The sample video below contains a dynamic watermark displaying the User name, User IP, and User email. The below video is displayed using our WordPress plugin and the same can be configured using APIs or Moodle plugin as well.

The dynamic watermark can be customized for movement, color, size, transparency and frequency. You can try the watermark feature on your website by signing up for a Free 30 Day Trial on our home page.

Dynamic Watermark Demo

Features of Dynamic Watermark by VdoCipher

1. Add user details like user id, email id, phone number, ip address as an overlay over your videos
2. Add time stamp, and fixed text (e.g company name)
3. Customise size, color, transparency, and frequency of moving watermark. You can make it very light and also change frequency so that it is not always visible, to ensure optimum viewing experience. You can optimize frequency in such a manner, that it is difficult to remove the watermark maintaining user experience.  To show a watermark at a particular position for 5 seconds and then not show it for 20 seconds, you can use the parameters of ‘interval’:5000 and ‘skip ‘: 20000. (1 second = 1000 microsecond).  Other parameters are explained in below tutorial steps below.
4. If you are using a static/fixed text watermark, then it has to be compulsorily set at the top left of the player, it can not reside on other parts.
5. Image watermark is currently not possible with VdoCipher, but you can use your company/brand name as a watermark.
6. Quick 5-minute integration using wordpress plugin or moodle plugin or API. Iframe integration can show ip address and fixed text as watermark but it can not show user id, email id etc. as watermark since it is not a backend integration.

How to Add Dynamic Watermark to your VdoCipher Videos

To generate a watermark or to add text to videos you essentially need a JSON string describing how and what you will overlay on your protected videos. In this blog, we will be detailing how to integrate dynamic or static watermarks to add text to videos.

Step 1 is to create the watermark code. Once you have created the watermark code,
Step 2 you add the watermark to the video. This is done by adding watermark code to the WordPress plugin settings (for WordPress users), or by adding it as part of OTP API call for VdoCipher API users or by adding it to Moodle plugin settings.

Step 1: Create a Watermark Code

We are assuming that you have uploaded your video to your VdoCipher account. You would need to pass a JSON string as annotation code. The JSON string would contain all the information about the watermark. A JSON string is a universal form of representing structured data in a way that machines can understand.

Here is a sample JSON string that adds a moving (dynamic) watermark and a static watermark.

[

{'type':'rtext', 'text':'moving text', 'alpha':'0.8', 'color':'0xFF0000','size':'15','interval':'5000','skip':20000},
{'type':'text', 'text':'static text', 'alpha':'0.5' , 'x':'10', 'y':'100', 'color':'0xFF0000', 'size':'15'}
]

Technically, this is an array of JSON objects, where each object describes a single annotation item.

Each of these items will be described by its parameters. Every item requires a type parameter that defines the type of watermark. The type of watermark can be either a moving text or a static text. The rest of the parameters depend on the type.

Following is a short description of how each parameter affects the display of text.

Moving text

The following code will display a dynamic watermark code, displaying name, IP and email address in a single line. The text color will be red (#ff0000), opacity is 0.8, and font size is 15. The watermark is configured to keep one position for 5 seconds (5000ms) and then hide watermark for 20 seconds (20000 ms) , and then show again at a new position for 5 seconds.

[{
'type':'rtext',
'text':'{name}, {ip}, {email}',
'alpha':'0.8',
'color':'0xFF0000',
'size':'15',
'interval':'5000',
'skip':'20000'
}]

Type of text – Moving watermark

Set type parameter as rtext for Dynamic watermark

'type':'rtext',

Set the text to be shown

'text" : 'Enter whatever text you like to be displayed',

You can add user identifiable information, such as user name, user email and user IP.

