PlanetStream Blog

Encode Flash on your Mac

Big news for production companies...

Adobe have recently announced that the Flash Live Media Encoder will now be supported on Mac.

This news means Flash is now even more important and has surely ensured itself as the front-runner in formats.

For more information direct from adobe click here.

To find out how you can encode your media files into Flash and stream them using PlanetStream, give us a call on 01386 791 888 or email helpdesk@planetstream.net

Alternatively you can find out all you need to know by visiting www.PlanetStream.net

Why pay for streaming when YouTube is free?

We are often asked why people should pay us for hosting streaming video when YouTube is free. It used to be easy to answer because the quality was so poor on YouTube but that's not so clear cut any more.

There are three main issues:

1. Unlike PlanetStream, YouTube give no guarantee of service or the quality of playback and it can deteriorate quite badly at busy times. So for professional users there is always the risk that a key visitor to your website could receive a poor impression of you.

2. Because YouTube is free they add their branding and their advertising to your video. This detracts from your image and dilutes your message. It's a bit like finding a professional person with an AOL email address. It makes you look amateurish and even cheap-skate.

3. Most importantly at the end of your video they add links to "similar" content. At worst this could be links to your competitors but even if it's complementary content it can distract your visitor away from your message.

We did a bit of a survey recently and got the following comment from a third party on a YouTube video embedded in a client's home page:

"I just watched the video that was on the link that you sent and then at the end saw a picture of a helicopter, clicked it and watched a Royal Air Force video and then a Sony Television advert, then someone doing tricks with a football and then ... all on the home page of their website which really distracted me from their services. I didn't end up reading any of the content on the page..."

When you consider that hosting your videos "properly" costs as little as £10 per month you don't need the above to happen very often to make that seem cheap.

At the end of the day there can only be one reason why YouTube is free. That is so that Google can derive benefit from your using it. Fair enough but don't you want to control how your videos are presented? To try PlanetStream's service for free (limited timescale though) call us on 01386 7929872 and see the difference.

PlanetStream Launch Monthly Newsletter

PlanetStream are pleased to launch a new monthly newsletter to clients and other interested parties providing tips and advice on streaming plus latest news on PlanetStream in particular and streaming services in general.

Email sales@planetstream.net if you would like to join our mailing list.

Google Launches “Chrome” internet Browser.

Could the browser wars be about to start up all over again? Just when you thought it had all settled down, along comes Google with their new ‘weapon’ in the war, Chrome, an open source web kit browser. Chrome is currently available as a beta demo, but you can expect it to be released in the near future. So what does this mean for you, if you are offering streaming videos on your website and customers are browsing online using Chrome?

 

In short, you have nothing to worry about. I’ve downloaded the beta version of Chrome and tested it out with various different streaming file formats, and haven’t noticed any performance issues so far – the playback of Windows Media videos is slightly different to other browsers when using .asx files, (which normally open Windows Media Player to play a stream), in Chromes case the video is displayed within the current tab you have open. Flash Videos (.flv) also stream with no issues at all – I’ve tried numerous videos from the PlanetStream server and various websites, such as You Tube. Quick Time movies also streamed, but involved the appearance of a download bar (Similar to FireFox) appearing and the requirement of further clicks/instructions to be able to view the stream. Even though its only a Beta version at the moment, it may be that QT video format is overlooked, due to the current non-apple compatibility.

 

Chrome's strength comes in its ability to segment online activities—an open tab playing a live video stream won't slow down the remainder of your Web browsing, which can happen with other browsers such as IE7 or FireFox, if your internet connection isn’t fast enough. Even though it’s been in development for 2 years, Chrome can't currently run without a Windows Operating System, and it won't run at all on Apple's OS X or Linux. And there’s still the question of whether Chrome has the potential for overtaking the popularity of other browsers, such as Internet Explorer (IE) which currently has around  72% Web browser market share and Firefox, which has 20%.

 

I’d say Chrome is something to look out for and keep an eye on during the next few months – at the moment, whilst offering a nice GUI and some nice touches; it doesn’t appear to be a serious rival to the 2 major players. The performance and playback of streaming videos appears to be identical to other browsers’, and the major file formats are all supported, so doesn’t raise any cause for concern in the video streaming world. Should there be any new developments, I’ll be sure to update you.

 

If you would like to discuss Video or Audio streaming in further detail, you can email me on steven@netsecrets.co.uk, call me on 01386 792972, or chat directly to me by clicking on the Chat Logo on the PlanetStream website.

Malicious Flash Updates

Adobe have recently made announcements regarding reports of malware posing as Flash Player updates. According to Adobe, the malware worm posts comments on popular social networking sites, that include links to a fake site. If the link is followed, users are told they need to update their Flash Player. The installer, posted on a malicious site, of course installs malware instead of Flash Player.

