [Jan De Cock of Synamedia at Mile High Video 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/jan-de-cock-of-synamedia-at-mile-high-video-2025.html) - At Mile High Video 2025, I sat down with Synamedia's Jan De Cock to discuss the latest advancements in video quality measurement, VVC adoption trends, and Synamedia's commitment to open-source contributions. You can watch the interview on YouTube here, embedded below. Some of Jan’s comments are edited slightly for readability. Synamedia’s Role in Video Solutions Synamedia
- [Bitmovin Video Developer Report Reveals Streaming in 2025: Incremental Growth Over Innovation](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/bitmovin-report-reveals-streaming-in-2025-incremental-growth-over-innovation.html) - The Bitmovin Video Developer Report is an essential resource for anyone involved in video streaming technology. Conducted between September and December 2024, this 8th annual edition gathered insights from 167 video developers and industry experts across 34 countries. The majority of respondents were from EMEA (48%) and North America (36%), reflecting the primary markets driving
- [Ateme's Mickaël Raulet Talks AI Codecs and OTT Contribution at Mile High Video 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/mickael-raulet-talks-ai-codecs-and-ott-contribution-at-mile-high-video-2025.html) - In this interview from Mile High Video 2025, Jan Ozer from the Streaming Learning Center spoke with Mickaël Raulet, CTO of Ateme, about the company’s latest developments in video delivery and encoding technology. Mickaël shared his insights on emerging trends, including AI-based video encoding, advanced DRM solutions, and the growing adoption of new video codecs.
- [Katerina Dobnerova from CDN77 On How to Choose a CDN in 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/katerina-dobnerova-from-cdn77-on-how-to-choose-a-cdn-in-2025.html) - In this interview from Mile High Video 2025, Jan Ozer from the Streaming Learning Center speaks with Katerina Dobnerova from CDN77 about the company’s role in content delivery and its strategic approach to staying profitable in a highly competitive CDN market. You can watch the interview on YouTube here, and it’s embedded below. Some of
- [V-Nova’s Guido Meardi on LCEVC and More at Mile High Video 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/v-novas-meardi-on-lcevc-and-more-at-mile-high-video-2025.html) - In this interview from Mile High Video 2025, Jan Ozer from the Streaming Learning Center speaks with Guido Meardi, co-founder and CEO of V-Nova, about the latest developments in video technology, extended reality (XR), and artificial intelligence (AI). V-Nova is known for its work in video compression, particularly LCEVC, and its innovations in immersive experiences
- [Super Resolution and Content Adaptive Encoding: A Conversation with Sharon Carmel, CEO of Beamr](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/super-resolution-and-cabr-sharon-carmel-beamr.html) - Jan Ozer recently caught up with Beamr's Sharon Carmel at Mile High Video 2025. The two talked about Beamr’s latest advancements in real-time content-adaptive bitrate (CABR) optimization, super-resolution technology, and codec modernization. They also discussed Beamr’s collaboration with NVIDIA and how AI is shaping the future of video streaming. You can watch the interview on
- [Mile High Video 2025: Adeia Talks Tiling and L4S Innovations](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/pioneering-low-latency-video-streaming-an-interview-with-adeias-chris-phillips.html) - At Mile High Video 2025, I spoke with Adeia VP of Advanced R&D Chris Phillips about Adeia's latest advancements in video optimization and ultra-low latency streaming solutions. It was an interesting chat, which finds Adeia at the forefront of developing technologies that improve video quality and reduce latency—key challenges for cloud gaming and real-time streaming. You
- [Ultra-Low Latency Video Control – An Interview with Jean-Baptiste Kempf of Kyber](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/an-interview-with-jean-baptiste-kempf-of-kyber.html) - At Mile High Video 2025, I sat down with Jean-Baptiste Kempf (JB), founder of Kyber and lead developer of VLC, to discuss his latest innovations in ultra-low latency video control. JB is well-known in the open-source community for his work on VLC Player and FFmpeg, and now, with Kyber, he’s pushing the boundaries of real-time
- [Interview with Andrew Frost of MulticoreWare at Mile High Video 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/interview-with-andrew-frost-of-multicoreware-at-mile-high-video-2025.html) - At Mile High Video 2025, I sat down with Andrew Frost, Business Development Manager at MulticoreWare, to discuss the latest developments in open-source codecs, AI-based video enhancement, and industry adoption trends. You can watch the interview on YouTube here and it’s embedded below. Some of Andrew's comments are edited slightly for readability. MulticoreWare’s Expertise in
- [Interview with Thierry Fautier at Mile High Video 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/interview-with-thierry-fautier-at-mile-high-video-2025.html) - At Mile High Video 2025, I sat down with Thierry Fautier, a well-known video industry consultant and former executive at Harmonic. Thierry is widely recognized for his deep technical expertise and strategic insights into video standards and codec development. Since leaving Harmonic, he’s been working as an independent consultant, helping CEOs optimize their teams and
- [Bitmovin's Igor Oreper at Mile High Video 2025 Talks New Web Player](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/bitmovins-oreper-talks-new-web-player-at-mile-high-video-2025.html) - At Mile High Video 2025, I sat down with Igor Oreper, Bitmovin's Chief Strategy Officer, to discuss the company’s latest innovations, including their next-generation web player, advancements in live encoding, and AI-driven contextual advertising. Igor also shared his insights on Bitmovin’s cloud-agnostic strategy and the importance of developer-focused events like Mile High Video. You can
- [Romain Bouqueau on GPAC, Low-Latency Streaming, and AI at Mile High Video 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/romain-bouqueau-on-gpac-and-more-at-mile-high-video-2025.html) - I sat down with Romain Bouqueau, Founder and CEO of Motion Spell, at Mile High Video 2025 to discuss the latest advancements in GPAC, low-latency streaming, and AI integration. We discussed Motion Spell's work on packaging technology, its role in low-latency streaming, and the challenges and opportunities of building custom language models for multimedia tools.
- [Exploring Media Tech Innovation with JP Saibene from Qualabs at Mile High Video 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/exploring-media-tech-innovation-with-jp-saibene-from-qualabs-at-mile-high-video-2025.html) - In this interview at Mile High Video 2025, Juan Pablo Saibene (JP) from Qualabs describes the innovative work Qualabs is doing in media technology. Qualabs is based in Montevideo, Uruguay, and specializes in software engineering outsourcing and product development for video technology companies across the U.S. and Europe. JP discusses the company’s approach of building
- [Tesla Rolls Back YouTube from AV1 to VP9 to Improve QoE—Another in a Series of Cautionary Tales](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/tesla-rolls-back-youtube-from-av1-to-vp9.html) - When my daughter owned a Tesla during her college years, one thing I never thought to do was play YouTube videos on the LCD panel. It turns out that was a good call—if I had tried to stream AV1 content, playback performance likely would have been choppy and disappointing. Why bring this up? Tesla recently
- [Unlocking CTV’s Full Ad Potential with Server-Guided Ad Insertion](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/server-guided-ad-insertion.html) - We all know the trade-offs of Client-Side Ad Insertion (CSAI) and Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI). CSAI offers real-time personalization but is vulnerable to ad blockers and playback hiccups, while SSAI ensures smooth playback and circumvents blockers but lacks real-time targeting and can be expensive. Now, a new technology has entered the scene: Server-Guided Ad Insertion
- [Deep Render AI Codec: Faster, Smarter, and Ready for Prime Time?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/deep-render-ai-codec-ready-for-prime-time.html) - I recently interviewed Chri Besenbruch, CEO of Deep Render, to discuss their end-to-end AI codec technology. Unlike traditional codecs like HEVC, VVC, and VP9, Deep Render’s AI codec shifts the entire encoding/decoding process to neural networks, promising faster performance and improved efficiency. The YouTube video of our talk is embedded below. Key Takeaways: • Fast
- [Evaluating DeepMind C3: A Low-Complexity Neural Codec with Competitive Compression Efficiency](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/googles-deepmind-c3-neural-codec.html) - This paper, entitled, C3: High-performance and low-complexity neural compression from a single image or video, and authored by a team from Google DeepMind (Hyunjik Kim, Matthias Bauer, Lucas Theis, Jonathan Schwarz, and Emilien Dupont), introduces DeepMind C3, a neural compression method designed to deliver low decoding complexity while achieving competitive rate-distortion (RD) performance. The authors
- [Few-Shot Domain Adaptation for Learned Image Compression](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/few-shot-domain-adaptation-for-learned-image-compression.html) - The white paper, authored by researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, introduces a novel approach to addressing the limitations of pre-trained learned image compression (LIC) models. These models, while effective within the domains they were trained on, often falter when applied to new, domain-specific data. To overcome this, the researchers propose
- [Following the Money: What the Lexis Nexis Patent Report Reveals About VVC and AOMedia](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/following-the-money-what-the-lexis-nexis-patent-report-reveals-about-vvc-and-aomedia.html) - While researching my State of the Codec Market article for the 2025 Streaming Media Sourcebook, I stumbled upon an intriguing report from LexisNexis that sheds light on the patent ownership landscape for VVC and HEVC (link to report). For me, the report helped answer two critical questions: Will VVC be the next codec implemented on
- [Fox’s 1080p to 4K Upscaling Workflow for Super Bowl 2025: An Engaging Debate](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/foxs-1080p-to-4k-upscaling-workflow-for-super-bowl-2025-an-engaging-debate.html) - It started with a simple observation: Fox plans to upscale a 1080p HDR feed to 4K for the Super Bowl LIX broadcast. The comment came from Dan Rayburn, who shared details about Fox’s planned encoding ladder, including a maximum bitrate of 15 Mbps for 4K delivery. This revelation prompted a lively LinkedIn discussion among industry
- [New Lesson Alert: Choosing a Hardware Transcoder Added to Streaming Media 101](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/new-lesson-alert-choosing-a-hardware-transcoder-added-to-streaming-media-101.html) - We’re excited to announce the addition of a brand-new lesson to Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals! Titled Choosing a Hardware Transcoder, this lesson dives into one of the most critical aspects of video processing today: selecting the right transcoder for your needs, whether in the cloud or on-premises. The lesson is
- [Sye: The Best Low-Latency Tech You’ve Never Heard Of](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/sye-the-best-low-latency-tech-youve-never-heard-of.html) - When your service spends a fortune on sports rights, the pressure on your technology team to deliver a flawless viewing experience is immense. It's not just low latency; it's synchronization across a range of playback devices driven by second-screen experiences and crisp, hiccup-free ad delivery. When it comes to delivering this type of experience, Amazon
- [The Future of Targeted Ads: Lessons from Disney’s Ad Tech Evolution](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/disney-ad-tech.html) - As third-party cookies are phasing out, the race to refine first-party data strategies is on, and Disney is leading the charge. At CES 2025, Nadine Krefetz, contributing editor at Streaming Media, captured the key elements of Disney’s approach in her article, "CES 2025: Disney Ad Tech, Ad Targeting, and Ad Buying." The piece provides an
- [Cracking the Code(c): It’s All About the Implementation](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/cracking-the-codec-its-all-about-the-implementation.html) - Free Webinar: Cracking the Code(c): It’s All About the Implementation January 30, 2025 - 16:00 GMT/11:00 EST/08:00 PST Last fall, I published a post called "There Are No Codec Comparisons. There Are Only Codec Implementation Comparisons." The basic premise was stated in the conclusion, which reads, "the key point is that unless the study’s testing
- [The New Face of FAST: How Original Content Is Redefining Free Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/the-new-face-of-fast-how-original-content-is-redefining-free-streaming.html) - When Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) first emerged, its channels quickly became known as the home of dated, recycled TV shows and movies—free entertainment that offered volume but little innovation. As Bruce might have said, 57 Channels (And Nothin' On). Today, that perception is rapidly changing. Platforms like Tubi and The Roku Channel are investing
- [CSAI vs SSAI in Video Ad Insertion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recommendations](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/csai-vs-ssai-in-video-ad-insertion-a-comprehensive-guide-with-recommendations.html) - Introduction Ad insertion technologies play a crucial role in monetization strategies. Two primary methods dominate this space: Client-Side Ad Insertion (CSAI) and Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI). Understanding the differences, benefits, and challenges can help content providers optimize their ad delivery for user experience and revenue generation. Overview of Ad Insertion Ad insertion is the process
- [VMAF, SSIM, and Color Spaces: Getting the Metrics Right](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/vmaf-ssim-yuv-tips.html) - So there I was, having dinner on a Saturday night date night with my wife... And in comes a text: “Hi Jan, I was wondering when you compute SSIM, do you use a single channel or multi-channel? And if multi-channel, then anything different than averaging the three?” (And yes, anyone with children, even grown children,
- [DCVC-B: A New Deep Learning Codec for Efficient B-Frame Compression](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/dcvc-b-a-new-deep-learning-codec-for-efficient-b-frame-compression.html) - In a recent white paper titled Bi-Directional Deep Contextual Video Compression (DCVC-B), researchers Xihua Sheng, Li Li, Dong Liu, and Shiqi Wang proposed a new approach to enhancing B-frame compression for video encoding. The authors assert that their scheme “achieves an average reduction of 26.6% in BD-Rate compared to the reference software for H.265/HEVC under
- [M3-CVC: A Glimpse into the Future of AI-Driven Video Compression](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/m3-cvc-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-ai-driven-video-compression.html) - A new AI-based codec proved 18% more efficient than VVC but substantial decoding requirements will limit short-term commercial application. Here's a summary of the white paper. In December 2024, researchers from Fudan University introduced M3-CVC, an AI-based video compression framework that combines large multimodal models (LMMs) for semantic understanding and conditional diffusion models (CDMs) for
- [Which Codecs Does YouTube Use?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/which-codecs-does-youtube-use.html) - Author's Note (March 15, 2022): A colleague recently advised me that YouTube was now encoding all videos into VP9 format. A quick check revealed that he was correct; literally every video that I checked, including some uploaded back in 2010, was encoded into VP9 as well as H.264. What's interesting is that many low-volume videos,
- [SMNYC 2024: Streaming Learning Center's Jan Ozer Talks AI, Codecs, and Patent Pools](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/smnyc-2024-streaming-learning-centers-jan-ozer-talks-ai-codecs-and-patent-pools.html) - At Streaming Media NYC 2024, Tim Siglin interviewed me (Jan Ozer) about how the Streaming Learning Center has expanded into a platform offering courses on streaming-related topics to help technical people in the industry become familiar with terms, technologies, best practices, and tools. He also talks about machine learning, the shift towards Neural Programming Units
- [Real-World Perspectives on Choosing the Optimal GOP Size](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/real-world-perspectives-on-choosing-the-optimal-gop-size.html) - One of the most fundamental encoding decisions is the size of the Group of Pictures (GOP) or the frequency of I-frames within an encoded file. I-frames, also known as keyframes, are the starting points for groups of pictures, consisting of I-, B-, and P-frames. Traditionally, the GOP size is directed by adaptive bitrate streaming considerations,
- [Three Things to Know About 2-Pass x265 Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/three-things-to-know-about-2-pass-x265-encoding.html) - Here are three things to know about 2-pass x265 encoding with FFmpeg. If you're using -pass 1 and -pass 2 in your command string, it's probably not working. You must use x265-params 0:pass=1 and then x265-params 0:pass=2 in the second pass. In the way we absolutely love about FFmpeg, there's no error message if you
- [Beginner's Guide to Codecs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/beginners-guide-to-codecs.html) - This post provides an introduction to video codecs. It’s an entry-level article designed to help streaming newbies understand what codecs are, what they do, how to compare them, and why they succeed or fail. Video codecs are compression technologies that reduce the bitrate of digital video to manageable sizes. Video codecs are not only central
- [What's the Best Setting for x265 Two-Pass Encoding?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/whats-the-best-setting-for-x265-two-pass-encoding.html) - I'm running some 1-pass vs. 2-pass comparison testing with x265. Unlike with x264 (see tests here), there's a substantial performance penalty for running 2-pass with minimal quality benefit. I tried the no-slow-firstpass=1 setting, which only accelerated two-pass by about 14%. Here are the results from a single test file. I don't want to process them
- [How Thread Count Impacts Video Encoding Quality, Throughput, and Cost](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/how-thread-count-impacts-video-encoding-quality-throughput-and-cost.html) - Learn how thread count impacts video quality, encoding speed, and costs in FFmpeg workflows. Master configurations for optimal production and testing results.
- [Choosing the Best Preset for Live Transcoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/choosing-the-best-preset-for-live-transcoding.html) - When choosing a preset for VOD transcoding, it almost always makes sense to use the highest-quality preset, because any increase in encoding costs will typically be recouped via bandwidth savings delivered by the more efficient encoding. I covered that analysis in detail here. Note that this conclusion assumes that you deliver at a certain quality
- [Announcing Free Course on Controlling the AMD MA35D with FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/ffmpeg/announcing-free-course-on-controlling-the-amd-ma35d-with-ffmpeg.html) - I'm pleased to announce a new free course, MA35D & FFmpeg Quick Start: Essential Skills and Expert Tips. As the title suggests, the course will get you up and running quickly and help you configure the MA35D for optimal throughput and quality for your application. The first few lessons describe how to access the MA35D's
- [AV1 or HEVC: The Next Big Codec Decision](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/av1-or-hevc-the-next-big-codec-decision.html) - Codecs are tools we use to reach our viewers. So, when it comes to codecs, the best ability is play-ability, or the ability to play on the target platforms our viewers prefer to watch. For years, H.264 has remained dominant simply because it played everywhere; but as videos grow larger, faster, and deeper in color,
- [Best SVT-AV1 Bitrate Control Technique for Live Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/best-svt-av1-bitrate-control-technique-for-live-streaming.html) - There are four bitrate control techniques worth considering for live encoding/transcoding using the SVT-AV1 codec. These are: Capped CRF VBR Capped VBR Constrained VBR Here's what I found: Overall: Capped CRF shows promise with significant bitrate savings, good quality retention, and the best overall performance by ~10 - 25% (meaning more streams from the same
- [Learn To: Use Capped CRF with SVT-AV1 for Live Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/learn-to-use-capped-crf-with-svt-av1-for-live-streaming.html) - Learn to use Capped CRF with SVT-AV1 and FFmpeg for live transcoding, including how capped CRF compares to VBR and CBR. All tests and results are available in downloadable PDF. Capped CRF is an alternative to VBR and CBR that saves bandwidth on easy-to-encode sequences and preserves quality on hard-to-encode sequences. Our tests with SVT-AV1
- [NAB Session on AI in Video Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/nab-session-on-ai-in-video-streaming.html) - Like most encoding professionals, I’ve followed AI-related streaming advancements for the last few years. I’m presenting a session entitled “Beyond the Hype: A Critical Look at AI in Video Streaming” at Dan Rayburn’s Streaming Summit at NAB in Las Vegas on Monday, April 15, from 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM PST (room W110). I will
- [Meet Open Source Video Downloader YT-DLP](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/meet-open-source-video-downloader-yt-dlp.html) - I'm updating my book, Video Encoding by the Numbers, which means lots of research into what other encoding professionals are doing. One source of knowledge I appreciate is downloading files from different websites to analyze these files. I used to use YouTube-dl, but it is not as reliable as before, and most GUI-based tools don't work particularly well. I'm also leery about malware from some of these tools. I learned about yt-dlp this
- [The Reality of Codec Adoption in Six Pictures](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/the-reality-of-codec-adoption-in-six-pictures.html) - Most people reading this post want new codecs to succeed as soon as possible, and I do as well. But whenever I think about codec adoption, six pictures come to mind. Overview The first was the foundational adoption timeline released by the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) with the launch of AV1 in April 2018
- [There are no codec comparisons. There are only codec implementation comparisons.](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/there-are-no-codec-comparisons-there-are-only-codec-implementation-comparisons.html) - I was reminded of this recently as I prepared for a talk on AV1 readiness at the upcoming United Cloud Tech Talk. Though quality is only a single factor, I wanted to nail the quality comparisons for the talk, but didn’t have time to produce all the iterations myself. It’s been a while since I
- [Edit Cloud: A New Approach to Collaborative Cloud Editing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-production/edit-cloud-a-new-approach-to-collaborative-cloud-editing.html) - Cloud-based editing is increasingly shaping the future of post-production, enabling creative teams to work from different locations while utilizing a variety of tools and resources. I recently interviewed Simon Green, CEO of Edit Cloud, a cloud-based editing platform that allows production teams to collaborate remotely using various editing software while providing access to accredited talent
- [Seedtag: Harnessing AI for Contextual Audience Targeting](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/seedtag-harnessing-ai-for-contextual-audience-targeting.html) - Cookies are gone from Safari and Firefox, and on their way out in Chrome. This leaves many advertisers searching for alternative ways to effectively target high-value prospects. One of the most promising solutions is contextual audience targeting, and leading that charge is Seedtag, an advertising platform using AI to match ads with relevant content. Recently,
- [Why That Amazon Product Follows You Everywhere: A Look at Behavioral Tracking](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/why-that-amazon-product-follows-you-everywhere-a-look-at-behavioral-tracking.html) - We’ve all experienced it—you check out a product on Amazon, and before you know it, the next ten websites you visit are showing ads for that same product. It just happened to me (again) when I was looking at a supplement called Qualia Senolytic on Amazon in Google Chrome. Later that day, while browsing the
- [Call for Contributions| ACM Mile-High Video 2025](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/call-for-contributions-acm-mile-high-video-2025.html) - The Mile-High Video Conference recently published a call for contributions (https://lnkd.in/eCFyUD2i). This event is an excellent opportunity to share your ideas and research with a diverse group of technologists and technology decision-makers from industry and academia. The conference invites contributions across a wide range of topics, including content production, encoding, codecs, cloud-based workflows, streaming technologies,
- [Synamedia's Senza: Cloud TV platform aims to disrupt content delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/other/synamedias-senza-cloud-tv-platform-aims-to-disrupt-content-delivery.html) - Synamedia has launched Senza, a cloud-based TV platform that could reshape how content reaches screens. Why it matters: Senza aims to slash costs for content providers and open new markets by eliminating traditional hardware limitations and revenue-sharing models. Perspective: Traditional smart TVs and OTT devices often take a cut of streaming service revenues, creating barriers
- [How GPAC Technology is Shaping the Future of Streaming: Key Insights from Fred Dawson](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/gpac-technology-insights-from-fred-dawson.html) - In a recent interview available on YouTube, Jan Ozer sat down with Fred Dawson, an industry journalist and principal at Dawson Communications, to discuss his whitepaper for Motion Spell titled "GPAC: Ultra Media Technology Breaks Barriers to Next Gen Streaming." Released in conjunction with GPAC’s 21st anniversary, the whitepaper illuminates how GPAC UltraMedia technology is
- [Streaming Summer Bootcamp Session 2: Producing H.264](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/streaming-summer-bootcamp-session-2-producing-h-264.html) - Announcing session 2 of Streaming Summer Bootcamp: Learn to Produce H.264 Video. Thu, Jul 11, 2024, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM. The session is to be produced on LinkedIn Live: Click to register. The free webinar will cover: • What H.264 is and its origins • What x264 is and why it's important • How
- [New Lessons on Streaming Monetization Added to Streaming Media 101](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/lessons-on-streaming-monetization-added-to-streaming-media-101.html) - The Streaming Learning Center is pleased to announce the addition of four new lessons on video monetization to Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. These new lessons provide essential knowledge for all encoding professionals and cover crucial aspects of monetizing video content effectively. Course creator Jan Ozer explained the additions. "Monetization drives
- [Working with Elgato Prompter](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-production/working-with-elgato-prompter.html) - I recently reviewed the Elgato Prompter for Streaming Media in two detailed articles. The first article covers the installation process and testing the Prompter in various scenarios, while the second focuses on peripheral products like the Elgato Stream Deck+ and Stream Deck Pedal, which are essential for controlling prompter scrolling speed during operation. Teleprompters were
- [Video Ad Standards: VAST, VMAP, VPAID, and Beyond](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/video-ad-standards-vast-vmap-and-beyond.html) - The VAST, VMAP, and VPAID video ad standards ensure smooth ad delivery, proper tracking, and seamless integration across platforms in digital video advertising, as well as interactive advertising. This article provides a brief overview of what these standards are and how they work together. Section I: Ad Serving Standards 1. Video Ad Serving Template (VAST)
- [Exploring JPEG AI with Dr. Elena Alshina](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/exploring-jpeg-ai-with-dr-elena-alshina.html) - I recently had the privilege of chatting with Dr. Elena Alshina about JPEG AI; the video is below. Dr. Alshina is a prominent figure in the field, serving as the Audio Visual Lab Director and Director of the Media Codec and Standardization Lab at Huawei. She also plays a leading role in various international standardization
- [Navigating Rate Shaping and Zero Rating: Key Takeaways from Qwilt's Findings](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/ffmpeg/rate-shaping-and-zero-rating.html) - Many streaming publishers focus on the top rung of their encoding ladders and let the rest fall where they may. Recently released survey findings from Qwilt indicate that publishers serving a high percentage of mobile viewers should also focus on the middle rungs, as zero rating and rate-shaping make these the most highly viewed rungs
- [Installing and Using FFMetrics to Compute and Visualize VMAF, SSIM, and MS SSIM Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/uncategorized/installing-and-using-ffmetrics-to-compute-and-visualize-vmaf-ssim-and-ms-ssim-metrics.html) - This tutorial teaches you how to install and use FFMetrics, a free tool that lets you compute and visualize VMAF, SSIM, and PSNR on up to 12 files. Let me start this article by stating that the one program I couldn’t live without in my role as video tester and evaluator is the Moscow State
- [JPEG AI Is Coming: What You Need to Know](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/jpeg-ai-is-coming-what-you-need-to-know.html) - This article provides an overview of JPEG AI, which delivers superior compression efficiency and improved performance for AI tasks like object detection. JPEG AI is an initiative by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) aimed at developing a learning-based image coding standard that uses machine learning techniques to achieve superior compression efficiency, offering a compact
- [Solveig Offers Free Tier for Zond 265 File Analysis Tool](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/solveig-offers-free-tier-for-zond-265-file-analysis-tool.html) - Zond 265 is a very useful file analysis tool, but like all such tools, it's a bit pricey. Now, there's a free version that might meet your needs. I've been a longtime user of Zond 265, the powerful tool from Solveig Multimedia for in-depth analysis of HEVC, H.264, AV1, AVC, and MPEG-2 video bitstreams. While
- [What is MV-HEVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/what-is-mv-hevc.html) - Multiview High Efficiency Video Coding (MV-HEVC) is an advanced video compression standard that extends the capabilities of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), also known as H.265. MV-HEVC is designed to efficiently encode multiple views or perspectives of a scene within a single video stream, making it particularly useful for 3D video content. This technology allows
- [Beyond the Hype: A Critical Look at AI in Video Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/beyond-the-hype-a-critical-look-at-ai-in-video-streaming.html) - I recently presented at Dan Rayburn's Streaming Summit at NAB 2024. The topic was Beyond the Hype: A Critical Look at AI in Video Streaming. Here's the description: Artificial intelligence has become a buzzword in all technologies, including streaming video, with the promise of revolutionizing how we create, compress, and watch videos. However, it's crucial to separate the hype from reality.
- [New Lesson: AI in Video Encoding, Production, and Customer Experiences](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/new-lesson-ai-in-video-encoding-production-and-customer-experiences.html) - I just posted a new lesson to the Streaming Media 101 course on AI in encoding, production, and customer experiences. The lesson is free to all current students; here's the description. Lesson Description In this lesson, you will learn about the dynamic role of artificial intelligence in transforming media encoding, production processes, and customer experiences.
- [New Five Star Review for Video Quality Metrics Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/new-five-star-review-for-video-quality-metrics-course.html) - The Computing and Using Video Quality Metrics course teaches encoding pro to compute and use video metrics like VMAF, PSNR, and SSIM.
- [Simplifying Streaming Workflows with Norsk: An Interview with Dom Robinson](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/simplifying-streaming-workflows-with-norsk-an-interview-with-dom-robinson.html) - I recently spoke with Dom Robinson, co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer of id3as, to discuss id3as' flagship product, Norsk, and its suitability for OTT and streaming publishers. Here's a video of the conversation and a summary of the contents. Video 1: The complete interview. Existing Technologies and Pain Points Dom started by identifying the
- [Norsk Studio: A No-Code Interface for Media Workflows](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/norsk-studio-a-no-code-interface-for-media-workflows.html) - In a recent interview, I spoke with Rob Ashton, a software developer from id3as, about their product Norsk Studio - a no-code interface built using the Norsk SDK. Here's a summary of our conversation and a link to the video interview, and several excerpts. Video 1. Here's the complete interview. Norsk Overview Rob began by
- [The Business Case for Norsk: Interview with id3as CMO Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/the-business-case-for-norsk-interview-with-id3as-cmo-eric-schumacher-rasmussen.html) - I recently spoke with Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen, the Chief Marketing Officer at id3as, about their flagship product, Norsk. In our discussion, Eric detailed Norsk's functionalities, how it operates, and its distinct advantages for media publishers and broadcasters at scale. Below is the video of our conversation, accompanied by a summary of the key points we touched
- [Norsk for Broadcasters: Interview with id3as' Steve Strong](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/norsk-for-broadcasters-interview-with-id3as-steve-strong.html) - Recently, I spoke with Steve Strong, id3as' co-founder and director, about Norsk's suitability for broadcasters. Below is the video and a summary of the conversation. Overview By way of background, many traditional broadcasters are transitioning from legacy platforms to IP-based systems. A key player facilitating this shift is id3as with their new product, Norsk. Briefly,
- [HEVC Advance Releases Revised Licensing Terms](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/hevc-advance-releases-revised-licensing-terms.html) - When HEVC Advance first proposed royalty rates and policies in July 2015, the terms were almost universally criticised, if not vilified. Recognizing that the proposed structure would slow HEVC adoption rather than promote it, HEVC Advance has issued
- [The Quality Cost of Low-Latency Transcoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/the-quality-cost-of-low-latency-transcoding.html) - While low-latency transcoding sounds desirable, low-latency transcode settings can reduce quality and may not noticeably impact latency. Reducing latency has been a major focus for many live producers, and appropriately so, particularly for events that viewers can watch via other media, like sporting events available through satellite or cable TV. However, it's important to understand
- [Jan Ozer Becomes Unrestricted Free Agent](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/jan-ozer-becomes-unrestricted-free-agent.html) - Watch out Saquon! Sorry for the spring training, pre-combine sports reference, but it seems appropriate. I’m parting company with NETINT effective March 30, 2024. I want to thank CEO Alex Liu and my boss, Mark Donnigan, for the opportunity to work with NETINT for the last 18 months. One of my initial responsibilities was developing
- [Five Codec-Related Techniques to Cut Bandwidth Costs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/five-codec-related-techniques-to-cut-bandwidth-costs.html) - The mandate for streaming producers hasn’t changed since we delivered RealVideo streams targeted at 28.8 modems; that is, we must produce the absolute best quality video at the lowest possible bandwidth. With cost control top of mind for many streaming producers, let's explore five codec-related options to cut bandwidth costs while maintaining quality. For each,
- [Single-Pass vs Two-Pass VBR: Which is Better?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/single-two-pass-vbr.html) - Let's start this article with a quiz regarding how the quality and encoding speed of two-pass VBR (variable bitrate encoding) compares to single-pass VBR (that's right, VBR in both cases). Choose the best answer. Two-pass takes twice as long as single-pass but delivers significantly better overall quality. Two-pass takes slightly longer than single-pass but delivers
- [Found in Translation: How Captioning and Translation Can Deliver Eyeballs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/found-in-translation-how-captioning-and-translation-can-deliver-eyeballs.html) - I recently heard a story about the power of captioning and translation that I wanted to share. By way of background, I was writing a story about cloud encoding, talking to various users to learn why they choose to encode in the cloud, rather than on premise. One of the companies I spoke with was
- [FFmpeg to the Rescue: Convert 60fps to 30fps](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ffmpeg-rescue-converting-60-fps-30-fps.html) - A recent consulting project involved computing the VMAF, SSIM, and PSNR scores of 30 fps 480p video encoded from a 60 fps 1080p source file. I’ve not performed measurements like this in the past and assumed that simply converting the 60 fps sources file to 30 fps via the “-r” option would convert from 60
- [Updated Lessons for Video Quality Metrics Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/updated-lessons-for-video-quality-metrics-course.html) - We've updated several lessons in our Video Quality Metrics course, including some relating to the Moscow State University Video Quality Measurement Tool. The Moscow State University (MSU) Video Quality Measurement Tool (VQMT) is a tool that I use almost every day to analyze and compare encoded files. Our course, Computing and Using Video Quality Metrics:
- [My FFmpeg-Related New Year's Resolution: Document Before I Test](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/my-ffmpeg-new-years-resolution-document-before-i-test.html) - My typical workflow for testing-related articles and reports is to create the command string, run the tests, analyze the results, and then write or create the presentation. Since encoding is often so time-consuming, and I'm always in a hurry, I tend to quickly create the command strings with minimal thought, then run the tests, analyze
- [You Are Almost Certainly Wasting Bandwidth Streaming to Mobile Phones](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/you-are-almost-certainly-wasting-bandwidth-streaming-to-mobile-phones.html) - A few weeks ago, I wrote about the VMAF Phone Model which measures VMAF score for viewers watching on a mobile phone. Since then, I gave a presentation at NAB on VMAF and ran some calculations comparing the phone and default models. I share those below. First, have a quick look at the three VMAF
- [Transcoding UGC: ASICs Are the Lowest Cost Option](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/transcoding-economics-asics-for-high-volume-ugc.html) - The predominant use for ASIC-based transcoders like NETINT’s Quadra Video Processing Unit (VPU) has been live transcoding for live 4K60P HDR streaming, cloud gaming, interactive video applications, and other high-volume applications. In this post, we explore using Quadra VPUs for large-scale VOD transcoding for applications like user-generated content sites and social media. As you probably
- [Understanding the Economics of Transcoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/understanding-the-economics-of-transcoding.html) - Whether your business model is FAST or subscription-based premium content, your success depends upon your ability to deliver a high-quality viewing experience while relentlessly reducing costs. Transcoding is one of the most expensive production-related costs and the ultimate determinant of video quality, so obviously plays a huge role on both sides of this equation. This
- [The Impact of GOP Size on Video Quality](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/the-impact-of-gop-size-on-video-quality.html) - This freely downloadable report measures the qualitative impact of GOP sizes on animated, general entertainment, sports, and office footage for H.264 and HEVC. One of the most fundamental encoding decisions is GOP size or the frequency of I-frames in our encoded files. I-frames, also called keyframes, start each “group of pictures” comprised of I-, B-,
- [Comparing CPUs, GPUs, and ASICs for High-Volume Transcoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/comparing-cpus-gpus-and-asics-for-high-volume-transcoding.html) - This case study compares CAPEX, power consumption, and co-location costs for GPU, CPU, and ASIC-based transcoding. This case study was derived from Ilya Mikhaelis' recent talk at NETINT's symposium on Building Your Live Streaming Cloud. Images have been consolidated and modified slightly. You can view Ilya’s talk and download his slides here: bit.ly/vovs. Ilya Mikhaelis
- [Closed Captioning for Streaming Media](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/closed-captioning-for-streaming-media.html) - Though relatively few websites are required to provide closed captions for their videos, any website with significant video content should consider captioning. Not only does it provide access for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, but captions and the
- [How to Build an Encoding Ladder: What You Need to Know](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-build-an-encoding-ladder.html) - Learning how to build an encoding ladder is one of the most fundamental tasks for a streaming media professional. It's astounding how much you need to know to get it right. By way of background, the original encoding ladder used by most professionals was from Apple Tech Note TN2224, long since replaced by Apple's HLS
- [Running FFmpeg on Windows Subsystem for Linux](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/running-ffmpeg-on-windows-subsystem-for-linux.html) - This post details how to install, update and add FFmpeg to Windows Subsystem for Linux so you can run Linux in Windows with minimal muss or fuss. Here’s why you might want to install WSL in the first place. I recently taught a session at Streaming Media East on using variables with FFmpeg (download handout
- [A Guide to VVC Deployment](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/vvc-deployment.html) - Below are six video presentations and downloadable PDFs relating to VVC deployment from a session at Streaming Media East in 2023, all from recognized experts from companies developing and deploying VVC. The session was sponsored by Access Advance. The sessions begin with an in-depth exploration of VVC and how it compares to other codecs such
- [Beginner's Guide to Encoding H.264](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/beginners-guide-to-encoding-h264.html) - The H.264 codec is still the most widely used video compression technology -- aka codec in the world and likely will be for the next few years. For this reason, every streaming media professional should know what the H.264 codec is and how to encode with H.264. This beginner’s guide to encoding H.264 will describe
- [Streaming Media 101: "I was Amazed at How Much I Learned"](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/streaming-media-101-i-was-amazed-at-how-much-i-learned.html) - A recent review from The Ohio State University's Derrick Freeman highlighted what he learned from Streaming Media 101. Below is his review, which I've chopped up into bullet points. "I just recently earned my certificate from Jan Ozer's “Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals” e-learning course at Streaming Learning Center. I was
- [Book Excerpt: Streaming Vs. Progressive Download Vs. Adaptive Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/book-excerpt-streaming-vs-progressive-download-vs-adaptive-streaming.html) - Here's an excerpt from my (Jan Ozer) new book, Video Compression for Flash, Apple Devices, and HTML5. It’s important to recognize that when you deliver video over the Internet, you have multiple options, including streaming, progressive download, and adaptive streaming. Note that the mode you choose may have a significant impact on how you produce
- [Telestream Resurrects encoding.com's Global Media Format Report](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/telestream-resurrects-encoding-coms-global-media-format-report.html) - Telestream resurrects encoding.com's Global Media Format Report to provide valuable data on codec usage and other production details. For years, encoding.com's Global Media Format Report provided a key set of data points on codec usage and other topics from the prior years encoding production. Since encoding.com was the first and remains one of the largest
- [I've Concluded My Projects With Sisvel](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/ive-concluded-my-projects-with-sisvel.html) - Just a quick post to note that I've finished my work with Sisvel. It was great meeting and working with the talented folks at Sisvel and learning how patent pools operate from the inside. I greatly appreciate the experience and wish Sisvel and the pool members success as they work to protect and monetize their
- [Build Your Own Live Streaming Cloud](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/build-your-own-live-streaming-cloud.html) - I'm proud to speak at NETINT's Build Your Own Live Streaming Cloud Symposium. We've assembled an all-star cast of experts to educate streaming engineers on how to build their own encoding and packaging infrastructure and save a bundle over cloud services. Speakers include representatives from Wowza, GPAC, id3as (Norsk), Edgio, Greening of Streaming, two of
- [Replace Bitrate Viewer with FFBitrateViewer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/replace_bitrate_viewer_with_ffbitrateviewer.html) - Recently I was asked to visually illustrate the data rate difference between two HEVC files, one encoded with CBR at 6 Mbps, the other using capped CRF with the same cap. Of course, everyone’s go-to bitrate visualization viewer has always been Bitrate Viewer, which does a great job displaying the bitrate of a single H.264-encoded
- [B-Frames, Ultra Low-Latency Encoding, and Parking Lot Rules](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/b-frames-ultra-low-latency-encoding-and-parking-lot-rules.html) - One of my sweetest memories of bringing up our two daughters was weekly trips to the grocery store. Each got a $5.00 bribe for accompanying their father, which they happily invested in various tchotchkes that seldom lasted the week. When we exited the car, “parking lot rules” always applied, which meant that each daughter held
- [Which is the Best AWS CPU for FFmpeg?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/best-aws-cpu-for-ffmpeg.html) - If you encode with FFmpeg on AWS, you probably know that you have three CPU options: AMD, Graviton, and Intel. Which is the best AWS CPU for FFmpeg? This article reveals all. For those in a hurry, it’s Graviton for x264 and AMD for x265, often by a significant margin. But the devil is always
- [Lesson of the Week: What's the Optimal Data Rate for Mezzanine Files?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/optimal-data-rate-for-mezzanine-fileswhats-the-optimal-data-rate.html) - When you upload a file to an online video platform (OVP) or user-generated content (UGC) site, the mezzanine file you create will be transcoded into multiple ABR rungs. Given that video is a garbage-in/worse-garbage-out medium, the inclination is to encode at as high a data rate as possible. However, higher data rates increase upload time
- [SVT Releases Open-Source Encoder: Simplifies Large Scale Encoder Development](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/svt-open-sources-encore-vod-encoder-simplifies-large-scale-encoder-development.html) - If you're building a large-scale in-house VOD encoder, your job just got easier as SVT open-sources Encore, their VOD encoder. One of the most fundamental decisions all streaming publishers must make is whether to purchase a commercial encoder, use a commercial cloud encoder, or build their own, the classic make vs. buy. One of the
- [Streaming Learning Center Launches Live Bootcamp Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/streaming-learning-center-launches-live-bootcamp-course.html) - I'm pleased to announce the availability of our new course, Live Streaming Bootcamp, which costs $99.95 but is available at a 50% discount through September 30, 2021. See details below. Let's face it, many of us have been placed in front of or behind a camera or webcam over the last year or so and
- [Choosing a Live Transcoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/choosing-a-live-transcoder.html) - Four days on the show floor at IBC solidified the concept that your choice of the live encoder is dictated by your encoding application. In this article, I’ll review the types of encoders and the trade-offs associated with each type and will identify the type of encoder that works best for a few selected encoding
- [Constrained VBR Levels of the Rich and Famous](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/constrained-vbr-levels-of-the-rich-and-famous.html) - I've been wondering if publishers still care about constraining their maximum bitrates (see here for more background), so I grabbed my copy of youtube-dl and performed a little study. The TL/DR version seems to be that new media sites like YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo don't strictly adhere to the typical 200% constrained VBR limit while
- [Per-Title Encoding 2022](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/per-title-encoding-2022.html) - My article, Buyers' Guide to Per-Title Encoding is up on Streaming Media. Per-title encoding is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to reduce streaming bandwidth, increase viewer QoE, or accomplish both. It's becoming a standard feature in cloud-encoding services. The article begins with an overview of what per-title encoding is and why it's
- [New Codec 2022 Lessons Added to Streaming Media 101 Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/new-codec-2022-lessons-added-to-streaming-media-101-course.html) - Just a quick note that I've updated the course, Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals, with new codec lessons for H.264, VP9, HEVC, AV1, VVC, LCEVC, and EVC. Each lesson, which vary in length from 12 to 20 minutes, covers the topics shown in the agenda below. The lessons are designed to
- [How to Compare Hardware Transcoders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/how-to-compare-hardware-transcoders.html) - This article details a methodology for comparing hardware transcoders considering cost/stream, watt/stream, and output quality. If you’ve ever benchmarked software codecs, you know the quality/throughput tradeoff; simply stated, the higher the quality, the lower the throughput. In contrast, for many first-generation hardware encoders, throughput was prioritized, but the quality was fixed; you got what you
- [SVT-AV1 vs. LibAOM](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/svt-av1-vs-libaom.html) - In August 2020, the Alliance for Open Media created a software working group to “use the Scalable Video Technology for AV1 (SVT-AV1) encoder developed by Intel...to create AV1 encoder implementations that deliver excellent video compression across applications in ways that remove computational complexity trade-offs for an ever-growing video delivery marketplace.” Testing published around that time
- [New Lesson Helps Students Choose the Best Codec for Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/new-lesson-helps-students-choose-the-best-codec-for-streaming.html) - Just a quick note that I’ve updated the course, Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals with a new lesson entitled Codec Update 2023. You can see the agenda in Figure 1 below. For those in a hurry, you can scan through and see my recommendations for 2023 forty seconds in. Choosing the
- [Join Me at Streaming Media East in Boston in May](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/join-me-at-streaming-media-east-in-boston-in-may.html) - Note: I've updated the descriptions below with links to the actual presentations. I will add the videos once they become available. Streaming Media East is always a great event for learning, meeting, greeting, and catching up on the latest trends and technical innovations in the Streaming Industry. This year's event will be held May 17
- [Encode on-Premise or in the Cloud](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/uncategorized/encode-on-premise-or-in-the-cloud.html) - Deciding whether to encode on-premise or in the cloud is one of the most critical decisions facing any streaming publisher. Two recent articles provide both strong opinions and insights on this decision and are worthy of review. Our take? Do the math and make your own decision. The first article is “Why we’re leaving the
- [The Correct Way to Choose an x264 Preset](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/the-correct-way-to-choose-an-x264-preset.html) - To choose the optimal x264 preset, you have to balance encoding and distribution costs. This article shows you how. Over the last few years, I've used the first chart below to represent the tradeoffs associated with different presets and help readers (or listeners) choose a preset. To create the chart, you encode your test files
- [Best Sources for Free Video Test Clips](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/best-sources-for-free-video-test-clips.html) - I recently posted a request for video test clips on LinkedIn. This article summarizes the websites listed in the responses. Thanks to all who responded. 4KMedia An absolutely fabulous resource for compressionists looking for a broad range of 4K footage of reasonable duration, many, like this NY promotional clip, in HDR. Here's the site description.
