So here’s the story. A friend recently asked me what tools I used to compress my High Definition video files down into Flash FLV or Quicktime H.264, both of which are excellent compression formats for presenting online video.
Both formats produce files that are a small fraction of the original file size yet still manage to maintain a good looking image.
The tool I actually currently use is called VisualHub version 1.34.1 and it converts most any video format to most any other video format with excellent results. I think it cost me $20 or so but it was actually worth much more. Here’s the problem, the developer behind this great piece of software just a few days ago called it quits and basically shut down his site. So no more VisualHub. You can probably find a trial version still online at sites like CNET downloads but the problem I think will be that once the free trial period runs out you won’t be able to pay for and register it, it will then effectively become a dead piece of software sitting on your hard drive; all potential, no compression. (or put another way “all hat and no cattle”)
So what should you do now? A recent Leo Laporte podcast reminded me of the Elgato turbo .264 which is both a hardware and software device. But get this….the hardware is a simple USB device that looks like an ordinary thumb drive. Inside is actually a chip that offloads your computer’s CPU of the heavy task of compressing large video files into smaller files suitable for playback on the Web. For around $100 or less Elgato does it faster. Unlike VisualHub it only compresses video into the H.264 format but that’s an excellent codec which most Flash players (like the ever popular JW FLV Media Player) can play back. The Web site says the Elgato can “Quickly and easily export content to iPhone™, iPod®, Apple TV® and PSP®” and I don’t doubt it from everything I’ve read and heard about it. In fact it comes with sofware that makes it easy to upload videos directly to YouTube once you’ve compressed them (YouTube switched from Flash to H.264 compression for all their videos some months back.)
If it hasn’t been clear so far, I don’t actually own nor have I ever used the Elgato device but read the reviews and you will see why I don’t have any problem recommending it.
I recently videotaped an informative panel on Social Media for business hosted by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce. Moderated by Ellen Leanse, a social media strategist with Google, the panel featured four guests speakers from LinkedIn, Yelp, Social Media Networks and hi5 Networks.
You know, there’s a lot of smart people producing online video content and I want this blog to be just one of the ways you can find and learn from them. Here’s one such individual, Tim Shey of Next New Networks explaining how independent video producers can make some/more money by becoming a bit less independent.
By the way, I found this video on Tim Street’s blog who is the producer of the wildly successful online hit “French Maid TV” - so why not check him out while you are it too?
My basic contention is that most of the big media companies are either clueless or greedy to the point of self-destruction when it comes to online video. Here’s a good example of why I feel that way…NBC and their site promoting the very popular show Heroes.
On the lefthand side of the Web page are multiple small banner graphics leading to various Heroes related content. As a fan of the show my eye was caught by a particular banner, this one promoting an online video clip of Conan O’Brien interviewing Masi Oka, one of the stars of the hit show. So far so good.
But instead of leading me directly to the clip what they really do is link to another Flash site (”NBC Video Rewind”) presenting Conan’s last ten shows…you have to read through each night’s show description just to find the correct episode to play. Read the rest of this entry »
What does an antique car show have to do with online video or Web 2.0? Nothing really, but I still had a fantastic couple of hours walking around and videotaping the goings on at San Jose’s History Park last Sunday. The Santa Clara Valley Model T Ford Club and History San Jose put on the 8th annual “Antique Autos in History Park” event drawing impressive crowds.
Musical entertainment was provided by JP and the Rhythm Chasers , a San Francisco band “whose style is deeply rooted in Chicago Hot Jazz, Small band Swing & Traditional Rhythms.”
I’m a big proponent of two things, one is using social media technologies to greatly amplify the impact of your videos, another is the Wordpress blogging software that is great for constructing entire Web sites. This post is going to allow me to focus on both of those.
Let me bring to your attention a fantastic Wordpress plugin called Sociable from Yoast.com .
Simply put, this plugin allows you to automatically add a row of buttons beneath your blog post or page that users can click on to forward your content onto one or several of the social media sharing sites like Digg, Facebook and Twitter. There’s even an option making it simple for a site visitor to email your blog posting to a friend. The Sociable setup screen allows you to choose which social media sites you want your site visitors to be able to select from, it couldn’t be any easier.
I’ve just recently added this plugin to the Crow Digital Media blog
I’ve decided to start producing screencasts to explain online video concepts, terms, tools and tech!
I have a few ideas of topics but I would really like to hear your suggestions! Something confusing you? Want to know more about X but don’t have the time or energy to investigate it for yourself? All my screencasts will be kept to under 3.5 minutes and most will be in the 1-2 minute range because I know that’s what most people like.
Use the comments field below to give me your suggestions!
Although this is not what I usually cover in my blog, I wanted to let my readers know that Don LaFontaine, the guy who made the phrase “In A World Where….” so famous, died yesterday at the age of 68.
Thanks to the TechCrunch blog for alerting me to this soon to be made announcement about a new Google video publishing platform that brings YouTube into the enterprise and behind the firewall!
Google is making it much easier for companies to allow their employees to create and share videos internally without fearing the information will get out to the general Internet. I’m so excited about this that I’ve already signed Crow Digital Media up and will be testing it out very soon! The formal announcement is supposed to come later today (meaning Tuesday). Part of Google Apps Premiere Edition, Google is providing both the streaming video publishing platform and storage space for the actual videos.
It’s called “Google video for Business.” Click the link below for the information I have so far. Read the rest of this entry »
Not yet officially released but available in beta form for downloading (beta means it is still undergoing development and testing but they want you to try it out and provide feedback so that they can make it ready for its official launch) the Wizzard Media Player is attempting to provide something really intriguing to all of us generating online video content. Read the rest of this entry »