• ‘text’: ‘{name}’,
• ‘text’: ‘{email}’,
• ‘text’: ‘{ip}’,

'text':'Name: {name}, email: {email}, IP: {ip}

To display the name, email and IP separately, and not in a single line, you can simply create 3 watermark objects, as follows:

[{'type':'rtext','text':'{name}','alpha':'0.8', 'color':'0xFF0000', 'size':'15', 'interval':'5000', 'skip':'2000'},
{'type':'rtext','text':'{ip}','alpha':'0.8', 'color':'0xFF0000', 'size':'15', 'interval':'5000', 'skip':'2000'},
{'type':'rtext','text':'{email}','alpha':'0.8', 'color':'0xFF0000', 'size':'15', 'interval':'5000', 'skip':'2000'}
]

Specify text opacity

This is the opacity of the text. For full opacity keep alpha value 1.

'alpha':'0.8',

Specify text color

This is the hex value of the watermark text color. You can pick your choice of color and its corresponding hex value from the following page on W3schools.

'color':'0xFF0000',

Specify the font size

This is the font size

'size':'15',

Specify the interval over which watermark changes position

The value is the interval in milliseconds when the text changes position

'interval':'5000',

Skip feature for watermark

It is possible to have watermark skip for some time between two overlays. Here is a sample code for it –

'skip':'2000'

Time stamp for watermark. (Only for WordPress)

[[{'type':'text', 'text':'Time: {date.h:i:s A}', 'alpha':'0.30' , 'x':'12', 'y':'130', 'color':'0xFF0000', 'size':'13'}]]

Add Custom Variables as Watermark

The following blog details how you can add text to videos or custom variables as watermark to your videos: Custom Variables as Watermark

Some important things to keep in mind about Watermark

• Note that both the name and the value of these parameters should be in quotes. This rule applies to both text as well as numbers.
• Each parameter is to be separated by a comma. There should not be a comma after the last parameter for the dynamic watermark video settings.

Static text

[{
'type' : 'text',   //This defines the type of annotation item to static watermark
'text' : 'the text you like to be displayed',
'x' : '10',  //the distance from the left border of video.
'y': '50',  //the distance from the top border of video.
'alpha': '0.8', //the opacity of the rendered text, 0 is invisible, 1 is full opaque
'color':'0xFF0000',    //the color of the text specified as hexadecimal or uint
'size':'15' //Height of the text, in pixels.
}]

Step 2: Add Watermark Code to Video Request using API or plugin

If you are using our WordPress or Moodle plugin you can simply add the watermark JSON in the plugin settings page. If you are integrating VdoCipher to your custom-built site, you would need to pass the JSON object as part of the OTP request.

The HTTP POST data containing watermark JSON object has to be sent as Content-Type: application/json. The JSON Object is to be sent as value to the key annotate. The header for the OTP request should include the Authorization using API Secret Key. A sample OTP request including watermark information is as follows.

curl -X POST \
 https://dev.vdocipher.com/api/videos/1234567890/otp \
 -H 'Accept: application/json' \
 -H 'Authorization: Apisecret a1b2c3d4e5' \
 -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
 -d '{
 "annotate":"[{'\''type'\'':'\''rtext'\'', '\''text'\'':'\'' {name}'\'', '\''alpha'\'':'\''0.60'\'', '\''color'\'':'\''0xFF0000'\'','\''size'\'':'\''15'\'','\''interval'\'':'\''5000'\''}]"
}'

The sample videoID is 1234567890 and the API Secret Key is a1b2c3d4e5. This sample code only passes the annotation code as parameter.

This blog: Protect Videos on WordPress provides more details on securing videos using WordPress.

Still having problems to add text to videos or with the dynamic watermark on video code? Send us the code you are using and the output you wish to be shown to support@vdocipher.com

The post Dynamic Watermark Demo: Add User Identifier Text to Videos- User ID, Email ID, Phone No. appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

What is CMAF (Common Media Application Format)?

CMAF, the Common Media Application Format, is an innovative and extensible standard aimed at streamlining the end-to-end delivery of HTTP-based streaming content. It simplifies the process of broadcasting to multiple devices while reducing costs, lowering latency, and eliminating workflow complexities for content owners or broadcasters.