- [How to Optimize x264 and x265 Quality in FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/optimize-x264-x265-ffmpeg.html) - This blog includes the video and handout from my talk on "How to Produce x264 and x265 Video at Maximum Quality and Maximum Efficiency" at NAB 2023 (thanks to Dan Rayburn). Here's the description. This research-based session explores configuration options like presets, threads, color depth, and others that impact output quality and encoding efficiency. Balancing
- [Ozer to Present on x265 Encoding and Packaging at Mile-High Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/ozer-to-present-on-x265-encoding-and-packaging-at-mile-high-video.html) - You can download the presentation handout here (download). I'll add the video once it becomes available. I'm thrilled to speak at Mile-High Video in Denver, which runs from May 7 - 10 2023. My presentation is on Sunday, May 7, entitled, "Encoding and Packaging x265/HDR with FFmpeg, Bento4 and mp4box." The description is, "this introductory
- [VVC Playback Surprisingly Efficient on Computers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/vvc-playback-stats.html) - The last time I looked at VVC playback in software was for this article in Streaming Media Magazine. Fraunhofer's VVDec decoder delivered an uninspiring 39 frames per second when converting the input file to YUV. This was on a (then) nine year old i7-based HP desktop. I just retested with a version of FFmpeg that
- [Defining Transcoder, VPU, and VCU](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/transcoder-vcus-and-vpus.html) - A woman walks into a bar and asks, “I’ll have two video transcoders, please.” Bartender says, “We don’t carry transcoders; we have VPUs. Will they do?” The woman scratches her head and says, “hmm, I don’t know.” Do you? If not, you’re in the right place. This short article will briefly define transcoder, VPU, and
- [New Articles on Streaming Media Magazine](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/new-articles-on-streaming-media-magazine.html) - Two free learning resources are available on the Streaming Media website; How to Produce VVC With FFmpeg and How to Script for FFmpeg Using PowerShell and BASH. They're tutorials in the Streaming Media Sourcebook, an annual production containing useful articles and collections. Learn Variables and For Loops Here's the abridged intro: Most FFmpeg users start by
- [We Serve Hard Drinks to Men Who Want to Get Drunk Fast](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/we-serve-hard-drinks-to-men-who-want-to-get-drunk-fast.html) -  I just waded through another NAB’s worth of press releases. With depressing frequency, the first few graphs are filled with so much ancillary gobblygook that I often have no idea what the new product or service does after reading them. This invariably brings to mind the classic line from a bar scene in the
- [Come See Me (Jan Ozer) At NAB](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/come-see-me-jan-ozer-at-nab.html) - NAB is coming up April 15 - 19 in Las Vegas. I'll be attending with NETINT (company description below) at booth W1672. We'll show our core product line of two ASIC-based live transcoder families, the T408 (H.264/HEVC) and the Quadra (H.264/HEVC/AV1 plus AI integration). At the show, we'll debut two server products that integrate the
- [Which Codec Does YouTube Use, Part III](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/which-codec-does-youtube-use-part-iii.html) - This article analyzes the codecs used by YouTube for 4K videos with millions of views, and the savings that AV1 and VP9 deliver over YouTube's full encoding ladder. This is the third in a series of articles written about which codecs YouTube uses. The first covers which codecs YouTube uses for high-volume 1080p videos. The
- [It's The Year of AV1. 2023, That Is.](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/its-the-year-of-av1-2023-that-is.html) - A recent Netflix post trumpets AV1's suitability for mass-market distribution, but high encoding costs, the lack of HDR support, and nascent support in the living room make AV1 a non-starter for most producers. Most of these issues should be resolved by mid-2023, when mainstream usage should really start to blossom. Netflix: AV1 on (Some) Smart
- [Does FFmpeg 5 Break Your Scripts?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/ffmpeg/does_ffmpeg5_break_your_scripts.html) - FFmpeg turns 5.0; the new release has big API changes but doesn't appear to break existing command scripts, though x265-based encodes are worth checking. As much as we like major releases of programs that we know and love, one big question is always whether it changes how we use the program. If you haven't heard,
- [How Firmware Helps Keep ASICs Up to Date](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/how-firmware-helps-keep-asics-up-to-date.html) - ASICs have an unfair (and inaccurate) reputation for being obsolete the day they leave the foundry. However, while some functions are baked into the hardware, firmware, and driver software enable continual upgrades in both features and performance. To explore these capabilities, I spoke with two members of the NETINT development team, Neil Gunn, who is
- [Key Lessons from YouTube's ARGOS Encoding ASIC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/asics-vs-software-based-transcoding-an-analysis-of-youtubes-argos-transcoder.html) - Even in 2023, many high-volume streaming producers continue to rely on software-based transcoding, despite the clear CAPEX, OPEX, and environmental benefits of ASIC-based transcoding. At least part of this inertia relates to outdated concerns about the shortcomings of ASICs, including sub-par quality and lack of upgradeability. As a parent, I long ago concluded that there
- [Google Chrome plays HEVC: What Does it Mean?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/google-chrome-plays-hevc-what-does-it-mean.html) - When I first heard that Google Chrome played HEVC, I checked the weather in Hades to determine if it had, in fact, frozen over. Reports were inconclusive. Then I started reaching out to colleagues and contacts whose opinions I value to get their reactions and thoughts. Many spoke on the record, and many didn’t. In
- [Streaming Industry Insights: The Bitmovin Video Developer Report 2023](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/streaming-industry-insights-the-bitmovin-video-developer-report-2023.html) - The Bitmovin Video Developer Report, now in its 6th edition, is one of the most far-reaching and useful documents available to streaming professionals (now with no registration required). It’s a report that I happily download each December and generally refer to frequently during the next twelve months. Like the proverbial elephant, what you find important
- [What is Cloud Gaming (and Why You Care)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/what-is-cloud-gaming-and-why-you-care.html) - Video games are a huge market segment, projected to reach US$221.4 billion in 2023 and expanding to an estimated US$285 billion by 2027. Of that, cloud gaming grossed an estimated US$3 billion+ in 2022 and is projected to produce over US$12 billion in revenue by 2026. If you’re not familiar with cloud gaming, the next
- [VVC Performance, Royalty, and Implementation Status](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/vvc-performance.html) - VVC reached First Draft International Specification in July 2020. We’re about 18 months past that date and it’s useful to check in on VVC progress to date, including licensing, performance, chipset development, and trials. VVC Patent Owners Video quality is nice, but money makes the world go-'round, so let’s start here. Understand that video compression
- [Computing the payback period on ASIC-based transcoders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/computing-the-payback-period-on-asic-based-transcoders.html) - One of the most power-hungry processes performed in data centers is software-based live transcoding, which can be performed much more efficiently with ASIC-based transcoders. With power costs soaring and carbon emissions an ever-increasing concern, data centers that perform high-volume live transcoding should strongly consider switching to ASIC-based transcoders like the NETINT T408. To assist in
- [HEVC Passes AV1 on CanIUse](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/hevc-passes-av1-on-caniuse.html) - For some reason I can't explain, Molly Brown's comment from the movie Titanic, "there's something you don't see every day," (while watching the doomed ship sink), has stuck with me since I saw the movie back in 1997. It recently came to mind when a colleague informed me that HEVC support had eclipsed AV1 on
- [Handouts from Streaming Media West](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/handouts-from-streaming-media-west.html) - Streaming Media West was a high-energy conference with a great vibe and the usual elegance of the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa. I gave two talks; a 3-hour preconference session entitled Advanced Codec Implementation & Production and a 45-minute session on Encoding AV1 with Open Source Alternatives. Below are the descriptions and links
- [Choosing a Preset for SVT-AV1 and libaom-AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/choosing-a-preset-for-svt-av1-and-libaom-av1.html) - This article shows the quality/encoding time tradeoffs for producers choosing a preset for SVT-AV1 and libaom-AV1. Note to readers - 12/13 - AOM has released version 1.4, which fixed the SVT-AV1 preset issues reported in the first version of this article. Presets are the most important configuration option for controlling quality and throughput for most
- [The Intersection of AI and Video Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/the-intersection-of-ai-and-video-encoding.html) - The intersection of video processing and artificial intelligence (AI) delivers exciting new functionality, from real-time quality enhancement for video publishers to object detection and optical character recognition for security applications. Forward-thinking product designs incorporate both video processing (decode/scale/overlay/encode) and AI to provide the optimal platform for video-related AI applications like those discussed below. For example,
- [Dense is good when it comes to transcoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/dense-is-good-when-it-comes-to-transcoding.html) - Back in high school, if someone called you dense, it meant you were slow on the uptake, and it definitely wasn’t a compliment. For high-volume video transcoding, however, density is, without question, a major plus. Some background. I now work with NETINT, a Canadian company that designs, develops, and sells ASIC-powered transcoders like the T408 and T432,
- [Finding the Optimal Top Rung Data Rate](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/finding-the-optimal-top-rung-data-rate.html) - The top rung of your encoding ladder is the most expensive to deliver, and in many regions, it’s also the most frequently viewed. Encode at too high a bit rate and you’re wasting money; encode too low, and you’re potentially reducing viewer quality of experience. This makes choosing the top rung bitrate a key task
- [SVT-AV1 1.0 Shows Great Promise](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/svt-av1-1-0-shows-great-promise.html) - I've been testing SVT-AV1 1.0 for a presentation that I'm giving on open-source AV1 encoding alternatives at Streaming Media East on May 24, 2022. The results have been impressive; two-pass VBR encoding is working well, and the codec offers a great range of presets, with several much faster than real-time. In contrast, FFmpeg's libaom-AV1 has
- [Choosing a Cloud-Based Video Editor](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/choosing-a-cloud-based-video-editor.html) - I recently spent a few days studying cloud-based video editors which led to this article published in Streaming Media Magazine. I learned that there are two tiers of cloud editors. The top tier, including Blackbird and Vimond IO, are serious video editors that rival desktop editors in features and performance (particularly Blackbird). These services should
- [Webinar: Producing VP9 for VOD and Live Streaming: Should You and How-To](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/webinar-producing-vp9-for-vod-and-live-streaming.html) - This webinar provided an overview of producing VP9 for VOD and live streaming. You can watch the recorded video below. Click here to download the handout.  Description: The VP9 codec is at an interesting inflection point. On the one hand, VP9 provides better quality than H.264, and similar quality but much better browser support
- [Webinar: H.264 Encoding for Newbies and Optimizers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/h264_webinar.html) - The webinar is over; thanks to all who registered and attended. You can watch the recorded version below. The handout is available here. Description: This free webinar teaches streaming media novices how to produce high-quality H.264 output delivered via efficient encoding ladders that optimize quality, compatibility, and bitrate efficiency. The webinar will also introduce the
- [Streaming Learning Center Presents Webinar on Remote Production Workflows](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-production/webinar-on-remote-production-workflows.html) - Webinar Highlights Three Remote Production Workflows to Enable Attendees to Choose the Best Alternative Here's the webinar; links to the handouts are below the video window. Thanks to Corey, Anthony, and John for pulling together the information and delivering three great presentations. Corey's handout here: Anthony's handout here: John's handout here: Here's the description: Remote
- [Webinar: Deploying DRM with the Wowza Streaming Engine and BuyDRM’s KeyOS Platform](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/webinar-deploying-drm-with-the-wowza-streaming-engine-and-buydrms-keyos-platform.html) - This webinar is designed for Wowza Streaming Engine (WSE) users who are adding digital rights management (DRM) to their live or VOD streams, particularly using BuyDRM KeyOS. It's now available for on-demand viewing immediately below: 00:00 - Introduction 01:15 - About BuyDRM (https://buydrm.com/) 02:20 - About Derrick Freeman 03:14 - DRM Overview 03:39 - What
- [Webinar: Choosing a Codec in 2021 and Beyond](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/webinar-choosing-a-codec-in-2021-and-beyond.html) - This video discusses how to choose a codec in 2021 and beyond. Download the handout here. Here's the video.  Here's the Description Codecs like H.264 and AV1 are the key enabling technologies for all entertainment and business-oriented video distribution, whether movies distributed via Netflix or videoconferencing from Zoom and similar services. At a high
- [Webinar: Comparing EVC, LCEVC, and VVC with H.264, HEVC, and AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/webinar-comparing-evc-lcevc-and-vvc-with-h-264-hevc-and-av1.html) - This video compares VVC, EVC, and LCEVC with H.264, HEVC, and AV1, considering quality, USP, royalty status, key stakeholders, producibility, and playability. You can watch an archived version of the webinar on YouTube by scrolling to the bottom of the page. You can download the handout here. This video is a webinar comparing VVC, EVC, and
- [Additions and Updates to Video Quality Metrics Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/additions-and-updates-to-video-quality-metrics-course.html) - New lessons detail how to use FFMetrics; updated lessons on what VMAF is, how to compute VMAF with FFmpeg, and how to interpret VMAF scores. Just a quick note to let you know about new additions and updates to our course, Computing and Using Video Quality Metrics: A Course for Encoding Professionals, which teaches encoding
- [Presentation Handouts](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/presentation-handouts.html) - There are the handouts from the last few Streaming Media Events. They're typically long and very detailed, so provide a lot of data and other information. I've segmented them by subject and included the videos where available. I hope you find this information useful. Production and Delivery FFmpeg Visual Quality Metrics Per-Title Encoding Hardware Transcoding
- [Streaming Veteran Jan Ozer Joins NETINT as ASIC Adoption Accelerates](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/streaming-veteran-jan-ozer-joins-netint-as-asic-adoption-accelerates.html) - I'm joining NETINT's marketing team and will continue to write, speak, publish, and maintain and expand the courses at the Streaming Learning Center. Vancouver, BC - August 8, 2022 - NETINT Technologies today, announced the hiring of Jan Ozer in the role of Senior Director, Video Technology Marketing. In this position, Ozer will lead industry benchmarking, technical validation, content creation,
- [SLC Releases Cloud-Based HEVC and H.264 Per-Title Quality and OPEX Reports](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/slc-releases-cloud-based-hevc-and-h-264-per-title-quality-and-opex-reports.html) - Choosing the wrong per-title encoding service can boost streaming costs by up to 64% and storage costs by 76%. It can also reduce the average video quality delivered to your viewers by up to 9.28 VMAF points. These reports identify the OPEX and quality leaders and save months of testing. Overview: Per-Title encoding is the
- [Cloud Encoding Pricing Comparison Reveals Dramatic Cost Differences - Are You Overpaying?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/cloud-encoding-pricing-comparison-reveals-dramatic-cost-differences-are-you-overpaying.html) - This whitepaper, sponsored by Dolby/Hybrik, tracks cloud encoding pricing for H.264 and HEVC output and reveals dramatic price differences among popular services. I've just completed a whitepaper sponsored by Dolby/Hybrik to compare pricing for multiples of one hour of H.264 and HEVC encoding using the recommended encoding ladders in the Apple HLS Authoring Specifications. You
- [SLC Updates AV1 Encoding Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/slc-updates-av1-encoding-course.html) - The course Encoding with the AV1 Codec has been updated with new instructions for SVT-AV1 1.0 and FFmpeg/libaom-AV1. AV1 is a powerful codec but to optimize quality and performance, you have to choose the optimal preset and thread count and then navigate through obscure commands like auto-alt-ref, row-mt, tile columns/tile rows, and lag-in-frames. The course, Encoding
- [A Survey Of Per-Title Encoding Technologies - Download Handout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/a-survey-of-per-title-encoding-technologies-download-handout.html) - Here's the description; download handout here. T103. A Survey Of Per-Title Encoding Technologies Tuesday, May 7: 1:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Per-title encoding techniques customize the encoding ladder to match the encoding complexity of the source, saving bandwidth on easy-to-compress videos and ensuring the quality of more complex footage. Codec specialist Jan Ozer compares the efficiency,
- [SLC Releases Free Course: Introduction to Streaming Media](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/slc-releases-free-course-introduction-to-streaming-media.html) - Announcing a free course entitled Introduction to Streaming Media. As the name suggests, the course introduces students to fundamental concepts of streaming media. The course includes just under 100 minutes of instruction in 16 lessons with twelve quizzes to test retention. Students who complete all lessons and earn a 100 on all quizzes will earn
- [How to Compare Per-Title Encoding Systems](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/how-to-analyze-per-title-encoding-systems.html) - I just completed the first of two reports on cloud-based per-title encoding features, culminating 8 months of work. The first report details H.264 output, and the next, scheduled for release by July 18, details HEVC output. This article will detail the procedures used during this analysis which will be helpful to any company seeking to
- [Don't Sacrifice Usability On the Altar of Design](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/uncategorized/dont-sacrifice-usability-on-the-altar-of-design.html) - I took two pictures of clocks in my kitchen this morning, on the left is the microwave, on the right, the coffee maker. Which time is correct and what's the key clue? If you guessed microwave because it's about the time I actually start working in the morning, you'd be half right. The answer? The
- [SVT-AV1 and Libaom Tune for PSNR by Default](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/svt-av1-and-libaom-tune-for-psnr-by-default.html) - As of June 22, 2022, libaom-AV1 and SVT-AV1 tune for PSNR by default, and libaom-AV1 doesn't appear to have a mode that optimizes actual video quality. Be sure to verify and consider this when comparing the codecs to others. Most of the time with codec experimentation, a lapse in attention costs you hours, days, or
- [Improve Zoom Video Quality for VOD in Premiere Pro](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-lessons/improve-zoom-video-quality-for-vod-in-premiere-pro.html) - If you're converting a Zoom or other conference recording for VOD distribution, here's how to improve Zoom video quality in Premiere Pro before uploading Many of us use conferencing systems like Zoom and others to produce interviews that we broadcast live and later on VOD. Often you can't control the quality of the video coming
- [How to Set Exposure with your Camcorder and DLSR](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-lessons/how-to-set-exposure-with-your-camcorder-and-dlsr.html) - This tutorial teaches you how to set exposure and white balance on your camcorder and DSLR for live and on-demand video production. This article was derived from a lesson in my Live Streaming Bootcamp course, which teaches you the skills and techniques that optimize the quality of your webinars and live streams. Click here for
- [Choosing the Resolution for Lower Rungs on Your Encoding Ladder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/choosing-the-resolution-for-lower-rungs-on-your-encoding-ladder.html) - Your encoding ladder should include lower resolution rungs even if higher resolution rungs deliver better quality. This blog explains why. Several lessons in the online course Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals focus on creating and configuring encoding ladders, including the Convex Hull technique discussed below. With advanced codecs like AV1 and
- [Talking Codecs on the Video Insiders Podcast](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/talking-codecs-on-the-video-insiders-podcast.html) - I'm a big fan of the Video Insiders podcast and have learned a lot from many of the episodes. I'm proud to have joined Dror Gill and Mark Donnigan for episode 70, which you can listen to or download here. Here's the description: EPISODE SUMMARY The Video Insiders podcast is celebrating 70(!) episodes with a
- [Choosing an x265 Preset: an ROI Analysis](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/choosing-an-x265-preset-an-roi-analysis.html) - This post presents a return on investment view of choosing an x265 preset that delivers the optimal blend of encoding cost and storage and bandwidth savings. The first chart, x265 Encoding Time/Quality Tradeoff, is from a lesson in my course Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. Given the bandwidth and storage savings
- [When a Butterfly Flaps its Wings in Cupertino, VVC's Success May Be Assured](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/when-a-butterfly-flaps-its-wings-in-cupertino-vvcs-success-may-be-assured.html) - Given that VVC is top of mind right now, I just wanted to report that IAM has announced that it appears that Apple has purchased 14 VVC-related patents from a Korean inventor. IAM is connecting a lot of dots to (I think) make this claim, which goes something like this. A Korean inventor set up
- [Beginner's Guide to REMI Production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-production/beginners-guide-to-remi-production.html) - Remote production has garnered significant notice over the last few years for obvious reasons. While there is a specific definition that I’ll share below, the concept has expanded to any production schema where the talent or event is at one location and the video production at another. In a recent webinar produced by the Streaming
- [Got a Successful Per-Title or New Codec Implementation Story to Share? Here's Your Chance](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/got-a-successful-per-title-or-new-codec-implementation-story-to-share-heres-your-chance.html) - I'm exceptionally pleased to return to in-person teaching at Streaming Media East, which will be held on May 24–25, 2022, at the Westin Copley Place in Boston, MA. I'll be producing two 3-hour workshops on May 23, the Monday before the event, and presenting and/or moderating three sessions during the event. As usual, each one is
- [Seeking Input: Which Low-Res Rungs are Essential to an Encoding Ladder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/seeking-input-which-low-res-rungs-are-essential-to-an-encoding-ladder.html) - Note: I received some very useful responses to this blog that are summarized in a post entitled, Choosing the Resolution for Lower Rungs on Your Encoding Ladder. I could use some input from practitioners out there about which lower resolution rungs are essential to an encoding ladder. By way of background, I'm preparing a per-title
- [Video Codec Quality Benchmark 2022](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/video-codec-quality-benchmark-2022.html) - OK, I’ll say it. As far as I know, this is the first time any study has compared the quality and performance of codecs representing Essential Video Coding (EVC), Versatile Video Coding (VVC), and Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC), as well as AV1, HEVC, and H.264. It’s not as exhaustive as I would like
- [Video Codec Update 2022](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/video-codec-update-2022.html) - My State of Video Codecs 2022 article is up on Streaming Media Magazine. The article identifies the most significant announcements from the last year relating to H.264, VP9, HEVC, AV1, Versatile Video Coding (VVC), Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC), and Essential Video Coding (EVC). If you're looking for a good way to catch up
- [Learn to Encode with FFmpeg 5.0](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/ffmpeg/learn-to-encode-with-ffmpeg-5-0.html) - My tutorial How to Encode with FFmpeg 5.0 is up on Streaming Media.com. By way of background, on January 17, 2022, FFmpeg released FFmpeg 5.0, called Lorentz. To celebrate and to help introduce new users to the power and ease of FFmpeg, I created this entry-level tutorial for single and two-pass encoding with FFmpeg. You'll
- [Introduction to Streaming Media for Non-Technical Staff](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/introduction-to-streaming-media-for-non-technical-staff.html) - I've launched a new course entitled Introduction To Streaming Media for Non-Technical Staff. As the name suggests, the course introduces non-technical employees to fundamental concepts of streaming media. The basic concept is that even if you're not an engineer, you should know what a codec is, why H.264 is still king, what DRM is (and
- [Formulate the Optimal Encoding Ladder with VMAF](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/optimal_encoding_ladder_vmaf.html) - This post describes how to formulate the optimal encoding ladder with VMAF. This analysis is excerpted from a lesson in the online course Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. I received the following question from a reader; it’s got such general applicability that I thought I would share my response. Question: We’re
- [Encoding for Transcoding vs Encoding for Distribution](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/encoding-for-transcoding-vs-encoding-for-distribution.html) - A consulting client sent the following command string for a 1080p file they were encoding for upload to Vimeo, their online video platform. crf=20:vbv-maxrate=10000:vbv-bufsize=9500 What's wrong with these parameters? First, some theory. One distinction to understand when encoding files is the difference between producing a mezzanine file to use for subsequent transcoding and encoding for
- [Estimating the Bitrate for 8K Videos When Encoding with HEVC and AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/ffmpeg/estimating-the-bitrate-for-8k-videos.html) - It’s a well-known and oft-repeated truism that codecs operate more efficiently at higher resolutions. The question is, is the truism really true? It turns out that it is, and we prove it below. To lend numbers to our truism and focus the issue, the basic question is this. 8K video has 16 times the pixels
- [Choosing the Optimal CRF Value for Capped CRF Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/choosing-the-optimal-crf-value-for-capped-crf-encoding.html) - In a blog full of wonky compression articles, this could be the wonkiest article of all. If you're not using capped CRF encoding, or considering the same, it's almost certainly not of interest. If you are using capped CRF encoding (for constant rate factor), however, you almost certainly will find it interesting and perhaps even
- [Does Anyone Care About Constrained VBR Anymore?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/does-anyone-care-about-constrained-vbr-bitrate-control.html) - I'm comparing cloud-based per-title VOD encoding technologies for a report I hope to publish in the near term. In an attempt to create a level playing field I set the following specifications. 2-second GOP 200% constrained VBR 2-second VBV buffer Kind of like you were encoding with FFmpeg and using these parameters -b:v 2600k -maxrate 5200k
- [Lesson of the Week: Compute VMAF with FFmpeg on Windows](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-computing-vmaf-with-ffmpeg-on-windows.html) - Note: This update details how to compute VMAF with FFmpeg on Windows. From my perspective, this feature has gotten progressively less usable and increasingly frustrating. Documentation is poor and the syntax is idiosyncratic and hard to use. If you have any alternative, like Moscow State University's Video Quality Measurement Tool, I would spend the money
- [The past, present, and future of per-title encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/the-past-present-and-future-of-per-title-encoding.html) - Maya Angelou once said that “You can't really know where you are going until you know where you have been,” and so it is with per-title encoding. What began as a one-dimensional data rate adjustment that reflected the simple reality that all videos encode differently is now a complex analysis that incorporates frame rate, resolution,
- [YouTube Stops H.264 4K Encoding; Will Apple Adopt VP9?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/youtube-stops-h-264-4k-encoding-will-apple-adopt-vp9.html) - Apple Safari has never supported VP8 or VP9, but a move by Google's YouTube pressures it to do so: Safari users can't see new 4K videos on YouTube. Apple Safari is the only current browser that doesn’t support Google’s VP9. In a move that may go a long way towards convincing Apple to do so,
- [MSU Updates Video Quality Measurement Tool](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/msu-updates-video-quality-measurement-tool.html) - Moscow State University’s Video Quality Measurement Tool (MSU VQMT) is my go-to utility for computing and visualizing objective metrics like VMAF, PSNR, and SSIM. In version 13, MSU increased codec compatibility and metric performance, added new HDR metrics and display capabilities, and enhanced VQMT’s already best-in-class visualization tools. If you’re a VQMT user, it’s an
- [Bitmovin Video Developer Report Reports on Codec Usage](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/bitmovin-video-developer-report-reports-on-codec-usage.html) - Every year around this time, like an early Christmas present, Bitmovin releases its Annual Video Developer’s Report, a must-read for all streaming media professionals. Now in its fifth year, the report contains valuable insights regarding codec usage, production workflows, and the issues that are keeping streaming professionals up at night, literally or metaphorically. To produce
- [What is Data Rate and Bits Per Pixel](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/what_is_data_rate_bits_per_pixel.html) - This article discusses what data rate is and why it's important, and what bits per pixel measures and how to compute it. What is Data Rate? Data rate (or bit rate) is the amount of data per second of video, usually expressed in kilobits (kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps). When I say that ESPN
- ["Wonderful Course" for New Media Professionals](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/wonderful-course-for-new-media-professionals.html) - This software development manager found Streaming Media 101 "worth taking" for all new media professionals. I've never met Spoorti Hallur from Xperi Corporation in person (we're connected on LinkedIn), but I'm guessing she's a glass-half-full kind of person. At least she seems that way in the fabulous review she just gave the course Streaming Media
- [Review Finds FFmpeg Course on Udemy Amazing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/ffmpeg/review-finds-ffmpeg-course-on-udemy-amazing.html) - Few things please a course creator more than positive reviews and it's been a good week for them. This one is for my FFmpeg for Adaptive Bitrate Production on the Udemy site. My goal for this course was to focus on the "why" as well as the "how." So, students just don't learn how to
- [Learn to Use AWS Elemental Auto-ABR](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/learn-to-use-aws-elemental-auto-abr.html) - A recent tutorial posted on Streaming Media Magazine details how to use AWS Elemental's Auto-ABR feature. Here's the scintillating intro. Per-title encoding has been around since 2016, delivering significant bandwidth savings, QoE improvements, or both to companies that deploy it (click here for a backgrounder on per-title encoding). Those benefits notwithstanding, a recent Bitmovin survey
- [Testing EVC, VVC, and LCEVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/uncategorized/testing-evc-vvc-and-lcevc.html) - This article compares VVC, EVC, and LCEVC with H.264, HEVC, and AV1. Its' useful if you're attempting to understand the goals and capabilities of these codecs. In 2020, MPEG announced three new codecs, Versatile Video Coding (VVC), Essential Video Coding (EVC), and Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC). As of January 2022, all are released and
- [Choosing the Segment Duration for DASH or HLS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/choosing-the-optimal-segment-duration.html) - Summary This research-based article details the factors to consider when choosing the segment duration for DASH or HLS. By way of background, when choosing an HLS or DASH segment duration for VOD video, the nature of the server/player connection is critical. For persistent connections, a segment size of two-three seconds produces good quality and optimal
- [Moscow State's Dr. Dmitriy Vatolin Talks Codecs, Metrics, and Video Quality](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/uncategorized/moscow-states-dr-dmitriy-vatolin-talks-codecs-metrics-and-video-quality.html) - Dr. Dmitriy Vatolin is the Head of the Moscow State University Graphics and Media Lab and one of my favorite colleagues in the streaming quality space. His group produces the Video Quality Measurement Tool (VQMT) that I use almost every day and publishes many codec studies that compare the latest and greatest with comprehensive, and
- [Crafting the Ideal Encoding Ladder in Two Simple Steps](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/crafting-the-ideal-encoding-ladder-in-two-simple-steps.html) - Companies attempting to formulate the ideal encoding ladder for specific videos or classes of content should incorporate both the harmonic mean VMAF score for overall quality and the percentile score to minimize transient quality issues. I've spent much of the last few weeks benchmarking H.264 and HEVC cloud-based per-title encoding capabilities like those available from
- [Tutorial: Producing Live-Streamed Events with the Roland V-02HD MK II](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-producing-live-streamed-events-with-the-roland-v-02hd-mk-ii.html) - I recently had the opportunity to test Roland's V-02HD MK II video mixer. Though the unit only has two inputs, you can switch between them with optional foot control, making it ideal for simple self-produced productions. Here's the Roland explainer video.  After working with the unit, I wrote a tutorial on how to use
- [Buyers Guide: Choosing a Software-Based Streaming Encoder for VOD](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/buyers-guide-choosing-a-streaming-encoder-for-vod.html) - This entry-level article describes what an encoder is and how to choose one and focuses on VOD, not live. It was derived from a lesson in my Streaming Media 101 course, which teaches you the skills and techniques to succeed in a streaming media-related role. Click here for more details about the course. This article
- [Baby Steps with Apple's Advanced Video Quality Tool and Quality Metric](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/apple-avqt-quality-metric.html) - I'm adding some lessons that identify and describe the operation of Mac video utilities to the online course Streaming Media 101 and took this as an opportunity to have a look at Apple's Advanced Video Quality Tool (AVQT) which launched at the company's 2021 World Wide Developers Conference. I'm making the lesson available as a
- [Speech-to-text In Premiere Pro - Fast, Easy, Accurate, and Free](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-production/speech-to-text-in-premiere-pro-fast-easy-accurate-and-free.html) - This video tutorial teaches you how to convert speech-to-text in Premiere Pro. I've been using Premiere Pro for more years than I care to think about, and most recent new features, as you'd expect with a mature product, are incremental. This new speech-to-text feature is absolutely an exponential addition that's going to change how we
- [Testing Video Quality With Apple AVQT](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/testing-vq-with-apple-avqt.html) - In the first article in this series, Baby Steps with Apple’s Advanced Video Quality Tool and Quality Metric, I detailed what Apple's Advanced Video Quality Tool (AVQT) is and how to use it. In this article, I tested multiple video files with Apple AVQT and describe my user experience. In the next article, I'll review
- [AVQT Compared to VMAF and SSIMPLUS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/avqt-compared-to-vmaf-and-ssimplus.html) - Author's note: After completing this long and arduous post, Apple sent a note that I was interpolating their scores incorrectly, leading to more analysis shown as an addendum below. What: This article compares Apple’s AVQT metric to VMAF and SSIMWAVE’s SSIMPLUS metrics, with very limited subjective testing from Subjectify.us. The testing was extremely limited as
- [Webinar: Choosing the Optimal Remote Production Technology and Workflow](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-production/webinar-on-remote-production-alternatives.html) - Here's the webinar; links to the handouts are below the video window. Thanks to Corey, Anthony, and John for pulling together the information and delivering three great presentations. Corey's handout here: Anthony's handout here: John's handout here: Here's the description: Remote production became a "thing" during the pandemic and it will remain a thing going
- [New Course for Sales and Marketing Professionals New to Streaming Media](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/new-course-for-sales-and-marketing-professionals-new-to-streaming-media.html) - The course teaches the technology and market knowledge necessary to effectively market and sell streaming-related products and services Just a brief note to announce the Streaming Learning Center's newest course, Streaming Media 101: for Sales and Marketing Professionals. The course provides the technology and market knowledge necessary for new marketing and sales hires to effectively
- [How to Choose The Best Cloud-Based Per-Title Provider](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/how-to-choose-the-best-cloud-based-per-title-provider.html) - This video discusses how to choose the best cloud-based per-title provider. This was a talk I gave to the Streaming Video Alliance in late November 2021. The 23-minute presentation covers the following agenda with extensive examples. You'll find the talk useful if you're comparing per=title encoding features, particularly cloud-based, but also third-party options you can
- [Top FFmpeg Articles on the Streaming Learning Center](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/top-ffmpeg-articles-on-the-streaming-learning-center.html) - These are the most popular FFmpeg-related articles on the Streaming Learning Center over 2019-2020. I hope you find this list of FFmpeg resources useful. Discover Six FFmpeg Commands You Can’t Live Without - FFmpeg is a free command-line utility that serves as the engine for most of the largest cloud encoding farms in the world,
- [Lesson of the Week: Codecs are Not Generic](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/lesson-of-the-week-codecs-are-not-generic.html) - I discuss the bandwidth savings delivered by VP9 and HEVC over H264 in my course Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. I wanted to illustrate this with my own tests, so I used FFmpeg to encode H.264, HEVC, and VP9 output using about 25 short test files. This felt like a good
- [Creating Compelling Lessons with Screen Recording Software](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/creating-compelling-lessons-with-screen-recording-software.html) - This article details how to plan, record, edit, and produce a lesson with screen recording software. So, you’ve been charged with producing a screencam-based training lesson for your organization and you’re wondering where to start. Well, you’re in the right place, because this tutorial will tackle the hardware and software needed, plus the planning, recording,
- [How to Connect a Microphone to a Camcorder or DSLR](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/how-to-connect-a-microphone-to-a-camcorder-or-dslr.html) - This tutorial teaches you how to connect a microphone and soundboard to a camcorder and DSLR for live and on-demand video production. This article was derived from a lesson in my Live Streaming Bootcamp course, which teaches you the skills and techniques that optimize the quality of your webinars and live streams. Click here for
- [How to Choose a Video Mixer for Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-production/how-to-choose-a-video-mixer-for-streaming.html) - This post describes how to choose a video mixer for live events and conferences. It was derived from a lesson in my Live Streaming Bootcamp course, which teaches you the skills and techniques that optimize the quality of your webinars and live streams. Click here for more detail on the course. At the most basic level,
- [Choosing a Light Kit for Streaming, Webinars, and Web Conferences](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-production/choosing-a-light-kit-for-streaming.html) - This article describes how to buy a light kit for live streaming, webinars, and web conferences. It was derived from a lesson in my Live Streaming Bootcamp course, which teaches you the skills and techniques that optimize the quality of your webinars and live streams. Click here for more detail on the course. Lighting is the
- [How to Choose Your Bitrate Control Technique](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/how-to-choose-your-bitrate-control-technique.html) - This article is derived from a lesson in Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. If you're looking for an efficient way to get up to speed on key streaming terms, technologies, workflows, and best practices, check out the course here. Every time you encode a video file with a distribution-oriented codec like
- [Lesson of the Week: Set I-frame Interval in Seconds not Frames](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/lesson-of-the-week-set-i-frame-interval-in-seconds-not-frames.html) - This lesson is derived from my book, Learn to Produce Videos with FFmpeg In 30 Minutes or Less ($34.95), and my course, FFmpeg for Adaptive Bitrate Production ($29.95) (which includes a PDF copy of the book). Don’t just learn FFmpeg; become an expert in video compression. Overview: Setting your I-frame interval in seconds rather than
- [Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About IDR Frames but Were Afraid to Ask](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-idr-frames-but-were-afraid-to-ask.html) - This article is derived from a lesson in Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. If you're looking for an efficient way to get up to speed on key streaming terms, technologies, workflows, and best practices, check out the course here. Depending upon your encoding tool, you may have access to a checkbox
- [What are QoS and QoE?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/what-are-qos-and-qoe.html) - This article is derived from a lesson in Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. If you're looking for an efficient way to get up to speed on key streaming terms, technologies, workflows, and best practices, check out the course here. Companies distribute videos for a myriad of reasons; sometimes as the product,
- [FFmpeg Threads Command: How it Affects Quality and Performance](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ffmpeg-command-threads-how-it-affects-quality-and-performance.html) - This article details how the FFmpeg threads command impacts performance, overall quality, and transient quality for live and VOD encoding. The level of testing and analysis detailed here is consistent with the instruction in my book, Learn to Produce Videos with FFmpeg In 30 Minutes or Less ($34.95), and my course, FFmpeg for Adaptive Bitrate
- [Discover Six FFmpeg Commands You Can’t Live Without](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/discover-six-ffmpeg-commands-you-cant-live-without.html) - This blog identifies six incredibly useful FFmpeg commands for transmuxing, extracting audio/video, converting to YUV/Y4M, and scaling to different resolutions. All commands are included in my book, Learn to Produce Videos with FFmpeg In 30 Minutes or Less ($34.95), and course, FFmpeg for Adaptive Bitrate Production ($29.95) (which includes a PDF copy of the book). Don't
- [Saving on H.264 Encoding and Streaming: Deploy Capped CRF](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/saving-encoding-streaming-deploy-capped-crf.html) - This is the second in a five-part series on how to cut your encoding and streaming costs. The first article was Saving on Encoding: Adjust Encoding Configuration to Increase Capacity. Article summary: Capped CRF encoding is a single-pass encoding method that can save encoding costs compared to two-pass VBR. Capped CRF is also a simple per-title
- [Open and Closed GOPs - All You Need to Know](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/open-and-closed-gops-all-you-need-to-know.html) - This article defines open and closed GOPs, identifies why closed GOPs are better, and details how to produce closed GOPs in FFmpeg with x264 and x265. The level of testing and analysis detailed here is consistent with the instruction in my book, Learn to Produce Videos with FFmpeg In 30 Minutes or Less ($34.95), and
- [Crunch Video Optimization Now Available on Oracle Cloud Marketplace](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/crunch-video-optimization-on-oracle-cloud.html) - I've been a fan of video optimization technologies for a while now, and consider optimization simpler, cheaper, and potentially just as effective as adding a new codec like HEVC or VP9. I'm pleased to see that the Crunch Mediaworks Video Enhancement Solutions App is now available on the Oracle Cloud Marketplace. I reviewed Crunch's technology
- [Announcing Updates to Video Quality Metrics Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/announcing-updates-to-video-quality-metrics-course.html) - Just a brief announcement that I've updated the course, Computing and Using Video Quality Metrics: A Course for Encoding Professionals, that teaches encoding professionals how to measure and apply metrics like VMAF, SSIMPLUS, MS SSIM, SSIM, and Apple's AVQT. The updates include: Lessons on computing and applying Apple's AVQT metric. A lesson on computing the
- [Train Your Streaming Media Professionals: Your Place or Mine?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/train-your-streaming-media-professionals-your-place-or-mine.html) - COVID-related travel and meeting restrictions don't obviate the need for employee training. This article documents the four training options available for streaming media professionals from the Streaming Learning Center. I created the Streaming Learning Center to help train streaming media professionals, particularly those involved in encoding, packaging, and delivering streaming video. Initially, we offered books
- [Basic YouTube-DL Commands to Download Files from YouTube](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/basic-youtube-dl-commands.html) - This article describes what youtube-dl is, and outlines several basic youtube-dl commands for audio/video/subtitle downloads. I’ve always been fascinated with how YouTube encodes the endless hours of videos uploaded to the site. YouTube employs the best and the brightest and their task is positively Sisyphean. For years, I’ve gotten a glimpse of YouTube’s encoding practices
- [Streaming Learning Center Releases Streaming Media 101: For Sales and Marketing Professionals](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/technical-onboarding-for-sales-and-marketing-professionals-selling-streaming-related-products-and-services.html) - The course teaches the technology and market knowledge necessary to effectively market and sell streaming-related products and services Christiansburg, VA, October 1, 2021. The Streaming Learning Center today announced a new online course entitled Streaming Media 101: for Sales and Marketing Professionals. The new course teaches sales and marketing professionals new to streaming media the
- [Another Five-Star Review for Streaming Production Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/another-5-star-review-for-streaming-production-course.html) - I'm pleased to report another five-star review for the streaming production course Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. So far, the course has been taken hundreds of times with eleven reviews, all five stars. Here's what the latest review, from Lasse Bronsholt, had to say. The Streaming Media 101 course was a
- [Which Codec Does YouTube Use, Part Deux](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/which-codec-does-youtube-use-part-deux.html) - YouTube encodes some videos using the AV1 and VP9 codecs. This post identifies the H.264 versions also created by YouTube for devices incompatible with VP9/AV1 for 1080p and larger videos. In a recent post, I explored which codecs YouTube used for videos ranging from a few hundred views to a few million. The conclusion was
- [Beginners' Guide to Adaptive Bitrate Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/beginners-guide-to-adaptive-bitrate-streaming.html) - This document describes what adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) is and its components and operation. It’s intended for newbies and provides a high-level overview, not a detailed how-to for implementing ABR. These materials were adopted from lessons in the online course Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. Contents ToggleAdaptive Bitrate Streaming OverviewFigure 1.
- [Proving the ROI on Training for Streaming Media Professionals](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/proving-the-roi-for-on-the-job-training-for-streaming-media-employees.html) - On-the-job training has a significant cost in learning materials and employee time. When ROI is king, is training worth it? That's the issue explored by this white paper from the Streaming Learning Center. Key findings include: That training can accelerate time to proficiency by 30 - 50%. With technical employees paid from US $35,000 -
- [Per-Title Encoding Article up on Streaming Media Magazine](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/per-title-article-up-on-streaming-media-magazine.html) - We have been huge proponents of per-title encoding since its inception in 2015. Boy, has it come a long way. In this Streaming Media article, I recount the history of per-title encoding and trace its advancement from single file optimizations that could adjust only file data rate to AI-driven adjustments that can change resolution, data
- [H.264 Codec Backgrounder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/h-264-codec-backgrounder.html) - This article on the Wowza website provides a quick overview of the H.264 codec: what it is, how it performs, what it costs, and what it’s good for. It concludes with a section on what you need to know to effectively deploy the H.264 codec, particularly within the Wowza Streaming Engine software and the Wowza
- [Computing Breakeven on New Codec Deployments](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/a-basic-decision-model-and-breakeven-analysis-for-deciding-whether-to-add-a-new-codec.html) - This article and the associated Google Sheet present an analytical model for computing breakeven on new codec deployments. On a LinkedIn post here, Johan Skaneby asked: Technical comparisons and documentation on different codec performance are very interesting and important, but all development of technologies are always closely related to market requirements and business models. My
- [Take the Bitmovin Video Developer Survey](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/take-the-bitmovin-video-developer-survey.html) - Contribute to the one of the most valuable sources of industry data by completing the Bitmovin Video Developer Survey. One of the most important information sources that I've come to rely upon is the Bitmovin Video Developer Report (2020, 2019, 2018, 2017). I've covered it for Streaming Media multiple times (see here) and refer to
- [Introducing ITU-T Metrics P.1203 and P.1204](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/itu-t-p1203-p1204.html) - While standards-based video codecs like H.264 and HEVC tend to dominate, standards-based video quality metrics have never risen to the same usage or attention level. With two innovative and highly accurate metrics now available from the ITU-T, this may change in the near term. Briefly, these models are: ITU-T Rec. P.1203, which calculates the quality
- [How to Stream to Facebook Live](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/stream-facebook-live.html) - Anyone can stream to Facebook Live, but if you want to deliver live video via a computer with streaming or encoding software, read on. With 1.65 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the largest social network in the world. It's no surprise that when the company introduced live streaming, the online video industry took notice.