 

Adobe have, in press releases, reiterated the importance of validating installers and updates before installing them. Their main and most critical point is to not download Flash Player from a site other than adobe.com (you can find the link for downloading Flash Player here). This is good advice, and the same practice should be followed for any other piece Video software that needs updating. (Reader, Windows Media Player, Quicktime, etc.) – if you get a notice to update a particular player when using it, always ensure you visit the site of the software manufacturer and download the update directly from the them. If the download is offered on an unfamiliar URL, you should be suspicious and not download anything from that page!.

 

The second point is that all Adobe software for Windows is signed with a digital certificate that is validated by Windows when you install their software. The Publisher will always be ‘Adobe Systems, Incorporated’, and you can verify this when you double-click the installer, or by right-clicking on the installer, selecting ‘Properties’, and going to the ‘Digital Signatures’ tab. For Flash Player, you can visit this page to verify what version of Flash Player you have installed, and what the current version of Flash Player is for your Operating System. The current Flash Player version is 9.0.124.0.

 

 

This blog uses information from  http://blogs.adobe.com/psirt/ 

Leading Specialist Holidays Tour Operator Signs Up For On Demand Video Streaming From PlanetStream

Balkan Holidays is the leading specialist holidays tour operator to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia and Romania. With 43 years of experience they offer great value summer beach holidays, winter ski, lakes & mountains holidays, tours and excursions, city breaks to Sofia, Varna, Bourgas and more, last minute holiday deals and low cost flights to Bulgaria from 20 UK airports.

On their website, www.balkanholidays.co.uk, the aim is to provide the best service available - just a few clicks will take you to your desired destination where you can view and experience many hotels and resorts – one of the most popular and effective ways to provide their visitors with the best experience is with short videos of the hotels and resorts available.

PlanetStream offered an ideal solution to Balkan Holidays requirements using our WMStream On Demand streaming service for Windows Media Videos. We have provided Balkan Holidays with a powerful and easy to use control panel for uploading and managing their product videos, and a comprehensive Statistics utility that reports and helps them to identify whether they are reaching their target audience and meeting their objectives through streaming.

You can now browse through and view over 80 videos featuring resorts and hotels by clicking here. Stefan Stoyanov, IT manager of Balkan Holidays London said “…'We are looking forward to a professional and robust service for our video content, in order to continue to maintain quality service to our clients by providing as detailed as possible information on the huge variety of accommodations that we offer. Please visit our web site and benefit from our Online Booking Discount on your next holiday!'…”

PlanetStream can help you implement the same exciting multimedia content on your web site without the expense and complication of running your own streaming media server, and back this up with our video streaming expertise and dedicated account management services.

If you think this could be the cost effective solution you are looking for, you can email me on steven@netsecrets.co.uk, call me on 01386 792972, or chat directly to me by clicking on the Chat Logo on the PlanetStream website.

Net TV technology seeks testers Blog

I saw this arcitcle earlier this week and found it interesting, so I thought I’d share it with you. The text is taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7517114.stm, and if you’re interested in signing up for the P2P Next trial, you can visit http://www.p2p-next.org/

Testers are being sought for technology that may help TV migrate to the net.

The P2P Next project has created a trial, or beta, version of software that can stream video across a file-sharing network.

The EU has put 19m euros into the project hoping the software the team creates will become a Europe-wide standard for broadcasters.

The P2P Next team are looking for thousands to sign up to give the technology a good workout.

Stream and serve

Many broadcasters, such as the BBC with its iPlayer, are already using the net to let viewers catch up with programmes they missed. Most of these systems use a central server to stream programmes to those that want to watch them.

However, most believe that TV via the net delivered this way will be unsustainable when huge audiences venture online for shows.

In a bid to create a system that can support huge audiences, the SwarmPlayer draws on the widely used BitTorrent peer-to-peer technology.

In such a system those watching a video share the data they are downloading with others, peers, who want to watch the same show.

The SwarmPlayer lets people download TV shows to watch later, lets them watch video as it is being downloaded and can even cope with live broadcasts.

The P2P Next project now wants thousands of people to install the software to see how it handles large audiences and whether picture quality suffers as the numbers of users rises.

Windows and Linux versions of the software are available with a Mac version due soon.

Those wanting to take part must have a broadband net connection speed of at least 600kbps or higher. Those downloading and installing the software will be able to see how it handles a live stream and a pre-recorded broadcast.

The P2P Next project is scheduled to run for four years and the SwarmPlayer is likely to be the first of many prototypes it produces.

Steven Pedrick Joins the Streaming Specialists

PlanetStream are delighted to welcome Steven Pedrick who has today joined our Customer Services team as a streaming media adviser. Steve has a wealth of experience in IT, media and customer relations through working for several years at Evesham Technology and will make a real difference to PlanetStream Customers' experience.

Steve can be contacted on 01386 792972 or steven@netsecrets.co.uk.