Formalized as ISO/IEC 23000-19, CMAF was introduced by Apple and Microsoft following the decline of Flash’s Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP). The spotlight shifted to HTTP-based technologies, which facilitated adaptive bitrate streaming and supported various file containers and formats. However, content owners had to encode and store video streams in different versions to cater to a broad audience base, attracting significant storage and maintenance costs. CMAF addresses this issue by providing a uniform streaming container that works with both HLS and DASH protocols. It also employs chunked encoding and chunked transfer encoding to lower latency.

Although CMAF is not a protocol in itself, it is a container and set of standards for single-approach video streaming that works with protocols like HLS and MPEG-DASH. It supports various existing codecs, making it more compatible with a wider range of devices.

In the realm of content delivery, CMAF (Common Media Application Format) boasts several unique media components – CMAF Tracks, Switching Sets, Aligned Switching Sets, Selection Sets, and Presentations. Efficient caching and multi-platform distribution are its strengths.

CMAF Purpose and Benefits

The Common Media Application Format (CMAF) was developed to address the challenges of streaming latency, complexity, and costs. By creating a standardized format for delivery, CMAF aims to provide several benefits:

• Reduced storage costs: CMAF eliminates the need to create different content renditions for compatibility with various streaming formats, thereby cutting down repackaging and CDN maintenance costs.
• Simplified workflow: It allows for common encryption (CENC), which means data does not need to be encrypted multiple times. Reliable DRM solutions can quickly and easily decrypt encrypted data, removing unnecessary operational complexity.
• Reduced latency: CMAF enables publishers to leverage chunked encoding, ensuring speedy delivery of content. By transmitting smaller chunks in sequence, CMAF offers ultra-low latency (ULL), close to real-time (three seconds or fewer), as opposed to other streaming protocols that result in higher latency.
• Universal encryption: It creates a standard encryption method that each device can easily decode, reducing file size and improving transmission and playback.
• Reduced data redundancies: CMAF simplifies the streaming process by reducing data redundancies created by multiple encryption formats and duplicate files.
• Lowered processing costs: By reducing network bandwidth required to process, and encode video content, CMAF contributes to overall cost savings in the streaming process.

CMAF’s ultra-low latency is particularly notable, as it uses the same infrastructure as other higher latency options without increasing costs. This makes CMAF an ideal choice for delivering real-time or near-real-time streaming experiences.

Need of CMAF for Video Streaming

The world of video streaming is complex, with a multitude of codecs, media formats, protocols, and devices adding to the intricacy. Different media formats increase streaming latency and costs, making video delivery unnecessarily expensive and slow. Broadcasters aiming for a wider audience need to create multiple copies of each stream file in different file containers, which doubles the cost of packaging, storing, and caching on CDN servers.

Before CMAF, Apple’s HLS protocol depended on .ts (MPEG-TS) or MPEG container formats, while HTTP-based technologies like DASH relied on .mp4 (fMP4). With the advent of CMAF and Common Encryption (CENC), industry players like Microsoft and Apple now deliver content across HLS and DASH protocols using the fragmented MP4 (.fmp4) container.

CMAF streamlines interoperability of DRM (Digital Rights Management) solutions with the help of MPEG-CENC, further simplifying the video streaming process. Overall, CMAF significantly reduces latency, complexity, and costs associated with video streaming, making it an essential tool for the industry.

History and Developments of CMAF

The decline of Adobe’s Flash Player and RTMP in 2020 ushered in a new era of HTTP-based technologies for adaptive bitrate streaming. However, different streaming standards, such as MPEG-DASH and HLS, required different file containers like .mp4 and .ts, respectively.

In February 2016, Apple and Microsoft proposed a new uniform standard, the Common Media Application Format (CMAF), to the Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) to reduce complexity and costs when transmitting video online. By June 2016, Apple announced support for the fMP4 format, and by July 2017, the CMAF specifications were finalized. In January 2018, the CMAF standard was officially published.

This achievement was more diplomatic than technical, as it brought about cooperation between major tech giants to establish a standardized container for seamless video streaming.

CMAF Encoding and Extensions

CMAF (Common Media Application Format) is a way to create special MP4 video files that can be easily streamed online. These files can be used with multiple streaming technologies, like DASH and HLS, making it easier for video providers to deliver content to different devices.