- [Panel Discussion on Advanced Video Compression and Applications](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/advanced-video-compression-panel.html) - I'm appearing on a panel next week at the SPIE Optics and Photonics Conference entitled Advanced Video Compression and Applications with a host of encoding luminaries. The panel will be streamed on August 3, 2021, at 3:30 PM PDT, but only registered guests can watch the Zoom feed (you can register here). The discussion will then
- [Producing H.264 Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/producing-h-264-video.html) - H.264 is the most widely used codec today, whether for streaming via Flash or Silverlight or for the Apple iPod, iPhone, and iPad product lines. If you've worked with H.264 before, the format is old hat for you. But if you're cutting over from VP6 or Windows Media or expanding distribution to H.264-compatible devices, you're
- [AV1 Encoding with aomenc.exe, libaom-AV1, SVT-AV1, and Aurora1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/av1encodingwithfourav1codecs.html) - While 2018 was the year AV1 became known, 2020 will be the year that AV1 became interesting, primarily because of three developments. First, in early 2020, AV1-enabled smart TVs hit the market, right on the 2-year schedule announced back in 2018 by the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia). Second, over the past two years, encoding
- [AV1 Codec: AOMedia Video 1 Explained](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/av1-codec-aomedia-video-1-explained.html) - This article on the Wowza website provides a quick overview of the AV1 codec: what it is, how it performs, what it costs, and what it’s good for today. It's useful if you want to get a quick feel for where AV1 fits in with other codecs. The article is the fourth in a five-part
- [New AV1 Training Course Teaches How To Encode with AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/new-online-course-encoding-with-the-av1-codec.html) - A new Streaming Learning Center Course, Encoding with the AV1 Codec, teaches how to optimize AV1 encoding with four AV1 codecs (aomenc, libaom-av1, SVT-AV1, Aurora1). Available now for $99.95. If you're looking for a structured AV1 training program to learn how to encode with AV1, this is it. Click here for more information or to
- [Encoding VVC with Fraunhofer's VVenC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/15984.html) - For this review, I took a first look at encoding VVC (Ver­sa­tile Video Coding). Specifically, I compared Fraunhofer HHI's implementation of the VVC codec (Versatile Video Encoder; VV­enC) against the Alliance for Open Media's (AO­Media) aom­enc codec and the x.264 and x.265 codecs in FF­mpeg. I found VVenC to be simple to use and much
- [Smart TVs with AV1 Support Now Shipping](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/smarttvs-with-av1-support-now-shipping.html) - Many 2021 model Smart TVs support AV1 decoding, making it a good time to start thinking about how to encode AV1 videos. A great way to start is our course Encoding with the AV1 Codec, which details how to encode AV1 encoded video with FFmpeg (libaom-av1), the Alliance for Open Media's standalone aomenc encoder, Intel's
- [How to Create a New Video Encoding Command String in 11 Simple Steps](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/how-to-create-a-new-command-string-for-encoding.html) - I've spent the last two months testing four AV1 codecs accessible via command-line arguments and I start testing VVC codecs next week. Trying to fairly and accurately test the capabilities of these codecs turned out to be a pretty grueling and messy task. The key challenge, of course, was creating the optimal video encoding command
- [Encoding H.264-Advanced Topics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/lesson-of-the-week-fine-tuning-your-h-264-encodes.html) - Recently I received a shortlist of compression-related questions from a consulting buddy; he's always been gracious in answering my questions and I wanted to return the favor. Since he's asking, I thought others might be curious as well; hence this blog post that largely incorporates my responses to his questions, all relating to encoding H.264
- [The Four Pillars of Video Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/the-four-pillars-of-video-encoding.html) - Figure 1. The four critical aspects to consider before video encoding. Executive Summary: While video quality is always top of mind, consider deliverability, compatibility, and playability before finalizing your video encoding presets. Too often we look at video encoding with a single point of focus; achieving the best possible quality for the lowest possible data
- [Beginner's Guide to Live Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/beginners-guide-to-live-streaming.html) - Welcome to this introduction to live streaming, which details what live streaming is, how it works, and technology alternatives to implement live streaming, from third-party service providers to DIY (do it yourself). What is Live Streaming? Live streaming is a one-to-many technology that: Inputs a single video stream from a camera or video mixer Transcodes
- [DRM and Cloudfront Lessons Added to Wowza Streaming Engine E-learning Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/drm-and-cloudfront-lessons-added-to-wowza-streaming-engine-e-learning-course.html) - We've added several new lessons to our E-learning course, Getting Up and Running with Wowza Streaming Engine. The advanced new modules include Deploying DRM with the Wowza and BuyDRM’s KeyOS Platform and Configuring a Wowza Origin with Amazon CloudFront Edge Servers. New lessons include: • KeyOS MultiPack Wowza Module Set-up and Configuration • Testing Encryption
- [New Macintosh Lessons Added to Streaming Media 101](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/new-mac-centric-lessons-added-to-streaming-media-101.html) - Just a quick post to advise potential students that we've supplemented the course Streaming Media 101 : Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals with five new Mac-based lessons, which are: Installing and using MediaInfo for the Mac Installing and using MP4 Bitrate Viewer Installing and using Apple's Advanced Video Quality Tool (AVQT) (Also added to
- [Streaming Media 101: Training for App & Player Development/Testing Professionals](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/streaming-media-101-training-for-app-player-development-testing-professionals.html) - We are pleased to share this wonderful testimonial from a Streaming Media 101 student who published a review on LinkedIn. Srinivasa points out that if your goal is to optimize viewer QoE, your technical staff needs to be aware of all the factors that impact QoE, from your encoding ladder configuration, to encoding quality, efficient
- [Computing Break Even on Codec Deployments](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/computing-break-even-on-codec-deployments.html) - To a great degree, video codec adoption is driven by the simple break-even formula presented above. You put your costs on top, your savings per hour on the bottom, and come up with the number of hours of video you have to distribute to recoup your costs and start hitting the plus column. If you’re
- [H.265 Codec: High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) Explained](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/h-265-overview.html) - This article on the Wowza website provides a quick overview of the HEVC codec: what it is, how it performs, what it costs, and what it’s good for. It concludes with a section on what you need to know to effectively deploy the HEVC codec using the Wowza Streaming Engine software. The article is the
- [State of Streaming Spring 2021 Authors Discuss Major Findings](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/state-of-streaming-spring-2021-authors-discuss-major-findings.html) - The State of Streaming, Spring 2021 Report, was sponsored by Harmonic, Inc, and details the radical changes that have occurred in streaming production and consumption during the second half of the pandemic. This interview explores key findings from the report with the authors Michelle-Fore Siglin and Tim Siglin, including which job skills and technologies have
- [MediaInfo and BitRate Viewer – Essential Tools for Video Analysis](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/uncategorized/mediainfo-and-bitrate-viewer-essential-tools-for-video-analysis.html) - Streaming producers need tools to explore different encoding options and verify their work. Here are two free Windows tools that I couldn't live without. MediaInfo MediaInfo is a video analysis tool that displays the most significant data points regarding a video file, including resolution, data rate, codec, bit depth, frame rate, duration, etc. It’s available
- [Real-World Bandwidth Savings from VP9, HEVC, and AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/bandwidth-savings-vp9-hevc-av1.html) - This article is about a video lesson that computes the bandwidths savings afforded by the FFmpeg-based implementations of VP9 (libvpx-VP9), H.264 (x264), HEVC (x265), and AV1 (libaom-AV1). The lesson uses the Netflix convex hull analysis to build unique encoding ladders for each test clip and codec and shows why BD-Rate figures don't accurately predict real-world
- [VP9 Codec: Google’s Open-Source Technology Explained](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/vp9-codec-googles-open-source-technology-explained.html) - This article on the Wowza website provides a quick overview of the VP9 codec: what it is, how it performs, what it costs, and what it’s good for. It concludes with a section on where you should consider deploying VP9 and what you need to know to effectively deploy the codec. The article is the
- [Adobe Premiere Pro Turns 30, Gets Facelift](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/other/adobe-premiere-pro-turns-30-gets-facelift.html) - Premiere Pro is an application that I use almost every day for course production and consulting. I’ve written books about it, created courses, and know every nook and cranny inside and out. After packing all the features one could possibly want into the program, Adobe is “reimagining” the interface to simplify operation for newbies. As
- [Lesson of the Week: Why BD-Rate is a Poor Predictor of Real-World Bandwidth Savings](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/lesson-of-the-week-why-bd-rate-is-a-poor-predictor-of-real-world-bandwidth-savings.html) - BD-Rate computations are a valuable metric when comparing theoretical codec performance. But just because they prove that HEVC is 40% more efficient than H.264 doesn’t mean that you’ll save 40% of your bandwidth if you switch to HEVC. This 6-minute video lesson explains why and suggests a better alternative for estimating real-world benefits. I include
- [Lesson of the Week: Per-Title Encoding in 6.2 Dimensions](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-per-title-encoding-in-6-2-dimensions.html) - This updated lesson was just added to the course Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. It details the evolution of per-title encoding from simple optimization technologies to complex, AI-driven systems. It’s an example of the technical perspective the course provides and our commitment to continually updating course content. Enjoy. Per-title encoding customizes
- [Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg in 30 Minutes or Less: 2018 Edition](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/ffmpeg/learnffmpeg.html) - The internet is full of free FFmpeg documentation. Why should you pay $34.95 for my book (or $29.95 for the PDF)? Because it will help you get your work done fast and get it right the first time. This book eliminates the time you’d spend hunting for answers on Superuser or Stack Overflow and teaches you
- [Compressionists: You're Only as Good as Your Tools](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/compressionists-youre-only-as-good-as-your-tools.html) - I’m reviewing AV1 encoders for Streaming Media Magazine and was performing some QC on the AV1 files that I produced with the latest version of FFmpeg. Two file details I always check are GOP size and whether the GOPs are closed or not. I check these for multiple reasons. First, FFmpeg doesn’t have the most
- [Promising Initial Results with AV1 Testing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/promising-initial-results-with-av1-testing.html) - AV1 encoding is now only 2x slower than x265. See the latest results here. I began testing AV1 early this week. Briefly, my tests involve 16 ten-second clips in four genres (movies, sports, animations, gaming) and an “other” category (music video, nature video). I’ve completed the first set of tests with FFmpeg 4.3, benchmarking x264,
- [Codec-Related Articles on the Streaming Learning Center](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/codec-related-articles-on-the-streaming-learning-center.html) - Here are some of the most popular codec-related articles that I’ve written lately for this site, Streaming Media Magazine, and some other outlets. Contents ToggleGeneralVVCLCEVCAV1 General The Streaming Codec Landscape in 2021 – (January 2021) By any measure, 2020 was a hectic year for video codecs or the compression technologies that drive streaming video. This year
- [8K Video; Per-Title Encoding; HDR Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/8k-video-per-title-encoding-hdr-metrics.html) - This article documents two sets of tests with 8K footage; the first with two scenes from the movie Ripartenza, the second with footage from a River Plate soccer match presented as an addendum to the original article. I met my dear friend Loren perhaps 20 years ago. When she learned I had two little girls
- [Product Review: Epiphan Pearl Nano](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/product-review-epiphan-pearl-nano.html) - My review of the Epiphan Pearl Nano is now available on Streaming Media. The video I produced for the review is below. Note that I really liked the feature set and usability but found that video quality suffered from a slight cast as you can in Figure 8 of the article and below. The cast
- [Sourcebook 2021 Tutorials Focus Video and Course Production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/sourcebook-20210-tutorials-focus-video-and-course-production.html) - Every year, the Streaming Media Sourcebook features tutorials to help streaming media professionals perform their daily tasks faster and better and buyer's guides to help them purchase the right gear and software. This year I focused my articles on video production topics. Here are the tutorials with a brief description: Connecting a DSLR or Camcorder
- [LCEVC Excels in Full Ladder Live Use Case Testing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/lcevc-excels-in-full-ladder-live-use-case-testing.html) - Pleased to announce my second report on LCEVC Technology entitled LCEVC x264 Report: Live Sports & eGames, ABR Ladder. The first report assessed VOD performance at 1080p; this report tested live performance using a full encoding ladder and weighted average performance as well as BD-Rate comparisons. Here's the Table of Contents. Note, in particular, the
- [My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week of Virtual Presenting](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/my-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-week-of-presenting.html) - So, here I am, just about to launch a course on webinars and live video production (now launched), and I experience the worst two virtual presentations ever. In this blog, I'll share the gory details and let you know how you (perhaps) can avoid the same fate. All that said, this is more a writer's
- [Webinar: Video Codecs in 2021 and Beyond with Jan Ozer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/webinar-video-codecs-in-2021-and-beyond-with-jan-ozer.html) - I was honored to present a free webinar entitled Video Codecs in 2021 and Beyond with Muvi on April 8, 2021. The slides and recording are below. Here's the description. There has never been a time where so many video codecs were available (or soon to be available) for video producers. From MPEG, we have
- [Video on Best Practices for Delivering Live Video to Geographically Distributed Viewers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/video-on-best-practices-for-delivering-live-video-to-geographically-distributed-viewers.html) - In this interview with Evelyne Kuo from BaishanCloud, we discussed technologies involved with distributing live streams to viewers across multiple geographic regions. The conversation included hardware HEVC encoders, QoS, QoE, using different encoding ladders for different content and potentially different regions, and considerations for choosing a CDN (get one that’s strong in each region you’re
- [How to Reduce Encoding Time by Up to 40% With Negligible Quality Loss](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/how-to-reduce-encoding-time-by-up-to-40-with-negligible-quality-loss.html) - Reducing the reference frame setting from 16 to 1 when using x.264's veryslow preset decreased encoding time by 46% on ten 2-minute test files while dropping the average VMAF score from 96.06 to 95.97, a decrease of less than .001. If you used the Medium preset, at the default setting of 3 reference frames, changing
- [Lesson of the Week: Two Data Points for Producing Effective Webinars (and a Free Download)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-two-data-points-for-producing-effective-webinars-and-a-free-download.html) - As the producer of webinars and virtual training events for Streaming Media Magazine and Streaming Learning Center, I'm always interested in information that helps me produce more effective events. A recent report from Bluejeans, the Verizon-owned video conference provider, provided several interesting data points. By way of background, the report discussed survey data collected by IDG
- [Engineer and IT Professional Recommend Streaming Media 101](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/two-more-five-star-reviews-for-streaming-media-101.html) - Happy to share two new five-star reviews for Streaming Media 101, the only online training course available for onboarding new streaming media professionals, whether coming from the IT discipline or via engineering. Engineer Chris Joyce commented, As an engineer, I wasn’t sure what to expect and didn’t want to pay for some fluffy sales-type material. Jan’s
- [Bitmovin Licenses Training Content from the Streaming Learning Center to Include in Internal LMS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/bitmovin-licenses-training-content-from-the-streaming-learning-center-to-include-in-internal-lms.html) - Bitmovin (https://bitmovin.com/) has partnered with Jan Ozer, a recognized expert in streaming media and encoding, to provide its new engineering and solutions employees with his Streaming Media 101 course (https://courses.streaminglearningcenter.com/). The course--which has been fully integrated into Bitmovin’s internal learning management system--provides industry-specific content that helps new Bitmovin employees quickly and seamlessly ramp up to
- [Video Camera and Webcam Framing for Live and VOD Productions](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/video-camera-and-webcam-framing-for-live-and-vod-productions.html) - Framing is the act of placing the subject within the camera frame. Do it correctly and the video looks just like your viewers are used to seeing on TV. Mess up here and you compromise the quality of your video from the start. This 12:42 video teaches you artistic fundamentals like rule-of-thirds positioning, head, look,
- [Beginner's Guide to Buying a Camera for Live Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/beginners-guide-to-buying-a-camera-for-live-streaming.html) - This post discusses factors to consider when choosing a camera for four types of live events. It's adapted from training materials prepared for a live streaming boot camp I'm producing at Streaming Media Connect on Tuesday, February 23: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (ET) / 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (PT). I’ll be releasing a course
- [VVC to Have At Least Two Patent Pools (Access Advance and MPEG LA)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/vvc-to-have-at-least-two-patent-pools-access-advance-and-mpeg-la.html) - As I recently reported in Streaming Media magazine, the 49 VVC IP owners assembled by the Media Coding Industry Forum (MC-IF) have chosen two patent pool administrators to form VVC-related pools; Access Advance and MPEG LA. While this is undoubtedly a positive step, it's merely the first step towards clarifying how much it will cost
- [Top Encoding-Related Articles on the Streaming Learning Center](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/top-encoding-related-articles-on-the-streaming-learning-center.html) - These are the most popular encoding-related articles on the Streaming Learning Center over 2019-2020. I hope you find this list of general encoding resources useful. Lesson of the Week: CMAF Proof of Concept – The Common Media Application Format (CMAF) is supposed to be the Holy Grail of streaming; one set of files that you
- [Top Video Quality Metric-Related Articles on the Streaming Learning Center](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/metrics/video-quality-metric-related-articles-on-the-streaming-learning-center.html) - These are the most popular video quality metrics-related articles on the Streaming Learning Center over 2019-2020. I hope you find this list of resources useful. Installing and Using Netflix VMAF-Master – I call it VMAF-Master because that’s the name of the ZIP file you download from Github here, though the Windows executable that I used and
- [Analyzing Video Quality](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/analyzing-video-quality.html) - This week’s lesson is an updated lesson for my course, Computing and Using Video Quality Metrics: A Course for Encoding Professionals. The agenda is shown in the YouTube frame. The lesson starts with an overview of rate-distortion curves and BD-Rate functions, what they are, and how you create them. Then I get into a pet
- [Live and VOD Bootcamps at Streaming Media Connect](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/streaming-media-bootcamps-at-streaming-media-connect.html) - I'm teaching two boot camps (virtually) at an upcoming Streaming Media Connect event, one for VOD and the other for live streaming; each costs $199. The courses are designed for newbies who need to get up to speed quickly on these topics. If the courses sound familiar, I taught both courses at Streaming Media West
- [Dolby Finds That Streaming 101 Course "Enhanced Overall Productivity"](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/dolby-finds-that-streaming-101-course-enhanced-overall-productivity.html) - When I launched my online course, Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals, one of the first companies that signed on for multiple students was Dolby Laboratories, Inc. Several students came from the Enterprise Encoding division, which is headed by Senior Director David Trescot. This is the group that created the Hybrik encoding
- [Lesson of the Week: The New Rules of Codec Deployments](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-the-new-rules-of-codec-deployments.html) - Adoption of MPEG-2, H.264, and HEVC was almost automatic in some markets because implementors assumed that royalties would be reasonable and that the codecs would succeed. Two factors have changed those assumptions; the HEVC royalty mess and the formation of the Alliance for Open Media. This short video details how these two factors have changed
- [Google Adding HEVC Playback to Chrome? Seems like a Longshot](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/google-adding-hevc-playback-to-chrome-seems-like-a-longshot.html) - I recently received the following message from a colleague, a respected IP attorney, on LinkedIn. Hi Jan, hope all's well. What do you make of Google joining HEVC Advance's pool (now Access Advance)? Talking to some relevant players, I think it's a prelude to Chrome supporting HEVC. Do you think it has any implications for
- [Lesson of the Week: Displaying PowerPoint Slide Shows in a Window](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/other/lesson-of-the-week-displaying-powerpoint-slide-shows-in-a-window.html) - Displaying PowerPoint slide shows in a window comes in handy for presenting in webinars and for screencam capture. Like most of us out there, I've been using PowerPoint for about six thousand years. One feature I just learned, displaying slide shows in a window, comes in handy for two common use cases for me, presenting
- [Five Star Review for AV1 Encoding Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/five-star-review-for-av1-encoding-course.html) - Just a quick note to celebrate the first review of my Encoding with the AV1 Codec course ($99.95). By way of background, I designed the course to help familiarize students with the confusing array of AV1 encoding parameters and to offer sample command strings that I have proven over weeks of testing. In other words,
- [Free Video from Wowza Streaming Engine Training Teaches Streaming Basics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/free-video-from-wowza-streaming-engine-training.html) - Derrick Freeman's new course, Getting Up and Running with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8, offers three free videos. This one, entitled Video Streaming Overview, helps Wowza implementors who aren't familiar with streaming get up to speed on the critical concepts. The video demonstrates Derrick's methodical, leave-no-student-behind approach that will help all Wowza implementors get up and
- [Streaming Media Bootcamps at Streaming Media University](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/streaming-media-bootcamps-at-streaming-media-university.html) - I'm teaching two boot camps (virtually) at an upcoming Streaming Media University event, one for VOD and the other for live streaming; each costs $199. The courses are designed for newbies who need to get up to speed quickly on these topics. If the courses sound familiar, I did teach the same courses at the
- [Interview with Wowza Streaming Engine Training Course Creator Derrick Freeman](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/interview-with-wowza-streaming-engine-training-course-creator-derrick-freeman.html) - The Streaming Learning Center just released a course entitled Getting Up and Running with Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8 by Derrick Freeman. In this interview, Derrick explains who the course is designed for and what students will learn in the course. https://youtu.be/EFHQGnOHOHE For more information about the course, or to enroll, click here.
- [Streaming Learning Center Announces New Course: Getting Up and Running With Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/streaming-learning-center-announces-new-course-getting-up-and-running-with-wowza-streaming-engine-4-8.html) - Course created by Wowza Expert Derrick Freeman from Freeman Compression, Inc. Galax, VA, November 16, 2020 - The Streaming Learning Center today announced the availability of a new online course entitled Getting Up and Running With Wowza Streaming Engine 4.8. The course was created by Wowza expert Derrick Freeman and is being offered at an
- [Catching Up with VVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/catching-up-with-vvc.html) - VVC is one of the three codecs to be launched by MPEG in 2020. I wrote about VVC extensively here (business side) and here (technical side), and wanted to provide some quick updates. By way of background, codecs have two sides, the performance side, and the business side. In this short article, I'll address both.
- [Another Five-Star Review for Streaming 101 Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/another-five-star-review-for-streaming-101-course.html) - Pleased to share another five-star review of my online course Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. As the course tagline details, "This course teaches the fundamentals and skills necessary to succeed in a streaming media-related job, whether you're producing and distributing streaming media or creating the tools, technologies, and services necessary to
- [Streaming Media Bootcamps at Streaming Media West](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/streaming-media-bootcamps-at-streaming-media-west.html) - I'm teaching two boot camps (virtually) at Streaming Media West, one for VOD and the other for live streaming; each costs $199. The courses are designed for newbies who need to get up to speed quickly on these topics. Here's the information for both. W1. Streaming Media Bootcamp, Part 1: Encoding, Packaging, And Delivery For
- [Video Quality Metrics: One Number Doesn't Cut It](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/video-quality-metrics-one-number-doesnt-cut-it.html) - Overview: When measuring video quality with metrics like VMAF you should measure and report consistency (transient quality and standard deviation) as well as mean quality. If you’re interested in the quality consistency of AV1 codecs and typical configuration options, you can attend a webinar ($149) or take a course on AV1 production that I will
- [Webinar: Choose and Use the Best AV1 Codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/webinar-choose-and-use-the-best-av1-codec.html) - Jan Ozer here. I spent the last 2 months working with four AV1 codecs, benchmarking them against each other and x264 and x265. I'm presenting my findings in this for-fee 75-minute webinar ($149.99). There are two parts; the first shares what I learned about the codecs, and the second details what I learned about encoding
- [Bash Scripting with Wildcards for FFmpeg on Ubuntu and Mac](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/batch-scripting-with-wildcards-for-ffmpeg-on-ubuntu-and-mac.html) - Wildcards let you to encode and package multiple files using a single script. This article teaches you how to create and run bash scripts that use wildcards on Ubuntu and the Mac. The overall schema discussed can create a simple and inexpensive per-title encoding facility. Whenever I test codecs or encoders, I customize the encoding
- [I Analyzed LCEVC with V-Nova and the Results Were Impressive](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/i-analyzed-lcevc-with-v-nova-and-the-results-were-impressive.html) - Just a quick note to let you know that I've published a comprehensive report that documents the testing, quality, and performance of the Low Complexity Enhanced Video Codec (LCEVC) as developed by V-Nova and in the process of becoming standardized by MPEG. By way of background, I’ve been consulting with V-Nova to test LCEVC using
- [Zeranoe Resolves AV1 Issue; Now Faster Than aomenc.](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/zeranoe-resolves-av1-issue-now-faster-than-aomenc.html) - Previous tests presented here showed that a Windows version of FFmpeg compiled by Zeranoe was about four times slower than a version compiled by a colleague who works in an OTT organization. Since then, Miguel Perez contacted the FFmpeg organization and Zeranoe, who researched the issue, recompiled, and created a new download that resolves the
- [AV1 Now Only 2X Slower Than x265](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/av1-now-only-2x-slower-than-x265.html) - AV1 encoding on Windows is now only 2x slower than x265. With a properly compiled version of FFmpeg, encoding performance is slightly faster than the Alliance for Open Media's encoder, though output quality is very slightly lower. Congrats to AOM for delivering on their promise to get encoding times down. Thanks for all the help
- [AV1 Is At Least 70% Faster Than I Thought](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/av1-is-at-least-70-faster-than-i-thought.html) - AV1 encoding is now only 2x slower than x265. See the latest results here. Though FFmpeg took 50 minutes to produce a test file that both x264 and x265 encoded in about two minutes, the Alliance for Open Media's aomenc encoder, running the same version of AV1 (version 2) produced the file in about 15
- [Netflix Addresses VMAF Hackability with New Model](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/netflix-addresses-vmaf-hackability-with-new-model.html) - TL/DR: Netflix updates VMAF to include a new model that reverses out the effects of techniques like sharpening, contrasting, and histogram equalization. As I reported in VMAF is Hackable: What Now?, you can increase VMAF scores via simple image enhancement techniques like sharpening, contrasting, and histogram equalization, which, when applied inappropriately, may not actually improve
- [Five Star Review for Video Quality Metrics Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/five-star-review-for-video-quality-metrics-course.html) - Happy to report a five-star review for my course, Computing and Using Video Quality Metrics: A Course for Encoding Professionals. As far as I know, it’s the only course available that teaches how to compute and use metrics like VMAF, PSNR, SSIMPLUS, and SSIM, including how to create rate-distortion curves and BD-Rate comparisons. The review
- [How to Shine in a Zoom Webinar](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/how-to-shine-in-a-zoom-webinar.html) - My wife was watching a webinar for CME and there were two physicians with such picture perfect presentation that I just had to snap the image and comment. The list of what these two did right is lengthy and instructive. Both practiced perfect rule-of-thirds positioning, with their eyes about 1/3 down from the top of the
- [Telecine: MediaMelon SmartPlay Case Study](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/telecine-mediamelon-smartplay-case-study.html) - This article details how Brazilian OTT operator Telecine deployed MediaMelon SmartPlay and decreased bandwidth costs by about 42% while improving the MOS quality of the video delivered. SmartPlay also helped Telecine manage the 4X increase in demand due to COVID-19. This is the third and final story about MediaMelon SmartPlay. The first article describes how
- [Choosing the Optimal Preset for AV1 Encoding (and Other Questions)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/choosing-the-optimal-preset-for-av1-encoding-and-other-questions.html) - AV1 encoding is now only 2x slower than x265. See the latest results here. I'm comparing AV1 encoders for Streaming Media Magazine. I plan to include codecs from: The Alliance for Open Media (hopefully versions 1.0/2.0) Visionular Intel Mozilla (Mozilla is out - didn't respond to my inquiry). If there are any other codecs that
- [Apple TV Finally Supports 4K YouTube Files in AV1 or VP9 (Maybe Both?)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/apple-tv-finally-supports-4k-youtube-files-in-av1-or-vp9-maybe-both.html) - On its preview page for Apple TV 4K, Apple announced that the update to tvOS 14, which is expected to ship this fall, will support "YouTube videos in their full 4K glory." By way of background, YouTube produces most 1080p videos using H.264 which plays everywhere but produces larger resolutions using either the VP9 or
- [Integrating SmartPlay into Your Encoding and Distribution Ecosystem](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/integrating-smartplay-into-your-encoding-and-distribution-ecosystem.html) - In the previous post, I described what MediaMelon SmartPlay is and identified some of the benefits. In this post, I’ll discuss pricing and how to integrate SmartPlay into your encoding, delivery, and playback infrastructure. Pricing Overview Let’s briefly discuss the SmartPlay pricing model here and look at ROI at the end of this document. There
- [Lesson of the Week: Producing Remote Interviews with vMix Call](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-producing-remote-interviews-with-vmix-call.html) - I recently recorded about ten interviews for a webinar produced by a client. I could have used Zoom or Skype but thought that I could achieve better quality by producing the videos with vMix Call. Briefly, vMix is a live streaming software package and Call is the feature that lets you connect with others via
- [How MediaMelon SmartPlay Saves Bandwidth Costs and Improves QoE](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-mediamelon-smartplay-saves-bandwidth-costs-and-improves-qoe.html) - MediaMelon’s SmartPlay is a streaming optimization solution that reduces bandwidth use by 35% or more and improves QoE while working with your existing ABR content without reencoding. As you’ll read in this post, SmartPlay works by analyzing the quality of every segment in an ABR package and producing a hintfile used by the SmartPlay plug-in
- [Preliminary VMAF and PSNR Scores for New Xilinx Transcoding Appliances](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/preliminary-vmaf-and-psnr-scores-for-new-xilinx-transcoding-appliances.html) - Live streaming at scale is the perfect application for hardware transcoders that deliver highly-affordable encoding density. Xilinx just announced a series of transcoding appliances targeting these live streaming use cases built around the new Xilinx Real-Time (RT) Server reference architecture. I've been benchmarking output quality with two card-based encoders deployed in these appliances, the Alveo
- [Join Me at a Webinar Discussing MediaMelon SmartPlay](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/join-me-at-a-webinar-discussing-mediamelon-smartplay.html) - MediaMelon SmartPlay is a streaming optimization solution that reduces bandwidth costs by 35% or more and improves QoE while working with your existing ABR content without re-encoding. SmartPlay works with any existing encoder, including those with content-adaptive encoding (also called per-title), and most existing players and CDNs. Briefly, SmartPlay works by analyzing the quality of
- [Lesson of the Week: Finding the Just Noticeable Difference in a MOS Score](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-finding-the-just-noticeable-difference-in-a-mos-score.html) - There are many quality metrics that use a variety of scoring mechanisms. One of the most frequently used metrics for subjective testing is called Mean Opinion Score, or MOS. The MOS rating is on a scale from 1-5 as shown below (from Wikipedia). You can use a variety of techniques to compute MOS, but typically
- [How to Install Python 3.8 and Bento 4.](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-to-install-python-3-8-and-bento-4.html) - When I first started using Bento4 it ran only on Python 2.7x and earlier. For this reason, the installation instructions in my book Learn to Produce Videos with FFmpeg in 30 Minutes or Less describe how to install Python version 2.7. At some point, however, Bento upgraded to Python 3.x, obsoleting those instructions. I’ve upgraded
- [AV1 Turns 2.0](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/av1-turns-2-0.html) - Just a quick announcement that the Alliance for Open Media has launched version 2.0 of the AOMedia AV1 encoder that you can download here. According to the Phoronix website, from which I grabbed this news: "Libaom 2.0 is the first release since the original 1.0 release back in mid-2018 after the AOMedia codec working group
- [Upcoming Training for Streaming Production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/upcoming-training-for-streaming-production.html) - Here are descriptions of the two courses I'll be teaching in a few days on streaming media production. Streaming Media East will be held online, with five 3-hour pre-conference training sessions that cost $199 each and a robust assortment of free 1-hour sessions. Here are the titles, dates, and times of the pre-conference sessions I'll
- [Third Five-Star Review for Streaming Media 101 Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/five-star-review-for-streaming-media-101-course.html) - I created Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals because there were few formal training resources for those producing streaming video or the tools and services that enable streaming media production and distribution. My goal was a course that would efficiently provide streaming media training to professionals on both sides of that fence
- [Online Training for Streaming Production, Cloud-based Streaming, and FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/online-training-for-streaming-production-cloud-based-streaming-and-ffmpeg.html) - Streaming media production and delivery has become even more critical over the last few months; here's an opportunity to boost your skills and knowledge via live online training by recognized industry experts. I'm sad that Streaming Media East won't be held in Boston as planned; I really enjoy those shows. However, Streaming Media East will
- [New Five-Star Review for FFmpeg Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/new-five-star-review-for-ffmpeg-book-2.html) - One thing that never gets old is a five-star review on Amazon. I just received another one for my book, Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg: In Thirty Minutes or Less (2018 Edition), which is available on Amazon ($34.95) and for PDF download ($29.95). In this review from a verified purchaser, the customer said: "I
- [Lesson of the Week: More Efficient Chart Title Creation in Excel](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-more-efficient-chart-title-creation-in-excel.html) - I just finished one consulting project that involved testing 22 clips with three codecs to produce nine rate-distortion charts per clip (1080p, 720p, 480p for VMAF, SSIM, and PSNR) and am working another with 35 clips with 4 RD charts each with two encoding modes. So efficient chart creation in Excel is now a huge
- [Get Your Streaming Media Certification](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/get-certified-in-streaming-certification.html) - If you’re onboarding new hires in streaming media-related positions, you now have an affordable option for providing and monitoring that streaming-specific training. If you’re a professional seeking to upgrade your skills and gain accreditation, you have that option as well. Over the last few years, streaming media has become critical for entertainment and communications, with
- [MediaMelon's SmartPlay Cuts Bandwidth Requirements Without Re-encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/mediamelons-smartplay-cuts-bandwidth-requirements-without-re-encoding.html) - We're all aware of the sudden need to reduce streaming bandwidth to alleviate congestion. MediaMelon's SmartPlay/QBR is a very viable option for this that was recently adopted by Brazilian OTT producer Telecine. I reviewed MediaMelon's QBR technology for Streaming Media Magazine back in 2017. I called it a "server-side, per-title delivery mechanism." Unlike traditional per-title
- [Tuning for Metrics: What About VMAF and VP9?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/tuning-for-metrics-what-about-vmaf-and-vp9.html) - If you're comparing codecs with video quality metrics, you should consider tuning for that metric. However, x264 and x265 don't have a VMAF tuning option. According to my analysis, it appears that tuning for PSNR is the best option and one you should strongly consider. When working with VP9, there's an additional complication; tuning for
- [Five Star Review of Streaming Media 101-Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/five-star-review-of-streaming-media-101-technical-onboarding-for-streaming-media-professionals.html) - The first review is up for my new course, Streaming Media 101 - Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals, and it's a five-star review. I designed the course to provide technical fundamentals and an overview of key industry products and services and the companies that create and support them. The goal was to teach students
- [Lesson of the Week: Accessing hr:min:sec Info in Chrome to Speed Data Entry](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/lesson-of-the-week-accessing-hrminsec-info-in-chrome-to-speed-data-entry.html) - Producing the chart above involved encoding 35 files using 5 different presets and then recording start and stop times. Since the files were about 20-seconds long, seconds were important. I'm sure a smarter compressionist than I could write a Python script to harvest the start and stop times but I do it by hand, which
- [Encoding VP9 in FFmpeg: An Update](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/encoding-vp9-in-ffmpeg-an-update.html) - This is a long post only of interest to those attempting to optimize their VP9 encodes. The three key takeaways are 1) use the command script shown on the bottom of the page, 2) a speed setting of 2 offers the optimal quality/performance tradeoff, and 3) the row-mt setting improves performance significantly with zero quality
- [VMAF is Hackable: What Now?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/vmaf-is-hackable-what-now.html) - Just a quick note to let you know about some recent findings relating to the Netflix VMAF metric. By way of background, VMAF launched in June 2016 as the metric that powered Netflix's per-title encoding engine, replacing PSNR. The fact that Netflix created and used VMAF gave the metric tremendous credibility and because Netflix open-sourced
- [Lesson of the Week: Sounding Good Online - Exploring Your Mic Options](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-sounding-good-online-exploring-your-mic-options.html) - In a previous lesson, I explored how to optimize quality on a webcam; this lesson tackles the audio side. Rather than simply discuss the various options I recorded multiple segments using the mics shown below so you can hear the difference. I shot all segments under the same conditions, in my office with fluorescent lights running,
- [Interview with Streaming Media About New Course: Streaming Media 101](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/interview-with-streaming-media-about-new-course-streaming-media-101.html) - I spoke with Streaming Media Magazine's Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen about the new course, Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. The video is available on YouTube so I embedded it below. If you'd rather read the transcript, click here to see the article on the Streaming Media website.  Eric's second question was "what's
- [New Course - Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/new-course-streaming-media-101-technical-onboarding-for-streaming-media-professionals.html) - I'm launching a new video course called Streaming Media 101: Technical Onboarding for Streaming Media Professionals. As the name suggests, the course teaches the technical background and skills necessary to successfully perform in a streaming-media related job, whether it's producing and distributing video, or in a company creating the tools or services necessary to produce
- [Lesson of the Week: Looking Good on Camera or Webcam](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-looking-good-on-camera-or-webcam.html) - For obvious reasons, a lot more of us will be presenting online over the next few months than ever before. This short video provides some simple techniques you can use to look your best. These images are from a book I published back in 2015 entitled Mastering Webcam and Smartphone Video: How to Look and
- [Lesson of the Week: Computing VMAF with FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-computing-vmaf-with-ffmpeg.html) - This lesson teaches you how to compute VMAF with FFmpeg. It includes a download link to a specially compiled version of FFmpeg that can compute VMAF and to a zipped file that contains the batch files and input/output files shown in the lesson. I'm adding it as a lesson to my course Computing and Using
- [Lesson of the Week: CMAF Proof of Concept](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/lesson-of-the-week-cmaf-proof-of-concept.html) - The Common Media Application Format (CMAF) is supposed to be the Holy Grail of streaming; one set of files that you can deliver to multiple output points. How well does it work today? This 3:47 video shows you. I started by creating CMAF output in AWS Elemental MediaConvert. Why? Because they supply useful templates, have
- [FFmpeg to the Rescue: Decoding Files into RAM for Decode Testing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/ffmpeg/ffmpeg-to-the-rescue-decoding-files-into-ram-for-decode-testing.html) - This article details how to use FFmpeg to benchmark decoder speed. Much of the info was derived from this FFmpeg Wiki. This article was updated to show results when the source file is played from a RAM drive and for additional definitions as reflected below. I just completed a consulting project that involved analyzing decoder
- [The Ten Most Popular Articles from 2019](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/the-ten-most-popular-articles-from-2019.html) - It's always good to review which articles readers found valuable over the past year to help focus on producing similar content in the future. By publishing the top ten, hopefully, those reading this article will see some articles they might find useful. So, without further ado, here were the top ten articles from the Streaming
- [Using a Simple Wildcard Command in FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/using-a-simple-wildcard-command-in-ffmpeg.html) - Author's note: This is a very simple automation technique for FFmpeg beginners. I'm sure there are much more efficient ways to script this project, but this represents my baby steps in FFmpeg automation. I recently started a consulting project that involved encoding multiple files to multiple CRF values to create rate-distortion curves and BD-Rate computations.
- [Balance of Power Shifts Among HEVC Patent Pools](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/balance-of-power-shifts-among-hevc-patent-pools.html) - Nine members of the MPEG LA HEVC patent pool are leaving the pool and now will be included within the HEVC Advance HEVC pool. This changes the balance of power between these two pools, though licensees who signed with the MPEG LA pool before the departures will continue to have coverage for these patents going forward. The MPEG
- [NETINT Transcoder Tops in Subjective HEVC Benchmark Comparison](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/netint-transcoder-tops-in-subjective-hevc-benchmark-comparison.html) - On September 11, 2019, Streaming Media Magazine published an article entitled Hardware-Based Transcoding Solutions Roundup: Testing Performance, that compared various H.264 and HEVC encoders using objective and subjective testing. The HEVC encoders tested included Intel’s SVT (Scalable Video Technology)-HEVC, a software-based codec; NGCodec’s FPGA-based HEVC encoder (now owned by Xilinx) and x265 using the medium
- [When and How to Use Objective Quality Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/when-and-how-to-use-objective-quality-metrics.html) - Recently, video quality metrics have gotten a lot of hate, primarily from codec vendors. For example, yesterday on LinkedIn, respected Beamr CTO Dror Gill wrote, “everyone agrees that subjective (human) testing is the only accurate way to measure true perceptual quality.” After I pointed out industry support for using video quality metrics, Gill graciously changed
- [Reports Show HEVC Usage on the Rise](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/reports-show-hevc-usage-on-the-rise.html) - I know Thanksgiving was a couple of weeks ago, but as we close out the year, I want to say thank you to the three suppliers of codec-related usage data—Bitmovin, Encoding.com, and LiveU—and summarize the data they supplied us in 2019. This will put the stamp on what we know this year and set the
- [Fine-Tune Your Encoding With Objective Quality Metrics - Video and Handout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/fine-tune-your-encoding-with-objective-quality-metrics-video-and-handout.html) - My Streaming Media session on using video quality metrics is now available for replay immediately below. You can download the handout here. Here's the session description. T101. HOW-TO: Fine-Tuning Your Encoding With Objective Quality Metrics Tuesday, November 19: 10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Choosing the number of streams in an adaptive group and configuring them
- [Buy Moscow State University Video Quality Measurement Tool; Get Video Quality Metrics Course for Free](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/buy-moscow-state-university-video-quality-measurement-tool-get-video-quality-metrics-course-for-free.html) - The Moscow State University Video Quality Measurement Tool has long been my go-to desktop tool for computing video quality metric scores. When I created my course on Video Quality Metrics, I included six lessons on using the tool. Here's a brief video that shows operation and the new features in Version 12.  Lessons in
- [My Three Favorite Features in MSU VQMT Version 12](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/my-three-favorite-features-in-msu-vqmt-version-12.html) - Moscow State University’s Video Quality Measurement Tool (VQMT, $999 with volume discounts available) is my go-to desktop tool for computing metrics like VMAF, PSNR, and SSIM. The program is easy to use, has great visualization tools, and lets me inspect videos on a frame-by-frame basis. MSU recently released version 12 which has three great enhancements.This
- [All Roads Lead to ABR Royalties](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/all-roads-lead-to-abr-royalties.html) - Most streaming producers adopted HLS and DASH without any concern about intellectual property issues. Though MPEG LA formed a DASH Pool in 2015 it seemed to have died a quiet death in August 2019. Now one of the pool members, Helios Digital, is suing Crackle, Vudu, and Showtime Digital for infringing their DASH patents. As
- [Tools For Examining HEVC Bitstreams](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/hevc-analysis-tools.html) - A student of one of my courses recently asked, "I need a tool, which does the same job as BitrateViewer but for HEVC. Which tool do you use when you need to get some sort of a plot or just a list of bitrates per each second?" Great question. If you don't know Bitrate Viewer,
- [Download Handout from Video Quality Metric Session](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/download-handout-from-video-quality-metric-session.html) - I had a 45-minute session at Streaming Media West 2019 entitled HOW-TO: Fine-Tuning Your Encoding With Objective Quality Metrics You can download the handout here. This version is about 200 MB because it contains three video demonstrations of the SSIMPLUS VOD Monitor and several other videos, but you'll need Flash installed to run them (it's
- [Collection of VMAF Resources](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/collection-of-vmaf-resources.html) - A colleague asked for some resources relating to VMAF. Rather than answer in an email I thought I would create a post around it. Some of these are from Netflix, most from me (Jan Ozer). I've broken the items into three groups; Computing VMAF, Using VMAF, and About VMAF. I hope you find this collection useful.
- [What Is VVC?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/what-is-vvc.html) - Versatile Video Coding (VVC) is a codec “drafted by a joint collaborative team of ITU-T and ISO/IEC experts known as the Joint Video Experts Team (JVET), which is a partnership of the ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG),” as MPEG explains. The codec is designed to meet upcoming needs in
- [What Is the Versatile Video Codec?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/what-is-the-versatile-video-codec.html) - My article, What is VVC, just published on Streaming Media. Briefly, VVC is "codec next" from the perspective of MPEG (see image above) that's due out in mid-to-late 2020. The Streaming Media article identifies the new "tools" in the codec, early performance results, and what we know about licensing. It's way too early for most
- [The State of CMAF: The Holy Grail or Just Another Format?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/the-state-of-cmaf-the-holy-grail-or-just-another-format.html) - My article, The State of CMAF: The Holy Grail or Just Another Format?, just published on the Streaming Media website. Here's the enticing intro: The holy grail of streaming is a single set of files that you can safely deliver to all target endpoints. The most likely candidate to help achieve this is the Common
- [Voronoi-based Objective Quality Metrics for Omnidirectional Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/voronoi-based-objective-quality-metrics-for-omnidirectional-video.html) - The Voronoi omnidirectional video metrics have the best correlation between test scores and subjective ratings than all measured 2D and 3D metrics according to its inventors. It's an open-source metric you can download and learn to use below. I'll be discussing the Voronoi metric in my upcoming talk on 2D and 3D video quality metrics
- [Compute VMAF Using FFmpeg on Windows](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/compute-vmaf-using-ffmpeg-on-windows.html) - Author's note: When this post was written, the Zeranoe FFmpeg Windows download didn't include VMAF, so you had to either download this version or compile your own. Now the Zeranoe version does include VMAF support; all you need to do is download the models and run the correct command strings. To learn how to do
- [What is Streaming 2019?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/what-is-streaming-2019.html) - At its most basic level, streaming media is the delivery of audio and video files from a server to a client over the internet or a cellular data network. The first streaming audio was delivered in 1995, while the first streaming video followed two years later; you can read more about the early history of
- [DASH Royalties Resurface in Three Law Suits](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/dash-royalties-resurface-in-three-law-suits.html) - We've been following the story of DASH royalties since MPEG LA first announced the pool back in 2015. Recently, the pool stopped offering licenses, which seemed to cease any assertions of royalties. But as I just wrote about in Streaming Media magazine, one of the pool members, Helios Streaming along with Ideahub, sued Showtime, Vudu,
- [Preview Lesson: Tuning for Encoding When Measuring with Video Quality Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/objective_quality_metrics_precon.html) - I'm pulling together some materials for my pre-conference session at Streaming Media West (November 18-20 in Los Angeles) entitled Objective Quality Metrics 2D & 3D: What They Are, How To Compute Them, & How To Use Them. One lesson talks about "tuning" when encoding files to be measured with metrics like PSNR, VMAF, and SSIM.
- [Showtime, Vudu, and Crackle Sued by DASH Patent Holders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/showtime-vudu-and-crackle-sued-by-dash-patent-holders.html) - Ideahub and Helios Streaming LLC have sued three streaming publishers, Showtime, Vudu, and Crackle (and other Sony Properties), for infringing upon a set of DASH patents. The suits, all filed in Federal District Court in Delaware, came within days after MPEG LA seemingly shuttered its DASH Patent Pool, which now states, “The DASH Patent Portfolio License
- [The Need for Speed: Demand for Low-Latency Streaming Is High](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/the-need-for-speed-demand-for-low-latency-streaming-is-high.html) - According to Bitmovin’s “Video Developer Report 2019,” latency was a concern of 54% of all its survey participants. Digging into the numbers, subsequent questions revealed that almost 50% of survey participants planned to implement a low-latency technology over the next 1–2 years, with over 50% seeking latency of under 5 seconds and 30% seeking latency
- [An FFmpeg Script to Render and Package a Complete HLS Presentation](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/an-ffmpeg-script-to-render-and-package-a-complete-hls-presentation.html) - So, the object of the exercise is a single FFmpeg script that encodes your files and creates the necessary master and media playlists. I took an initial stab here, but wound up with a script, "as ugly as someone else’s baby, particularly the need to duplicate the input file four times for the four streams."
- [Preview Lesson: OTT Ecosystem Components and Vendors](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/preview-lesson-ott-ecosystem-components-and-vendors.html) - I'm pulling together some materials for my pre-conference session at Streaming Media West (November 18-20 in Los Angeles) entitled Introduction to ABR Production and Delivery. One lesson shows the technology ecosystem needed to implement OTT streaming and identifies key vendors for each function. I figured I'd throw these slides out there to get comments on
- [Another Five-Star Review for Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/another-five-star-review-for-learn-to-produce-video-with-ffmpeg.html) - Reviewer Ian Kennedy recently reviewed Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg on Amazon, and he hit the nail on the head in his five-star review, saying: Who this book is for: 1) The decision maker who may be skeptical about using FFmpeg in a production environment compared to a turn-key commercial solution. 2) The video-adjacent
- [FFmpeg to the Rescue: Muxing Audio and Video Files](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/ffmpeg-to-the-rescue-muxing-audio-and-video-files.html) - So, there I was downloading videos from YouTube to include in a PowerPoint for a training course I was producing. Unfortunately, my download tool, wondershare's excellent video converter, downloaded separate audio and video streams, the video in an MP4 wrapper and the audio as an MP3 file. So I had to mux the two to
- [Choosing an x264 Preset](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/choosing-an-x264-preset.html) - All codecs and encoding tools have a configuration option that controls the quality/encoding time tradeoff. With x264 (and x265) the preset controls that tradeoff. When choosing a preset you should consider 3 criteria: Overall quality – the overall quality produced by that preset Low frame quality – the quality of the lowest frame produced by
- [Here's What I'm Teaching at Streaming Media West Next Month](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/heres-what-im-teaching-at-streaming-media-west-next-month.html) - Streaming Media West is coming up next month in the City of Los Angeles (as opposed to Huntington Beach where it's been the last few years). Specifically, it's at the Westin Bonaventure on November 19-20 (Tuesday/Wednesday) with pre-conference sessions on Monday the 18th. I'll be my normal busy self with two pre-conference sessions and several
- [Creating a Unique Encoding Ladder for Smartphone Viewers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/creating-a-unique-encoding-ladder-for-smartphone-viewers.html) - Many producers distribute the same encoding ladder to all viewers. However, sending a 1080p stream to smartphone viewers may be a waste of bandwidth as both SSIMPLUS and VMAF scores reveal that lower resolution, lower-bandwidth videos deliver similar quality at a lower cost. This tutorial, from my course Computing and Using Video Quality Metrics, shows
- [MPEG LA DASH Pool Stops Offering New Licences](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/mpeg-la-dash-pool-stops-offering-new-licences.html) - On August 12, 2019, I reported in Streaming Media Magazine that the hugely unpopular MPEG LA DASH Pool might be shutting down. I shared what was purported to be a draft letter from MPEG LA President Larry Horn to pool members which stated the following: “Regrettably, with more than one year’s experience marketing the DASH
- [SLC Launches New Course on Video Quality Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/slc-launches-new-course-on-video-quality-metrics.html) - Announcing a new online course entitled, Computing and Using Video Quality Metrics: A Course for Encoding Professionals. The course contains over four hours of video instruction and costs $99.95. The course teaches you how to choose, compute, and interpret video quality metrics like VMAF, SSIMPLUS, PSNR, and SSIM. Here are some of the key items you
- [New Five-Star Review for FFmpeg Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/new-five-star-review-for-ffmpeg-book.html) - Derrick Freeman is a luminary in the Streaming Video world, an expert on Wowza Streaming Engine and Telestream Wirecast (among other products) who has consulted with and instructed dozens of companies, universities, and other organizations. When Derrick needed to learn how to use FFmpeg, he purchased a copy of my book, Learn to Produce Video
- [MSU VQMT Gets Auto-Scaling But Watch the Scaling Algorithm](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/msu-vqmt-gets-autoscaling.html) - One of the first operations I learned in FFmpeg was how to scale subsampled video files back to the source resolution to compute PSNR in the Moscow State University (MSU) Video Quality Measurement Tool (VQMT). Thankfully, for those not familiar with FFmpeg, as of VQMT version 11.1, this operation is no longer necessary. Yup, VQMT
- [Hey AOM: Where's the Beef?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/hey-aom-wheres-the-beef.html) - I just saw Vimeo’s “isn’t it wonderful that we’re publishing video with AV1” announcement and felt the need to call BS. First, it’s time to stop calling AV1 royalty-free and promoting the Alliance for Open Media (AOM) as some kind of noble effort to keep video on the web free. Second, don’t tell me that
- [Baby Steps in Producing an HLS Master Manifest With FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/baby-steps-in-producing-an-hls-master-manifest-with-ffmpeg.html) - This article has been superseded by this article entitled, An FFmpeg Script to Render and Package a Complete HLS Presentation. So there I was, teaching a class at Streaming Media East entitled How To Build A Free Encoder/Packager With Watch Folder Operation Using Open Source Tools (handout and video available here). An attendee asked about
- [The Evolving Encoding Ladder: What You Need to Know](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/the-evolving-encoding-ladder-what-you-need-to-know.html) - This article discusses the evolution of the encoding ladder from the fixed ladder presented by Apple in Tech Note TN2224 to context-aware-encoding, which creates a ladder that not only considers the encoding complexity of the content, but also the producer's QoE and QoS metrics. The encoding ladder embodies the most significant encoding decisions made by
- [Buyers' Guide to Per-Title Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/buyers-guide-to-per-title-encoding.html) - After three years or so in gestation, per-title encoding is becoming a required feature on most encoding platforms, whether in-house software or SaaS cloud providers. In this buyers' guide, we'll review a list of features to look for in per-title encoding offerings and present a testing structure to evaluate the contenders that make it to
- [How and Where to Deploy Dynamic Packaging](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/how-and-where-to-deploy-dynamic-packaging.html) - Dynamic Packaging is a technique that can save encoding and storage costs for video producers that distribute two or more ABR formats, like DASH, HLS, Smooth Streaming, or even RTMP. In this interview, Softvelum CEO Yury Udovichenko discusses how his flagship product, Nimble Streamer, can deploy Dynamic Packaging for VOD, Live, VOD Remote HTTP Origin,
- [W4- Key Encoding Skills_Technologies_and_Techniques](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/w4-key-encoding-skills_technologies_and_techniques.html) - Here's the link to download: W4-key encoding skills Here's the description. W4. Key Encoding Skills, Technologies, & Techniques Monday, May 6: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. This session helps encoding professionals get up-to-speed on crucial encoding-related issues, technologies, and techniques. Topics include: Best high-level strategies for delivering to computers, mobile, smart TVs, and OTT (which ABR,
- [Build Encoder Packager With Open-Source Tools](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/build_encoder_packager_with_open_source_tools.html) - Here's the download: T20_Build_Free_Encoder_FFmpeg_Bento_short. The video is below. T202. How To Build A Free Encoder/Packager With Watch Folder Operation Using Open Source Tools Wednesday, May 8: 11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Open source tools like FFmpeg and Bento4 are used to build massive encoding farms for high-profile premium content services, but they also serve wonderfully as
- [Benchmarking FFmpeg’s Hardware Codecs - Download Handout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/benchmarking-ffmpegs-hardware-codecs-download-handout.html) - Here's the description; download handout here. SME-2019 - FFmpeg Hardware VES101. Benchmarking FFmpeg’s Hardware Codecs Tuesday, May 7: 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Hardware codecs in FFmpeg like those from Intel and NVIDIA deliver significant performance gains over x264/x265, but have a reputation for lower quality and use a completely different command set. This session benchmarks
- [Download Slides: Introduction to ABR Production and Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/download-slides-introduction-to-abr-production-and-delivery.html) - Here's the description; link to the PDF is below: W1. Introduction To ABR Production & Delivery Monday, May 6: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. This course helps those new to streaming media get familiar with the relevant terms, concepts, and technologies. The session begins with a definition of terms like codecs, container formats, and adaptive bitrate
- [CanIUse Pegs AV1 Availability at 32.46%; Twice that of HEVC (16.71%)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/caniuse-pegs-av1-usage-at-32-46-twice-that-of-hevc-16-71.html) - I was preparing for the codec discussion of my preconference sessions next week at Streaming Media East and visited www.caniuse.com to report codec availability. While I expected H.264 (96.96%) and VP9 (80.78%) to easily win, and they did, I was surprised to find AV1 availability at 32.46%, well ahead of HEVC at 16.71%. Digging into
- [YouTube Quality at Lower Resolutions was Awful in my Tests](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/youtube-quality-at-lower-resolutions-was-awful-in-my-tests.html) - I'm preparing for my per-title presentation at Streaming Media East next Tuesday (presentation description below) and found some anomalous results for lower-resolution files produced by YouTube. I'm including YouTube in the analysis because I've always respected their work and for perspective vis a vis other per-title technologies that I'll analyze (including Elemental MediaConvert QVBR, Capella
- [Sisvel Update](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/sisvel-update.html) - I’ve been asked for an update on the Sisvel AV1/VP9 pool situation; here’s what we know. Before beginning, as I wrote about here, I am working as a consultant with Sisvel during the launch. To recap, Sisvel announced their pool late March: Before signing on as a consultant, I wrote two articles for Streaming Media
- [Transparency Alert: I Will Be Working With Sisvel](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/transparency-alert-i-will-be-working-with-sisvel.html) - Just a brief note to let you know that I’ve signed on as a consultant for Sisvel regarding their launch of the AV1 and VP9 patent pools. What? Sisvel just announced patent pools on VP9 and AV1 and was aware that HEVC-related pools were controversial and were concerned about properly communicating its vision and goals.
- [Talking on VMAF at the NAB Streaming Summit](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/talking-on-vmaf-at-the-nab-streaming-summit.html) - Just a quick note to let you know that I'll be speaking at the NAB Streaming Summit on Using VMAF, Netflix’s Video Encoding Metric to Measure QoE. Description: Netflix uses video quality metric VMAF that combines human vision modeling with machine learning, to make automated encoding decisions in their per-title/per-scene encoding workflow. This presentation will
- [Free Video: Scaling and Letterboxing in FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/free-video-scaling-and-letterboxing-in-ffmpeg.html) - Embedded below is a free lesson from my course, Produce Videos with FFmpeg: The Beginner's Course (http://bit.ly/learn_ffmpeg). The previous lesson in the course describes when you can use the -s command to set resolution; this lesson details your options when you can't. This typically occurs when the display aspect ratio of your output is different from
- [New Course: Encoding and Packaging for Multiple Screen Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/new-course-encoding-and-packaging-for-multiple-screen-delivery.html) - I'm launching a new course entitled Encoding and Packaging for Multiple Screen Delivery. It's an advanced course detailing how to create and configure encoding ladders using objective quality metrics like VMAF, packaging for DASH/HLS (both static and dynamic), CMAF, per-title encoding, and more. The course is designed for professionals who need to get up to
- [Interview with Sisvel CEO Mattia Fogliacco About New VP9 and AV1 Patent Pools](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/interview-with-sisvel-ceo-mattia-fogliacco-about-new-vp9-and-av1-patent-pools.html) - In this video, I interviewed Sisvel CEO Mattia Fogliacco about the new VP9 and AV1 patent pools. Our discussion covered: Background on Sisvel Due diligence performed before Sisvel formulated the pool to confirm the validity of their patents Details about the royalty structure and what's covered by the license (and what's not covered) The image
- [Sisvel Announces Patent Pools for VP9 and AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/sisvel-announces-patent-pools-for-vp9-and-av1.html) - Luxembourg-based Sisvel International SA announced patent pools for VP9 and AV1 yesterday targeted at consumer display devices (smartphones, TVs, etc) and consumer non-display devices (set-top boxes and OTT devices). Here's what we know from this article on Streaming Media) and this Q&A. The standard rate for VP9 is € 0.24 for display devices and €
- [Fixing FileZilla Write Permission Errors in AWS Instances](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/fixing-filezilla-write-permission-errors-in-aws-instances.html) - My article How to Launch a Cloud Encoding Computer just posted on the Streaming Media Global site. Good thing, too, because I had just started a consulting project that required setting up and encoding on multiple AWS instances. Always handy to have a step-by-step guide, so I printed the article draft and went through it
- [Video - Two Free Video Analysis Tools; MediaInfo and Bitrate Viewer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/video-two-free-video-analysis-tools-mediainfo-and-bitrate-viewer.html) - The video below shows two tools that I've installed on every computer that will run them; MediaInfo on all Windows, Linux, and Mac workstations, and Bitrate Viewer, which is Windows only. If you don't know about these tools, you'll find the seven-minute video very, very useful. As a preview, MediaInfo provides information about my H.264,
- [Convert a Windows Folder With a One-Line For Loop FFmpeg Command](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/convert-a-windows-folder-with-a-one-line-for-loop-ffmpeg-command.html) - I just finished my Produce Videos with FFmpeg course which I recorded with Camtasia, edited in Adobe Premiere Pro, and output in the Adobe Media Encoder (AME). I outputted from AME at about 10 Mbps to ensure quality, but now I’m left with 3 GB of files to upload. I know the data rate is
- [Streaming Learning Center Launches First FFmpeg Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/streaming-learning-center-launches-first-ffmpeg-course.html) - Just a quick note to let you know that I’m launching a video course entitled, Produce Videos with FFmpeg: The Beginner’s Course. The course costs $29.95 and includes 32 video lessons totaling about 3 hours of video with downloadable PDFs of the content covered. Students will learn basics like how to configure video resolution and
- [AV1 Encoding and 4K](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/av1-encoding-and-4k.html) - A couple of additional data points on AV1 encoding as follow-ups to my Streaming Media article here. First, a colleague asked about 4K encoding times on Twitter. Second, a reader recommended using the row-mt switch for VP9. So, I encoded a ten-second 4K test file on the same single-CPU ZBook as the Streaming Media article.
- [Unified Poops in Velos' Punchbowl](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/unified-poops-in-velos-punchbowl.html) - Sorry for the visual but couldn’t resist. Just got the following email from Unified Patents. All the normal caveats apply; I haven’t reviewed the filings (and won’t) and Unified may not succeed though they’ve had some recent successes. Why the hate on Velos? In contrast to the transparency with which MPEG LA and HEVC Advanced
- [Good News: AV1 Encoding Times Drop to Near-Reasonable Levels](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/good-news-av1-encoding-times-drop-to-near-reasonable-levels.html) - When I first tested AV1 encoding back in August 2018 encoding times were glacial and seriously detracted from the potential usability of the codec. Table 1 from that story tells the tale. Unless otherwise indicated, all encoding times are on my HP ZBook notebook powered by a single 2.8 GHz Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 CPU.
- [Installing and Using Netflix VMAF-Master](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/installing-and-using-netflix-vmaf-master.html) - I frequently use the VMAF quality metric to analyze encoding parameters and compare codecs. In my experience, VMAF scores tend to match my own subjective quality observations and the fact that Netflix uses it gives the metric great credibility. Originally, there was only one VMAF version, but Netflix has added both a 4K model and
- [The VMAF Phone Model and Saving on Streaming to Mobile Viewers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/the-vmaf-phone-model-and-saving-on-streaming-to-mobile-viewers.html) - I’m writing a blog post on a free Netflix utility called VMAF-Master that you can download here (Windows executable here). Basically, it’s an open-source command line utility for computing VMAF, PSNR, SSIM, and MS SSIM on Linux and Mac computers with some enterprising contributors compiling a Windows version. One very well written help file relates
- [Reduce Video Message File Size by 34% Without Quality Loss](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/reduce-video-message-file-size-by-34-without-quality-loss.html) - According to the last published statistics, in June 2017, Whatsapp users sent over 1 billion video messages a day. This obviously represents only a fraction of the market and daily traffic has certainly has grown since then. At the same time, 4K cameras have become standard and mobile screen resolutions have increased in size and
- [Recommendation from AMC Networks](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/recommendation-from-amc-networks.html) - I recently finished a streaming consulting project with AMC Networks and was pleased to receive the following LinkedIn recommendation from their VP of Video Products. It was great working with Greg and his team with the gorgeous content from AMC. Beyond this work with AMC, I've helped media companies and video publishers fine-tune their encoding
- [Encoding YUV Files with FFmpeg and Converting to Y4M](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-yuv-files-with-ffmpeg-and-converting-to-y4m.html) - I just finished a project that involved encoding lots of downloaded YUV test files, which is something I never tried before. The problem is that there's no resolution or frame rate information in the file header, so you have to detail all this in the command string. My first crack at the problem evolved into this
- [MPEG LA Forces Huawei to Pay (for H.264 that is)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/mpeg-la-forces-huawei-to-pay-for-h-264-that-is.html) - In this January 2019 article in Streaming Media Magazine, I reported that two patent holders in the MPEG-LA patent portfolio group had sued Huawei and ZTE in Germany for patent infringement and had won. As stated therein, "the judgment was particularly onerous; not only did the court order the two companies to stop selling the offending
- [MSU Adds VMAF 4K Model and Data Rate Displays to VQMT Version 11](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/msu-adds-vmaf-4k-model-and-data-rate-displays-to-vqmt-version-11.html) - Moscow State University's Video Quality Measurement Tool (VQMT) has been my go-to file analysis tool dating back to 2014 (see my initial review, here, and an update, here). As you can see in this video, version 11 of the tool adds several new features, including support for the VMAF 4K model, data rate graphs, and
- [New Five Star Review of FFmpeg Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/new-five-star-review-ffmpeg-book.html) - One frustration of writing books for developers is that they're not the most prolific group when it comes to writing book reviews (or, well, at least not for my books). So it's always cause for celebration when a review posts, especially when the review accurately captures the value I was hoping to deliver with the book. So
- [Demuxed '18 Highlights: The Future of Codecs and Compression](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/demuxed-18-highlights-the-future-of-codecs-and-compression.html) - Demuxed is the annual conference for video engineers by video engineers. Held on October 17 and 18 in San Francisco, the conference included 31 speakers giving talks in rapid-fire fashion ranging in duration from 10 to 30 minutes. To use a well-worn but appropriate metaphor, the experience is like drinking from a fire hose: almost impossible
- [Download Handout: Fine-Tuning Adaptive Group With Objective Quality Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/download-handout-fine-tuning-adaptive-group-objective-quality-metrics.html) - Here's the description; download handout below. T101. HOW-TO: Fine-Tuning Your Adaptive Encoding Groups With Objective Quality Metrics Tuesday, November 13: 10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Choosing the number of streams in an adaptive group and configuring them is usually a subjective, touchy-feely exercise, with no way to really gauge the effectiveness and efficiency of the
- [W4. Encoding Live & VOD For HEVC/HLS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/w4-encoding-live-vod-hevc-hls.html) - W4. Encoding Live & VOD For HEVC/HLS Monday, November 12: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Apple’s support for HEVC in HLS is a groundbreaking event that opens up hundreds of millions of HEVC capable players. If supporting this spec is on your short-term development schedule, check out this workshop. The workshop starts by reviewing the
- [Download Handout: Encoding 2018: Codecs & Packaging For PCs, Mobile, & OTT/STB/Smart TVs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/download-handout-encoding-2018-codecs-packaging-pcs-mobile-ott-stb-smart-tvs.html) - Download the handout from this presentation below: Here's the description: As video resolutions increase and target playback platforms multiply, video producers must leave their H.264/HLS/HDS comfort zone and expand into HEVC, VP9, AV1, and MPEG-DASH. This workshop is divided into multiple segments by target platform to teach you the applicable standards and best strategies for
- [Best Practices for Netflix's VMAF Metric](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/best-practices-for-netflixs-vmaf-metric.html) - Zhi Li, senior software engineer at Netflix, recently co-wrote a paper entitled VMAF: The Journey Continues posted on the Netflix Technology Blog on Medium. After reviewing why VMAF was developed, how it’s been adopted in the industry, and some recent improvements, the paper discusses some best practices for using VMAF. In particular, this last section will be valuable
- [Apple's Roger Pantos to Give Kickoff Session at Streaming Media West](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/apples-roger-pantos-kickoff-streaming-media-west.html) - I have a confession to make. Though I’ve attended dozens of Streaming Media conferences, I’ve never attended a kickoff session. Not, of course, because the content wasn’t information and insightful, but because I’m always scurrying about trying to finish my own presentations. This dubious accomplishment ends at Streaming Media West next month, when Roger Pantos,
- [New Codecs Are Coming; Here's How to Evaluate Codec Evaluations](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/new-codecs-are-coming-heres-how-to-evaluate-codec-evaluations.html) - As we transition from H.264 to VP9, HEVC, AV1, and soon VVC (Versatile Video Coding), it’s important to understand the fundamentals of codec comparisons and how to evaluate their effectiveness and utility. In this expanded column I’ll cover both. Evaluating the Evaluation Let’s begin with how to evaluate the evaluation. I start by identifying the
- [Join Me at the Battle of the Codecs Tonight](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/join-battle-codecs-tonight.html) - I’ve been pondering what drives codec adoption since I joined compression company Iterated Systems back in 1993. Tonight, I have the opportunity to explore the subject in detail at a meetup sponsored by Bitmovin as an adjunct to the Demuxed conference here in San Francisco. Entitled The Battle of the Codecs: AV1 vs VVC, the
- [HEVC, VP9, AV1, and VVC: A Codec Update in Eleven Charts](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/hevc-vp9-av1-and-vvc-a-codec-update-in-eleven-charts.html) - Lots going on in the codec world, lots to analyze. But for the most part in this article, I’m going to let the pictures do the talking. New HEVC Codec Leaders Emerge I’m a big fan of Moscow State University tools and reports. Unlike many codec analysts, MSU asks the codec vendors to suggest the
- [Playing AV1 in Firefox Nightly](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/playing-av1-firefox-nightly.html) - I recently wrote an article for Streaming Media where I tested AV1 playback from YouTube in Chrome. I mentioned that I couldn't make Firefox Nightly work, though it also should play the YouTube content. Some folks from Mozilla got in touch and detailed the steps to make it work. 1. Download Firefox Nightly here. 2. Go to
- [Huawei to Pay $7.7 Million Judgment for H.264 Patent Infringement](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/huawei-to-pay-7-7-million-judgment-for-h-264-patent-infringement.html) - In his Essential Patent Blog, intellectual property attorney David Long recently reported that a jury trial in Federal District Court in Texas found that Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei infringed upon an H.264-related patent owned by PanOptis, a non-practicing entity (NPE). The jury also found that the H264 award wasn’t limited by FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory)
- [Webinar on Unified Patent's Video Codec Zone](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/webinar-on-unified-patents-video-codec-zone.html) - New Service by Unified Patents Assists Companies with Patent-Related Royalty Claims Monday, September 10, 20182:00 PM ESTRegister below Companies deploying HEVC and other video technologies face skyrocketing licensing costs and uncertainty about future demands. In 2017, Apple paid Nokia $2 billion dollars in unexpected H.264 royalties, while last month Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei was ordered to
- [H264 Royalties Just Became a Lot More Uncertain](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/h264-royalties-just-became-a-lot-more-uncertain.html) - In his Essential Patent Blog, intellectual property attorney David Long recently reported that a jury trial in Federal District Court in Texas found that Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei infringed upon an H.264-related patent owned by PanOptis, a non-practicing entity (NPE). The jury also found that the H264 award wasn’t limited by FRAND requirements typically applied
- [First AV1 Hardware Acceleration at IBC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/first-av1-hardware-acceleration-at-ibc.html) - I'm not going to IBC, but if you are, please check out AV1 hardware encoding acceleration from Socionext. Here's the blurb from the press release. There will be a demonstration of the world’s first hardware-based implementation of an AV1 encoding system. AV1 is a new, advanced video data compression standard established by theAlliance for Open Media,
- [First Look of AV1 Up on Streaming Media](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/first-look-of-av1-up-on-streaming-media.html) - My first look of the AV1 codec is up on Streaming Media Magazine. Here's the pithy summary. "These tests revealed glimpses of very alluring quality as compared to existing codecs, but at a current encoding cost that’s far beyond what the vast majority of video publishers can afford to pay. How many devices will play
- [Saving Streaming Costs: Adding a New Codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/saving-streaming-costs-adding-a-new-codec.html) - Number of hours of streaming required to recoup 60-minute encoding cost. Author's note: The author would like to acknowledge the shocking fact that he is not perfect and that this lack of perfection often reveals itself, quite embarrassingly, in spreadsheet-intensive articles. I did the best I could and checked every number and assumption multiple times, but
- [Impressive Early Results for Versatile Video Coding (VVC)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/impressive-early-results-versatile-video-coding-vvc.html) - MPEG is working on a new coding standard called Versatile Video Coding (VVC). A colleague recently sent me a presentation from Thierry Fautier, VP Video Strategy at Harmonic, which contained some preliminary encoding results to be formally presented at a paper given at IBC. The presentation was from a short talk Thierry gave at the Mile High
- [Save on Encoding Costs: Cut Cloud Encoding Charges](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/save-encoding-costs-cut-cloud-encoding-charges.html) - This is the fourth article in a series on saving encoding and delivery costs. The first three articles are: Saving on Encoding and Delivery: Dynamic Packaging Saving on Encoding and Streaming: Deploy Capped CRF Saving on Encoding: Adjust Encoding Configuration to Increase Capacity Cloud encoding is a great alternative for producers who don’t want to
- [My AV1 First Look: Good Quality, Glacial Encoding Speed](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/my-av1-first-look-good-quality-glacial-encoding-speed.html) - The launch of FFmpeg 4.0 gave many compressionists their first chance to test the new AV1 codec, which is included in experimental form. For the first time, you had a single encoder that could produce all relevant codecs: H.264 with the x264 codec, HEVC with the x265 codec, VP9 using the Google Libvpx-vp9 codec, and
- [Ozer Updates FFmpeg Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/11024.html) - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Jan Ozer 276-235-8542 janozer@gmail.com www.streaminglearningcenter.com OZER UPDATES LEARN TO PRODUCE VIDEO WITH FFMPEG IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS Adds instruction on packaging with Bento 4, encoding and packaging HEVC for HLS, and Live H.264, HEVC, and VP9 transcoding Galax, VA, August 10, 2018 -- Doceo Publishing today announced the 2018
- [Download Free Chapter of Updated FFmpeg Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/download-free-chapter-ffmpeg-book.html) - I'm releasing the 2018 update to my book Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg in 30 Minutes or Less, and you can download a chapter for free below. It’s Chapter 4 on bitrate control techniques which includes constant bitrate encoding (CBR), variable bitrate encoding (VBR), Constant Rate Factor (CRF), and Capped CRF. As with all chapters,
- [Saving on Encoding and Delivery: Dynamic Packaging](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/saving-encoding-delivery-dynamic-packaging.html) - This is the third in a five-part series on how to cut your encoding and streaming costs. The first article was on Adjusting Encoding Configurations to Increase Capacity, while the second was on Deploying Capped CRF Encoded videos. You can dramatically reduce net encoding and storage costs by implementing dynamic packaging for your live or VOD
- [Encoding DV and Analog Footage in FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-dv-analog-footage-ffmpeg.html) - There are two mostly vestigial problems that I didn’t address in Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg in 30 Minutes or Less because so few people encounter them. These are deinterlacing and aspect ratio mismatches. Now I’m writing a textbook with a greater scope, so I had to learn how to deal with both in
- [Saving on Encoding: Adjust Encoding Configuration to Increase Capacity](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/saving-encoding-adjust-encoding-configuration-increase-capacity.html) - This is the first of five articles on how to cut your encoding and streaming costs. [dt_quote type="pullquote" layout="left" font_size="big" animation="none" size="1"]This article discusses how you can cut x264 encoding costs by 73% without noticeable quality degradation and triple your x265 capacity while actually improving real world video quality. [/dt_quote] A key focus of my book
- [Sorenson Squeeze RIP](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/sorenson-squeeze-rip.html) - Sorenson Squeeze was one of the first encoding tools that many streaming professionals used and now it's officially end-of-lifed as you can see from the featured image atop this page (from here). It's not really a surprise; in 2015, I interviewed new Sorenson CEO Marcus Liassides who described how Sorenson would be focusing on building tools
- [Choosing a Cloud or On-Premise Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/choosing-cloud-premise-encoder.html) - As corporations move their compute resources into public and private clouds, and other virtual environments, most encoding vendors are doing the same with their encoders, though not all markets are moving at the same speed. In my Streaming Media article, A Hybrid Approach Guides the Changing Face of On-Prem Encoding, I spoke with about 13 vendors,
- [Codec Overview on Streaming Media Website](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/codec-overview-streaming-media-website.html) - AV1 has been all consuming from a mindshare perspective for many streaming professionals, but the fact of the matter is that unless you're distributing stream quantities on par with Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, and Hulu, AV1 won't be relevant for at least two years, maybe longer. I discuss why in my Streaming Media article, Return of the
- [Crunch Technology Shines in Per-Title Comparison](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/crunch-technology-shines-per-title-comparison.html) - If you’ve been following my work, you know that I’m very bullish on per-title encoding and optimization technologies, and have reviewed them several times. One technology that I haven’t tested before is from Crunch Media Works, which offers video optimization tools that can be used on public and private computer servers, as well as mobile
- [Premiere Pro Won't Load AVCHD Audio? FFmpeg to the Rescue](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/premiere-pro-wont-load-avchd-audio-ffmpeg-rescue.html) - If you're trying to load AVCHD files into Premiere Pro and you're on Windows 7 or earlier, the AVCHD video will likely load without the audio file. That's because instead of supporting Dolby decoding natively in Premiere Pro, like they used to, Adobe now piggybacks off the operating support in Windows 8 and beyond. Since
- [Finding the Equivalent x264 Commands for FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/finding-equivalent-x264-commands-ffmpeg.html) - Most of the x264 commands that I use in FFmeg are simple and well documented. Today, I had to duplicate a Handbrake preset that included some obscure x264-specific configuration options like the following: cabac=0:aq-mode=3:slices=24:direct=auto:subme=8:trellis=1:deblock=-2,-1:me=umh Cabac, I got, but most of the rest I use the default setting for the selected preset. Since Handbrake was displaying
- [HEVC Adoption Slow But Steady Says Beamr Report](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/hevc-adoption-slow-steady-says-beamr-report.html) - A recent report published by Unisphere Research and Streaming Media magazine, and sponsored by Beamr, reveals some interesting data on HEVC adoption. Entitled Real-World HEVC Insights: Adoption, Implications, and Workflows, the report is available for free download on StreamingMedia.com (registration required) and is authored by my colleague Tim Siglin, a Streaming Media contributing editor and
- [The HEVC IP Mess is Worse than you Think](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/hevc-ip-mess-worse-think.html) - A recent article in IPWatchdog analyzed HEVC-related patent ownership and found that "only one-third of relevant patents have been declared in patent pools." So, even companies that license from all three pools are at substantial risk of challenges from other IP owners. With a new standard coming, MPEG needs to update its licensing policies, not
- [Mapping SSIM and VMAF Scores to Subjective Ratings](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/mapping-ssim-vmaf-scores-subjective-ratings.html) - One visual quality metric that's getting a bit more love lately is the Structured Similarity Index (SSIM). For example, when Facebook launched their first VR Metric, SSIM360, they based it on SSIM. I've generally avoided using SSIM because the scoring range is too small for my liking (0 - 1) and I wasn't aware of any
- [Per-Title Encoding Resources](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/per-title-video-encoding-resources.html) - For all talk about the new AV1 codec or HEVC in HLS, the simplest and fastest way to save bandwidth costs and improve your viewer's QoE is to deploy video optimization or per-title encoding. I explore why in a column now up on StreamingMedia.com. You can implement a simple form of per-title encoding with FFmpeg
- [Applying Quality Metrics to Configure 2D and 3D Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/applying-quality-metrics-configure-2d-3d-video.html) - At NAB 2018 I gave a talk on applying quality metrics to 2D and VR video, and the video has just become available. So here's the session description, and the video and a link to the handout is below. Choosing the number of streams in an adaptive group and configuring them is usually a subjective,
- [What's the Optimal Duration for Your Product Video?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/whats-optimal-duration-product-video.html) - Though I spend most of my time focusing on video production and encoding, I’m also fascinated by how organizations are actually using video in their day-to-day operations. So when Vidyard released their second annual Video in Business Benchmark Report (freely downloadable here) I had to give it a quick scan. Briefly, Vidyard is a video
- [Much Ado About Not Much (HEVC Support in Android)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/much-ado-not-much-hevc-support-android.html) - Much has been made about Google's support for HEVC in Android, including I hate to say, by me. A recent look at the Android spec while preparing for a Streaming Media Workshop, however, seems to indicate that this support is practically irrelevant. Here's why. If you click over to the Android Supported Media Formats page, you'll see
- [Download Handout from Encoding Live and VOD for HEVC in HLS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/download-handout-encoding-live-vod-hevc-hls.html) - This was a pre-conference workshop; here's the description, download the handout below. Note that there are two sets of handouts, one from Jan, the other from RealEyes. W3. Encoding Live & VOD For HEVC/HLS Monday, May 7: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Apple’s support for HEVC in HLS is a groundbreaking event that opens up hundreds
- [Download Handout - Comparing Per-Title Encoding Options](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/download-handout-comparing-per-title-encoding-options.html) - Another of my sessions at Streaming Media. Here's the description, download PDF below. T203. HOW-TO: Comparing Per-Title Encoding Options Wednesday, May 9: 1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Per-title encoding techniques customize the encoding ladder to match the encoding complexity of the source, saving bandwidth on easy-to compress videos and ensuring the quality of more complex
- [Download Handout - Comparison of H.264, HEVC, VP9 and AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/download-handout-comparison-h-264-hevc-vp9-av1.html) - One of my sessions at Streaming Media East. Here's the description; download the handout below. T102. HOW-TO: Comparing AV1, VP9, HEVC, & H.264 Tuesday, May 8: 11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Many content distributors and aggregators still use H.264 as their primary, if not exclusive, codec, but the bandwidth savings promised by newer, more powerful
- [Download Handout - Multi-Distribution of Live Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/download-handout-multi-distribution-live-video.html) - One of my three sessions at Streaming Media East. Here's the description; link to handout below. Note: one issue that came up during the discussion was the ability for systems to handle multiple language and captions. After the presentation, I heard from a representative from Go Easy Live who stated, "As additional informational, I confirm
- [Encoding 2018: Codecs & Packaging For PCs, Mobile, & OTT/STB/Smart TVs - Handout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/encoding-2018-codecs-packaging-pcs-mobile-ottstbsmart-tvs-handout.html) - My first presentation at Streaming Media East. A complete lesson-based rewrite from previous workshops. Here's the description, the download link is below. As video resolutions increase and target playback platforms multiply, video producers must leave their H.264/HLS/HDS comfort zone and expand into HEVC, VP9, and MPEG-DASH. This workshop is divided into multiple segments by target
- [Details Regarding Per-Title Bakeoff at Streaming Media East](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/details-regarding-per-title-bakeoff-streaming-media-east.html) - I know time is short, but I've gotten in touch with most vendors that offer this feature and am posting this (and using social media) so the word is out. Anyone who wants to participate, there's still time. Here's the description of the session: T203. HOW-TO: Comparing Per-Title Encoding Options Wednesday, May 9: 1:45 p.m.
- [Tutorial on HEVC in HLS and the New Beamr Transcoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/tutorial-hevc-hls-new-beamr-transcoder.html) - While at NAB, I produced a short video with Beamr CTO Dror Gil and Dirk Griffioen from Unified Streaming, which sells a variety of streaming-related software, including modules for ABR packaging. The primary topic was encoding and packaging with HEVC in HLS. Dror also gave a brief demo of Beamr's new Transcoder product. During the talk, we covered
- [All Videos from NAB](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/all-videos-from-nab.html) - While at NAB, I freelanced with my iPhone X, a video light, and a handheld microphone and interviewed 14 encoding professionals. These videos are posted on Streaming Media website along with text transcripts. Here are links to and brief descriptions of the interviews: Netflix's Anne Aaron, on Netflix's plans for the AV1 codec. AOMedia executive (and
- [NAB Roundup: What I Learned About the Launch of AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/nab-roundup-learned-launch-av1.html) - From a Streaming Media perspective, NAB 2018 was all about the launch of the AV1 codec from the Alliance for Open Media. While at the show, I spoke with many different people from many different companies about the launch, and about other codec-related announcements at the show. You can read all about that in my
- [Applying Quality Encoding Metrics For 2D And VR Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/applying-quality-encoding-metrics-2d-vr-video.html) - Description: Choosing the number of streams in an adaptive group and configuring them is usually a subjective, touchy-feely exercise, with no way to really gauge the effectiveness and efficiency of the streams. However, by measuring stream quality with metrics such as CRF, PSNR, Spherical PSNR, Weighted Spherical PSNR, and VMAF, you can assess the quality delivered
- [Facebook Introduces New 360°/VR Video Quality Metric](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/facebook-introduces-new-360vr-video-quality-metric.html) - VR and 360° video has all of the compression-related issues of flat video, and then some. Facebook's new metrics, called SSIM360 and 360QVM, might simplify quality analysis for developers in the future, particularly if Facebook open sources the metrics. In a blog post called "Quality Assessment of 360° Video View Sessions," Facebook will announce two objective quality
- [Stream Live to Multiple Destinations via Switchboard Cloud](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/stream-live-multiple-destinations-via-switchboard-cloud.html) - Reaching multiple viewing platforms with a single live video stream used to be impossible, but not anymore. Here's how to do it with Switchboard Cloud. Live content can be extremely engaging, and oftentimes, the more you spread it around, the better. This means streaming to accounts you have access to, and also to accounts controlled
- [Join Me in Las Vegas at NAB](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/join-las-vegas-nab.html) - Just a quick note to let you know that I’ll be speaking twice at NAB in Las Vegas next week; once as host of a panel discussion on HEVC and AV1, the other a session on how to use objective quality metrics to assist encoding configurations. Details are below. If you’re at NAB and free,
- [ZPEG Engine for x264 Cuts Video Data Rate by 21% Without Artifacts](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/zpeg-engine-x264-cuts-data-rate-21-without-artifacts.html) - With streaming video data rates, less is always more, unless of course, lower data rates mean visible artifacts. I just finished a review of the ZPEG Engine for x264, which produced bitrate savings of 21% without blocks, banding, mosquitoes, or other problems that would be noticeable by typical viewers. This was an average saving; the
- [AV1 Arrives, but IP Questions Linger](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/av1-arrives-ip-questions-linger.html) - After three years and multiple delays, the Alliance for Open Media froze its AV1 codec bitstream, thus setting up a cacophony of HEVC/AV1 face-offs in booths and meeting rooms at the upcoming NAB Show. These comparisons will largely dictate which codec will replace H.264 as the "it" codec for streaming to desktops, mobile devices, Smart TVs,
- [Moscow State University Updates its Video Quality Measurement Tool](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/moscow-state-university-updates-video-quality-measurement-tool.html) - Moscow State University's Video Quality Measurement Tool was already good. Enhancements in the new version, including new metrics and the ability to run multiple analyses simultaneously, make it even better. Moscow State University’s Video Quality Measurement Tool (VQMT) has always been one of the least expensive and most functional quality measurement tools available. The latest
- [HEVC Advance Cuts Content Fees on Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/hevc-advance-cuts-content-fees-streaming.html) - HEVC Advance announced today that it is eliminating subscription and title-by-title royalty fees for non-physical HEVC content distribution, making all streaming, cable, over-the-air broadcasts, and satellite distributions of encoded HEVC content royalty free. HEVC encoded content sold on Blu-ray discs and other storage devices will continue to be subject to a royalty. In a related
- [New Logitech Webcam C922 Makes Huge Difference in Video Quality](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/new-logitech-webcam-makes-huge-difference-quality.html) - Now that programs like Wirecast and vMix make it simple to perform side-by-side interviews like my recent interview with Beamr's Dror Gill below, I've been doing more of them. The tension has always been regarding video quality. Specifically, do I connect a camera to my HP notebook, or go with its internal webcam or my
- [Beamr to Launch Cloud Transcoder: Video Interview with CTO Dror Gill](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/beamr-launch-cloud-transcoder-video-interview-cto-dror-gill.html) - We've known Beamr as an optimization company, and in 2016 they bought Vanguard Video, a codec company. Traditionally, Beamr sold SDKs to large customers, but now they're launching a cloud transcoding service. I recently interviewed CTO Dror Gill about the new service; here's the video.
- [Player Testing (Don't Assume it's Working Well)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/other/player-testing-dont-assume-working-well.html) - The graph below shows two off-the-shelf players retrieving the same HLS manifest under the similar test conditions, which vary from 512 kbps at the low end to 5120 kbps at the top end. On the left, Player A, stopped retrieving video multiple times during the low bandwidth transmissions, stalling playback, which are the red lines
- [HEVC and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Month of January](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/other/hevc-terrible-horrible-no-good-bad-month-january.html) - As recently as June, HEVC seemed to have more momentum than the Golden State Warriors and New England Patriots combined, courtesy of Apple’s adding HEVC to HLS. Then, in the span of 30 days in January, the balloon popped as a trio of seismically negative events cast a dark shadow on HEVC’s future relevance and
- [AV1 Beats VP9 and HEVC on Quality, if You've Got Time, says Moscow State](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/av1-beats-vp9-hevc-quality-youve-got-time-says-moscow-state.html) - According to Moscow State University (MSU), AV1 is the highest quality codec available, besting both HEVC and VP9—when considering quality only, and not encoding speed,. More interesting is that in normal operating modes, VP9 produced higher quality than HEVC. These are just two of several compelling findings from the recently completed MSU 2017 Codec Comparison
- [Wowza ClearCaster Streams 1080p to Facebook Live](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/other/wowza-clearcaster-streams-1080p-facebook-live.html) - Wowza ClearCaster is a $6,000 encoder from Wowza, that at first glance may cause you to repeat the company's name loudly, as in, "Wowza, that's a high price for a single channel streaming appliance." Perhaps so, but it's the only encoder that can stream 1080p to Facebook Live, and as I learned when I reviewed
- [Three Truths About Virtual Reality Success From a VR Novice](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/three-truths-virtual-reality-success-vr-novice.html) - The creativity behind immersive VR filmmaking is only matched by the software engineering creativity that makes this type of video possible. I just started a consulting project relating to 360° VR video, and have some introductory conclusions. I am only an egg, as Robert Heinlein might say, but I thought I would share them. First,
- [Learn to Use Premiere Pro's New Titling Tool - Free Tutorial](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/learn-use-premiere-pros-new-titling-tool-free-tutorial.html) - I've resisted upgrading to the latest version of Adobe Creative Cloud because the beloved titler has been replaced (but is still available). After producing a video tutorial on the new title function for Streaming Media Producer, I see that Adobe made a great decision; the new tool is both more capable and more accessible. The
- [First Review of FFmpeg Book is Up on Amazon](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/first-review-ffmpeg-book-amazon.html) - It took awhile, but the first review of my book, Learn to Produce Videos with FFmpeg: In Thirty Minutes or Less, is up on Amazon. Here's the key comment. "Everything here is already available on the net. But this is much easier. Worth the price just to have it all in one place. Easy to read
- [New Report Details Impact of Apple's Inclusion of HEVC in HLS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/new-report-details-impact-apples-inclusion-hevc-hls.html) - Interested in how Apple's adding HEVC to HLS is impacting streaming producer's intent to start encoding with HEVC? How about their attitudes towards the Alliance for Open Media's AV1 codec? A new report available on the Streaming Media website covers both of these issues and more. Entitled, The Impact of Apple's HEVC Adoption: A Survey-Based Report, the
- [In Case You Haven't Heard: Apple Joins Alliance for Open Media](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/case-havent-heard-apple-joins-alliance-open-media.html) - The skinny: Apple, a member of the MPEG LA H.264 and HEVC patent pools, and staunch supporter of standards (and avoider of open source-codecs) broke ranks and joined the Alliance for Open Media. Give me more: Apple has always deployed standards-based codecs, and Steve Jobs was very negative on Google’s VP8 open-source codec when launched.
- [Check Your Dang Log Files](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/check-dang-log-files.html) - One of the more intriguing streaming-related numbers out there is the Netflix ISP Speed Index which topped out at a paltry 3.98 Mbps in the US during December 2017 (Figure 1). According to Netflix, “The Netflix ISP Speed Index lists the average prime-time bitrate for Netflix content streamed to Netflix members during a particular month. For
- [Apple Joins Alliance for Open Media: What Does it Mean?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/apple-joins-alliance-open-media-mean.html) - On January 5, roughly 27 months after the inception of the Alliance for Open Media (AOM), Apple appeared on the organization's website as a "founding member." Like everyone else, we first read the story on CNET, and CNET likely found out when the Alliance simply updated its website. As you probably know, AOM was formed in September
- [HEVC in HLS: 10 Key Questions for Streaming Video Developers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/hevc-hls-10-key-questions-streaming-video-developers.html) - At its June 2017 Worldwide Developer’s Conference, Apple announced support for HEVC playback in HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) delivered to iOS, MacOS, and tvOS end points. For many, this announcement raised more questions than answers, which we hope to address in this article. By way of background, at Streaming Media West 2017, I co-produced a
- [Divideon Creates xvc, an HEVC Codec With Reasonable Pricing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/divideon-creates-xvc-hevc-codec-reasonable-pricing.html) - It’s easy to imagine the deployment of HEVC as a case study in business and technology schools about how not to launch a technology. Not only do you have a launch cycle that clearly limited adaption, you also have classic illustrations of two of the major problems related to standard-essential patents, patent holdup, and royalty stacking. Patent
- [Live From Streaming Media East](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/live-streaming-media-east.html)
- [How to Choose and Use Objective Video Quality Benchmarks](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/choose-use-objective-video-quality-benchmarks.html) - Whether you know it or not, many of the videos that you watch have been configured using video quality metrics. Oh, you disagree? Well, have you have watched Netflix recently? Over the last 2 years or so, Netflix’s encoding ladders have been driven by the company’s Video Multimethod Assessment Fusion (VMAF) metric and, before that,
- [Netflix on AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/netflix-on-av1.html) - A short one. Before my trip to Stockholm last week, I sent a list of questions regarding AV1 to David Ronca, Director of Encoding Technologies at Netflix. As a company, Netflix has been very open and gracious about sharing their opinions and test results, both in their excellent blog posts and in many articles in many
- [HEVC IP Owners Are Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/10171.html) - Just back from ten days in Europe where I spoke at Streaming Tech Sweden and met with many streaming producers and encoding vendors. In particular, the vendors expressed dismay at the slow adoption of HEVC, particularly in view of Apple’s decision to include HEVC in HLS. Now that we’ve confirmed that battery life won’t be an issue, adding
- [Download Handout and View Streaming Tech Sweden Keynote](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/download-handout-streaming-tech-sweden-keynote.html) - I'm so excited to be at Stockholm speaking at Streaming Tech Sweden. My keynote address is entitled Codecs in 2018 and Beyond, and I discuss the future of H.264, HEVC, VP9, AV1, PERSEUS and Divideon xvc. The event producer, Eyevinn Technologies, has graciously approved my publishing the handout, which you can download below. Here's the video
- [Download Handouts and Watch Videos from Streaming Media West](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/download-handouts-streaming-media-west.html) - Just back from Streaming Media West in Huntington Beach, where I participated in seven presentations over three days. Handouts are up and ready for your download, and the videos are up as well. Three of these presentations, on FFmpeg, HEVC/HLS, and latency, were co-produced by David Hassoun and Jun Heider from the RealEyes consultancy, which serves clients like
- [AV1 No Shows At Streaming Media West; Better in Stockholm?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/av1-no-shows-streaming-media-west-better-stockholm.html) - I’ve been bullish on AV1 since the start, but I’m starting to think the codec is both farther away and less useful than I initially thought. Here’s what’s happening. For Streaming Media East in June 2017, an AV1 member encoded four videos, totaling about 8.5 minutes, to five data rates each for 720p, 1080p, and
- [Download Handout for Reducing Latency and Startup Times](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/download-handout-reducing-latency-startup-times.html) - Here's the description; download the handout below. C203 - How To: Reducing Latency and Startup Times Low latency and fast startup times are KPIs for most streaming video producers, particularly for live events. Though a series of structured tests that measure startup time, latency, and network overhead, this session documents the results achieved by reducing
- [Download Per-Title Encoding Handout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/download-per-title-encoding-handout.html) - Here's the description: download handout below: Per-title encoding techniques customize the encoding ladder to match the encoding complexity of the source, saving bandwidth on easy-to-compress videos and ensuring the quality of more complex footage. This session compares the efficiency, implementation issues, and costs of multiple commercially available and open-source alternatives, like Capella Systems Cambria Encoder,
- [D105 - HOW TO: Comparing AV1, VP9, HEVC, & H.264](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/d105-comparing-av1-vp9-hevc-h-264.html) - Here's the description; download link below. Many content distributors and aggregators still use H.264 as their primary, if not exclusive codec, but the bandwidth savings incident to newer, more powerful codecs are alluring. Those considering a switch must evaluate at least three options; HEVC, VP9, and the Alliance for Open Media’s AV1 codec, which should
- [D103 - HOW TO: Building a More Robust Cloud Encoder With FFMPEG & More](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/d103-building-robust-cloud-encoder-ffmpeg.html) - Here's the video and description; download handout below. With the speed of technology today, one of the most important parts of the software is adaptability. By taking control of your own encoding and packaging, you can greatly reduce cost and maintain high adaptability and agility to meet your needs now and in the future. When
- [LS101 - Technologies for Live Streaming to Multiple Platforms](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/ls101-technologies-live-streaming-multiple-platforms.html) - Here's the session description; download the handout below. Streaming to one live streaming service is so 2016. Today, in addition to streaming to your own website or app, you may want to distribute your live stream to multiple other outlets like Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Livestream, Twitter, or Twitch. Fortunately, there are a variety of
- [W4: Encoding Live and VOD for HEVC/HLS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/w4-encoding-live-vod-hevchls.html) - Here's the description; you can download the handout below. Apple’s support for HEVC in HLS is a ground-breaking event that opens up hundreds of millions of HEVC capable players. If supporting this spec is on your short-term development schedule, you’ll want to check out this workshop. The workshop starts by reviewing the new spec and
- [W2: Encoding 2017: Codecs & Packaging for PCs, Mobile, & OTT/STB/Smart TVs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/learning/w2-encoding-2017-odecs-packaging-pcs-mobile-ottstbsmart-tvs.html) - My first session at Streaming Media West. Here's the description, you can download the handout below. As video resolutions increase and target playback platforms multiply, video producers must leave their H.264/HLS/HDS comfort zone and expand into HEVC, VP9, and MPEG-DASH. This workshop is divided into multiple segments by target platform to teach you the applicable
- [Join Me at Streaming Media West November 1-3](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/join-streaming-media-west-november-1-3.html) - Streaming Media West is coming up on November 1-3 in Huntington Beach, CA, and there are tons of great sessions. I have a bunch of interesting sessions that I wanted to share here. I've posted full descriptions below, here are titles and a brief description. Pre-conference Sessions - Wednesday, November 1 I have two pre-conference
- [Meet Me at Streaming Tech Sweden on November 22, 2017](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/meet-streaming-tech-sweden-november-22-2017.html) - Just a quick note to say how excited I am to be the keynote speaker at Streaming Tech Sweden in Stockholm on November 22, 1017. The day-long show, which is sponsored by Swedish consultancy Eyevinn Technology, will help technology managers, architects, developers, and product managers understand how to deploy key streaming technologies. Here's a discussion with
- [Apple Updates HLS Authoring Spec for 4K and HDR](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/apple-updates-hls-authoring-spec-4k-hdr.html) - HLS just got really complicated. On September 9, 2017, Apple updated their HLS authoring requirements to include HDR and 4K recommendations. The updated ladder is shown below. Here are some of the new/updated requirements for HEVC and HDR. There are more in the spec, but these are the ones I wanted to comment on. 1.6. Profile, Level,
- [LiveU Solo Broadcasts Local Healthcare Forum to Facebook Live](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/liveu-solo-broadcasts-local-healthcare-forum-to-facebook-live.html) - On September 12, the Healthcare Information Committee of SW Virginia held a Healthcare Information Forum. In our tiny region of Virginia, all insurers had pulled out of the ACA, and there were many, many concerned and upset people in attendance (Anthem has since returned to the ACA market). One particularly informative speaker was Dr. Christina
- [Finding the Just Noticeable Difference with Netflix VMAF](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/finding-the-just-noticeable-difference-with-netflix-vmaf.html) - VMAF stands for Video Multimethod Assessment Fusion, but all you really need to know is that it’s the video quality metric co-invented by Netflix to replace the Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) that used to fuel the company’s per-title encoding function. In the image above, which is courtesy of Netflix, you see how VMAF scores on
- [Lineup Set for Per-Title Encoding Webinar](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/lineup-set-for-per-title-encoding-webinar.html) - Just a quick note about the Per-Title Encoding Webinar that I’m producing next Tuesday, August 29th, at 2:00 PM EST. In the webinar, after introducing the concept of per-title encoding, and discussing Netflix’s and YouTube’s technologies, I will compare three per-title approaches: - Capella Systems’ Source Adaptive Bitrate ladder, as implemented in their Cambria FTC
- [RealNetworks Launches New Video Codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/realnetworks-launches-new-video-codec.html) - RealNetworks is one of the most storied names in video streaming-if you’re on the wrong side of 40. If you’re younger, than odds are you never heard of the company. On Wednesday, August 16, RealNetworks announced an agreement to deploy Advanced RealMedia HD (RMHD) Technology in China. What do we know about the codec? Here’s
- [Apple’s Bitrate Control Strategy: Do as I Do, Not as I Say](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/apples-bitrate-control-strategy-do-as-i-do-not-as-i-say.html) - Apple’s HLS Authoring Specifications for Apple Devices approves up to 200% constrained VBR but Apple’s actual encodes are more like 110-120% constrained. What Apple Says As you probably know, Apple recently made sweeping changes to their HLS recommendations, including changing from 110% constrained VBR for VOD in TN2224, to 200% constrained VBR in the HLS
- [Showing Three Options for HEVC in HLS in Webinar Today](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/showing-three-options-for-hevc-and-hls-in-webinar-today.html) - I'm starting to get excited about the free Defining Your Encoding Ladder webinar today at 2:00 PM EST. In addition to a focus on reducing encoding and distribution costs (cut layers, cut ladders, cut bandwidth), I'll be exploring three options for including HEVC in HLS presentations, and will be showing preliminary encoding ladders from MainConcept
- [Five Checks for your Encoding Ladder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/five-checks-for-your-encoding-ladder.html) - Your encoding ladder controls the visual quality of all video that you deliver, but there are few absolutes. Ask five experts to design the optimal encoding ladder, and you’d get five different answers. That said, there are some tools and concepts you can use to identify where you may need to tweak our ladder, all
- [How PSNR Compares to VMAF and SSIMplus](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/how-psnr-compares-to-vmaf-and-ssimplus.html) - As quality metrics go, PSNR is considered a blunt tool obsoleted by higher end metrics like Netflix's VMAF or SSIMwave's SSIMplus. That said, it's accessible and understood, and has been used for years. Of course, none of that matters if it delivers misleading results. So that's what I decided to test in a round of two
- [Download Handout for Encoding 2017: Codecs & Packaging for PCs, Mobile & OTT/STB/Smart TVs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/download-handout-encoding-2017-codecs-packaging-pcs-mobile-ottstbsmart-tvs.html) - Download handouts from this session below. Here’s the description. As video resolutions increase and target playback platforms multiply, video producers must leave their H.264/HLS/HDS comfort zone and expand into HEVC, VP9, and MPEG-DASH. This workshop is divided into multiple segments by target platform to teach you the applicable standards and best strategies for delivering live
- [Ozer Announces Rebuild Your Encoding Ladder Webinar Series](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ozer-announces-rebuild-your-encoding-ladder-webinar.html) - In case you haven't noticed, I've updated the Streaming Learning Center design to enable an improved learning experience. As part of this redesign, I'll be holding more educational webinars. The first is a six-part webinar series entitled Rebuild Your Encoding Ladder. If you haven't looked at your encoding ladder in awhile, you'll find this course particularly useful
- [Download Free Chapter on HEVC from FFmpeg Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/download-free-chapter-hevc-ffmpeg-book.html) - Below you can download a sample chapter of my new book, Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg in 30 Minutes or Less. It’s Chapter 12 Encoding HEVC, and I’m making it available for free for two reasons. First and most important, the HEVC-related content in my other book, Video Encoding by the Numbers, is flat out wrong. So
- [HDR Resources on Streaming Media](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hdr-resources-on-streaming-media.html) - If you’re interested in learning about HDR production, check out three articles on the Streaming Media website. Blackest Blacks: Ten Things to Know About Producing HDR. The feature story details what HDR is and how to produce. Love the catchy teaser (which I didn’t write). “Shake your viewers all night long with the best-looking
- [Apple Embraces HEVC: What this Means for the Codec Market](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/apple-embraces-hevc-what-this-means-for-the-codec-market.html) - At the recent World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC), Apple announced that the next versions of Safari, iOS, and tvOS will support HLS with HEVC encoded video. This puts Apple firmly in the HEVC camp, with the Alliance for Open Media camp (Amazon, Cisco, Intel, Google, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, and many others) supporting the AV1 codec
- [Ozer Publishes New Book, Learn to Produce Videos with FFmpeg in 30 Minutes or Less](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ozer-publishes-new-book-learn-to-produce-videos-with-ffmpeg-in-30-minutes-or-less-4.html) - Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg in 30 Minutes or Less, is an entry-level book for developers who need to produce single MP4 or adaptive groups with FFmpeg, the free, open-source utility used in some of the largest encoding farms in the world. The book also includes a primer on terms and technologies related to
- [Adobe Kills Title Utility in Premiere Pro; Take a Deep Breath; It's OK](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/adobe-kills-title-utility-premiere-pro-take-deep-breath-ok.html) - Just back from Streaming Media East where I was interviewed by Tim Siglin on Facebook Live about my new book. I downloaded the video file from Facebook and wanted to create a quick excerpt, but Premiere Pro crashed twice during my initial edits, so I updated to the newest release. That fixed the crashes, but
- [Download Handout for Technologies for Live Streaming to Multiple Platforms](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/download-handout-technologies-live-streaming-multiple-platforms.html) - Here's the description; handout is below. LS103 - Technologies for Live Streaming to Multiple Platforms Streaming to one live streaming service is so 2016. Today, in addition to streaming to your own website or app, you may want to distribute your live stream to multiple other outlets like Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Livestream, Twitter, and
- [Download Handout for Comparing And Choosing The Best HEVC Codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/download-handout-comparing-choosing-best-hevc-codec.html) - I'll be speaking on HEVC, VP9, and AV1 at Streaming Media East, though the presentation description mentions only HEVC. You can download the handout below. Here's the description. A102 - How To: Comparing And Choosing The Best HEVC Codec Content distributors and aggregators adding HEVC to their delivery pipeline will have plenty of codec options,
- [AV1/HEVC/VP9 Comparison at Streaming Media East](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/av1hevcvp9-comparison-streaming-media-east.html) - On Tuesday, May 16, 2017, at Streaming Media East, I'm presenting a talk entitled How To: Comparing and Choosing The Best HEVC Codec. Unfortunately, I could only get two codec vendors to participate, x265 and MainConcept. It's not for lack of trying; I also asked Elemental, Beamr/Vanguard, and Fraunhofer if they'd like to participate and all
- [Lots of Flash Use Among Premium Content Sites](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/lots-flash-use-among-premium-content-sites.html) - I was performing some research for my upcoming workshop at Streaming Media East (W4 - Encoding 2017: Codecs & Packaging for PCs, Mobile & OTT/STB/Smart TVs). Basically, I wanted to see how many of the larger advertising-supported websites like ESPN/CNN had transitioned over from Flash to HTML5. Last time I checked, few if any had, largely
- [Encoding for HLS Delivery-Understanding the Bitrate Rules](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-hls-delivery-understanding-bitrate-rules.html) - Apple could make all of this easier to remember if they changed the name of the BANDWIDTH tag to PEAK BANDWIDTH, which is really what it means. Since that’s unlikely to happen, if you just remember that BANDWIDTH means peak bandwidth, you should be able to keep it straight. In this article, I take a
- [AV1 Gets Closer, HEVC Gets More Expensive](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/av1-gets-closer-hevc-gets-expensive.html) - I really was positive about HEVC when there was one pool from MPEG LA with a $25M/year cap. It was three times the cost of H.264, but HEVC was a better technology, so it seemed reasonable, and there were no content royalties. Certainly the industry thought the MPEG LA pool was reasonable as there was
- [V-Nova Launches Perseus 2.0](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/v-nova-launches-perseus-2-0.html) - On April 3, 2017, London codec developer V-Nova announced PERSEUS 2.0; you can read the complete release here. I visited V-Nova in March 2016, and wrote an update for Streaming Media that you can read here. Basically, the press release/announcement makes three key points. First, the codec is tuned for what V-Nova calls key "operating points,
- [SLC Announces Webinar, HEVC: Rating the Contenders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/slc-announces-webinar-hevc-rating-contenders.html) - The Streaming Learning Center will host a webinar entitled HEVC: Rating the Contenders on April 18, 2017 at 2:00 PM EST. The free event will review the findings of extensive comparisons of the x265 and MainConcept HEVC codecs with x264 and VP9. Specifically, the test protocol involved three test files, Sintel (an animated production), Tears of Steel
- [Why I'm selling a PDF, but not a Kindle version of my new book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/why-im-selling-a-pdf-but-not-a-kindle-version-of-my-new-book.html) - Hey all, recently announced my new book, Video Encoding by the Numbers:Eliminate the Guesswork from your Streaming Video, which you can read all about here. The paperback version in full color is available on Amazon for $49.95 here, or you can download a PDF version for $39.95 from a service called Sendowl here. Why no Kindle
- [The State of Codecs 2017 Available](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/state-codecs-2017-available.html) - My article in the Streaming Media Sourcebook entitled the State of Codecs 2017 just published. It's actually a review of codec-related highlights from 2016, which include: HDR market converging on two-technology solution (Dolby Vision and HDR10) Beamr acquiring Vanguard Apple supporting fragmented MP4 files in HLS Apple deprecates TN2224 Netflix loudly proclaims HEVC superior to
- [Instart Logic Ad Integrity Anti-Ad Blocker used by 20% of Comscore 100](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/instart-logic-ad-integrity-anti-ad-blocker-used-20-comscore-100.html) - I wrote a story on ad blocking for the Streaming Media Sourcebook, which did not include Instart Logic. They called to set up a briefing, and here's what they told me. Company: Instart Logic Product: AppShield Ad Integrity Date: March 28, 2017 Discussion with: Peter Blum, VP of Product, Dan Berkowitz, Head of Communications Quick
- [Newletter March 27, 2017.  HEVC Losing Share; Standards Failing the Streaming Industry; V-Nova Update; Dolby and HLS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/newletter-march-27-2017-hevc-losing-share-standards-failing-streaming-industry-v-nova-update-dolby-hls.html) - Here's what's new. First, an essay entitled Standards are Failing the Streaming Industry, explores how MPEG's inability to set unified pricing is hindering the utilization of HEVC, and will likely stall the deployment of DASH (read this article to learn about DASH royalties). The essay also talks about the Nokia vs. Apple lawsuit, which could boost royalties on
- [Encoding by the Numbers Book Reviews Well in Russia](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-numbers-book-reviews-well-russia.html) - OK, so this news is a bit less compelling than the Republicans withdrawing their Obamacare replacement from the vote, but job number 1 for any book author is "flog the book," and who doesn't get excited about positive reviews, particularly if from behind the former Iron Curtain. So when a colleague sent me a link
- [HEVC Loses Share According to Encoding.com Report](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hevc-loses-share-according-encoding-com-report.html) - For three years, encoding.com has issued an annual report about the video files that it produces for its 3,000+ customers. For me, it's a reality check on which formats are doing well, and which are flailing. The most recent report, which you can download here, includes the following key insights. HEVC is losing share (from 6%
- [How to Cut Encoding Costs by 75% in 30 Minutes or Less](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/cut-clients-encoding-costs-75-30-minute-phone-call.html) - So a potential client calls and says, “we’ve reached encoding capacity and we’re about to buy another encoding station. Can you look at our presets and see if we can improve throughput and delay the purchase?” “Sure,” I responded. “Send me your encoding presets and I’ll have a look.” Once the presets arrived, I noticed
- [V-Nova Vibrant as They Approach 2 Years in the Spotlight](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/v-nova-vibrant-approach-2-years-spotlight.html) - V-Nova launched their PERSEUS codec on April 1, 2015, an inauspicious day, particularly for a codec vendor making claims like, "offering UHD quality at HD bitrates, HD at SD bitrates, and SD video at audio bitrates." That day, I was on a thread that proposed alternative headlines; my favorite, which was not penned by me, was,
- [Standards are Failing the Streaming Industry](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/standards-failing-streaming-industry.html) - Imagine you’re walking through Heathrow Airport terminal, shopping for tchotchkes to bring home to spouse and children. You spot a handsome Cambridge sweatshirt, give it a quick rub and squeeze, and it feels great. What do you check next? For me, it's price, because if it’s £30, it’s coming home, but if it’s £60, I’m
- [Forum Presentation: Royalties on H264, HEVC, and DASH](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/forum-presentation-royalties-h264-hevc-dash.html) - I gave a recent talk on royalties at the Streaming Forum, entitled HEVC, H.264 and MPEG-DASH Royalty Update. Here's the description. Ten years ago, to stream video, you needed to know how to encode to H.264 and configure Flash. Now you have to be a patent lawyer. The end of 2016 was brutal from a
- [Download Handout from Rating HEVC Contenders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/download-handout-rating-hevc-contenders.html) - Below is the handout from my presentation at the Streaming Forum entitled, HEVC: Rating the Contenders Operators adding HEVC to their delivery pipeline will have plenty of codec options, but who has the time to evaluate their features, output quality, and performance? No worries – codec specialist Jan Ozer has done the work for you,
- [Webinar: Top 10 Encoding Mistakes Made by Streaming Producers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-top-10-encoding-mistakes-made-by-streaming-producers.html) - I'm co-hosting a webinar with MediaPlatform on February 23, 2017 at 2:00 PM ET entitled Top Ten Encoding Mistakes Made by Streaming Producers. Here's the description. Join MediaPlatform and Jan Ozer of Streaming Media Magazine for an in-depth discussion that will cover:Live webcasting and on-demand video allow your organization to leverage the power of streaming media
- [Per-Title Encoding With the Capella Systems Cambria FTC Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/per-title-encoding-with-the-capella-systems-cambria-ftc-encoder.html) - So, I was reviewing Camtasia 9 for Streaming Media magazine (review to appear later in the year), and I had promised Capella Systems a testimonial for their Cambria FTC encoder, specifically the per-title encoding feature. Below is the video I produced in Camtasia describing per-title encoding, discussing why it's important, and detailing how it works
- [Join Me at the Streaming Forum In London at a Discount!](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/join-me-at-the-streaming-forum-in-london-at-a-discount.html) - Just a quick note to let you know that I'm speaking on two topics at the Streaming Forum later this month in London, and leading two roundtable discussions. On Tuesday, February 28th, at 11:30, I'll present HEVC: Rating the contenders. Here's the description: Operators adding HEVC to their delivery pipeline will have plenty of codec options, but
- [Facebook Live Resources](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/facebook-live-resources.html) - I spent a lot of time late last fall looking at Facebook Live, trying to understand who was using it and why, and which tools they used. This effort culminated in three resources available now on the Streaming Media website. Here's the main article entitled Facebook Live: A Progress Report After One Year of Growth. The
- [First Book Review: Ozer Transforms Video Compression from Alchemy to Science](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/first-book-review-ozer-transforms-video-compression-from-alchemy-to-science.html) - First Amazon book review is out from technologist Douglas Dixon, who blogs at the Manifest Tech Blog. I love the title of the review, Ozer Transforms Video Compression from Alchemy to Science, because it captures exactly what I tried to do in the book. Here's a snippet from the middle of the review.First, Ozer covers
- [Facebook Live: A Progress Report After One Year of Growth](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/facebook-live-progress-report-one-year-growth.html) - How are organizations such as PBS and TechCrunch using Facebook Live to reach and grow their audiences? The platform has been with us for a year now, so it's time to check in. We’ve all known for a while that you can stream live video to Facebook Pages. While the technical side is interesting, the
- [Choosing the Data Rate for your Mezzanine Files](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/choosing-the-data-rate-for-your-mezzanine-files.html) - (Note: This article was amended to show the comparative results at 6 mbps) Summary (The MPD) As more and more producers move their encoding to the cloud, or distributing via OVPs or other service providers, the data rate for the mezzanine files is significant factor for upload time and bandwidth and storage costs. The big
- [Facebook Live Case Studies](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/facebook-live-case-studies.html) - We spoke with 15 publishers including PBS, The YES Network, and TechCrunch to find out exactly how they're broadcasting to Facebook Live, and the technology they're using to do it. For our article "Facebook Live: A Progress Report After One Year of Growth," we interviewed 15 video publishers to get a sense of the strategic
- [Apple Makes Sweeping Changes to HLS Encoding Recommendations](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/apple-makes-sweeping-changes-to-hls-encoding-recommendations.html) - N2224 has long been considered the Rosetta Stone of ABR encoding (image courtesy of Beamr). Apple TN2224 was originally posted in March 2010 to provide direction for streaming producers encoding for delivery to iOS devices via HTTP Live Streaming (HLS). Because the document was so comprehensive and well thought out, and HLS became so successful, TN2224
- [Conference Videos from Streaming Media West are Available](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/conference-videos-from-streaming-media-west-are-available.html) - I spoke at Streaming Media West on three topics, the first a 3-hour workshop which was not recorded, and two one-hour sessions that were. The PDFs used in the presentations have been available for awhile; I just added the videos from the two sessions. Here are the links.Workshop - Encoding 2016: Codecs and Packaging for
- [What the Nokia-Apple Lawsuit Means for the Streaming Industry](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/nokia-apple-lawsuit-means-streaming-industry.html) - If Nokia's standards infringement lawsuit prevails over Apple, the costs could be steep to any company relying on H.264 or even HEVC. Here are the issues at stake. On December 21, 2016, Nokia sued Apple for infringing eight patents related to H.264 encoding and decoding. By its terms, the complaint makes clear that Apple’s usage
- [The Changing State of MPEG DASH Royalties: How Bad Will it Get?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/changing-state-mpeg-dash-royalties-bad-will-get.html) - MPEG LA's recent announcement of a DASH royalty pool is the first such royalty on free internet video. And this is only the beginning. We’ve all had time to reflect upon MPEG LA’s announcement of a DASH royalty pool. In my case, it led to the realization that this is the first royalty on free
- [Containing Costs: How Publishers Can Save Money on ABR Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/containing-costs-publishers-can-save-money-abr-encoding.html) - Many companies spend too much on adaptive bitrate encoding. In turns out there's a pricey way to go about it and a cheaper way. Dynamic packaging to the rescue! Let me throw a couple of numbers at you. The first is shown in Figure 1, from Encoding.com’s “Global Media Format Report 2016,” which shows the
- [HEVC Advance Makes Some Software Royalty Free](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hevc-advance-makes-software-royalty-free.html) - HEVC Advance says it hopes to speed the adoption of HEVC decoders among the installed base of computers and devices by making some software downloads royalty free Seeking to accelerate HEVC deployment to the installed base of computers and mobile devices, HEVC Advance announced this morning that it will seek no royalty on some classes
- [Video: The Case for Custom Encoding, Part 2: Resolution](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/video-case-custom-encoding-part-2-resolution.html) - Streaming Learning Center's Jan Ozer makes the case for custom, per-title encoding on the Netflix model, focusing on resolution issues in part 1 of this 2-part series from his Streaming Media West presentation. Following the model established by Netflix in December 2015, Jan Ozer argues against content providers applying a standard encoding ladder to all
- [Video: The Case for Custom Encoding, Part 1: Bitrate](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/video-case-custom-encoding-part-1-bitrate.html) - Streaming Learning Center's Jan Ozer makes the case for custom, per-title encoding on the Netflix model, focusing on bitrate issues in part 1 of this 2-part series from his Streaming Media West presentation. Following the model established by Netflix in December 2015, Jan Ozer argues against content providers applying a standard encoding ladder to all
- [CMAF Is Halfway There, But That's Not Far Enough: Commentary](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/cmaf-halfway-thats-not-far-enough-commentary.html) - The Common Media Application Format (CMAF) hits a predictable roadblock with encryption, where it enables two incompatible modes. This has one columnist feeling pessimistic. One of the Greek philosopher Zeno’s most famous paradoxes is the Dichotomy Paradox, also called the Infinite Halfway Theory. The concept states that if you keep getting halfway to a certain
- [How To: Build Your Own Cloud Encoder With FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-build-your-own-cloud-encoder-with-ffmpeg.html) - Here's the session description; click below to download the handout and watch the session. Almost all of the commercial cloud encoding services, and many of the largest streaming producers encode in the cloud using FFmpeg. It’s cheap, relatively simple, and highly effective. To accomplish this yourself, you need two basic skill sets; first how to
- [D101 - How To: Fine-Tuning Your Adaptive Encoding Groups With Objective Quality Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/d101-how-to-fine-tuning-your-adaptive-encoding-groups-with-objective-quality-metrics.html) - Here's the session description; scroll down to download the handout and watch the video. Choosing the number of streams in an adaptive group and configuring them is usually a subjective, touchy-feely exercise, with no way to gauge the effectiveness and efficiency of the streams. However, by measuring stream quality via metrics such as PSNR, SSIM,
- [W2: Encoding 2016: Codecs and Packaging for PCs, Mobile and OTT/STB/Smart TVs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/w2-encoding-2016-codecs-and-packaging-for-pcs-mobile-and-ottstbsmart-tvs.html) - Here's the description for my workshop at Streaming Media West; download the handout below:As video resolutions increase and target playback platforms multiply, video producers must leave their H.264/HLS/HDS comfort zone and expand into HEVC, VP9, and MPEG-DASH. This workshop is divided into multiple segments by target platform to teach you the applicable standards and best
- [Cloud Pricing Survey Shows Hybrik Least Expensive Option By Far](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/cloud-pricing-survey-shows-hybrik-least-expensive-option-by-far.html) - I recently finished a white paper comparing the pricing for a new cloud encoding service named Hybrik with multiple cloud providers, including Amazon Elastic Transcoder, Microsoft Azure, Bitmovin, encoding.com, Telestream Cloud, and Zencoder. The white-paper was sponsored by Hybrik, and you can download it below. By way of background, I ran all calculations by the respective services
- [Review: Matrox Monarch LCS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-matrox-monarch-lcs.html) - The Matrox Monarch LCS is an inexpensive dual-input lecture capture solution with two output channels that can be independently set for recording and/or streaming. At $2,495, the Matrox Monarch LCS is an inexpensive dual-input lecture capture solution with two output channels that can be independently set for recording and/or streaming. You control the unit
- [The Changing Cloud Encoding Market Leads to Cost Savings](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/changing-cloud-encoding-market-leads-cost-savings.html) - New offerings in cloud video encoding let companies both large and small find the option that makes the most sense for them. The benefits of cloud encoding have been clear from the start: less capital expenditure (CAPEX) for encoding gear and the facilities to store it in, and fewer up-front costs for expensive licenses. For
- [Benchmarking PCs, Capture Cards, and Software Mixers for HD Capture and Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/benchmarking-pcs-capture-cards-software-mixers-hd-capture-streaming.html) - To determine how powerful a system it takes to produce and deliver live event streams, we tested a range of computers (old and new), capture devices, and multiple live streaming software programs, streaming to one or more streaming services, recording archive/ISO files in various formats, and measuring CPU utilization. Read on for the results. When
- [Review: Livestream Mevo](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-livestream-mevo.html) - If you frequently produce live or on-demand videos for social media sites, Livestream Mevo can help you produce more polished and engaging videos. While there are some rough edges in version 1.0, and there is a learning curve for operation, Mevo is an essential tool for any organization seeking to leverage the power of video
- [Taxonomy of Video Quality Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/taxonomy-video-quality-metrics.html) - The sheer number of video quality measurement tools makes it difficult to choose the right metric. Here's a quick overview of some of the options and what they offer. All compressionists should use video-quality metrics to make compression-related decisions regarding data rate, key frame interval, and other settings. Unfortunately, the sheer number of options and
- [Review: Capella Systems Cambria FTC Offers Per-Title Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-capella-systems-cambria-ftc-offers-per-title-encoding.html) - The benefits of per-title optimization aren't just for the major players, anymore. Streaming Media reviews the first solution for smaller content owners and finds the results promising. Netflix announced the beginning of the end for fixed encoding ladders with a December 2015 blog post called, “Per-­Title Encode Optimization”. The big question was, what would replace
- [Netflix Adding TLS to Protect User Privacy](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/netflix-adding-tls-protect-user-privacy.html) - The Netflix Open Connect team announced earlier this week that it would be using Transport Level Security. Here's a look at its innovative approach to protecting viewing data at scale. In a blog post earlier this week called "Protecting Netflix Viewing Privacy at Scale," the Netflix Open Connect team detailed the innovative approach the company
- [Review: EasyLive's Video-Mixer-in-the-Cloud Simplifies Operations](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-easylives-video-mixer-cloud-simplifies-operations.html) - By creating a video mixer that's accessible from any location, EasyLive promises no-fuss live streaming to multiple platforms. Here's how it performed in our testing. The simplest way to understand the EasyLive service is to think of it as a video mixer in the cloud. You can input videos from multiple sources; add titles, logos,
- [Meet Charles Web Debugging Proxy-My New Favorite Tool](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/meet-charles-web-debugging-proxy-my-new-favorite-tool.html) - According to the Charles Proxy website, “Charles is an HTTP proxy / HTTP monitor / Reverse Proxy that enables a developer to view all of the HTTP and SSL / HTTPS traffic between their machine and the Internet. This includes requests, responses and the HTTP headers (which contain the cookies and caching information).” From my
- [Bitrate Control and QoE-CBR is Better](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/bitrate-control-and-qoe-cbr-is-better.html) - Summary (The MPD) When distributing video under constrained conditions, the bitrate control technique used to encode the files can have a profound impact on the quality of experience (QoE). Specifically, under some conditions, CBR-encoded files deliver a superior QoE to files encoded using 200% constrained VBR, while also reducing the overall bandwidth delivered. For producers
- [First Look: Microsoft Stream Preview Version](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/first-look-microsoft-stream-preview-version.html) - Microsoft's new enterprise YouTube isn't ready for prime time yet, but it offers several impressive features making it one to watch over the next 12 to 18 months. Reviewing the preview version of Microsoft Stream is like watching video clips on ESPN to assess whether Lebron James Jr. is ready for pro ball. At age
- [HP Takes Z240 to 4.2 GHz; Makes Entire Workstation Line More Mac Friendly](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hp-takes-z240-to-4-2-ghz-makes-entire-workstation-line-more-mac-friendly.html) - One of the reasons I favor HP workstations is because HP practices the Japanese art of kaizen, or continuous small improvements. A great example is the recent update to HP’s entry level desktop tower, the Z240 (on the left, click to see full rez picture), which has been upgraded to accept CPUs running at up
- [Per-Title Encoding: It's Everywhere!](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/per-title-encoding-its-everywhere.html) - Netflix started the per-title encode optimization revolution in December 2015, and now per-title encoding is showing up in more and more places. Why? Because it improves the quality of hard-to-encode videos, and saves bandwidth costs on easier-to-encode videos. If per-title optimization is not available in your encoder or encoding service, it's time to start demanding
- [NDI and Live Titling](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/ndi-live-titling.html) - If you haven't been watching the live titling space, you've missed the NDI revolution, and your productions may be falling behind in terms of graphics quality. In this article I'll explain what NDI is and how it works, and I'll explore how it enhances the titling capabilities of the NewTek TriCaster, Telestream Wirecast, and vMix
- [What Is DRM?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/what-is-drm.html) - The move away from plugins like Flash and Silverlight has made video delivery easier, but it's also made DRM more complicated. Here's what DRM looks like today, along with a discussion of the leading DRM technologies and DRM service providers. If you plan to distribute premium content from the major U.S. studios, you'll need to
- [When it Comes to HTML5 Playback, the Devil's in the Details](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/comes-html5-playback-devils-details.html) - The promise of a unifying standard to simplify our lives is attractive, but putting it into practice is another thing. Here's how one HTML5 video project got messy in a hurry. As much as we expect standards like HTML5 to simplify our jobs, oftentimes they don’t. In fact, a recent HTML5-related project convinced me that
- [How to Build Your Encoding Ladder, Bitrates and Resolution](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-to-build-your-encoding-ladder-bitrates-and-resolution.html) - Stephen Nathans-Kelly, a video producer at Streaming Media Magazine, is carving conference videos into short useful segments. Here are the first two videos on building your encoding ladder from my talk on how to use objective quality metrics you can watch in its entirety here, as well as download the handout. The first video covers
- [How to Use Objective Quality Measurement Tools](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-use-objective-quality-measurement-tools.html) - Every compressed file involves dozens of configuration-related decisions, including resolution, data rate, H.264 profile, VBR or CBR, entropy coding technique, x.264 preset, b-frames, reference frames—the list goes on and on. Most encoding prof
- [VP9 Finally Comes of Age, But Is it Right for Everyone?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/vp9-finally-comes-age-right-everyone.html) - Publishers and encoding companies alike are beginning to embrace VP9, Google's open source codec. Here's how it stacks up on quality and data rates. The value proposition for VP9 is clear, as stated in Figure 1: “Adaptive HD streaming with 1/2 the data of H.264!” Half the data rate cuts your bandwidth and storage costs
- [The Decline of the Standards-Based Codec—and Good Riddance](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/decline-standards-based-codec-good-riddance.html) - Online is different from broadcast and doesn't need formal standards. HEVC isn't considered by many online video streamers, as the future belongs to VP9 and AV1. Elsewhere in the issue, you find a 4,000-word article I wrote on VP9 that doesn’t mention HEVC. Why? Because for the vast majority of streaming producers that don’t distribute
- [Review: V-Nova Perseus: Does its Compression Live Up to the Hype?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-v-nova-perseus-compression-live-hype.html) - London-based V-Nova has made some impressive claims about Perseus, its compression technology. Streaming Media's preliminary testing shows that it lives up to some of them. V-Nova launched its compression technology, Perseus, on April Fools’ Day 2015, claiming “2x–3x average compression gains, at all quality levels, under practical real-time operating scenarios versus H.264, HEVC and JPEG2000.”
- [Netflix Introduces New Quality Metric](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/netflix-introduces-new-quality-metric.html) - Netflix announced the open-source availability of the Video Multimethod Assessment Fusion, which it's now using instead of PSNR to analyze the quality of transcodes in its vast catalog. Yesterday, Netflix announced the open-source availability of its new video quality metric, the Video Multimethod Assessment Fusion (VMAF) in a long, explanatory blog post. Netflix uses the
- [What is AV1?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/what-is-av1.html) - Scheduled to be the first codec released by the Alliance for Open Media, AV1 is positioned to replace VP9 and compete with HEVC. While we don't know many details yet, the backing of the Alliance should give AV1 a significant competitive advantage. The AV1 codec will be the first codec released by the Alliance for
- [Netflix Discusses VP9-Related Development Efforts](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/netflix-discusses-vp9-related-development-efforts.html) - Once counted out, VP9 is on the rise, with support from Netflix, JW Player, Brightcove, and more. In this interview, David Ronca of Netflix talks about VP9 savings, encoding, and testing. This is an interesting time in the codec world, an inflection point where the power of an expensive standard is being challenged by a
- [Book Excerpt: VBV Buffer Explained](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/book-excerpt-vbv-buffer-explained.html) - This article is kind of a prequel to my book, Encoding by the Numbers, which I published in 2016. That is, I published this article to get commentary from folks who read it, which I factored back into my book. Unfortunately, I changed content management systems in 2018 and lost the comments. One of the
- [Fine-Tuning Your Adaptive Encoding Groups With Objective Quality Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/fine-tuning-your-adaptive-encoding-groups-with-objective-quality-metrics.html) - Click below to download the presentation or to view the conference video. Here's the description. Choosing the number of streams in an adaptive group and configuring them is usually a subjective, touchy-feely exercise, with no way to really gauge the effectiveness and efficiency of the streams. However, by measuring stream quality via metrics such as PSNR,
- [Streaming Media East Presentation: Status of HEVC and Other UHD Codecs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/streaming-media-east-presentation-status-of-hevc-and-other-uhd-codecs.html) - [Author's note: Video from the session is available below, as is the presentation.]The two biggest pricing mistakes you can make is to assume that the market has no alternative, and that you don't have to get it right the first time. HEVC Advance in particular, and the HEVC IP ownership group in general, who still
- [Handout for Codecs and Packaging 2016](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/handout-for-codecs-and-packaging-2016.html) - Click below to download the handout. Here's the description.As video resolutions increase and target playback platforms multiply, video producers must leave their H.264/HLS/HDS comfort zone and expand into HEVC, VP9, and MPEG-DASH. This workshop is divided into multiple segments by target platform to teach you the applicable standards and best strategies for delivering live and
- [The Cost of the Cloud for Video Encoding: Crunching the Numbers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/cost-cloud-video-encoding-crunching-numbers.html) - Cloud encoding companies offer software-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service options. Here's how to decide when to go with the cloud, and which option is right for your needs. ou need many different types of data—and lots of it—to make a good decision on cloud versus on-prem. I learned this recently while running a comparison for a consulting
- [Eventstream Review: Profit From Paid Live Online Video Events](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/eventstream-review-profit-paid-live-online-video-events.html) - The combination of Eventstream, Eventbrite, and YouTube Live lets anyone charge for a live webinar, generating leads they can use to grow their business. While a strong contender, the help system could be a lot more helpful. Ustream, Livestream, YouTube Live, and other live streaming services are affordable and work well, but lack two key
- [Encoding Brief: Apple Releases HLS Authoring Specification for Apple TV](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-brief-apple-releases-hls-authoring-specification-for-apple-tv.html) - Executive Summary: In October 2015, Apple released a document entitled HLS Authoring Specifications for Apple TV (HLS stands for HTTP Live Streaming, the adaptive bit rate technology used to deliver video to Apple TV and other iOS devices). If you're producing for Apple TV, and aren't aware of these specs, you should review them immediately.
- [Netflix Admits to Throttling AT&T and Verizon Cellular Movies](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/netflix-admits-to-throttling-att-and-verizon-cellular-movies.html) - Last week, Netflix admitted that they artificially throttle the data rate of videos transmitted over AT&T and Verizon cellular networks to limit bandwidth consumption and the associated overage charges. Netflix doesn't throttle video streams transmitted on other cellular networks like T-Mobile and Sprint that don’t charge for overages. The story was broken by the Wall
- [Conference Research Tests Adaptive Video and Quality Benchmarks](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/conference-research-tests-adaptive-video-and-quality-benchmarks.html) - The Society for Imaging Science and Technology hosts the annual International Symposium on Electronic Imaging, held this year in San Francisco, California, from February 14 to 18. The Symposium has eight tracks across a range of disciplines, where re
- [Webinar: Simplifying Encoder Purchase and Configuration Decisions with Real Time Quality Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-simplifying-encoder-purchase-and-configuration-decisions-with-real-time-quality-metrics.html) - I'm participating in a webinar with IneoQuest on Thursday, March 31 at 2:00 PM EST as part of their launch of a new product with live, non-referential quality metrics. The bottom line is that if you're comparing real-time encoders to make a purchase decision, or configuring live encoders you already have, you can gauge the
- [Buyer's Guide to Enterprise YouTube Platforms 2016](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/buyers-guide-to-enterprise-youtube-platforms-2016.html) - Enterprise YouTube platforms enable businesses to share videos with employees, partners, and other viewers; interested parties can then preserve and share the valuable institutional knowledge accumulated in these videos. Most systems function the way
- [Buyer's Guide to Webcasting Platforms 2016](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/buyers-guide-to-webcasting-platforms-2016.html) - Viewed from a distance, most webcast providers look pretty similar; they all let you create a registration page, collect contact info for your registrants, and serve attendees a diet of PowerPoint and talking-head video, spiced with quizzes, surveys,
- [Technical Brief: Switch from CBR to VBR to Improve Overall Quality and Avoid Transient Quality Issues](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/technical-brief-switch-from-cbr-to-vbr-to-improve-overall-quality-and-avoid-transient-quality-issues.html) - This article explores the differences between constant bitrate encoding (CBR) and variable bitrate encoding (VBR) and recommends that producers still using CBR should switch to 110% constrained VBR to improve overall quality and avoid transient quali
- [The State of Video Codecs 2016](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/the-state-of-video-codecs-2016.html) - 015 was a tumultuous year for codecs. HEVC seemed like a sure thing in January, looked to be in trouble in July, but was happily resuscitated in December, albeit with some missing productive months from its useful life. Open source codecs began the y
- [Five Signs Your Encoding Ladder May Be Obsolete](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/five-signs-your-encoding-ladder-may-be-obsolete.html) - Your encoding ladder is the set of encoding parameters that you use to create the various files that you deliver adaptively to your web viewers. These encoding parameters can live in your on-premise encoder, in your cloud encoder, or in your online video platform (OVP).When optimally configured, your encoding ladder lets you efficiently deliver great
- [Editing Technique: Restoring A/V Sync in Premiere Pro](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/editing-technique-restoring-av-sync-in-premiere-pro.html) - Executive Summary: A common problem with footage created using iPhones, screencam tools, Wirecast, and Skype is a loss of A/V sync when importing the video into Premiere Pro. This video tutorial presents a simple fix using Handbrake. You can read a tutorial on the Streaming Media Producer Website here. Overview and discussion: Many sources of video,
- [Encoding Brief: Phase Out Low Quality Streams in Your Encoding Ladder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-brief-phase-out-low-quality-streams-in-your-encoding-ladder.html) - Executive Summary: Now might be the time to consider phasing out the lowest quality streams in your encoding ladder to reduce encoding and storage costs. Check your server logs to determine consumption of these streams before doing so. Overview and Discussion: All streams in your adaptive group cost money to encode, store, and administrate, even
- [Encoding Brief: The Benefit of B-frames](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-brief-the-benefit-of-b-frames.html) - Executive Summary: B-frames increase compression efficiency, particularly at lower bitrates. However, not all video encoders deliver the requested number of B-frames when encoding using default parameters. Telestream Switch is a software program that identifies B-frames in encoded streams, and computes the overall B-frame percentage. Compressionists seeking the most efficient streams should acquire Switch and test
- [Technicolor Withdraws from the HEVC Advance Patent Pool](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/technicolor-withdraws-from-the-hevc-advance-patent-pool.html) - On Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016, Technicolor issued a press release stating that the company had decided to “license its HEVC IP portfolio directly to device manufacturers rather than through the HEVC Advance patent pool.” The release fu
- [Joicaster Review: A Simple Platform for Live Video Distribution](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/joicaster-review-a-simple-platform-for-live-video-distribution.html) - Joicaster is a web-based live streaming syndication platform that takes a single live stream and pushes it out to multiple services, including YouTube Live, Ustream, and Twitch, as well as commercial sites. Joicaster is affordable, straightforward to
- [Preliminary Survey Results - CBR, VBR and Capped CRF - $100 Amazon Gift Card Incentive](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/preliminary-survey-results-cbr-vbr-and-capped-crf-100-amazon-gift-card-incentive.html) - On January 13th, 2016, I launched a survey to determine the bitrate control techniques most commonly used by streaming producers. Some preliminary results are in, but the number of respondents is too small to draw any conclusions. I wanted to publish the data to stimulate additional interest, and also announce that I am sweetening the pot
- [The Future of Video Marketing: Dive Into Automation Programs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/the-future-of-video-marketing-dive-into-automation-programs.html) - Let’s face it. For-profit enterprises post videos, hold webinars, and produce virtual events to drive sales. How effective are these mediums for that purpose? There’s lots of positive anecdotal evidence, but where are the hard numbers?
- [How Netflix Pioneered Per-Title Video Encoding Optimization](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/encoding/how-netflix-pioneered-per-title-video-encoding-optimization.html) - The Netflix blog post entitled Per-Title Encode Optimization boldly declares that “to deliver the best quality video to our members, each title should receive a unique bitrate ladder, tailored to its specific complexity characteristics.”
- [Survey: CBR, VBR, or Other for ABR Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/survey-cbr-vbr-or-other-for-abr-streaming.html) - The recommended bit rate control technique for VOD files produced for adaptive streaming is one of the most fundamental decisions encoding professionals make, but in my view also one of the most confusing. If you scan the white papers on the topic, most recommend using constant bit rate (CBR) encoding to simplify the stream selection
- [Survey Results In: DASH Squeaks Win over HLS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/survey-results-in-dash-squeaks-win-over-hls.html) - Late last year I ran a survey asking respondents to choose whether DASH or HLS was the best ABR format going forward. The poll results are in and are shown below. Basically, a small majority preferred DASH over HLS. The reasons why are even more illuminating, and are presented below the survey results."Not sure why
- [Life After Flash: Will Producers Move to HLS, DASH, or Both?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/life-after-flash-will-producers-move-to-hls-dash-or-both.html) - The great migration from Flash to HTML5 is underway. For many producers, this means a switch from RTMP or HTTP Dynamic Streaming to a more HTML5-friendly format. Typically the choice comes down to either HLS or DASH. To help tease out the pros and co
- [TN2224 is Dead. Welcome to the New Era of Content-Aware Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tn2224-is-dead-welcome-to-the-new-era-of-content-aware-encoding.html) - The Netflix blog entitled, Per-Title Encode Optimization, boldly declares that “to deliver the best quality video to our members, each title should receive a unique bitrate ladder, tailored to its specific complexity characteristics.” In a world where many companies simply deploy Apple’s recommendations from TN2224 without modification, it’s a breath of fresh air. The blog
- [Webinar: Content-Aware Encoding-Applying Lessons Learned from Netflix's Per-Title Optimization Blog Post](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-content-aware-encoding-applying-lessons-learned-from-netflixs-per-title-optimization-blog-post.html) - Webinar on Content-Aware Encoding; January 26, 2016 at 2:00 PM EST. The ideal encoding ladder accomplishes two things-it creates great visual quality and uses the optimum amount of data, keeping audiences and finance happy at the same time. But what is the ideal encoding ladder? At one extreme, in its post Per-Title Encode Optimization, Netflix recently blogged
- [Ozer Announces Webinar on Content-Aware Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/news/ozer-announces-webinar-on-content-aware-encoding.html) - Jan Ozer FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEStreaming Learning Center276-238-9135jozer@mindspring.comOzer Announces Webinar
- [SSIMWave SQM Review: Frustrating Video Quality Measurement](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/ssimwave-sqm-review-frustrating-video-quality-measurement-2.html) - The perfect video analysis tool combines a video quality metric that accurately predicts the subjective ratings of real human eyes with the ability to show these quality differences to the operator. While SSIMWave makes a strong case that its SSIMplu
- [Post Streaming Media West Interview on Viblast Blog](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/post-streaming-media-west-interview-on-viblast-blog.html) - Viblast is the European developer of the Viblast player, an off-the-shelf player that enables the playback of HLS and DASH streams without Flash. A recent winner of a European Streaming Media Reader's Choice award, Viblast is an up and coming company in a very hot market (transitioning from Flash to HTML5).I'm flattered the Nora Georgieva,
- [Handout from Fine Tuning Your Adaptive Groups with Objective Quality Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/handout-from-fine-tuning-your-adaptive-groups-with-objective-quality-metrics.html) - Here's the description, click below to download the handouts.Fine Tuning Your Adaptive Groups with Objective Quality Metrics Location: Huntington Ballroom Choosing the number of streams in an adaptive group and configuring them is usually a subjective, touchy-feely exercise, with no way to really gauge the effectiveness and efficiency of the streams. However, by measuring stream
- [Handouts from Encoding Live and On-Demand Video Using HEVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/handouts-from-encoding-live-and-on-demand-video-using-hevc.html) - Here's the description, click below to download the handouts.Here's the description, click over to the main article to download the handouts. HOW TO: Encoding Live and On-Demand Video Using HEVC Location: Grand Ballroom, Salon G This session explores the current status of HEVC, identifying options for encoding live and on-demand video using HEVC and discussing
- [Live Encoding and Transcoding Techniques](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/live-encoding-and-transcoding-techniques.html) - Here's the description, click below to download the handouts.Live event transcoding used to be simple: you did it all in-house and you needed capacious outbound bandwidth, all of which cost a fortune. Now there are more live encoding schemas than you can shake a stick at, including live cloud transcoding and packaging from traditional encoding
- [Encoding 2015: Codecs and Packaging for PCs, Mobile and OTT/STB/Smart TVs - Handout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/encoding-2015-codecs-and-packaging-for-pcs-mobile-and-ottstbsmart-tvs-handout.html) - Here's the description: Click below to download the handout.As video resolutions increase and target playback platforms multiply, video producers must leave their H.264/HLS/HDS comfort zone and expand into HEVC, VP9, and MPEG-DASH. This workshop is divided into multiple segments by target platform to teach you the applicable standards and best strategies for delivering live and
- [Transition from Flash to HTML5](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/transition-from-flash-to-html5.html) - Download the handout from this excellent session, with contributions from Jeff Tapper (Digital Primates), John Luther (JW Player), and Mike Callahan (Elemental). Transitioning from Flash to HTML5 is a complicated matter involving a change in player and encoding format and, for some, even new DRM, captioning, and advertising insertion technologies. Learn the current status of the
- [Guest Blog: Bitmovin Says 80% of Our Streams are DASH](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/guest-blog-bitmovin-says-80-of-our-streams-are-dash.html) - Editor's Note: bitmovin is an Austrian company who built their business around the DASH format, including its cloud encoding service bitcodin (reviewed here), and its bitdash player. After reading the blog post DASH: The Most Popular Format (almost) No One is Using, which reported that only about 1% of streams played by the JW Player were
- [HEVC's Journey in 2015: Going Downhill and Gaining Speed](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/hevcs-journey-in-2015-going-downhill-and-gaining-speed.html) - At the start of 2015, the future of HEVC seemed clean and green. There was a single patent pool, and royalties were capped at a reasonable rate. Meanwhile, the open source world was a mess, with multiple codecs from multiple sources, and only a hint
- [Moscow State Releases First HEVC Comparison](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/moscow-state-releases-first-hevc-comparison.html) - Over the last few years, the Moscow State University Graphics and Media Lab (MSU) has produced the most highly-respected H.264 codec comparisons available. In October, MSU released its first HEVC comparison, which promises to achieve the same signifi
- [DASH: The Most Popular Format (almost) No One is Using](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/dash-the-most-popular-format-almost-no-one-is-using.html) - Okay, so the title is a bit of an eyeball grab, but it is based in fact. In preparing for a session on making the switch from Flash to HTML5 to be held in a couple of weeks at Streaming Media West, JW Player VP John Luther prepared some statistics about codec usage in the
- [Upcoming Sessions at Streaming Media West](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/upcoming-sessions-at-streaming-media-west.html) - Here are all the sessions that I'll be producing or participating in at Streaming Media West in two weeks. I hope to see you there.Monday, November 16, 2015W1: Encoding 2015: Codecs and Packaging for PCs, Mobile and OTT/STB/Smart TVs9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.As video resolutions increase and target playback platforms multiply, video producers must leave
- [Think Flash is Dead? Think Again](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/think-flash-is-dead-think-again.html) - So here I am preparing for an upcoming session at Streaming Media West entitled Encoding 2015: Codecs and Packaging for PCs, Mobile and OTT/STB/Smart TVs, and I wanted to determine the current market share of MSE and EME capable browsers.I started with a quick trip over to NetMarketshare where I displayed the Desktop Browser Version
- [Delivering a Useful Webinar Without Giving Away the Farm](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/delivering-a-useful-webinar-without-giving-away-the-farm.html) - Another webinar, another few lessons. Probably most important is the hard lesson facing many content developers who want to present a webinar for lead generation, but don't want to give away their critical content during the webinar. It's a pretty tough balance sometimes, how to give away enough information to make the webinar worthwhile, but
- [Should Your Next Encoder be a Packager?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/should-your-next-encoder-be-a-packager.html) - Just a quick riff on encoding versus packaging. The concept of encoding involves converting a mezzanine file into distributable output like MP4 files, or ABR formats like HLS or DASH. The concept of packaging is taking previously encoded MP4 files and converting those to distributable ABR output format like HLS or DASH. The heavy lifting, of
- [BBC Moves to HTML5 and MPEG-DASH](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/bbc-moves-to-html5-and-mpeg-dash.html) - I am a bit behind the times on this one, but on September 29th, 2015, the BBC launched an HTML5-based player based upon the Media Source Extensions and MPEG-DASH. You can read about their implementation in a blog post, here. The new implementation is very platform-specific, and BBC announced that they were testing on the
- [Current Status of HEVC Royalties](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/current-status-of-hevc-royalties.html) - This post will quickly summarize the current status of HEVC royalties. There are two existing patent pools. The first was assembled by MPEG LA and calls for royalties of $0.20/unit on encoders and decoders, after a 100,000 de minimus exception, with a US $25 million annual cap, and no royalty on encoded content. Here's a screen grab
- [SSIMWave SQM Review: Frustrating Video Quality Measurement](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ssimwave-sqm-review-frustrating-video-quality-measurement.html) - I'm big into quality control and objective video measurement, and the latest tool that I've tested, SSIMWaves SQM (link to tool here) , offers a couple of unique elements, including a scoring system that attempts to correspond to actual human subject
- [Choosing a Capture Card for Multicamera Live Production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/choosing-a-capture-card-for-multicamera-live-production.html) - You’ve decided to create your own station for mixing live events with a software program like Telestream Wirecast, Livestream Studio, StudioCoast vMix, CombiTech VidBlaster or Splitmedia Labs XSplit. You’ve selected the mixing software yo
- [A Thunderbolt Primer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/a-thunderbolt-primer.html) - The Thunderbolt port on a MacPro lets it function as a highly capable live streaming system. Thunderbolt can be a very useful expansion option for streaming and other video production, particularly if you are producing on a Mac workstation or laptop.
- [Why I like VQM better than PSNR or SSIM](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/why-i-like-vqm-better-than-psnr-or-ssim.html) - Author's notes: 1. VMAF is now my metric of choice. 2. Since the first publication, I converted SSIM to decibel form using this formula from the Video Codec Testing and Quality Measurement : -10 * log10 (1 - SSIM) As it turns out, the results are the same (no comparisons in red) but now they
- [Tutorial: How to Turn Your PC or Mac into a Portable Live Streaming Station for Under $1000](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-how-to-turn-your-pc-or-mac-into-a-portable-live-streaming-station-for-under-1000.html) - If you've got a desktop or notebook computer with USB 3.0 connectors, you can convert it into a live streaming appliance for under $1,000 with the Telestream Wirecast Studio 6 plus Epipan AV.io bundle. In the case of a laptop, this gives you a very
- [Encoding 2020: Experts Predict the Future of Video Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-2020-experts-predict-the-future-of-video-encoding.html) - Want to know what the encoding world is going to look like in five years? So did Streaming Media Magazine, so I spent the better part of July and August asking streaming media readers their thoughts on what the future would look like (via a survey),
- [Producing Live Events, Master Tip 1: Keep Striving](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/producing-live-events-master-tip-1-keep-striving.html) - Total Webcasting is a webcasting service provider out of New York that produces dozens of events a month, and thousands since its inception in 2007. Total Webcasting is unique in that it produces virtually all events for its customers, while owning the streaming server and content management system used for live and on-demand delivery, providing the
- [Tutorial: Live Switching, Streaming, and Recording with the Epiphan Pearl](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-live-switching-streaming-and-recording-with-the-epiphan-pearl.html) - The Epiphan Pearl, about the size of a thick phonebook (remember them?) I recently had a chance to work with Epiphone Pearl, a compact streaming appliance that lets you capture, record, and stream input from up to four HD-SDI or HDMI sources. It's
- [Ustream Review: The Live Streaming Service Evolves for New Areas](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ustream-review-the-live-streaming-service-evolves-for-new-areas.html) - UStream is one of the nice success stories in the streaming media market place. Founded by two West Point veterans, the company grew from a pure live streaming service provider into a full service provider primarily for enterprises. The company has a
- [How to Keep Enterprise Video Safe and Secure…Most of the Time](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-to-keep-enterprise-video-safe-and-securemost-of-the-time.html) - You’re the tech guy or gal for a medium-sized company, and the CEO just told you she wants to start using an online video platform to distribute video around the enterprise. Live all-hands-on-deck meetings, converted to VOD for those who can’t make it live, plus product demos, some training, a few marketing videos—you know the
- [Producing Live Events, Master Tip 2: Know Your SPFs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/producing-live-events-master-tip-2-know-your-spfs.html) - Total Webcasting is a webcasting service provider out of New York that produces dozens of events a month, and thousands since its inception in 2007. Total Webcasting is unique in that it produces virtually all events for its customers, while owning the streaming server and content management system used for live and on-demand delivery, providing the
- [Google Cans Some Flash Ads: Here’s What You Need to Know](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/google-cans-some-flash-ads-heres-what-you-need-to-know.html) - In a move that went live In late August, Google started blocking some flash-based ads in Chrome. Predictably, the blogosphere went crazy and proclaimed that Chrome dumped flash. While partially true, there are some intricacies to learn to understand
- [I Just Attended the Worst Webinar Ever. Here's How You Can Avoid the Same Mistakes](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/i-just-attended-the-worst-webinar-ever-heres-how-you-can-avoid-the-same-mistakes.html) - Just attended the worst webinar ever! I won't identify the group, but thought I would share the details to help others avoid them. By way of background, it was a group webinar, hosted by one company with multiple participants from other companies. It was on a very technical topic that I needed to learn very
- [Review: Sennheiser AVX Wireless System](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/review-sennheiser-avx-wireless-system.html) - The AVX wireless system.I recently had a chance to test the Sennheiser AVX wireless sound system, using the handheld microphone. I have to say, it's the best sounding microphone system I've ever tested. You can read my review of the system here, and check out a video and listen to the sound system below.
- [Producing Live Events, Master Tip 3: Choose Good People and Train Them Well](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/producing-live-events-master-tip-3-choose-good-people-and-train-them-well.html) - Total Webcasting is a webcasting service provider out of New York that produces dozens of events a month, and thousands since its inception in 2007. Total Webcasting is unique in that it produces virtually all events for its customers, while owning the streaming server and content management system used for live and on-demand delivery, providing the
- [How to Find the Right Vendor for Any Streaming Video Project](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-to-find-the-right-vendor-for-any-streaming-video-project.html) - Streaming video started as a simple video in a window, usually preceded by a long download. Now, it’s evolved into a complicated mass of application-specific services and products in categories that didn’t exist even a few short years ago
- [Producing Live Events, Master Tip 4: Ask for a Down Payment](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/producing-live-events-master-tip-4-ask-for-a-down-payment.html) - Total Webcasting is a webcasting service provider out of New York that produces dozens of events a month, and thousands since its inception in 2007. Total Webcasting is unique in that it produces virtually all events for its customers, while owning the streaming server and content management system used for live and on-demand delivery, providing the
- [HEVC Advance Royalties: Onerous or Not?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hevc-advance-royalties-onerous-or-not.html) - There has been lots of discussion about how onerous the content royalties proposed by HEVC Advance are for streaming distributors. In this article, I analyze the impact of those royalties on HEVC adoption and usage using two models, the M-Go model, for single movie rentals, and the Netflix model.Surprisingly, when you consider the bandwidth savings
- [Royalties on DASH? Say it Isn't So!](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/royalties-on-dash-say-it-isnt-so.html) - Just a quick note regarding an article in Streaming Media Magazine that you should read entitled, An Unhappy Surprise: MPEG LA Is Forming a Patent Pool for DASH. As the article details, we've known for a long time that the Dynamic Adaptive Streaming Over HTTP (DASH) standard may include licensable IP. However, it's been years since
- [Wired Says Flash.Must.Die; Then Displays Ad with Flash](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/wired-says-flash-must-die-then-displays-ad-with-flash.html) - I'm researching an article that involves the future of Flash, so started searching for articles on the most recent Mozilla-related Flash flap. I noticed that Wired had an article dramatically entitled Flash. Must. Die. You can guess the rest of the story-when I clicked over to the article, a Flash-based advertisement popped up. This "do as
- [Producing Live Events, Master Tip 5: Audio Quality is Key](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/producing-live-events-master-tip-5-audio-quality-is-key.html) - Total Webcasting is a webcasting service provider out of New York that produces dozens of events a month, and thousands since its inception in 2007. Total Webcasting is unique in that it produces virtually all events for its customers, while owning the streaming server and content management system used for live and on-demand delivery, providing the
- [Understanding ABR Latency: A Guest Post from Alex Zambelli](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/understanding-abr-latency-a-guest-post-from-alex-zambelli.html) - One of the nice things about the streaming industry is that many folks will share their knowledge with you if you ask a quick question on a subject they are passionate and knowledgeable about. So it was with a question I asked of Alex Zambelli, now with iStreamPlanet, and formerly with the Microsoft team that
- [Tutorial: iOS-to-Workstation Editing Workflow with Adobe Premiere Clip and Premiere Pro](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-ios-to-workstation-editing-workflow-with-adobe-premiere-clip-and-premiere-pro.html) - Shoot and edit a lot of video on your iPhone and iPad? Want to transfer the project over to your workstation for completion? If so, in this tutorial I demonstrate how to use Adobe Premiere clip to start video production on your iPhone or iPad and the
- [HEVC Advance: What Do the Royalties Mean for Video Publishers?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hevc-advance-what-do-the-royalties-mean-for-video-publishers.html) - HEVC Advance shook up the codec world when they announced proposed royalty policies in July, 2015, that included much higher hardware royalties then MPEG LA is seeking, without a cap, as well as royalties on content. In this article on streaming media.com, I analyze the proposed licensing terms and attempt to predict real-world numbers for
- [HEVCAdvance Issues HEVC Royalty Schedule With Content Royalties](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hevcadvance-issues-hevc-royalty-schedule-with-content-royalties.html) - HEVCAdvance is the second HEVC patent group comprised of GE, Technicolor, Mitsubishi, Philips, and Dolby, which I wrote about in detail for Streaming Media in New HEVC Patent Pool: What Are the Implications? Last week, the group issues a proposed royalty schedule to much negative fanfare. Here's the schedule for hardware for Region 1, which
- [Producing Live Events, Master Tip 6: Ensure Slide Integrity with a VGA Distribution Amplifier](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/producing-live-events-master-tip-6-ensure-slide-integrity-with-a-vga-distribution-amplifier.html) - Total Webcasting is a webcasting service provider out of New York that produces dozens of events a month, and thousands since its inception in 2007. Total Webcasting is unique in that it produces virtually all events for its customers, while owning the streaming server and content management system used for live and on-demand delivery, providing the
- [Time to Abandon Flash? It Depends](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/time-to-abandon-flash-it-depends.html) - Flash has been getting lots of bad press lately, some deserved, some not. Is it time to abandon Adobe's long-in-the-tooth technology? Well, judging from the title an article I wrote that recently appeared on Streaming Media, HTML5 Comes of Age: It's Finally Time to Tell Flash Good-bye, you would think so. Funny thing, though, editors
- [Webinar Production: How To Look and Sound Like a Pro in Eight Easy Lessons](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-production-how-to-look-and-sound-like-a-pro-in-eight-easy-lessons.html) - I'm producing a free webinar with Onstream Media on Tuesday, July 28, 2015 at 1:00 PM EST. Here's the description:While business use of video in webinars and videoconferencing is skyrocketing, few users have had any kind of media training, and subpar audio or video quality can often derail or diminish the desired benefits of the
- [Review: Bitcodin, a Cloud Video Encoding Service From Bitmovin](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/review-bitcodin-a-cloud-video-encoding-service-from-bitmovin.html) - Bitmovin is an Austrian company that supplies both a cloud encoder (bitcodin) and an HTML5 player (Bitdash). It offers an all-in-one service to companies seeking to encode and distribute files via HTML5 to computers and mobile devices. I reviewed the
- [Using Objective and Subjective Quality Tests](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/using-objective-and-subjective-quality-tests.html) - Here's a column that talks about the requirement to perform both objective and subjective testing when evaluating different encoding techniques or comparing codecs. Here's the first paragraph. I spend a lot of time assessing video quality, sometimes
- [Choosing a Streaming Appliance](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/choosing-a-streaming-appliance.html) - In the market for a streaming appliance? In this article that just posted on streamingmedia.com, I review the factors to consider when choosing a live streaming appliance with a budget of around $10,000. The base requirements for the systems I discus
- [Choosing a Workstation for Editing, Encoding, or Analysis? Check out the HP Z840](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/choosing-a-workstation-for-editing-encoding-or-analysis-check-out-the-hp-z840.html) - Though cameras get most of the hype and headlines for video producers, workstations are where the rubber meets the road, helping us meet our deadlines and get our work done during normal (or mostly normal) business hours. Recently, I put the new HP Z840 through its paces, and in three separate reviews, discussed its performance
- [Free Webinar: Best Practices for Enterprise Video Presentations](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/free-webinar-best-practices-for-enterprise-video-presentations.html) - Thursday, July 16th2:00pm ET / 11:00am PT Organizations across all industries are increasing their use of video for communications, training and collaboration. As this adoption grows, employees and executives must focus on how to create the highest quality live and on-demand presentations.If your company is webcasting CEO town halls for a global workforce, training sessions
- [Producing Live Events: Tip 7: You're In Charge of Marketing, Even When You're Not](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/producing-live-events-tip-7-youre-in-charge-of-marketing-even-when-youre-not.html) - Total Webcasting is a webcasting service provider out of New York that produces dozens of events a month, and thousands since its inception in 2007. Total Webcasting is unique in that it produces virtually all events for its customers, while owning the streaming server and content management system used for live and on-demand delivery, providing the
- [Webinar Technique:Cash is King-How to Retain Your Attendee's Attention During a Webinar](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-techniquecash-is-king-how-to-retain-your-attendees-attention-during-a-webinar.html) - I attended a great webinar yesterday, entitled What Converts? Building Landing Pages that Evoke Action. The two speakers were Kim Albee, a content marketing and sales expert from ContentZap, and Margaret Johnson, from Genoo, who provides an online marketing platform. I wasn't aware of either company or person before I received the invitation, but since I sell
- [Hey Verimatix: Don't Ask for Contact Info to Watch a YouTube Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hey-verimatix-dont-ask-for-contact-info-to-watch-a-youtube-video.html) - So, I just signed up to watch a case study from Verimatrix on how they helped Stofa "realize the Stofa WebTV Vision." Since I follow the DRM markets, plus like watching video case studies to pick up tips, it was a chance to kill two birds with one stone.Of course, I had to surrender my
- [Article and Resources on High Dynamic Range Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/article-and-resources-on-high-dynamic-range-video.html) - I just finished an article/essay/opinion piece on High Dynamic Range (HDR) video technology for Streaming Media Magazine. The bottom line is that there are so many different standards, that unless you have money to burn, you're not going to want to buy a set in the short term.Here's my dramatic conclusion:So while the emergence of HDR
- [New HEVC Patent Group Misses First Milestone](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/new-hevc-patent-group-misses-first-milestone.html) - HEVC Advance was the HEVC patent consortium that noisily announced their existence just before NAB and then denied the launch was timed for maximum discussion in Las Vegas. In their initial announcement, the consortium, which consists of only five companies, GE, Technicolor, Dolby, Philips and Mitsubishi Electric, promised that royalty rates and licensing terms would
- [Webinar Technique: What to Do When the Phone Dies](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-technique-what-to-do-when-the-phone-dies.html) - I just finished watching a LinkedIn Webcast entitled, Webcast: What you need to succeed with marketing on LinkedIn, which was produced on the WebEx webcast platform. During the webinar, the speaker, LinkedIn Direct of Marketing Keith Richey, explored the individual products that LinkedIn customers can deploy to help move prospects through the sales funnel. As
- [Don't Be That Guy (Part 1)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/dont-be-that-guy-part-1.html) - I've been focusing a lot on webcams lately, mostly because I have a new book out on the topic, Mastering Webcam and Smartphone Video, How to Look and Sound Great in Webinars and Videoconferences. As the title suggests, the goal of the book is to help those without media training look and sound their best when
- [Producing Live Events: Master Tip 8: Good Lighting is Critical](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/producing-live-events-master-tip-8-good-lighting-is-critical.html) - Total Webcasting is a webcasting service provider out of New York that produces dozens of events a month, and thousands since its inception in 2007. Total Webcasting is unique in that it produces virtually all events for its customers, while owning the streaming server and content management system used for live and on-demand delivery, providing
- [On Demand Version of Audio Video Quality Webinar Available](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/on-demand-version-of-audio-video-quality-webinar-available.html) - On Tuesday, June 23, 2015, TalkPoint hosted a 30-minute webinar on optimizing audio and video quality for webinar and conferencing production. You can access the on-demand version of the webinar here.As you can see on the left, white balance could have been just a bit better, and the video was a little hot-that's what I
- [Producing Live Events: Master Tip 9: It's All About the Bandwidth!](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/producing-live-events-master-tip-9-its-all-about-the-bandwidth.html) - Total Webcasting is a webcasting service provider out of New York that produces dozens of events a month, and thousands since its inception in 2007. Total Webcasting is unique in that it produces virtually all events for its customers, while owning the streaming server and content management system used for live and on-demand delivery, providing the complete "glass-to-glass"
- [Gen X? Millennial? Who's Who in Streaming Viewing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/gen-x-millennial-whos-who-in-streaming-viewing.html) - We all hear and throw around terms like Generation X, Millennials, and Baby Boomers all the time, but what do they really mean? Leave it to accounting firm Deloitte to specify the terms (from their Digital Democracy Survey).Here's their taxonomy (I know you can read the graphic, this is for search/SEO purposes).Trailing Millennials - (ages
- [Lighting Resources for Live Event Production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/lighting-resources-for-live-event-production.html) - I recently received an email asking about resources for video and webinar production. I sent off a list of video production, audio, and lighting related resources, so I thought I would expand upon that in three blog posts. This third and final post is on lighting-related resources for streaming production. Let me start by commenting that
- [Producing Live Events: Master Tip Countdown-Number 10:Planning and Review](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/producing-live-events-master-tip-countdown-number-10planning-and-review.html) - Total Webcasting is a webcasting service provider out of New York that produces dozens of events a month, and thousands since its inception in 2007. Total Webcasting is unique in that it produces virtually all events for its customers, while owning the streaming server and content management system used for live and on-demand delivery, providing
- [Audio Resources for Live Event Production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/audio-resources-for-live-event-production.html) - 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 second is on audio-related resources for streaming production. Choosing a Mic for Webinars. This page will be helpful
- [Webinar: Optimizing Audio and Video Quality for Webinar and Conferencing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-optimizing-audio-and-video-quality-for-webinar-and-conferencing.html) - TalkPoint is hosting a 30-minute webinar on optimizing audio and video quality for webinar and conferencing production on Tuesday, June 23 at 2:00 PM EST. You can register for the webinar here. During the webinar, I'll be discussing some highlights from my new book, Mastering Webcam and Smartphone Video, including:• How to use classic framing techniques
- [Download Sample Chapters of Mastering Webcam Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/download-sample-chapters-of-mastering-webcam-book.html) - Thanks for your interest in Mastering Webcam and Smartphone Video: How to Look and Sound Great in Webinars and Videoconferences. Click the book on your left to download the sample chapters.The download contains two chapters:• The Quick Start chapter, the first in the book, which identifies five quick ways to up the video and audio
- [Three Five-Star Reviews on Amazon for Mastering Webcam Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/three-five-star-reviews-on-amazon-for-mastering-webcam-book.html) - Some early book reviews for Mastering Webcam and Smartphone Video are in on Amazon, and they're all good. Thank goodness!The first Ken commented, "The tips and picture comparisons due to production circumstances are great. This book will be introduced to my University Digital Media Editing class in the Fall '15 semester. It's good to see a book
- [Choosing the Number of Renditions and Encoding Sets](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/choosing-the-number-of-renditions-and-encoding-sets.html) - I recently received an email inquiry that asked, "on average for multiple devices, how many different renditions/encoding sets do you recommend?" The answer was complex enough that I figured I would answer it in a blog post. There are multiple interlocking considerations, as you would suspect. Let's start with Quality and Compatibility.Quality and Compatibility 1. The starting
- [Amazon Charges Outrageous Prices for Kindle Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/amazon-charges-outrageous-prices-for-kindle-delivery.html) - 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
- [Video Production Resources for Live Event Production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/video-production-resources-for-live-event-production.html) - 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
- [My New Book: Mastering Webcam and Smartphone Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/my-new-book-mastering-webcam-and-smartphone-video.html) - 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
- [New Book Helps Business Users Produce More Effective Webinars and Videoconferences](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/news/new-book-helps-business-users-produce-more-effective-webinars-and-videoconferences.html) - 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.
- [Handouts for Replacing Flash Section](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/handouts-for-replacing-flash-section.html) - 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,
- [How to: Encoding for HEVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-encoding-for-hevc.html) - 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
- [VP9 vs. HEVC Quality Comparison is up on StreamingMedia.com](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/vp9-vs-hevc-quality-comparison-is-up-on-streamingmedia-com.html) - 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
- [Adobe Media Encoder Gets HEVC and VP9](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/adobe-media-encoder-gets-hevc-and-vp9.html) - (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
- [DRM Resources on Streaming Learning Center](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/drm-resources-on-streaming-learning-center.html) - 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
- [HEVC Advance: The New Patent Pool](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hevc-advance-the-new-patent-pool.html) - 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
- [Buyer’s Guide to Cloud-Based Video Encoding and Transcoding 2015](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/buyers-guide-to-cloud-based-video-encoding-and-transcoding-2015.html) - My article, A Buyer’s Guide to Cloud-Based Video Encoding and Transcoding 2015, just appeared on StreamingMedia.com. It covers both live and VOD encoding, and should be useful for anyone considering a significant investment in on-premise encoding gear, or those seeking to move to the cloud.Click here to read the article.
- [Buyer’s Guide to Live Video Encoders 2015](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/buyers-guide-to-live-video-encoders-2015.html) - My article, a Buyer’s Guide to Live Video Encoders 2015, just appeared on StreamingMedia.com. Here's the intro graph that covers what's covered. Congratulations, you’re buying a live encoder. In 2014, Ooyala released survey results showing that live videos are watched, on average, 11 times longer than VOD videos. So taking your presentation, webinar, or other production
- [Buyer’s Guide to On-Demand Encoders 2015](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/buyers-guide-to-on-demand-encoders-2015.html) - My article, a Buyer’s Guide to On-Demand Encoders 2015, just appeared on StreamingMedia.com. Here's the lead graph that describes what I cover. Choosing an encoding tool is a fundamental decision for anyone posting video to a website. In this video-on-demand (VOD) encoding buyer’s guide, I’ll run through the most relevant product categories, point out noteworthy examples,
- [How to Encode to HEVC: A Simple Guide for H.265 First Timers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-to-encode-to-hevc-a-simple-guide-for-h-265-first-timers.html) - My article, How to Encode to HEVC: A Simple Guide for H.265 First Timers, just appeared on StreamingMedia.com. I did a lot of testing with x.265 and the MainConcept HEVC codecs to understand the quality/encoding time tradeoffs of their various features. If you're starting to produce with either of these codecs, you'll find it a
- [Sayonara Silverlight: How Panopto Switched to Flash and HTML5](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/sayonara-silverlight-how-panopto-switched-to-flash-and-html5.html) - An interesting story on Silverlight, Flash and HTML5 just appeared on StreamingMedia.com. By way of background, Panopto is a lecture and presentation capture and sharing platform used by leading academic institutions and Fortune 500 companies around the world. The company originally based their products around Silverlight, but had to change because Chrome will soon no
- [The State of Video Codecs 2015](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/the-state-of-video-codecs-2015.html) - My article, The State of Video Codecs 2015, from the Streaming Media Sourcebook, is up on StreamingMedia.com. Here are the first few paragraphs to let you know what I covered. Video compression is the critical enabler of all video streaming, and today we’re at a codec crossroads unlike any that we’ve experienced. Though H.264 remains firmly
- [More on Replacing Flash Webinar-Additional Content](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/more-on-replacing-flash-webinar-additional-content.html) - As mentioned previously, I'm producing a free webinar entitled Replacing Flash with the Media Source Extensions/Encrypted Media Extensions on March 16, at 1:00 PM EST. It's sponsored by Onstream Media. You can read the description and signup here. To supplement the information that I compiled, I asked a number of collegues the following questions:For computer distribution-
- [Free Webinar: Replacing Flash with Media Source Extension and Encrypted Media Extensions](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/free-webinar-replacing-flash-with-media-source-extension-and-encrypted-media-extensions.html) - I'm producing a free webinar entitled Replacing Flash with the Media Source Extensions/Encrypted Media Extensions on March 16, at 1:00 PM EST. It's sponsored by Onstream Media. Here's the description. Flash has dominated the streaming media landscape much longer than anticipated because HTML5-based solutions lacked necessities like adaptive streaming, digital rights management, live streaming, close captions,
- [Five Star Review for Udemy Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/five-star-review-for-udemy-course.html) - My course, Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback, is an entry-level video compression course designed to help newbies quickly get up to speed on compression technologies and producing for the various platforms listed in the title. It now has 119 students, the latest of which, Ian Carpenter, shared his thoughts in this five
- [Another 5-Star Review for Multiple Screen Delivery Book-Now in Kindle Format](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/another-5-star-review-for-multiple-screen-delivery-book-now-in-kindle-format.html) - It's personally gratifying that readers continue to find my book, Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery, useful. Here are comments from the latest five-star review. I was assigned a Video Conversion and Compression project at work, and I began to look for a good source of information on the subject. I'm glad that I found
- [Microphone Alternatives for the iPhone](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/microphone-alternatives-for-the-iphone.html) - In this article I test several microphones for use with an iPhone 6 with applications like FaceTime, Skype and Google Hangouts. The basic workflow is the same. I connected the microhones to my iPhone 6, then opened a Google Hangouts chat with my MacBook Pro, then captured the audio using Camtasia. These audio files will
- [Try HLS for Adaptive Delivery to Smart TVs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/try-hls-for-adaptive-delivery-to-smart-tvs.html) - As I've observed previously, one of the benefits I get speaking before technical audiences is to hear their insites and experiences. I learned two very valuable nuggets of information from my most recent talk with the VideoTLV group in Tel Aviv. The first related to the benefit of encoding H.264 and WebM files when creating a
- [VideoTLV Deep Dive on Multiple Screen Encoding with Jan Ozer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/videotlv-deep-dive-on-multiple-screen-encoding-with-jan-ozer.html) - I'm presenting on multiple screen delivery at the VideoTLV group tonight (February 4, 2015) in Tel Aviv. A download link to the handout is provided below.
- [Flash is Dead Again (Yawn)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/flash-is-dead-again-yawn.html) - So, YouTube finally went HTML5 first with Flash Fallback, triggering another round of Flash is Dead articles. Hey, didn't Flash die when Apple shipped the iPad without it? I remember reading lots of articles back then telling me it was so. Well, in truth, it's a lot truer now, but don't send flowers to Adobe
- [Webinar today on Encoding for Multiple Screen Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-today-on-encoding-for-multiple-screen-delivery.html) - Sorry for the late notice, the webinar is at 2:00 PM EST, January 28, 2015, and is sponsored by OnStream. Sign up and you'll get pinged when the archived version is available. Click here to register.Here's the description:Most streaming producers must distribute to three sets of screens: desktop, mobile, and TV. There are multiple technologies for
- [Beamr Technology Assessment](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/codecs/beamr-technology-assessment.html) - I recently finished evaluating Beamr Video. The evaluation included analyzing the quality of the resulting clips using objective measures such as PSNR, SSIM and VQM, and conducting extensive viewing of the optimized clips, assessing their subjective quality compared to the original clips. Following this evaluation, I concluded that “for 99.99% of the expert and average
- [Big Changes at Sorenson Media](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/big-changes-at-sorenson-media.html) - Sorenson Media hired a new CEO, Marcus Liassides, with big plans to change Sorenson from a sleepy encoding company to a media powerhouse. I intervewed Marcus on Google Hangouts, which you can watch below. Or, you can read a summary of the interview on streamingmedia.com.
- [Ozer Releases Multiple Screen Delivery Course on Udemy](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ozer-releases-multiple-screen-delivery-course-on-udemy.html) - Just a quick note that I released a new course on encoding for Multiple Screen Delivery on Udemy for $29. For a limited time, you can buy the course for $24.99 by entering the coupon code MSD_book when you purchase, or by clicking here to buy the course. The course includes about 3 hours of
- [Review of Moscow State University Video Quality Measurement Tool](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/review-of-moscow-state-university-video-quality-measurement-tool.html) - A recent consulting project necessitated that I add objective quality measurements to the analysis. The tool I used was the Moscow Statue University Video Quality Measurement Tool (VQMT), which enables comparisons using Peak Signal to Noise (PSNR), Structured Similarity Index (SSIM), and the new Video Quality Metric (VQM), which I found most useful. In this review
- [The Case for VP9](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/the-case-for-vp9.html) - While HEVC is getting most of the buzz surrounding Ultra High Definition (UHD) codecs, it plays in exactly zero browsers at this point, while VP9 plays in 60% of the available browsers. In tests I performed for my sessions at Streaming Media West, VP9 delivered better quality than HEVC at similar encoding parameters. So why
- [The Changing Face of DRM: Where Do We Stand in 2015](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/the-changing-face-of-drm-where-do-we-stand-in-2015.html) - Digital Rights Management (DRM) is in a state of flux and will change dramatically over the next 12 - 18 months. This introductory-level article explains what DRM is, why it's important, how it works now, and the upcoming changes to the Media Source Extensions (MSE) and Encrypted Media Extensions (EME).This story appears on the Jan/Febuary
- [Adobe Revs the Creative Cloud](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/adobe-revs-the-creative-cloud.html) - A press release entitled Adobe Updates All Pro Video Applications just crossed my desk. Here are the paragraphs relevant to Premiere Pro and the Adobe Media Encoder. Premiere Pro - The Premiere Pro CC 2014.2 update includes a number of feature enhancements for editors, including support for Arri Open Gate media, the ability to set transitions
- [Computers Still Dominate Internet Viewing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/computers-still-dominate-internet-viewing.html) - Though the lead is slipping, viewing of Internet video on computers still dominates that of tablets, mobile phones or OTT devices, according to a report entitled, US Digital Video Audience Profile: Who’s Watching, How They’re Watching and What Screens They’re Watching, that I spotted on eMarketer (citing data from HUB REsearch).Red is data from 2013, black
- [Two Five Star Reviews for My Adobe Media Encoder Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/two-five-star-reviews-for-my-adobe-media-encoder-course.html) - Earlier this year, I released a Udemy course on the Adobe Media Encoder. Over the last couple of months, the course received a couple of five star reviews that I thought I would share. Here they are.From Evan Roberts:Jan does a great service by providing this course. This course is a must for anyone considering
- [Microsoft Dooms HEVC to Obscurity (by including it in Windows 10)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/microsoft-dooms-hevc-to-obscurity-by-including-it-in-windows-10.html) - I'm not one to go negative, but when I saw that Microsoft was including HEVC in Windows 10, scheduled for release in 2015, I just had to laugh. Over two years after Windows 8 shipped, I still use it only when I absolutely have to. The most ardent recommendation I make to friends buying a
- [Why Adaptive Streaming is Better than Single Bitrate](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/why-adaptive-streaming-is-better-than-single-bitrate.html) - Every once in awhile, a slide comes a long that's so brilliant that you just have to share it. So it is with the slide below from Will Law's presentation at the 2013 Velocity Conference entitled Optimizing the Black Box of HTML Video. I've always struggled to efficiently (under 30 seconds or less) explain why
- [Replacing Flash: Media Source Extension and Encrypted Media Extensions](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/replacing-flash-media-source-extension-and-encrypted-media-extensions.html) - Here's the session description, you can download all the handouts below. The video is below as well. The Media Source Extensions (MSE) and Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) 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
- [Handout for Digital Rights Management Session](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/handout-for-digital-rights-management-session.html) - The second session of my afternoon workshop covered closed captioning. Here's the description; click over to the main article to download the handout. For digital rights management, you gain an overview of the technologies available for various targe
- [Handout for Producing and Distributing HEVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/handout-for-producing-and-distributing-hevc.html) - Here's the presentation description; click below to download the handout. The presentation video is at the bottom of the page. This session explores the current status of HEVC, identifying options for encoding live and on-demand HEVC and discussing player options in the streaming and OTT markets. Topics include the comparative quality and usability of HEVC encoders—including
- [Choosing a Cloud Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/choosing-a-cloud-encoder-2.html) - Here's the session description; click below to download the handout. You can watch the actual conference video at the bottom of the page. This session describes what cloud encoding is and how it works for both live and on-demand applications. Learn the types of applications that work well with cloud encoding and the factors to
- [Handout for Multiscreen Delivery Workshop](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/handout-for-multiscreen-delivery-workshop.html) - Below is the presentation handout for my Encoding for Multiscreen Delivery: H.264, Protocols and Devices, workshop today at Streaming Media West. Here's the description.Learn how to create a set of video files that will play on all devices, from smartphones to computers and OTT devices. The workshop starts by exploring key concepts like protocol and
- [Apple Supports H.265, But So Far Only in FaceTime on an iPhone 6](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/apple-supports-h-265-but-so-far-only-in-facetime-on-an-iphone-6.html) - H.265 is coming to the Android operating system, as well, but it's nowhere to be seen on desktop or notebook computers.Since I own an iPhone 6, I should have noticed this earlier, but I just learned that Apple is using H.265 in FaceTime on the new models. Note that the unit’s video playback specs don’t
- [Adobe Drops Flash for HTML5](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/adobe-drops-flash-for-html5.html) - OK, I'll be honest, the headline is strictly for grabbing eyeballs. Still, on several videos that I checked, Adobe is using HTML5 for delivery, rather than Flash, going as far as to encode in VP8 for Firefox playback (rather than falling back to Flash and using H.264). Here's the short backstory.I received an email from
- [Another 5-Star Review for Video Compression Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/another-5-star-review-for-video-compression-book.html) - I just got another 5-star review for compression book Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery, this one from Joshua Horowitz who commented, "I wish they offered a class based on this book in undergrad."Well, here's the whole review. Blushing, thanks Joshua. Actually, not to boast, but this is the tenth 5-star review, out of ten
- [Webinar: Leverage Existing Video End Points and Infrastructure with Webcasting](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-leverage-existing-video-end-points-and-infrastructure-with-webcasting.html) - I'll be moderating a webinar for Talkpoint on how companies can leverage their existing infrastructures with webcasting. The date is August 19th, 2014 at 11:00am EST, and speakers will include Adam Bell, Global Digital Marketing, from Mastercard, and Paul Leninger, Marketing Manager at GENBAND. Here's the description. You can register for the webinar by clicking
- [Harmonic Cloud Encoding Demo](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/harmonic-cloud-encoding-demo.html) - Harmonic went from no cloud encoding offerings to three cloud encoding offerings in a matter of months. In this video, Bryant Maness, product manager for file transcoding, demonstrates all three.The first allows you to add cloud nodes to your WFS system. If you're running short of a capacity for a batch job, it's a great
- [Wowza VP Chris Knowlton Demos New Streaming Engine User Interface](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/wowza-vp-chris-knowlton-demos-new-streaming-engine-user-interface.html) - Wowza Streaming Engine (formerly Wowza Media Server) debuted its new graphical user interface in February, 2014. In the words of Wowza CEO David Stubenvoll:If you wanted to do iOS streaming in Wowza 3 you had to hand code in three locations, but now, in Wowza Streaming Engine, it’s a radio button. Our intent is to
- [Harmonic CMO Peter Alexander Describes Company's Cloud Strategy](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/harmonic-cmo-peter-alexander-describes-companys-cloud-strategy.html) - With gross revenue in the $400 million range ($108 million for Q2 2014), Harmonic Inc. is one of the largest encoding companies on the planet, but they've been strangely quiet on the cloud-encoding front. This changed around NAB 2014, when the company announced their cloud strategy, which included their own cloud service, ProMedia Carbon MP,
- [Amazon Transcoder; My Review (Meh!)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/amazon-transcoder-my-review-meh.html) - On one level, Amazon's Elastic Transcoder is a finely-tuned service well crafted for the largest sweet spot of the cloud encoding market, Plain Jane H.264 transcoding. On another level, its a service that aimed low from an interface and usability standpoint, and clearly hit its mark. I'm used to the public side of the Amazon
- [Don't Buy that UHD TV: It May Go Obsolete Faster Than You Think](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/dont-buy-that-uhd-tv-it-may-go-obsolete-faster-than-you-think.html) - Holiday buying season is right around the corner, and soon you'll be subjected to advertising from multiple sources to buy a new UHD TV set. I like shiny new objects as much as the next guy, but before you succumb, you should know that there's a good chance that the set will be obsolete within
- [Encoding in the Cloud or On Premise](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-in-the-cloud-or-on-premise.html) - I was once a skeptic on cloud encoding, but over the last 12 months have become a believer. In my Streaming Media article, The Cloud Vs. On-Premises Encoding Dilemma, I discuss why, discussing three classes of companies.The first should go directly to the cloud. The second should go hybrid, encoding normal demand on-premise and overflow
- [Insights from the Ooyala Global Video Index](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/insights-from-the-ooyala-global-video-index.html) - Ooyala is one of the top three online video platforms (OVP) and releases a quarterly "video index" that "measures the anonymized viewing habits of viewers in 239 countries and territories, from Argentina to Zimbabwe, around the world," and reports on those findings. You can download the document at the Ooyala website here. This quarter's (Q1
- [MediaPlatform PrimeTime Review: A Sleek Enterprise YouTube](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/mediaplatform-primetime-review-a-sleek-enterprise-youtube.html) - I'm getting pretty excited about enterprise YouTube products in general; particularly after writing about the value eBay saw in their enterprise system (see eBay Embraces Enterprise YouTube). I also liked, but wasn't overwhelmed by, the Silverlight-based Vidizmo EnterpriseTube. I recently reviewed PrimeTime, an enterprise YouTube platform from MediaPlatform, and found it all that and a
- [Ustream Test Page](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ustream-test-page.html)
- [Libcast Test Page](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/libcast-test-page.html) - Direct EmbedEmbed from Embedded Video Embed from Rich Media Video
- [Encoding for Multiple Screen Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/encoding-for-multiple-screen-delivery.html) - Here's the session description.This session details the playback capabilities and technology compatibilities of desktop, mobile, and TV screens, and explores the technical issues and feasibility of producing one set of streams for all platforms, including how technologies like transmuxing and live transcoding simplify the overall distribution workflow.Click below to download the handout. The video is
- [Producing and Distributing HEVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/producing-and-distributing-hevc.html) - Here's the description; click below to download the handout and access the sample files.This session explores the current status of HEVC, identifying options for encoding live and on-demand HEVC and discussing player options in the streaming and OTT markets. Topics include the comparative quality and usability of HEVC encoders, how HEVC quality compares to H.264
- [Data Rates for HEVC Testing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/data-rates-for-hevc-testing.html) - A few weeks ago, I ran a survey to determine the average data rate used by video producers when encoding H.264 to 720p and 1080p resolutions. The thought was, once I knew this, I could encode using HEVC at the half the data rate and compare the quality to see if HEVC lived up to
- [Adobe Media Encoder Online Course a "Life Saver"](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/adobe-media-encoder-online-course-a-life-saver.html) - My Udemy course entitled, Mastering the Adobe Media Encoder CC, just got its first review, a five-star rating. Reviewer Jill Hoven commented:"The BEST Tutorial on Adobe Media Encoder!!Jan Ozer is already my go-to expert on everything streaming media, but this course quickly and easily helped me resolve an issue that threatened to keep me from
- [More on MPEG LA HEVC Royalty Policy](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/more-on-mpeg-la-hevc-royalty-policy.html) - My recent column, MPEG LA's HEVC Licensing Terms Are Flawed, Will Prevent Adoption, has generated lots of comments in the LinkedIn HEVC/H.265 Group. One comment, from Anthony Mai, sparked a lengthy response, which I wanted to share. By way of background, I don't like the proposed licensing terms for multiple reasons, including:- They don't match the
- [New Five Star Review for "Great" Compression Book](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/new-five-star-review-for-great-compression-book.html) - Just got a short and sweet five star review on Amazon for Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery. Here's a screen grab.Ah, nothing does an author's heart more good than to see a review like that. Thanks for taking the time to share, Alex.
- [Video Interview: Is Elemental Technologies Turning Into a Software Company](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/video-interview-is-elemental-technologies-turning-into-a-software-company.html) - Elemental Technologies has done a great job selling encoding appliances, becoming a force in the high volume H.264 transcoding market over the last few years. So when I saw that Elemental Technologies had released a white paper entitled, Software-Defined Video - a Game Changing Framework for the Video Marketplace, I was curious if this signaled
- [Panasonic UHD Set Doesn't Play House of Cards (and Other Issues)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/panasonic-uhd-set-doesnt-play-house-of-cards-and-other-issues.html) - Anytime a new codec is released, there are inevitable compatibility issues. Panasonic got bit first when one of their models proved incompatible with Netflix, with no fix available, now or ever. Beyond simple codec incompatibilities, there are several other issues to watch for when buying a UHD set, and some steps you can take to
- [Hulu Adapting DASH for All Available Platforms](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hulu-adapting-dash-for-all-available-platforms.html) - The DASH standard (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) is increasingly being implemented by premuim content distributors, though deployment is added on a device or platform-specific basis. In this transcribed interview between Streaming Media's Senior Associate Editor Troy Dreier, and Baptiste Courdurier, a software development Lead for Hulu, you can read how Hulu is using DASH
- [MPEG LA's HEVC Licensing Terms Are Flawed, Will Prevent Adoption](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/mpeg-las-hevc-licensing-terms-are-flawed-will-prevent-adoption.html) - The more I think about MPEG LA's proposed HEVC royalty policy, the more I think it's flawed, primarily because there's no incentive for Adobe to pay $25 million to add HEVC playback to Flash. Why is this important? Because Flash is still the only delivery technology that can reach 95%+ of desktops and notebooks in
- [Choosing a Microphone for Webinars](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/choosing-a-microphone-for-webinars.html) - The thing about webinars produced from your desk is that they seem to invite you to use poor quality gear. Yeah, you could setup an external microphone, but that mic on your webcam is just sooo convenient. Or, you think that a $15 lavaliere mic from Amazon will provide the absolute quality boost that you
- [Understanding Adaptive Streaming in Three Short Videos](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/understanding-adaptive-streaming-in-three-short-videos.html) - I got a email question yesterday that went like this:Please forgive me if this question sounds obvious but when I encode a master clip for different streaming outputs (using AME C6) I end up with a different file for each separate outlet. A file for YouTube, a file for the iPad etc. Do the big
- [Streaming Camera Guide: How to Choose Your Next Camera](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/streaming-camera-guide-how-to-choose-your-next-camera.html) - Streaming producers have an array of camera options, from the cameras in their smartphones to professional models costing four figures or more. In this article, we’ll identify the major camera categories; discuss their strengths, weakness and best use cases; and features to look for when choosing a camera within the category.While there are dozens, if
- [Simple Survey on HEVC Data Rates](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/simple-survey-on-hevc-data-rates.html) - One of the benefits of HEVC is supposed to be that it delivers the same quality of H.264 at 50% of the data rate. However, since there’s little data rate standardization, it’s tough to tell what that means. After all, it means one thing if you produce your H.264-encoded H.264 video at 2 mbps, quite
- [Ozer Releases Online Training: Mastering the Adobe Media Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/news/ozer-releases-online-training-mastering-the-adobe-media-encoder.html) - New online training workshop helps Adobe Creative Cloud producers efficiently encode top-quality video for streaming, mobile and optical mediaGalax, VA – May 28, 2014 – The Streaming Learning Center announces the immediate availability of an 80-minute training course entitled Mastering the Adobe Media Encoder CC. The course costs $25.00 and is available now at Udemy. Check
- [Free Streaming Primer available for download](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/free-streaming-primer-available-for-download.html) - One of the most popular downloads from the Streaming Learning Center was our original streaming media primer. Now we're releasing a new primer, covering the materials shown in the table of contents below.The primer is a component of my new Udemy course, Mastering the Adobe Media Encoder. It started out as a document to explain
- [eBay Embraces Enterprise YouTube to Maintain Competitive Advantage](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ebay-embraces-enterprise-youtube-to-maintain-competitive-advantage.html) - I had a great opportunity to write a case study on eBay's use of Qumu's enterprise YouTube product. Sometimes, these discussions are strictly technical, the bits and bytes, procedures and workflows, that kind of thing. While I covered that with eBay's Ryan Burnham, what really got interesting was how he saw the YouTube product, and
- [Review: Vidizmo EnterpriseTube](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/review-vidizmo-enterprisetube.html) - For this review of the Vidizmo EnterpriseTube, which just posted on Streaming Media, the lead says it all.Let me be up front about this. Vidizmo EnterpriseTube is the first corporate YouTube product that I’ve reviewed. So if you’re looking for a comparative analysis detailing how the product stacks up with other options, this, unfortunately, isn’t
- [Satellite, Cellmux and Fiber; Alternatives to Ethernet](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/satellite-cellmux-and-fiber-alternatives-to-ethernet.html) - Suppose you're tasked with producing a high-profile live event. Perhaps the location has Ethernet connectivity, but you also want a redundant connection in case the Ethernet goes down. Or perhaps the location doesn't offer Ethernet. What are your options? That was the pitch for my article, Video for the Long Haul: Exploring Backhaul Options, which recently
- [The ROI of Enterprise Webcasting: Justifying the Expense](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/the-roi-of-enterprise-webcasting-justifying-the-expense.html) - You can financially justify the expenses surrounding webcasting in multiple ways. First, streaming media can provide a cheaper alternative to an existing practice. Second, it can open new revenue opportunities. Finally, it can allow you to extend your marketing reach beyond what was available using traditional technologies.This article, entitled The ROI of Enterprise Webcasting: Justifying
- [UHD Codecs; HEVC, VP9 and Daala](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/uhd-codecs-hevc-vp9-and-daala.html) - My latest column in Streaming Media Magazine; Here's the lead. There’s a lot of interest in ultra-high definition (UHD) video, and the two codecs that drive it, HEVC and VP9. Over the past few months, a new UHD codec called Daala has also come to the fore. I wanted to take this opportunity to update the
- [Netflix Lukewarm on HEVC (to put it mildly)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/netflix-lukewarm-on-hevc-to-put-it-mildly.html) - "The bottom line is that in the great struggle to find the true signal among the noise, you should ignore the claims of those who create and sell the codec, and prioritize those who actually have to put it to use. But you knew that already, didn't you?"In a story reported by Streaming Media magazine,
- [Video for the Long Haul: Exploring Backhaul Options](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/video-for-the-long-haul-exploring-backhaul-options.html) - You’re streaming a high-profile event in the not-too-distant future, and you’re wondering about your options for transmitting your video to your streaming server or service provider. You’re concerned about quality, reliability, and
- [Even YouTube Doesn't Take HTML5/WebM Seriously](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/even-youtube-doesnt-take-html5webm-seriously.html) - I know, I know, Flash is dead, the war is over. We've all moved on to other battles. Still, I had to laugh the other day when I noticed how YouTube was encoding files for some browsers in HTML5 mode. Here's the story. I was writing another Video Doctor article for OnlineVideo.net. I remembered a YouTube
- [In Defense of MPEG LA](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/in-defense-of-mpeg-la-2.html) - Recent bad press received by MPEG LA seems to disprove the old adage that all PR is good PR. A few weeks ago, writing for Fox News, Steve Forbes said: One example is MPEG LA—a patent pooling entity and owner of the MPEG-2 standard commonly foun
- [Stream With Care: Simple Production Tips for Quality Results](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/stream-with-care-simple-production-tips-for-quality-results-3.html) - Most seasoned compressionists know that you can’t have high-quality streaming media without quality audio and video. In honor of our production issue, I thought I would list the production techniques that can make or break audio and video quality. Let’s start with the setup. There are two concepts to keep in mind here: contrast ratio and
- [Handouts from Producing a Webcast From Soup to Nuts](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/handouts-from-producing-a-webcast-from-soup-to-nuts.html) - Last week at Streaming Media East, I held 2 three-hour sessions (parts 1 & 2) on Producing a Webcast from Soup to Nuts. The descriptions are below, as are the handouts for downloading. SM2: Producing A Webcast From Soup To Nuts: Part OnePart one of this workshop will discuss factors to consider when choosing a camera,
- [Love that Lowel TRIO](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/love-that-lowel-trio.html) - Last week, at my session Producing a Webcast from Soup to Nuts at Streaming Media East, Lowel Light Inc. was kind enough to loan me a Lowel TRIO light kit. I was looking for a light kit that I could setup in minutes, with focusable lights that I could use to demonstrate a number of different
- [New Udemy Review: "Great Introductory Course"](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/new-udemy-review-great-introductory-course.html) - My online course, Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback has been live on Udemy for a couple of months. After two quick five-star reviews, a third has finally come in from Daniel Suarez, as shown below.Thanks, Daniel! Interesting that you should ask about this, as I'll be adding Adobe Media Encoder-specific modules to the main
- [Ozer Launches Online Course Mastering the Adobe Media Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ozer-launches-online-course-mastering-the-adobe-media-encoder.html) - I'm pleased to announce my new course, Mastering the Adobe Media Encoder CC: An Online Course, on Udemy.Why this new course? Well, I use the Adobe Media Encoder every day, and have for many years over multiple versions. I know which presets operate effectively as is, and which require some modifications. I know which controls really
- [Udemy Course Updated with Adobe Media Encoder Training](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/udemy-course-updated-with-adobe-media-encoder-training.html) - Just a quick note to let you know that I've added 16 lectures of Adobe Media Encoder training to my existing course on Udemy, Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback. You can see the modules added below. I've also launched a separate course entitled Mastering the Adobe Media Encoder, which contains only these modules. The
- [YouTube and VP9: A Made-for-Press-Release Event](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/youtube-and-vp9-a-made-for-press-release-event.html) - The recent news that YouTube will demonstrate 4K video encoded with VP9 at CES with hardware support from a number of chip and TV vendors has all the earmarks of a made-for-press release event; all froth, no substance. That’s OK; press release
- [A Buyer’s Guide to Field Encoders 2014](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/a-buyers-guide-to-field-encoders-2014.html) - So you’re streaming a live event at some off-site location and you’re wondering what hardware or software to buy to encode the video to send to your streaming server. Well, you’re in the right place, because that’s the subject
- [Apple Changes Encoding Recommendations for HLS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/apple-changes-encoding-recommendations-for-hls.html) - From my perspective, Apple Technical Note TN2224 is the Rosetta Stone of adaptive streaming, a document that translates multiple factors into concrete recommendations that should be considered by all producers streaming to Apple Devices. Which is to
- [Review: Vidizmo EnterpriseTube](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-vidizmo-enterprisetube-2.html) - Let me be up front about this. Vidizmo EnterpriseTube is the first corporate YouTube product that I’ve reviewed. So if you’re looking for a comparative analysis detailing how the product stacks up with other options, this, unfortunately,
- [The Codecs That Make UHD Video Possible: HEVC Vs. VP9](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/the-codecs-that-make-uhd-video-possible-hevc-vs-vp9.html) - There’s a lot of interest in ultra-high definition (UHD) video, and the two codecs that drive it, HEVC and VP9. Over the past few months, a new UHD codec called Daala has also come to the fore. I wanted to take this opportunity to update the st
- [Producing and Deploying HEVC-Handout and Sample Files](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/producing-and-deploying-hevc-handout-and-sample-files.html) - Here's the description:This session explores the current status of HEVC, identifying existing and announced options for encoding live and on-demand HEVC, and discussing player options in the streaming and OTT markets. Topics explored will include the comparative quality and usability of HEVC encoders, how HEVC quality compares to H.264 at a range of resolutions and
- [Much Video Processing Performance Boost Do the Latest PC Processors Deliver?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/much-video-processing-performance-boost-do-the-latest-pc-processors-deliver.html) - Back in 2009, when HP shipped new workstations powered by the Nehalem line of CPUs, the performance boost was so significant that they instantly rendered obsolete workstations based upon previous architectures. Now that Intel has launched Ivy Bridge-
- [DASH vs. HLS: Request for Comments](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/dash-vs-hls-request-for-comments.html) - Lots of excellent articles on DASH recently; I'm trying to summarize them for a presentation on Multiple Screen Delivery at Streaming Media East. The table below is my attempt to do so, and to compare how easily one can implement DASH as compared to HLS. I'm looking at the three platforms (desktop, mobile and OTT), and
- [Stream With Care: Simple Production Tips for Quality Results](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/stream-with-care-simple-production-tips-for-quality-results-2.html) - Most seasoned compressionists know that you can’t have high-quality streaming media without quality audio and video. In honor of our production issue, I thought I would list the production techniques that can make or break audio and video quali
- [eBay Embraces Enterprise YouTube](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/ebay-embraces-enterprise-youtube.html) - A funny thing happened on my way to writing a case study about eBay's use of their enterprise YouTube. Specifically, the discussion transitioned from tech talk, like identifying channels and moderation workflows, to the social forces driving eBay's d
- [Presenting the Ozer Paradox: Simple and Pricey Don't Go Together](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/presenting-the-ozer-paradox-simple-and-pricey-dont-go-together.html) - The Ozer Paradox is unique to the high-technology space and refers to the paradoxical reality that as technical products get more expensive, they become less polished and harder to use. While not universal, this dynamic is pervasive enough to deserve
- [Review: Panopto Lecture Capture and Webcasting System](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-panopto-lecture-capture-and-webcasting-system-2.html) - The increasing acceleration of worker turnover makes knowledge capture and management a critical function for most organizations, large and small. Even organizations blessed with low turnover can benefit from capturing information detailed in present
- [The ROI of Enterprise Webcasting: Justifying the Expense](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/the-roi-of-enterprise-webcasting-justifying-the-expense-2.html) - Enterprises have been delivering video over the internet since around 1997, and we’re well past the phase of delivering video for video’s sake. If your CFO asked you, “Has all this streaming video even remotely paid for itself?&rdqu
- [Adobe Promises DASH and HEVC - In Primetime, Not Flash Player](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/adobe-promises-dash-and-hevc-in-primetime-not-flash-player.html) - Beet.tv did a fabulous job covering technology trends at NAB with interviews from a seemingly endless list of A-listers, from Akamai and Adobe, to Microsoft, Netflix, Viacom, Broadcom, you name it. One of the interviews was with Ashley Still, director of video product management at Adobe, where she talked about the DASH support Adobe added
- [HEVC Webinar Viewing Page](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/hevc-webinar-viewing-page.html) - Update: Due to the Internet outage that interrupted our webinar, I will not make the VOD webinar available. Instead, since I'm giving a similar talk at Streaming Media East in NYC on May 24, I'll post that version once it's available.This should be available by mid-June. Sorry for the delay.Here are the downloadable files, including
- [Ozer Book - "A Beacon of Light in a Valley of Half-Knowledge"](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ozer-book-a-beacon-of-light-in-a-valley-of-half-knowledge.html) - It's probably a serious faux pas, if not a clear sign of declasse, to blog about a tweet; someone let me know. But a recent tweet about my book really made me smile, and the sound byte--A Beacon of Light in a Valley of Half-Knowledge--is priceless. Here it is.Thanks Mustafa, aka @codesurgeon.:-)
- [10 Tips for Creating Successful Branded Videos](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/10-tips-for-creating-successful-branded-videos.html) - My article, 10 Tips for Creating Successful Branded Videos, just appeared on Onlinevideo.net. It's a fun and hot topic these days; launch a business, produce a video that goes viral and laugh your way to the bank. Well, it can happen, because it has, but being realistic is always a good start. That's tip 1.
- [Free Webinar-HEVC: What it is, Where it's At, and Where it's Going](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/free-webinar-hevc-what-it-is-where-its-at-and-where-its-going.html) - Tue, Apr 29, 2014 2:00 PM EDT HEVC is definitely the next big thing; but how big is it, and when will it matter? If you're interested in learning about the current status of HEVC, consider attending this webinar, during which I'll discuss a range of topics regarding the deployment and utility of HEVC. These
- [Review: Panopto Lecture Capture and Webcasting System](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/review-panopto-lecture-capture-and-webcasting-system.html) - My review of the Panopto Lecture Capture and Webcasting System just published on the Streaming Media website. Here's a short summary of what I thought. Overall, Panopto was very well-conceived, and in general, is very easy to use for both presenter and viewer. One key differentiating feature, however, is the ability to input video from multiple
- [Stream With Care: Simple Production Tips for Quality Results](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/stream-with-care-simple-production-tips-for-quality-results.html) - My latest column for Streaming Media magazine is a must read for anyone who produces (rather than simply encoding) streaming video. Here's the intro.Most seasoned compressionists know that you can’t have high-quality streaming media without quality audio and video. In honor of our production issue, I thought I would list the production techniques that can
- [Find Viewers Before You Make a Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/find-viewers-before-you-make-a-video.html) - Just got off the phone with Ken Gumbs of Fresh Giants, a video production company in Chicago, who I interviewed for an article I'm writing about branded video for OnlineVideo.net. I was struck by the pure wisdom of many of Ken's comments, in part, I'm sure, because I don't know much about branded video (but I'm
- [TalkPoint Convey Debuts Screencam Help Videos](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/talkpoint-convey-debuts-screencam-help-videos.html) - Two or three years ago, the average cost of a video webcast was around $1,200 - $2,000. Now that services like GoToWebinar start as low as $99/month, established companies are having to adjust both their products and their pricing. I've been working with TalkPoint's new Convey self-service webinar system for my last two webinars, and
- [Dressing for Streaming Success; Brown is the New Black](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/dressing-for-streaming-success-brown-is-the-new-black.html) - I'm preparing for my full day seminar entitled Producing a Webcast from Soup to Nuts at Streaming Media East in Manhattan on May 12, 2014. Part of the process involves watching a bunch of live events to glean tips and tricks and mistakes to avoid. Two videos of the same subject that I noticed yesterday
- [Netflix, HEVC and Net Neutrality. Who Ultimately Will Pay the Toll?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/netflix-hevc-and-net-neutrality-who-ultimately-will-pay-the-toll.html) - The poor folks at HDTVtest were reviewing a Samsung HU8500 UHDTV and noticed that Netflix was streaming House of Cards Season 2 at 4K in HEVC. According to the article, after cycling through 720p and 1080p, the stream ultimately switched up to 2160 HD at 15.6 Mbps. In dark scenes, there was very little difference,
- [Apple Updates Tech Note TN2224](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/apple-updates-tech-note-tn2224.html) - From my perspective, Apple Technical Note TN2224 is the Rosetta Stone of adaptive streaming, a document that translates multiple factors into concrete recommendations that should be considered by all producers streaming to Apple Devices. Which is to say, of course, virtually all streaming producers. So when Apple makes big changes in the Tech Note, as
- [Flash is Dead: In Adobe Media Encoder CC at Least](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/flash-is-dead-in-adobe-media-encoder-cc-at-least.html) - Let's test your observational powers. On the left are the web presets from Adobe Media Encoder prior to the April 2014 reveal. On the right is the same group of presets after the April refresh. What's missing? Well, in case the title didn't clue you in, I'm sure you figured out by now that it's Flash;
- [Tutorial: New Features in Adobe Premiere Pro CC April Reveal](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-new-features-in-adobe-premiere-pro-cc-april-reveal.html) - On April 2, 2014, Adobe announced updates to all Creative Cloud video apps that will debut at NAB. This video demonstrates the four key new features in Premiere Pro CC: Master Clips, Live Text, Masking and Tracking, and new 4K format support. Streaming Media Producer transcribed this tutorial and added screens to the text; if
- [Workflow Tour: Livestream Studio on the Studio HD51](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/workflow-tour-livestream-studio-on-the-studio-hd51.html) - This tutorial provides a quick overview of how to mix multiple cameras, graphic overlays, and other media in the new version of Livestream Studio, as well as how to record isolated video program feeds, and configure your stream and send it out via Livestream or other RTMP-compatible streaming providers.If you've prefer to read about the
- [Configuring a Server Farm for Telestream Episode](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/configuring-a-server-farm-for-telestream-episode.html) - OK, pretty discrete topic, but if you care, you care. This blog post originated as questions from a visitor to this website, who asked:At this stage of my investigation, I have the following questions:- Should I go for a few 16-core or a lot 4-core machines (like mac mini).- Do I need the Episode Cluster
- [HEVC Playback and Dismal Device Battery Life](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hevc-playback-and-dismal-device-battery-life.html) - HEVC comes with two benefits; equivalent quality to H.264 at about half the data rate, and ultra-high definition video. One big question about the new technology, however, is the impact of HEVC playback on device battery life, which is critical given how quickly mobile viewing is growing.Techspot's Tim Schiesser focused on this issue in his
- [How to Choose and Implement a Webcasting Solution](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-to-choose-and-implement-a-webcasting-solution.html) - Producing a live event? Do you need a webcasting system like On24, a live streaming service provider like Livestream, or a conferencing solution like GoToMeeting or Google Hangouts? Not sure?Find out in my article, How to Choose and Implement a Webcasting Solution, from the fabulous 2014 Streaming Media Sourcebook. Here's the brief intro which details what's covered
- [How to Make the Move to HEVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-to-make-the-move-to-hevc.html) - Interested in HEVC (H.265)? My article regarding same is now available on the Streaming Media website, here. Here's the intro to give you an idea about what's covered. While few companies of any kind are actually making money from HEVC (H.265) today, the successor to H.264 will become increasingly important during the next 2–3 years, perhaps
- [Adjusting Brightness and Color in YouTube](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/adjusting-brightness-and-color-in-youtube.html) - I'm pretty good getting the color and brightness right on clips that I upload to YouTube, but sometimes it's a bit tougher with webinars, especially when they are self produced. I was checking some past webinars produced on YouTube Live for a seminar I'm producing at Streaming Media East 2014 and noticed that my face
- [On Demand Webinar: Encoding for iBooks Author Now Available](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/on-demand-webinar-encoding-for-ibooks-author-now-available.html) - Note: With the June 2014 release of iBooks Author, the procedures discussed here no longer work. Good luck with your iBooks Author encodes.I held the webinar, Encoding for iBooks Author, on March 25. The webinar, which was sponsored by TalkPoint and used their new self-serving Convey webinar system, went off without a hitch. I've attended
- [Tutorial: Encoding With HandBrake](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-encoding-with-handbrake.html) - This is one of 42 lessons from my course Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback, on Udemy. It covers how to use HandBrake to encode for streaming. As you may know, HandBrake is a free cross-platform encoder that does a great job encoding using the x264 codec. It's especially useful when encoding for
- [Make This Look Like That - Improving Color and Brightness in Premiere Pro](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/make-this-look-like-that-improving-color-and-brightness-in-premiere-pro.html) - Many encoding pros spend an inordinate amount of time tweaking obscure H.264 compression parameters, while the fastest way to improve quality might just be optimizing the color and brightness of your source videos. You can see that in the image on the left. Because I shot this video in a conference room lit by overhead fluorescent
- [A Buyer's Guide to Cloud Encoders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/a-buyers-guide-to-cloud-encoders.html) - Considering a cloud encoder? My article, A Buyer’s Guide to Cloud Encoders, from the fabulous 2014 Streaming Media Sourcebook, is up on the Streaming Media webiste. Here's the scintillating intro which tells what's covered in the article. There are many instances where cloud encoding is both efficient and cost-effective. For example, if you’re working with files already saved to
- [A Buyer's Guide to Live Encoders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/a-buyers-guide-to-live-encoders.html) - Producing a live event in the near term and need to choose an encoder? My article, A Buyer’s Guide to Live Encoders, from the fabulous 2014 Streaming Media Sourcebook, is up on the Streaming Media webiste. Here's the brief intro which details what's covered in the article. All live events start with an encoded stream produced by a live
- [A Buyer’s Guide to Live Streaming Services](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/a-buyers-guide-to-live-streaming-services.html) - My article, A Buyer’s Guide to Live Streaming Services, from the fabulous 2014 Streaming Media Sourcebook, is up on the Streaming Media webiste. Here's the intro, designed to grab you by the throat (metaphorically, of course) and force you to read the balance. Well, if you're interested in live streaming, you might find it worth a
- [Choosing a Capture Card for FMLE](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/choosing-a-capture-card-for-fmle.html) - I received this email the other day from the Division Manager of Web Based Services for a large southern city. He said:While doing research, I found your “Choosing a Live Streaming Encoder” presentation on YouTube. I found it very informative and took many good notes.We will most likely end up going with a Dell server
- [Review: Livestream Studio HD51](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/review-livestream-studio-hd51.html) - My review of the new Livestream Studio HD51, is up on the Streaming Media Producer website. If you're looking for a turnkey switcher encoder with HDMI and SDI input, it's a great option. Here's the intro to tell you what's covered. Livestream Studio HD51 is the latest in a line of production switchers from Livestream. Two
- [Encoding for iBooks Author Webinar: Download Free Proof of Concept iBook](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/encoding-for-ibooks-author-webinar-download-free-proof-of-concept-ibook.html) - Note: With the June 2014 release of iBooks Author, the procedures discussed here no longer work. Good luck with your iBooks Author encodes.In my upcoming webinar, Encoding for iBooks Author (register here), I claim that "by the lessons learned in this webinar, you’ll be able to include more minutes of videos in your iBooks, or the
- [Tutorial: Encoding for Streaming from a Website](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-encoding-for-streaming-from-a-website.html) - This is one of 42 lessons from my course Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback, on Udemy (bit.ly/Ozer_u). It's one of the most important lessons, covering bits/pixel, which is a critical concept in streaming. As an informational lesson, this is mostly PowerPoint with audio. Most other lessons include screencam demos of the software
- [YouTube Deploying DASH-Variant to Reduce Mobile Latency](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/youtube-deploying-dash-variant-to-reduce-mobile-latency.html) - Read an interesting article in CoreAnalysis, a Canadian blog run by Patrick Lopez, who reports that YouTube has been experimenting with multiple technologies to reduce mobile wait time, and is now deploying a DASH-based technology they call Sliced Bread. Here's the technology description.YouTube Sliced Bread essentially compares the DASH ABR manifest with the speed and
- [Positive Reviews of Udemy Video Compression Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/positive-reviews-of-udemy-video-compression-course.html) - The first reviews of my new video compression course on Udemy are in, and they're quite positive (of course, otherwise I wouldn't be blogging about them). Travis Roesler, owner of howtofightnow.com, a website that offers self defense courses, rated my Udemy course five stars, and commented:Jan REALLY helped me out. I can't even begin to tell
- [Webinar: Encoding for iBooks Author](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-encoding-for-ibooks-author.html) - Note: With the June 2014 release of iBooks Author, the procedures discussed here no longer work. Good luck with your iBooks Author encodes.Adding video to an iBook is simple; just drag the clip into your book in iBooks Author. But if iBooks Author “optimizes” the video you inserted, it’s encoding it again and potentially boosting
- [A Buyer’s Guide to Live Encoders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/a-buyers-guide-to-live-encoders-3.html) - All live events start with an encoded stream produced by a live streaming encoder. In this guide, I’ll discuss the categories of live encoding products and identify the factors you should consider when buying an encoder.
- [A Buyer’s Guide to Cloud Encoders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/a-buyers-guide-to-cloud-encoders-2.html) - There are many instances where cloud encoding is both efficient and cost-effective. For example, if you’re working with files already saved to the cloud -- perhaps for archival purposes, perhaps because you’re distributing content contrib
- [How to Choose and Implement a Webcasting Solution](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-choose-and-implement-a-webcasting-solution-2.html) - So you want to produce a webcast, perhaps for training, marketing, or sales. You envision a presentation involving a talking head video and PowerPoint, and maybe some extras such as chat and Q&A. Price is definitely a consideration, but you also
- [How to Make the Move to HEVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-make-the-move-to-hevc-2.html) - While few companies of any kind are actually making money from HEVC (H.265) today, the successor to H.264 will become increasingly important during the next 2–3 years, perhaps even earlier in some markets for some producers. So understanding th
- [A Buyer’s Guide to Live Streaming Services](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/a-buyers-guide-to-live-streaming-services-2.html) - So, you’ve decided to stream a live event, and you’re considering your options. You definitely need a streaming server to reach your target viewers. You could buy and install your own server (or rent a cloud instance), but then you’
- [Encoding for HTTP Live Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/encoding-for-http-live-streaming.html) - If you're just getting into producing files for HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) delivery, you may find my article on encoding for HLS useful. Here's the introduction:HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) is a simple and elegant architecture created by Apple for delivering adaptive bit rate streams to iOS devices and compatible browsers, essentially Safari. Since its release,
- [How to Encode Video for HLS Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-encode-video-for-hls-delivery.html) - HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) is a simple and elegant architecture created by Apple for delivering adaptive bit rate streams to iOS devices and compatible browsers, essentially Safari. Since its release, HLS has been incorporated into technologies that e
- [Ozer releases Udemy Course: Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/news/ozer-releases-udemy-course-video-compression-for-web-disc-and-pctvconsole-playback.html) - Ozer releases Udemy Course: Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console PlaybackNew video compression course helps novice to intermediate streaming producers optimize quality and encoding efficiency when producing for multiple target platformsGalax, VA – March 5, 2014 – The Streaming Learning Center announced the immediate availability of Video Compression for Web, Disc and PC/TV/Console Playback,
- [Ozer Announces New Video Compression Course on Udemy](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ozer-announces-new-video-compression-course-on-udemy.html) - 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
- [Webinar: Removing Noise from Your Video with the Neat Video Filter](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webinar-removing-noise-from-your-video-with-the-neat-video-filter.html) - Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 2:00 - 2:30 ESTAs 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
- [In Defense of MPEG LA](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/in-defense-of-mpeg-la.html) - 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,
- [Osprey Lives On, ViewCast Disappears](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/osprey-lives-on-viewcast-disappears.html) - 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,
- [How to Create Video Emails](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-to-create-video-emails.html) - 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
- [YouTube Preparing to Deploy VP9 on 4K Content](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/youtube-preparing-to-deploy-vp9-on-4k-content.html) - 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
- [Tutorial: Adaptive Streaming to Desktops and Mobile via HLS: No Coding Required](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/tutorial-adaptive-streaming-to-desktops-and-mobile-via-hls-no-coding-required.html) - 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
- [Premiere Pro Title Tips](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/premiere-pro-title-tips.html) - Here are three title-related tips you can use from within Premiere Pro.1. How to save a title style2. How to create a title template3. How to save a title as a separate filePremiere Pro Title Tips_1
- [Telestream Wirecast 5: The Definitive Review](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/telestream-wirecast-5-the-definitive-review.html) - 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
- [Telestream Includes x.264 in Free Episode 6.4 Update](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/telestream-includes-x-264-in-free-episode-6-4-update.html) - In an uncharacteristically quiet release, Telestream launched Episode 6.4, a free upgrade that includes x264 encoding for all versions. This is essentially a price reduction of around $89 (B&H was still selling the x264 option when I wrote this post). Here's a snippet from the Product Sheet:You can click over to the Release Notes, here.From
- [Review: Brightcove Video Cloud Live](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-brightcove-video-cloud-live-2.html) - Real-time cloud transcoding is the future of live event streaming, and it’s here now from several companies, including Brightcove subsidiary Zencoder, which was among the first to announce a live transcoding product. In this review, I’ll
- [Choosing Cameras and Lighting for Single-Speaker Webinars](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/choosing-cameras-and-lighting-for-single-speaker-webinars.html) - I recently tested a bunch of webcams and video cameras to find the optimal camera for single person webinars. I produced a webinar on the topic, which you can view here, and see the output from the various tested devices.I also wrote an article on the topic, which is now live on the Streaming Media
- [Redo of HLS Webinar with JW Player and Sorenson Media](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/redo-of-hls-webinar-with-jw-player-and-sorenson-media.html) - I produced a webinar in late January entitled Adaptive Streaming to Desktops and Mobile via HTTP Live Streaming (HLS). A simple approach; no coding required. Unfortunately, when it was time to post the on-demand version, we learned that the file had been corrupted. So, rather than simply record it anew, we decided to hold the
- [Tutorial: Fixing Clipped Audio with iZotope RX3](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-fixing-clipped-audio-with-izotope-rx3.html) - We've all recording clipped, distorted audio from a signal that's too hot, resulting in time-consuming retakes or total disaster if the audio is from a live event. The Declip feature in iZotope RX3 can reduce that disaster to a quick and easy fix. This tutorial shows you how. Note that Streaming Media Producer has transcribed
- [HEVC Likely to be Subject to Similar Royalty Structure as H.264](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/hevc-likely-to-be-subject-to-similar-royalty-structure-as-h-264.html) - One of the best things about presenting at Streaming Media conferences is that the expertise level of attendees is so high that it’s rare you don’t learn a thing or so in the sessions that you present. So it was during my HEVC session at
- [Telestream Wirecast 5: The Definitive Review](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/telestream-wirecast-5-the-definitive-review-2.html) - With Wirecast 5, 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 encoding and HD-SDI outpu
- [Presentation Lessons from the State of the Union](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/presentation-lessons-from-the-state-of-the-union.html) - After several hundred years of simple talking head State of the Union addresses, the Obama team broke mold with “enhanced live-stream” of the speech, which included the president on the left, and frequent infographics, photos and tweets on the right that helped make the president's key points. Love Obama or hate him, he just set
- [Tutorial: Improve Audio Clarity with Compression in Audition/Premiere Pro CC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-improve-audio-clarity-with-compression-in-auditionpremiere-pro-cc.html) - I produce a lot of screencams, and sometimes my voice fades at the end of the day, which can make the instruction muffled and less distinct. Audio compression is a great way to fix that, and it's really convenient in Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Adobe Audition. Learn how in this tutorial.Note that in addition
- [Wistia: An OVP that Specializes in Video Marketing](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/wistia-an-ovp-that-specializes-in-video-marketing.html) - Over the last three or four years, the big OVPs--Brightcove, Kaltura and Ooyala--got bigger, and the smaller ones seemed to go away. While some consolidation and/or attrition is expected in every growing market, in the OVP space it felt like there were the haves, and that's it.Last year, around this time, I become aware of
- [While DASH Languishes, HLS Becomes More Useful and Accessible](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/while-dash-languishes-hls-becomes-more-useful-and-accessible.html) - Yesterday I announced a webinar titled Adaptive Streaming to Desktops and Mobile via HTTP Live Streaming (HLS): A Simple Approach; No Coding Required (more info here), which is scheduled for Tuesday, January 28th, at 2:00 PM EST. Here’s the back story on why, and why you might be interested in attending. It’s pretty much accepted
- [MPEG LA Announces Proposed HEVC Licensing Terms](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/mpeg-la-announces-proposed-hevc-licensing-terms.html) - Yesterday, MPEG LA announced proposed license terms for HEVC. We parsed the press release, and spoke with MPEG LA, and here’s what we know, and what we don’t know.
- [MPEG LA Announces HEVC Licensing; Annual Max Royalty Quadruples to $25M](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/mpeg-la-announces-hevc-licensing-annual-max-royalty-quadruples-to-25m.html) - Just got the press release; No content royalties (H.264 had them for subscriptions and PPV) and max annual royalty quadrupled (more or less) from $6.5 million to $25 million to start.Here's the pasted bit from the press release: full release attached below.Decoder-Encoder Manufacturer Sublicenses• HEVC products sold by a legal entity to end users o
- [Netflix Commits to HEVC for House of Cards](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/netflix-commits-to-hevc-for-house-of-cards.html) - Multiple websites have reported that Netflix intends to use HEVC to distribute House of Cards in 4K. Even more significantly, they intend to reencode much of their SD and HD content to HEVC to save bandwidth costs and deliver higher quality video over existing connections. This is a significant win for HEVC, and will likely
- [Wirecast Frame Rate Too Slow? Check Video Display Rate](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/wirecast-frame-rate-too-slow-check-video-display-rate.html) - If your capture frame rate in Wirecast drops into the 10-15 fps range, check the Video Display Rate option in the Preferences dialog. When I started testing this morning after several weeks away from the program, it was set at 60. Unfortunately, that produced capture rates in the 12-15 range, not sufficient for the testing
- [Video: Applying Lumetri Looks and other Effects Directly in Adobe Media Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/video-applying-lumetri-looks-and-other-effects-directly-in-adobe-media-encoder.html) - Not quite sure when Adobe added these features, but I was puttering around in Adobe Media Encoder CC last week and noticed that Adobe added the ability to add Lumetri looks, text, graphics and timecode directly in Adobe Media Encoder (AME). In previous versions, you would have had to use Premiere Pro. If you're working
- [The Dirty Little Secret About 4K: Content Owners Can't Afford It](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/the-dirty-little-secret-about-4k-content-owners-cant-afford-it.html) - My colleague Dan Rayburn at Streaming Media (also a Frost & Sullivan analyst) just released another of his market-defining blog posts, entitled "The Dirty Little Secret About 4K Streaming: Content Owners Can’t Afford The Bandwidth Costs." As the title suggests, after speaking with content producers before and during CES, Rayburn that few video distributors other
- [Cracking the Code of x264 Presets](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/cracking-the-code-of-x264-presets.html) - Like most compression geeks, I'm a big fan of the x264 codec, which is widely considered the highest quality H.264 codec, winning the prestigious University of Moscow codec shootout year after year. Though the codec has a comprehensive range of configuration options, I recommend that most users simply choose a preset and let it go
- [Upcoming Webinar: Increase Landing Page Conversion with Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/upcoming-webinar-increase-landing-page-conversion-with-video.html) - No, it's not one of my webinars, it's from Unbounce, a company that helps marketers create landing pages for products, sevices and the like. Two things are cool about this webinar. First, if you're a video producer, you have to be excited about ways video can help your company market your products and services.Second, they
- [YouTube/VP9/4K - Get Off the Dime, MPEG-LA](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/youtubevp94k-get-off-the-dime-mpeg-la.html) - When YouTube sneezes, the codec world catches the 'flu, even if the cause of the sneeze was totally innocuous. So it was with YouTube's announcement that they will show 4K video encoded with VP9 at CES with hardware partners including Sony, Intel and many others. From the coverage in the press, which extended all the
- [First Look: Apple Compressor 4.1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/first-look-apple-compressor-4-1.html) - Compressor 4.1 is the first major update to Compressor since well before Final Cut Pro X. I reviewed the software for Streaming Media Magazine, and found a great new interface, the same old plumbing and confusing operation; here's the pithy close:To close, let me say that 95% of Compressor users likely encode at data rates
- [HP Releases New Z1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hp-releases-new-z1.html) - On January 6, 2014, HP announced a new version of their Z1 all-in-one workstation. I love the first version because it's beautiful, powerful and field upgradeable; but it lacked high-speed external connectivity, so your capture options for live production were limited. You can see my experience with the unit here and my colleague Tim Siglin's
- [First Look: Apple Compressor 4.1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/first-look-apple-compressor-4-1-2.html) - Apple introduced Compressor 4.1 in mid-December. I just spent four days with the tool, and I can’t synthesize the results. All I can offer is a series of observations that will transfer the knowledge that I’ve acquired, and hopefully, all
- [Baby Steps Into Video SEO](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/baby-steps-into-video-seo.html) - One area of interest for me in 2014 is video search engine optimization (SEO). In this regard, I’ll be perusing a number of resources like webinars and articles to learn the basics. I figure as long as I’m learning, I might as well share this information with visitors to the Streaming Learning Center; after all,
- [Should I learn Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premiere Pro?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/should-i-learn-final-cut-pro-x-or-adobe-premiere-pro.html) - I'm not a big fan of Quora, but occasionally the questions and answers are relevant. I saw this one today:Question: I want to gain hireable, professional-level experience and perhaps work in documentary filmmaking one day.Here's a portion of the response from Chris Keath, Broadcast Engineer:Well, FCP 7 is still extremely common, but FCP X is
- [In Defense of Blu-ray](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/in-defense-of-blu-ray.html) - My wife owns a ballet company, which explains the frequent use of ballet sequences in my test clips and other content. Over the years, it's been a great source of learning and training for me, though not really a business. I shoot because I have the best gear in town, which produces a great archive
- [Hey, What Happened to Adobe Encore?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hey-what-happened-to-adobe-encore.html) - Looking for Adobe Encore on the Creative Cloud? It's not easy to find. Here's an intro to a story that I wrote for Streaming Media Producer about Encore's demise, and how to find it on the Creative Cloud.So, there I was, starting to run some tests on a brand new HP Z820 with 12/24 core
- [YouTube Live Opens Up Live Streaming to All Members](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/youtube-live-opens-up-live-streaming-to-all-members.html) - YouTube Live is a very useable and useful live streaming service that formerly was only open to a limited number of producers. According to StreamingMedia.com, the service is now free and open to all. I reviewed the service in an article you can read here; here's one of the two webinars that I produced with
- [Brightcove Video Cloud Live Review is Up!](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/brightcove-video-cloud-live-review-is-up.html) - My review of the Brightcove Video Cloud Live service is up and running on StreamingMedia.com. Basically, I reviewed the service so I could work with the Zencoder Live Transcoding service, which worked flawlessly; it's a really nice service. The service Brightcove built around the service was functional, but had some flaws and rough edges which
- [Review: Brightcove Video Cloud Live](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-brightcove-video-cloud-live.html) - Real-time cloud transcoding is the future of live event streaming, and it’s here now from several companies, including Brightcove subsidiary Zencoder, which was among the first to announce a live transcoding product. In this review, I’ll
- [How to Produce High-Quality H.264 Video Files](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-produce-high-quality-h-264-video-files.html) - H.264 is the only compression technology that plays on all computers, mobile devices, and OTT players. This makes producing high-quality H.264 files compatible with your target playback devices an essential skill. Helping you acquire and/ or polish t
- [What Will the HEVC Royalty Structure Look Like?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/what-will-the-hevc-royalty-structure-look-like.html) - No one knows at this point, but I did learn a thing or two at Streaming Media West. By way of background, most authorities agree that there will be royalties on encoders and decoders, just like H.264. However, I was thinking that there might be royalties on free Internet content encoded with HEVC, as well.
- [Choosing an Enterprise Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/choosing-an-enterprise-encoder-2.html) - Here's the description; click below to download the handout.This session discusses factors to consider when choosing on- demand enterprise video encoding systems from the likes of Digital Rapids, Elemental, Harmonic, Sorenson, and Telestream. Factors incorporated into the analysis include performance, output quality, quality control options, format support, expansion options, programmability, and other variables. If you’re
- [Video Encoding for Producers](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/video-encoding-for-producers.html) - This presentation was for Streaming Media Producer Live. Here's the description. To maximize reach and revenue, online video producers need to deliver video that plays effectively on multiple computer and mobile platforms. To accomplish this, you need to know some fundamentals about the H.264 codec, as well as the playback requirements and limitations of all target
- [Choosing a Cloud Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/choosing-a-cloud-encoder.html) - Here's the seminar description. The presentation video is below the description, and you can download the handout below the video. The session starts by describing what cloud encoding is and how it works for both live and on-demand applications. Then it details the types of applications that work well with cloud encoding, using mini-case studies
- [New VLC Player Release Incorporates HEVC Playback](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/new-vlc-player-release-incorporates-hevc-playback.html) - The VLC Player is one of the few programs I have on virtually all computers in my office, because it's free, it runs on Macs and Windows, and plays almost every format, including H.264 and now H.265. Which is great, because I've just started to experiment with HEVC and it's great to have a player
- [New VLC Player Release Incorporates HEVC and VC9 Playback](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/new-vlc-player-release-incorporates-hevc-and-vc9-playback.html) - Last week, VideoLAN released VLC 2.1.1, which incorporates HEVC and VCP9 playback on many of the multiple platforms supported by the player, which includes Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android, FreeBSD, Solaris, Ubuntu, Mint, and multiple flavors of Linux.
- [Understanding the Significance of HEVC/H.265](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/understanding-the-significance-of-hevch-265.html) - Here's the seminar description, and the video is immediately below. Click below the video to download the handout.The most recent video compression standard, HEVC/H.265, was placed into final draft for ratification earlier this year and is expected to become the video standard of choice during the next decade. As with each generation of video compression
- [Elemental Cloud: Streaming Media's Comprehensive Hands-On Review](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/elemental-cloud-streaming-medias-comprehensive-hands-on-review-2.html) - Let’s save us both a lot of time. If you’re looking for the cheapest cloud encoding service for low-volume production quantities, skip to the next article; Elemental Cloud isn’t for you. On the other hand, if you’re a high-vol
- [Review: Onstream Media Webcasting Service](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-onstream-media-webcasting-service-2.html) - Onstream Media’s webcasting service provides a soup-to-nuts system for broadcasting PowerPoint slides and talking-head video to a computer-based or mobile audience, with interactive elements such as Q&A, polling, and surveys, with registrat
- [Onstream Vs. Livestream: Which Is Better for Online Events?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/onstream-vs-livestream-which-is-better-for-online-events-2.html) - I recently kicked off six streaming-specific webinars. My motivation? To sell copies of my new book. Rather than market through book reviews and bloggers, I decided to reach out directly to potential buyers with content.
- [Tutorial: Capturing Soundboard Audio for Live Event Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/tutorial-capturing-soundboard-audio-for-live-event-video-2.html) - Connecting your camcorder to an external microphone or soundboard is a critical skill for any event or corporate videographer, though it can be surprisingly challenging, making it an exercise best performed well in advance of the actual live event. I
- [The Future of HEVC: It's Coming, but with Plenty of Questions](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/the-future-of-hevc-its-coming-but-with-plenty-of-questions.html) - HEVC is the next-gen compression technology lauded as the enabler for a host of new services and capabilities. I discuss the historical development of HEVC and its technical underpinnings in my article “What Is HEVC (H.265)?” In this article, I’ll briefly review those findings and focus on how quickly HEVC will make a mark in
- [How-To: Calculating Outbound Bandwidth Requirements for Live Events](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-calculating-outbound-bandwidth-requirements-for-live-events.html) - Live event production is great, but if you can't get the signal out of the building and to your streaming server, you're dead in the water. I wrote a How To article for Streaming Media Magazine on this topic. Here are the first few paragraphs:Outbound bandwidth can make or break a live streamed event. Unfortunately,
- [Review: The HP Z1 as a Webcaster's Workstation](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-the-hp-z1-as-a-webcasters-workstation.html) - HP's Z1 is the first all-in-one computer with workstation components and field serviceability. Here, encoding expert Jan Ozer takes a look at how this workstation-class portable PC fared in a live production and webcast environment, with testing emph
- [How to Create Google+ Hangouts On Air: A Complete Walkthrough](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-create-google-hangouts-on-air-a-complete-walkthrough.html) - I recently presented a webinar via Google+ Hangouts On Air. Overall, the system performed well, and the presentation came off without a hitch, though the lack of iOS compatibility is a definite downer. In this article, I’ll describe what Google
- [Audio Cleanup with iZotope RX 3 (compared to Adobe Audition)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/audio-cleanup-with-izotope-rx-3-compared-to-adobe-audition.html) - Audio problems are a fact of life for video producers, and I'm always in the hunt for the best tool possible. After comparing iZotope RX 3 vs. Audition, I concluded that iZotope is better for both pop and click removal and noise reduction.You can see screens and hear audio comparisons for declipping and crackle-and-pop removal,
- [Elemental Cloud: Streaming Media's Comprehensive Hands-On Review](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/elemental-cloud-streaming-medias-comprehensive-hands-on-review.html) - This review is up on the Streaming Media website.Let’s save us both a lot of time. If you’re looking for the cheapest cloud encoding service for low-volume production quantities, skip to the next article; Elemental Cloud isn’t for you. On the other hand, if you’re a high-volume producer seeking the ability to acquire secure, dedicated
- [How to Webcast with YouTube Live](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-to-webcast-with-youtube-live.html) - This review of YouTube Live recently appeared on www.streamingmedia.com. It's a good overview of how the system works and my experience with it.I recently produced a webinar on YouTube Live using Telestream Wirecast, and wanted to document the experience. This isn’t a full, bang-it-till-it-breaks comparative review, it’s more of a CliffsNotes pictorial of what’s available
- [Onstream Vs. Livestream: Which Is Better for Online Events?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/onstream-vs-livestream-which-is-better-for-online-events.html) - This Streaming Media article explores the difference between live streaming service providers like Livestream and YouTube Live and webcasting services like Onstream and MediaPlatform. Here's the intro.I recently kicked off six streaming-specific webinars. My motivation? To sell copies of my new book. Rather than market through book reviews and bloggers, I decided to reach out
- [Review: Onstream Media Webcasting Service](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/review-onstream-media-webcasting-service.html) - This review is up on the Streaming Media website. Here's the introduction.Onstream Media’s webcasting service provides a soup-to-nuts system for broadcasting PowerPoint slides and talking-head video to a computer-based or mobile audience, with interactive elements such as Q&A, polling, and surveys, with registration facilities at the front end and analytics at the back end. The
- [Tutorial: Capturing Soundboard Audio for Live Event Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-capturing-soundboard-audio-for-live-event-video.html) - This tutorial is up on the Streaming Media website. Here's the intro.Connecting your camcorder to an external microphone or soundboard is a critical skill for any event or corporate videographer, though it can be surprisingly challenging, making it an exercise best performed well in advance of the actual live event. In this article, I’ll walk
- [Tutorial: How to Composite PowerPoint and Talking Head Video in Telestream Wirecast](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/tutorial-how-to-composite-powerpoint-and-talking-head-video-in-telestream-wirecast.html) - Any time you produce a webinar that includes PowerPoint and a talking head video, it’s nice to present both in the same video frame. In this tutorial, I’ll how how you accomplish that in Telestream Wirecast. Click here to view the tutorial on Streaming Media Producer, which has an annotated transcript of the procedure.
- [Video Tutorial: Supporting HTML5 with Flash Fallback in Sorenson Squeeze 9](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/video-tutorial-supporting-html5-with-flash-fallback-in-sorenson-squeeze-9.html) - Squeeze 9 is a great tool for creating HTML5 compatible videos with the HTML code necesssary for both HTML5 playback and fallback to Flash. This tutorial explains how. Click here to view the Streaming Media article with an annotated transcript of the video.
- [Video Tutorial: Supporting HTML5 with Flash Fallback in Sorenson Squeeze 9](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/video-tutorial-supporting-html5-with-flash-fallback-in-sorenson-squeeze-9-2.html) - HTML5 with Flash fallback is a great option for websites who need a simple way to create videos that play on desktops and mobile devices. If you’re looking to use HTML5 with Flash fallback, Sorenson Squeeze 9 offers a simple high-quality soluti
- [Webinar: Distributing to Desktops and Mobile Devices via HMTL5 - Viewing Page](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/webinar-distributing-to-desktops-and-mobile-devices-via-hmtl5-viewing-page.html) - Wednesday October 9, 2013; 2:00-2:30 PM EST Who this free seminar is for: HTML5 can provide a simple, inexpensive way to deliver video to desktop and mobile devices, but there are some critical limitations. This webinar is for producers who want to l
- [How to Webcast with YouTube Live](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-webcast-with-youtube-live-2.html) - I recently produced a webinar on YouTube Live using Telestream Wirecast, and wanted to document the experience. This isn’t a full, bang-it-till-it-breaks comparative review, it’s more of a CliffsNotes pictorial of what’s available a
- [Free Webinar: Distributing to Desktops and Mobile Devices via HTML5](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/free-webinar-distributing-to-desktops-and-mobile-devices-via-html5.html) - HTML5 an inexpensive, easy-to-implement technology for distributing video to desktop and mobile viewers, particularly if you incorporate Flash fallback, so older computers without HTML5-compatible browsers can still play the video. If you'd like to learn more about what HTML5 can do for you and how to implement it, attend the webinar. Below is a more
- [Premiere Pro CC Visual QuickStart Guide Garners Five 5-Star Reviews](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/premiere-pro-cc-visual-quickstart-guide-garners-five-5-star-reviews.html) - This blog is primarily focused on streaming, but many professional steaming producers also edit, or have someone on their team who edits. For this reason, I wanted to mention that I have written the Adobe Premiere Pro CC Visual QuickStart Guide for Peachpit, and that many readers are finding it a very valuable resource. Specifically,
- [Webinar: Setting Bitrate Control and Keyframe Parameters](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/webinar-setting-bitrate-control-and-keyframe-parameters.html) - You can watch the webinar on this page, or click the YouTube icon on the bottom of the player to watch on YouTube, where you'll be able to add comments.
- [Free Webinar: Setting Bitrate Control and Keyframe Parameters](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/free-webinar-setting-bitrate-control-and-keyframe-parameters.html) - Thursday September 26, 2013; 2:00-2:30 PM EST
- [HEVC - When Should You Care?](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/hevc-when-should-you-care.html) - HEVC is the next-gen compression technology lauded as the enabler for a host of new services and capabilities. I discuss the historical development of HEVC and its technical underpinnings in my article “What Is HEVC (H.265)?” This article focuses on how quickly the average streaming producer needs to start thinking about HEVC. According to multiple
- [Livestream Comes to Roku](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/livestream-comes-to-roku.html) - As a leading live streaming service provider, Livestream continually seeks additional eyeballs for its live event producers and viewers. As a developer of a top-selling line of OTT devices, Roku continually seeks additional content for its device own
- [Telestream Helps Launch Open Source x265/HEVC Project](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/telestream-helps-launch-open-source-x265hevc-project.html) - This week, Telestream announced the availability of an open source H.265 (HEVC) encoder, co-founded and managed by MulticoreWare Inc. I had a chance to speak with Telestream CTO Shawn Carnahan about the venture.
- [Fundamentals of H.264 Encoding Webinar-see Replay](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/fundamentals-of-h-264-encoding-webinar-see-replay.html) - TranscriptThis webinar was held on September 4, 2013. You can click here to register and view the archived event.Learn the basics of H.264 encoding while standing on one leg (well, in 30 minutes, you can assume any position that you'd like). Click here to register; description below.Who this free seminar is for: H.264 is the
- [Example Files-Baseline, Main and High Codecs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/example-files-baseline-main-and-high-codecs.html) - This web page was created to accompany the webinar, Fundamentals of H.264 Encoding, produced on September 4, 2013. It includes sample files assessing the quality of output produced using the Baseline, Main and High profiles.The problem on the table is this; if you produce a set of adaptive files for mobile distribution, you must use
- [Produce Broadcast Quality Events with the TriCaster TC40--Video Tutorial](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/produce-broadcast-quality-events-with-the-tricaster-tc40-video-tutorial.html) - Over two tutorials, I'll show you how to create a broadcast quality live production with The NewTek TriCaster TC40 TC40 provided by this video's sponsor, Videoguys.com. In the first tutorial I’ll show you how to select and configure the video and inputs; in the second, you’ll learn how to mix and stream the show itself.During
- [Indiana University to use Multiple Screen Delivery as textbook](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/indiana-university-to-use-multiple-screen-delivery-as-textbook.html) - Got a nice email this morning from Dr. Edgar Huang, an Associate Professor at the School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Specifically, he informed me that he was adopting Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery for his upcoming college level course, Online Video Presentation.Commenting on his decision, Dr. Huang stated,
- [Configuring Your Streaming Video, Video, Handout and Transcript](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/configuring-your-streaming-video-video-handout-and-transcript.html) - I just finished the webinar, Configuring Your Streaming Video, which covers (most importantly) the concept of bits per pixel. You can view the webinar, download the handout and read the transcript by clicking over to the article. There's also a full
- [Indiana University Adopts Ozer Book for Online Video Presentation Class](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/news/indiana-university-adopts-ozer-book-for-online-video-presentation-class.html) - Indiana University to use Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery as textbook for Online Video Presentation Course. Galax, VA – August 20, 2013 – The Streaming Learning Center announced that Dr. Edgar Huang, Ph.D., MFA, Associate Professor, School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, will use the book, Producing Streaming Video
- [Archived Webinar; Get Your Video Online now available](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/archived-webinar-get-your-video-online-now-available.html) - On Tuesday, August 6, 2013, the Streaming Learning Center held its first webinar, Get Your Video online, which was sponsored and distributed by Onstream Media. The free, 30-minute seminar is now available for online viewing. Here's the description:Who this free seminar is for: The use of streaming video has skyrocketed because it can be extraordinarily
- [New FFmpeg resource (and some old ones)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/new-ffmpeg-resource-and-some-old-ones.html) - I'm allergic to command-line encoders like FFmpeg, so the Streaming Learning Center blog has very little to offer folks using this encoder when it comes to techniques and command line arguments. I just learned about a new blog entitled ReneVolution which is highly focused on FFmpeg; the link will take you to a post on
- [Webcasting Live Events with the Cbox P2 HD](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/webcasting-live-events-with-the-cbox-p2-hd.html) - I recently produced a tutorial about Winnov's Cbox P2 HD, which is a great product for corporations, schools and other enterprises that hold frequent live events that combine a speaker, PowerPoint slides and other inputs. The unit can produce the event live, and create on-demand versions for most viewing platforms. IHere's the intro from the
- [Streaming Learning Center Launches Streaming Webinar Series](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/news/streaming-learning-center-launches-streaming-webinar-series.html) - Just a quick note to let you know that the Streaming Learning Center will host six free webinars on encoding and distributing streaming media. The series will start with a very basic webinar designed for totally novice users, and will progress to topics like Fundamentals of H.264 Encoding, Distributing to Desktops and Mobile Devices via
- [Streaming Training at NAB Scores a Perfect 5 Out of 5](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/streaming-training-at-nab-scores-a-perfect-5-out-of-5.html) - Once you have kids, you can no longer post your own accomplishments on the refrigerator door for the world to see; it's too crowded, and the kids don't really care. So I thought I would post a lovely note I got from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) here.Five out of five for engineers, which
- [Comcast Sent Me a Video - It was My Invoice!](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/comcast-sent-me-a-video-it-was-my-invoice.html) - I recently signed up for Comcast broadband and just got my first invoice-in the form of a custom video. Pretty cool idea given that broadband users run the gamut from tech-savvy to technology laggards, and the bill lays the charges out in a very clear manner. If you're a Comcast user, this is probably old
- [Excellent Android Best Practices Article on Encoding.com](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/excellent-android-best-practices-article-on-encoding-com.html) - Encoding.com just published a best practices article entitled, The Current State of Android and Video, A Full Overview & Best Practices of Android Video. The article first outlines the issues relating to encoding for Android delivery, and then discusses different alternatives for distributing to these devices, including Encoding.com's own Vid.ly service. Topics covered include captioning,
- [Excellent Overview on DASH in Streaming Media Magazine](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/excellent-overview-on-dash-in-streaming-media-magazine.html) - There have been a lot of quick hit articles both praising and bashing DASH, but few scholarly articles that take a deep look at the technology, its promise and limited progress to date. In a new article up on the Streaming Media website, entitled MPEG-DASH: Making Tracks Toward Widespread Adoption, Adrian Pennington takes a long
- [Video: Encoding for Multiple Screen Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/video-encoding-for-multiple-screen-delivery.html) - I gave this talk at the Streaming Forum in London in June 2013. Here's the description:Most publishers today have to distribute to three sets of screens; desktop, mobile and OTT. This session will start by detailing the playback capabilities and technology compatibilities of all three platforms. Then it will explore the technical issues and feasibility
- [Simple Lighting for Two-Person Interview](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/simple-lighting-for-two-person-interview.html) - I was scanning through some news videos for a consulting project and noticed a CBS News interview with special prosecutor Angela Corey after the Treyvon Martin/George Zimmerman verdict. The scheme as simple and produced an elegant look, so I thought I would share.As you can see in the image below, the interviewer and interviewee sat
- [Producing Closed Captions in Adobe Premiere Pro CC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/producing-closed-captions-in-adobe-premiere-pro-cc.html) - One of the coolest new features in Adobe Premiere Pro CC is the ability to create, edit and output closed captions. In this tutorial I’ll introduce you to those caption-related features, using some of the content that I used in my book, Premiere Pro CC: Visual QuickStart Guide, which is available now on Amazon. Click over to
- [DASH Standard Solidifies (Ho-Hum)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/dash-standard-solidifies-ho-hum.html) - I've long been a DASH skeptic, for multiple reasons, including the fact that the standard was so broad so as to be almost unusable. That is, since DASH supports multiple codecs and container formats, there's no mechanism to ensure compatibility. So, if Mozilla adds DASH playback support that decodes WebM encoded video in an MPEG-2
- [Jan Ozer to Instruct Poynter Webinar on Multiple Screen Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/jan-ozer-to-instruct-poynter-webinar-on-multiple-screen-delivery.html) - I'll be teaching a webinar for the Poynter News University on Thurday, July 18 at 2:00 PM EST. The title is How to Make Video Play Across Multiple Screens, and that describes the content. The course is entry level by design, so won't get bogged down in technical details. Here's the description from the sign-up
- [Commentary: Standards Are Meaningless (Until They Mean Something)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/commentary-standards-are-meaningless-until-they-mean-something.html) - Two early experiences shaped my view on standards and industry coalitions. Since I’ve been so publicly down on WebM, HTML5, and DASH, I thought I would share them.The first experience was in the mid-1990s. I was running a small company that sold PC fax boards that allowed computers to send faxes to fax machines, which
- [Review: Harmonic ProMedia Xpress](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-harmonic-promedia-xpress.html) - We put the first generation of the recently released ProMedia Xpress through a variety of tests, looking at performance, quality, closed captions, and more.
- [Adobe Premiere Pro CC Visual QuickStart Guide now Shipping](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/adobe-premiere-pro-cc-visual-quickstart-guide-now-shipping.html) - During the first few months of 2013, I had to privilege to write the Adobe Premiere Pro CC Visual QuickStart Guide (VQS) with Shawn Lam, who penned three of the fifteen chapters. I've always liked the VQS format, which features quick hit, detailed answers, rather than the start to finish tutorials provided by the Classroom
- [Download Handout - Choosing an Enterprise Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/download-handout-choosing-an-enterprise-encoder.html) - Here's the description; click below to download the handout.This session will discuss factors to consider when choosing an enterprise video encoding system from the likes of ATEME, Envivio, MainConcept, Thomson, AmberFin, Elemental and others. Factors include performance, output quality, quality control options, format support, expansion options, programmability, and other variables.
- [Multiple Screen Delivery book in iBookstore for $19.99](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/multiple-screen-delivery-book-in-ibookstore-for-19-99.html) - Just a quick note to let you know that Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery is now available in the iBookstore for $19.99, a savings of $20 over the paper book version. Ever since I saw iBooks Author, I've wanted to convert a book over to the rich format, where pictures are in full
- [Consumer Brands Flock to YouTube (67%!)](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/consumer-brands-flock-to-youtube-67.html) - Sam Walton would have liked YouTube. The site provides viewers with a range of file options in a well-featured player that offers comments, ratings, likes and captions. Companies who post videos can create their own channels and a host of viewing statistics, plus gazillions of eyeballs. In addition to that, of course, it's free. I'm
- [New Review of Multiple Screen Delivery - "This is a Wonderful Book"](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/new-review-of-multiple-screen-delivery-this-is-a-wonderful-book.html) - Doug Dixon is an independent technology consultant, contributing editor to Interent Video Magazine, and contributor to Conde Nast Traveler Magazine who makes his work available on his Manifest Technology website. He's written multiple technologically-oriented books, so he knows technology and how hard it is to write a book on fast changing technologies. He's one of
- [DVD vs. Online Training Delivery -- Online is Cheaper](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/dvd-vs-online-training-delivery-online-is-cheaper.html) - Continuing education vendor Suncam charged $50 for DVDs, and offered the same video for free via streaming. Which cost more? The DVDs, even after the $50.SunCam is a Florida company and consulting client that provides continuing education courses and related certification tests in a range of disciplines, including engineering, construction, surveying, project management and others.
- [Microsoft Releases Smooth Streaming Plugin for Flash](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/microsoft-releases-smooth-streaming-plugin-for-flash.html) - This is a bit old news (March 2013), but I was doing some research for an article on Windows Azure Media Services, and noticed that Microsoft released the Smooth Streaming Plugin for OSMF 2.0 (Adobe's Open Source Media Framework for adding features to the Flash Player). As stated in the release notes,Using Smooth Streaming OSMF
- [What's Happening with Flash, DASH and HLS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/whats-happening-with-flash-dash-and-hls.html) - Which technology will you use in 2015 to reach multiple screens, DASH or HLS? While DASH gets the most attention, HLS is my front-runner, and Flash will still dominate desktops. Flash has been one of the foundational technologies for streaming media since the VP6 replaced SV3 as the primary codec in 2005. However, when the
- [Beet.TV Interview on HEVC from Streaming Media East](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/beet-tv-interview-on-hevc-from-streaming-media-east.html) - I hosted a panel on HEVC at Streaming Media East in Manhattan on May 21, 2013. Just after the session ended, Beet.tv's Andy Plesser asked me what Akamai, Rovi and Elemental had revealed during the discussion, and how the cloudy royalty picture may slow down HEVC adoption. Here are the excerpts.
- [How Creative Cloud Pricing compares to Purchase Options](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-creative-cloud-pricing-compares-to-purchase-options.html) - I just finished a Creative Cloud FAQ for OnlineVideo.net. As you may know, Adobe has stopped selling new versions of former Creative Suite software components and will make them available only via the Creative Cloud, which you pay for monthly. You can still buy either individual versions of the apps or the suites, but these
- [First Amazon Review for Multiscreen Delivery Book - 5 Stars!](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/first-amazon-review-for-multiscreen-delivery-book-5-stars.html) - Portland Community College multimedia instructor Seth Bloombaum likes Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Stream Delivery so much that he's using it in an upcoming course scheduled for this fall. He also took the time to write a 5-star review on A
- [When Will the HEVC Royalty Picture Clear Up: Apparently No Time Soon](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/when-will-the-hevc-royalty-picture-clear-up-apparently-no-time-soon.html) - Motivated by their perception of being short-changed in H.264 royalty revenues, HEVC/H.265 intellectual property (IP) owners seem to be in no hurry to formulate a cohesive and rational royalty policy, delaying the very royalties that they covet. I had the pleasure of hosting a panel at Streaming Media East entitled Understanding the Significance of HEVC/H.265. The
- [Choosing an Enterprise Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/choosing-an-enterprise-encoder.html) - Today (May 22, 2013), I presented a session at Streaming Media East in Manhattan on Choosing an Enterprise Encoder.Click the link below to download the presentation materials.
- [Google Starts Pushing VP9; Caution Advised](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/google-starts-pushing-vp9-caution-advised.html) - As you probably know, Googles VP9 is the successor to VP8 in WebM and a competitive technology to HEVC/H.265. I reported here that patent claims from Nokia present a red flag to potential adapters, but Google keeps pressing ahead, and lots of potential users are taking notice.CNET's Steven Shankland has been following the release closely,
- [How to: Encoding for iDevices](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/how-to-encoding-for-idevices.html) - I presented on this topic this morning (May 21, 2013) at Streaming Media East in Manhattan. Here's the summary: This session starts by detailing the playback specs for all iDevices, old and new. Then you'll learn the strategies used by prominent
- [Download handout for Encoding for Multiple Screen Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/download-handout-for-encoding-for-multiple-screen-delivery.html) - Download my handout for the Streaming Media East Seminar, Encoding for Multiscreen Delivery. Here's the description. Learn how to create a set of video files that will play on all devices, from smartphones to computers and OTT devices. The class starts by exploring key concepts like protocol and container format and technologies like HTTP Live
- [VP9 Takes One Step Forward and One Big Step Back](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/vp9-takes-one-step-forward-and-one-big-step-back.html) - VP9 is the successor to VP8, the video codec that Google open sourced and included in WebM. It's also the only major competitor to H.265/HEVC.In a series of blog posts last week, Google detailed the final release schedule for VP9 and a few other implementation details. These posts also indicated that YouTube plans to start
- [VP9 Is Almost Here, But a Nokia Patent Fight Might Have it DOA](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/vp9-is-almost-here-but-a-nokia-patent-fight-might-have-it-doa.html) - VP9 Is Almost Here, But a Nokia Patent Fight Might Have it DOA Google plans to release the VP9 codec in less than a month. While it sounds promising, deep-pocketed companies will want to hold off on adoption.
- [Ozer Book tapped for GMU Engineering Course](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ozer-book-tapped-for-gmu-engineering-course.html) - Ken Santucci, a professor at George Mason University's Volgenau School of Engineering, teaches Concepts of Multimedia Processing and Transmission, a class so popular, that it has a waiting list each semester. When choosing a textbook for the class, Santucci chose Jan Ozer's new book, Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery."The choice was simple," Santucci
- [Review: Dish Network's Hopper With Sling Is the One to Beat](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-dish-networks-hopper-with-sling-is-the-one-to-beat.html) - Review: Dish Network's Hopper With Sling Is the One to Beat The latest Dish DVR offers integrated Sling functionality and wireless iPad transfers. After thorough testing, we call it a winner.
- [The Adobe Creative Suite is Dead](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/the-adobe-creative-suite-is-dead.html) - OK, a bit melodramatic, but today at Adobe Max, the company's annual creativity conference, Adobe announced that they were killing the suite to sell the Creative Cloud product which is only available via a periodic license. The primary benefit to the user is that updates are incorporated when available, as opposed to the 18 month
- [How I spent the First Half of 2013](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/how-i-spent-the-first-half-of-2013.html) - Streaming Learning Center has been quiet for the last few months. Primarily, that relates to getting two large projects done, and making two presentations.The two projects were two books, Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery, and an upcoming Visual QuickStart Guide on Premiere Pro for the Creative Suite 7 version of that Adobe Product.You
- [Commentary: DASH Is Overrated—Enough Already!](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/commentary-dash-is-overrated-enough-already.html) - The problem MPEG-DASH solves isn't that big a deal, and it's not going to make anyone's life simpler in the short term.
- [Review: Telestream Vantage Transcode Multiscreen](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/review-telestream-vantage-transcode-multiscreen.html) - It's a valuable addition to the Vantage Workflow family, but is Transcode Multiscreen the fastest encoder around? Read our detailed test results.
- [Adobe to add HLS and DASH to Primetime](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/adobe-to-add-hls-and-dash-to-primetime.html) - Adobe's plans for Primetime highlight both the strengths and limitations of HLS and DASH, as well as the fact that Flash isn't going away anytime soon
- [Jan Ozer: Opening Act, NAB 2013](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/articles/jan-ozer-opening-act-nab-2013.html) - I was the opening act for NAB 2013, speaking at at 8:00 AM on Saturday morning for the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE). The talk was on Producing for Multiple Screen Delivery and a surprisingly enthusiastic group of around 300+ broadcast engineers showed up despite the hour (you can download the handout below). Not to
- [Ozer releases new book, Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs/ozer-releases-new-book-producing-streaming-video-for-multiple-screen-delivery.html) - Note to reader: Much, but not all of this book has been superceded by Jan Ozer's new book, Video Encoding by the Numbers:Eliminate the Guesswork from Your Streaming Video (2017). Specifically, the new book deeply examines encoding parameters for H.264, VP9, and HEVC, as well as ABR streaming in HLS and DASH formats. However, the

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- [Streaming Video Consulting](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/streaming-video-consulting) - Affordable, insightful streaming video consulting from one of the most respected voices in streaming production. Prerelease testing and review Discover any obvious flaws or competitive disadvantages before the product or service gets in the hands of actual customers or is reviewed by a trade publication. Provide product marketing and development with an objective view of
- [Writing Production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/writing-production) - Writing Production Our marketing documents are easy to read, engaging, well written, informative, and very tightly focused on moving the reader from one stage of the sales cycle to the next. Jan Ozer has written professionally since 1993, including multiple years of writing for consumer magazines like PC Magazine, as well as more technical journals
- [Video Compression for Flash, Apple Devices and HTML5](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/video-compression-for-flash-apple-devices-and-html5) - Note to Readers: This book has been superseded by Video by the Numbers (2017) and Producing Streaming Media for Multiple Screen Delivery (2013), both also by Jan Ozer The only reason to buy this book is if you need it for a specific class or other reason. Otherwise, Video Encoding by the Numbers is probably the right
- [Choosing an Encoding Workstation](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/choosing-an-encoding-workstation) - Here's a collection of resources you might find helpful if you're choosing or configuring a workstation for editing or streaming production.Choosing a WorkstationI've had the benefit of working with and testing a range of high end HP workstations, both for video editing and streaming encoding. Here are the most recent reviews.HP Z800 Workstation With Intel
- [Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/producing-streaming-video-for-multiple-screen-delivery) - Buy the book on Amazon ($39.95) Buy iBooks version on iTunes On April 2, 2013, the Streaming Learning Center and Jan Ozer released Producing Streaming Video for Multiple Screen Delivery. The only video compression book released after 2010, this book incorporates the latest technologies, including DASH and HTML5 and new devices such as 4G
- [News](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/news)
- [Webinar: Distributing to Desktops and Mobile Devices via HMTL5](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/webinar-distributing-to-desktops-and-mobile-devices-via-hmtl5) - Wednesday October 9, 2013; 2:00-2:30 PM ESTWho this free seminar is for: HTML5 can provide a simple, inexpensive way to deliver video to desktop and mobile devices, but there are some critical limitations. This webinar is for producers who want to learn how to distribute via HTML5, and when other technologies like Flash and HTTP
- [Testimonials](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/writing-production/testimonials) - Testimonials Business Training Experts “From delivery strategy to the finest detail of an encoded video, Jan was instrumental in allowing us to offer the best videos possible for our supervisory leadership training. Not only are we able to provide a superior product because of his help, we are also able to deliver to any device.
- [OVP Test](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/ovp-test) - Brightcove Kaltura Brightcove Javascript ]]> ]]>Ooyala
- [Help](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/help) - Get Video Compression-Related Answers Quickly and Affordably It takes a lot to make your video look good and stream efficiently. You have to know how to configure your streaming media, which compression parameters to use, how to implement them in your encoding program and the optimum editing/encoding workflow for maximizing quality. Errors in any of
- [Blogs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blogs)
- [Streaming Learning Center](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/streaming-learning-center) - [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ border_style=”solid” padding_top=”20px” padding_bottom=”20px”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_5″ layout=”1_5″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding=”” dimension_margin=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_imageframe image_id=”15″ style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” align=”none” lightbox=”no” link=”https://www.udemy.com/compressing-video-for-web-disc-and-pctvconsole-playback/?couponCode=SLC_ad” linktarget=”_blank” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″]https://streaminglearningcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/udemy_VerticalAnimated1-1-1.gif[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_5″
- [FlexSlider - BIG](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/flexslider-big)
- [Elastic Slider - BIG](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/elastic-slider-big)
- [Elastic Slider](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/elastic-slider)
- [FlexSlider](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/flexslider)
- [HomePage - TimeLine Layout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/homepage-timeline-layout)
- [HomePage - Masonry Layout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/homepage-masonry-layout)
- [HomePage - Blog Layout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/homepage-blog-layout)
- [HomePage - Classic Layout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/homepage-classic-layout)
- [Advertisement](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/advertisement) - Molestias ultricies, ante quam urna ut volutpat, egestas dolor dui, nec hac ultrices nulla non netus. Placerat vehicula donec non suscipit egestas, augue vel suspendisse. Et felis venenatis blandit sed est ultrices, adipiscing urna, at aliquam nullam facilisis aliquet sapien, eget duis consectetuer tristique nunc vitae erat, mi purus nisl lorem. Ac magna lobortis non,
- [Multiple Pages](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/multiple-pages) - Vel lorem nullam Ut sit consectetuer. Aliquam velit dolor. Et ut est. Dui condimentum velit. Interdum bibendum mi arcu nonummy praesent. Suscipit platea proin. Netus commodo metus. Commodo scelerisque nibh. Cursus pede non. Lacus luctus dictum lorem ipsum nisl dolor ut pharetra. Semper sed et curabitur sed blandit. Enim vivamus hymenaeos. Donec eu lobortis morbi
- [Page / Post Elements](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/page-post-elements) - suscipit sed at montes at tellus. Aliquam nisl penatibus commodo massa mi rutrum, ut massa mollis dolor dui at, tortor ullamcorper vel diam pretium sit leo, pellentesque in leo eu mauris mollis aliquam, ultricies adipiscing eu a dui sollicitudin posuere. Massa vivamus ac ipsum, pede enim quam sit, mus aliquam amet pede quis laboriosam. H1
- [Timeline page](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/timeline-page)
- [Tags](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tags)
- [Sitemap Page](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/sitemap-page)
- [Login Page](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/login-page)
- [Blog List Layout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/blog-list-layout)
- [Authors](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/authors)
- [Content SlideShow](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/content-slideshow)
- [Lightbox](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/lightbox) - Native WordPress [Gallery] Image Youtube Video Vimeo Video Text
- [Media Page](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/media-page)
- [Masonry Layout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/masonry-layout)
- [Audio and Video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/audio-and-video) - Self Hosted Audio Self Hosted Video Videos Play list
- [Text Formatting and Lists](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/text-formatting-and-lists) - Padding Drop cap uscipit sed at montes at tellus. Aliquam nisl penatibus commodo massa mi rutrum, ut massa mollis dolor dui at, tortor ullamcorper vel diam pretium sit leo, pellentesque in leo eu mauris mollis aliquam, ultricies adipiscing eu a dui sollicitudin posuere. Massa vivamus ac ipsum, pede enim quam sit, mus aliquam amet pede
- [Social Shortcodes](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/social-shortcodes) - Flickr Share Buttons [Google] Google Maps Feed
- [Tabs and Toggles](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tabs-and-toggles) - Toggles Blocks Tabs Author Box
- [Buttons](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/221-2) - Small Buttons Medium Buttons Large Buttons Buttons With Icons
- [Boxes](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/boxes)
- [Columns](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/columns)
- [Best Reviews](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/best-reviews)
- [Shop](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/shop)
- [Cart](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/cart) - [woocommerce_cart]
- [Checkout](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/checkout) - [woocommerce_checkout]
- [My Account](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/my-account) - [woocommerce_my_account]
- [Sample Page](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/sample-page-2)

## Downloads

- [SLC Bitrate Explorer - Windows Version 2.0](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/download/slc-bitrate-explorer-windows-download)
- [SLC Explorer - Intel (x264) Mac Version 2.0](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/download/slc-explorer-intel-mac-download)
- [SLC Explorer - ARM (ARM) Mac - Version 2.0](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/download/slc-explorer-arm-apple-cpu-mac)
- [Bitrate Explorer Getting Started (All Versions) Download](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/download/bitrate-explorer-download)
- [Access Advance Avanci Report](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/download/access-advance-avanci-report)

## Downloads

- [Breakeven Download - Quick](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21343)
- [BD-Rate Download - Quick](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21340)
- [Portfolio BD-Rate Download](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21332)
- [Portfolio Breakeven Excel](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21329)
- [Med_v_vslow_T2](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21319)
- [Med_v_vslow_5a](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21313)
- [SLCBitrateExplorer-v1.0.2-win-x64.zip](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21003)
- [SLCBitrateExplorer-v1.0.2-osx-x64.zip](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21006)
- [SLCBitrateExplorer-v1.0.2-osx-arm64-1.zip](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21009)
- [Getting Started - All Versions](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21013)
- [SixChecksPresentation_1.pdf](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21025)
- [SixChecksPresentation.pdf](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=21021)
- [Access-Advance-Royalty-Report_Final_1.1.pdf](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=20980)
- [MQA1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=20952)
- [Business Model PDF](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=20524)
- [x265-Optimization-Checklist.pdf](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=20006)
- [x264-Optimization-Checklist.pdf](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=20003)
- [Deep-Render-May-2025-Report-1.pdf](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=19909)
- [Deep-Render-May-2025-Report.pdf](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=19898)
- [MEVHAS.xlsx](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=19717)
- [Streaming Summer Bootcamp Session 1: Introduction to Video Compression and Video Quality Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=19005)
- [encode_call-2.zip](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=19049)
- [Beyond-the-Hype_-A-Critical-Look-at-AI-in-Video-Streaming_handout.pdf](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=18295)
- [GOP-Size_report.pdf](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=17990)
- [Capped CRF with SVT-AV1 for Live Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=17934)
- [SVT-AV1 Bitrate Control Modes for Live Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/?post_type=dlm_download&p=17915)

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/uncategorized)
- [Learning](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/learning)
- [Codecs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/codecs)
- [Blogs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/blogs)
- [Encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/encoding)
- [FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/ffmpeg)
- [Metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/metrics)
- [Articles](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/articles)
- [News](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/news)
- [Other](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/other)
- [Video lessons](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/video-lessons)
- [Video production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/category/video-production)

## Tags

- [Distributing your video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/distributing-your-video)
- [Choosing a camcorder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-a-camcorder)
- [Other reference materials](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/other-reference-materials)
- [Choosing production tools](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-production-tools)
- [Camcorder reviews](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/camcorder-reviews)
- [Shooting for streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/shooting-for-streaming)
- [Streaming production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/streaming-production)
- [Lighting for streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/lighting-for-streaming)
- [32 vs 64-bit OS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/32-vs-64-bit-os)
- [Audio capture and cleanup](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/audio-capture-and-cleanup)
- [Choosing an encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-an-encoder)
- [Choosing a codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-a-codec)
- [H.264 reference](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/h-264-reference)
- [VP6](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vp6)
- [Windows Media Video/VC-1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/windows-media-videovc-1)
- [Encoding your video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encoding-your-video)
- [Distributing with Flash](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/distributing-with-flash)
- [Distributing with Silverlight](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/distributing-with-silverlight)
- [Encoder reviews](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encoder-reviews)
- [Configuring your workstation](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/configuring-your-workstation)
- [Adobe Creative Suite](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/adobe-creative-suite)
- [Choosing RAM configurations](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-ram-configurations)
- [H.264 production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/h-264-production)
- [Choosing a UGC site](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-a-ugc-site)
- [Working with YouTube](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/working-with-youtube)
- [Choosing a video editor](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-a-video-editor)
- [Streaming fundamentals](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/streaming-fundamentals)
- [Peer review](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/peer-review)
- [Streaming quality control tools](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/streaming-quality-control-tools)
- [Marketing with video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/marketing-with-video)
- [Preprocessing your video](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/preprocessing-your-video)
- [Final Cut Pro](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/final-cut-pro)
- [Choosing an Online Video Platform](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-an-online-video-platform)
- [Choosing encoding parameters](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-encoding-parameters)
- [Producing screencams](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/producing-screencams)
- [Video tutorials](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-tutorials)
- [Live Video Production](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/live-video-production)
- [Creating compressable sets](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/creating-compressable-sets)
- [Streaming Stat of the Week](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/streaming-stat-of-the-week)
- [Apple HLS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/apple-hls)
- [CBR](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/cbr)
- [Jan Ozer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/jan-ozer)
- [VBR](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vbr)
- [per-title encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/per-title-encoding)
- [VMAF](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vmaf)
- [Featured-Posts](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/featured-posts)
- [encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encoding)
- [history of per-title encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/history-of-per-title-encoding)
- [advancements of per-title encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/advancements-of-per-title-encoding)
- [AI-driven encoding adjustments](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/ai-driven-encoding-adjustments)
- [codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/codec)
- [HDR](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/hdr)
- [SDR](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/sdr)
- [developing per-title encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/developing-per-title-encoding)
- [implementing per-title encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/implementing-per-title-encoding)
- [H.264](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/h-264)
- [VP9](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vp9)
- [HEVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/hevc)
- [AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/av1)
- [VVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vvc)
- [codecs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/codecs)
- [Wowza](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/wowza)
- [H.264 codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/h-264-codec)
- [H.264 performance](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/h-264-performance)
- [H.264 costs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/h-264-costs)
- [H.264 uses](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/h-264-uses)
- [transcoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/transcoding)
- [deploying VP9](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/deploying-vp9)
- [VP9 codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vp9-codec)
- [VP9 performance](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vp9-performance)
- [VP9 costs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vp9-costs)
- [VP9 uses](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vp9-uses)
- [Adobe Premiere Pro facelift](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/adobe-premiere-pro-facelift)
- [Adobe](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/adobe)
- [New premiere pro](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/new-premiere-pro)
- [new premiere pro interface](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/new-premiere-pro-interface)
- [adobe editing interface](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/adobe-editing-interface)
- [new and improved premiere pro](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/new-and-improved-premiere-pro)
- [adopting a new codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/adopting-a-new-codec)
- [codec implementation costs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/codec-implementation-costs)
- [bandwidth saving](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/bandwidth-saving)
- [new codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/new-codec)
- [new codec for bandwidth savings](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/new-codec-for-bandwidth-savings)
- [VVC deployment](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vvc-deployment)
- [Video analysis tools](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-analysis-tools)
- [MediaInfo](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/mediainfo)
- [BitRate](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/bitrate)
- [Video File Data Points](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-file-data-points)
- [MediaInfo on Windows](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/mediainfo-on-windows)
- [Media Info in Tree View](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/media-info-in-tree-view)
- [different resolutions and bitrates](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/different-resolutions-and-bitrates)
- [BitRate for Windows](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/bitrate-for-windows)
- [4G streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/4g-streaming)
- [5G streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/5g-streaming)
- [Apple Advanced Video Quality Tool](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/apple-advanced-video-quality-tool)
- [AVQT](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/avqt)
- [full-reference metric](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/full-reference-metric)
- [video quality metrics](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-quality-metrics)
- [video quality](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-quality)
- [Apple AVQT](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/apple-avqt)
- [SSIMPLUS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/ssimplus)
- [FFmpeg](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/ffmpeg)
- [SVT](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/svt)
- [Open Source Encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/open-source-encoder)
- [Sveriges Television](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/sveriges-television)
- [SVT Encore](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/svt-encore)
- [Training for Streaming Professionals](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/training-for-streaming-professionals)
- [Streaming Media 101](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/streaming-media-101)
- [courses for streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/courses-for-streaming)
- [learning streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/learning-streaming)
- [Mediainfo Mac](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/mediainfo-mac)
- [MP4 Bitrate Viewer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/mp4-bitrate-viewer)
- [Apple Advanced Video Quality Metric](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/apple-advanced-video-quality-metric)
- [Handbrake on the Mac](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/handbrake-on-the-mac)
- [Learn FFmpeg on the Mac](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/learn-ffmpeg-on-the-mac)
- [BuyDRM](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/buydrm)
- [KeyOS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/keyos)
- [MultiPack](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/multipack)
- [Streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/streaming)
- [Engine](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/engine)
- [CloudFront](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/cloudfront)
- [Distribution](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/distribution)
- [Origin](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/origin)
- [WebPlay](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/webplay)
- [Player](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/player)
- [DRM](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/drm)
- [Digital Rights Management](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/digital-rights-management)
- [live streaming](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/live-streaming)
- [live streaming service provider](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/live-streaming-service-provider)
- [packaging](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/packaging)
- [content delivery network](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/content-delivery-network)
- [live encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/live-encoder)
- [live transcode](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/live-transcode)
- [facebook live](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/facebook-live)
- [YouTube Live](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/youtube-live)
- [Streaming to Social Media](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/streaming-to-social-media)
- [Best video capture software](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/best-video-capture-software)
- [dash.js](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/dash-js)
- [mediaelement.js](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/mediaelement-js)
- [plyr](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/plyr)
- [shaka player](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/shaka-player)
- [video.js](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-js)
- [bitmovin](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/bitmovin)
- [flowPlayer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/flowplayer)
- [JWPlayer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/jwplayer)
- [THEOPlayer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/theoplayer)
- [video encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-encoding)
- [deliverability](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/deliverability)
- [video qualtiy](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-qualtiy)
- [video file compatibility](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-file-compatibility)
- [video codecs](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-codecs)
- [Moscow State University VQMT](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/moscow-state-university-vqmt)
- [Video Quality Measurement Tool](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-quality-measurement-tool)
- [VQMT](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vqmt)
- [H.264 encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/h-264-encoding)
- [Encoding h.264](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encoding-h-264)
- [encoding h264](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encoding-h264)
- [choosing an x264 preset](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-an-x264-preset)
- [encoding with x264](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encoding-with-x264)
- [x264](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/x264)
- [choosing an H.264 profile](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-an-h-264-profile)
- [encoding with h.264](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encoding-with-h-264)
- [video buffer verifier](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-buffer-verifier)
- [main or high H.264 profile](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/main-or-high-h-264-profile)
- [main baseline high H.264 profile](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/main-baseline-high-h-264-profile)
- [capped crf](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/capped-crf)
- [per-title](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/per-title)
- [choosing CRF value](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/choosing-crf-value)
- [capped crf encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/capped-crf-encoding)
- [x264 encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/x264-encoding)
- [h264 encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/h264-encoding)
- [reduce h264 bitrate](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/reduce-h264-bitrate)
- [x264 threads](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/x264-threads)
- [one or two-pass encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/one-or-two-pass-encoding)
- [adaptive quantization](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/adaptive-quantization)
- [tuning for PSNR](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/tuning-for-psnr)
- [Tuning for SSIM](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/tuning-for-ssim)
- [Tuning for VMAF](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/tuning-for-vmaf)
- [Best GOP size](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/best-gop-size)
- [GOP size](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/gop-size)
- [what is a GOP](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/what-is-a-gop)
- [Group of Pictures](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/group-of-pictures)
- [AV1 encoding guide](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/av1-encoding-guide)
- [encoding VVC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encoding-vvc)
- [encoding time](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encoding-time)
- [VVenC](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vvenc)
- [Fraunhofer HHI](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/fraunhofer-hhi)
- [x265](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/x265)
- [HP Z840 workstation](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/hp-z840-workstation)
- [quality optimization](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/quality-optimization)
- [VAMF quality](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vamf-quality)
- [Encode with AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encode-with-av1)
- [encode with aomence](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encode-with-aomence)
- [encode with libaom-AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encode-with-libaom-av1)
- [encode with SVT-AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encode-with-svt-av1)
- [Encode with Aurora1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encode-with-aurora1)
- [What's the best AV1 codec](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/whats-the-best-av1-codec)
- [How do I encode AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/how-do-i-encode-av1)
- [AV1 Training](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/av1-training)
- [Encode AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encode-av1)
- [Encode AV1 to MP4](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encode-av1-to-mp4)
- [bitrate viewer](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/bitrate-viewer)
- [bitrate encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/bitrate-encoding)
- [AVQT compared to VMAF](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/avqt-compared-to-vmaf)
- [AV1 encoding](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/av1-encoding)
- [aomenc](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/aomenc)
- [libaom-AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/libaom-av1)
- [SVT-AV1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/svt-av1)
- [Aurora1](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/aurora1)
- [datarates](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/datarates)
- [QoS](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/qos)
- [QoE](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/qoe)
- [video performance](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-performance)
- [encoding quality](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/encoding-quality)
- [source quality](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/source-quality)
- [packaging integrity](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/packaging-integrity)
- [video viewing environment](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/video-viewing-environment)
- [vod](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/vod)
- [streaming encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/streaming-encoder)
- [desktop video encoders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/desktop-video-encoders)
- [enterprise video encoders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/enterprise-video-encoders)
- [cloud video encoders](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/cloud-video-encoders)
- [building your own encoder](https://streaminglearningcenter.com/tag/building-your-own-encoder)