File extensions like *.cmfv, *.cmfa, and *.cmft are suggested by the CMAF standard for video, audio, and text, but they are not strictly required. You can use other extensions like MP4 or M4A, and the files will still work with most CDNs (Content Delivery Networks). Some CDNs might have optimizations for specific extensions, so it’s essential to consider that.

CMAF is not related to transcoding (converting video files from one format to another). It is just a container format for storing video, audio, and text data. To create CMAF files, you can use tools like Bento4, Shaka, or FFmpeg, which help generate the right format for streaming.

Although CMAF is a useful format, its adoption has been slower than expected. It benefits CDN providers along with content creators and distributors. You can still create CMAF-like files using FFmpeg and other tools, even if there isn’t a dedicated CMAF muxer yet.

Comparing Between Elements Of CMAF, HLS And DASH

CMAF vs RTMP

RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol), a TCP-based brainchild of Macromedia (now Adobe-owned) for streaming audio, video, and data between Flash player and server. While RTMP’s low latency and minimal buffering are noteworthy, it lacks quality and scalability, with dwindling support. CMAF outshines RTMP, ensuring low latency (3-5 seconds), superior quality, and scalability.

CMAF vs HLS

HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is an adaptive HTTP-based protocol developed by Apple for transporting video and audio data from media servers to end users’ devices. While HLS is widely supported and ensures optimal user experience with minimal buffering, it offers a latency of 5-20 seconds. CMAF can work with HLS to improve latency and standardize container files. However, Apple has developed Low-Latency HLS, which reduces latency and competes with CMAF, raising questions about Apple’s commitment to standardization.

CMAF vs WebRTC

WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communications) is a revolutionary tech, enables real-time media exchanges between browsers and devices. Its ultra-low latency (0.5 seconds) is impressive, but it’s tailored more for real-time video conferencing and feedback-enabled systems.

While each protocol has its advantages and drawbacks, CMAF provides a consistent approach that simplifies content delivery and improves viewer experience with low latency of 3-5 seconds.

CMAF Supported Video Formats and Encoding

CMAF accommodates various video codecs, resolutions, and frame rates (think HDR and WCG content). CMAF’s popular video codecs – H.264 (AVC) and H.265 (HEVC) – offer efficient compression for high-quality streaming with low storage consumption. It also employs the ISOBMFF container, founded on the fragmented MP4 (fMP4) format, standardizing content delivery across HLS and DASH streaming protocols.

Audio codecs like AAC, AAC-LC, HE-AAC+ v1 & v2, and MP3 are also compatible with CMAF, ensuring high-quality audio complements video content for an immersive experience.

CMAF Streaming Tools for Encoding, Packaging and Playback

CMAF (Common Media Application Format) streaming tools help content providers encode, package, distribute, and playback their media content across various platforms and devices. Here is a list of some popular CMAF streaming tools and services:

Encoding tools

• FFmpeg: A widely-used, open-source multimedia framework that supports encoding video and audio content in CMAF-compatible formats.
• AWS Elemental MediaConvert: A cloud-based encoding service from Amazon Web Services that provides support for CMAF format conversion.

Packaging tools

• Bento4: A set of open-source tools for working with fragmented MP4 (fMP4) files, which can be used to package CMAF-compatible content.
• Shaka Packager: An open-source media packaging tool developed by Google that supports CMAF packaging along with other popular streaming formats.

Video players

• VdoCipher Custom Player: An advanced video player with customization options and watermarking features. Also, has plugins, SDKs and APIs for easy integration.
• Video.js: An open-source HTML5 video player that supports CMAF playback, making it compatible with various devices and platforms.
• Shaka Player: An open-source, JavaScript-based player developed by Google that supports CMAF playback, along with other popular streaming formats.

These CMAF streaming tools can be combined to create a complete end-to-end streaming workflow, ensuring compatibility, security, and high-quality streaming experiences for viewers.

Combining DRM with CMAF for Video Security

To safeguard copyrighted content, Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems are essential. CMAF flawlessly integrates with major DRM systems (FairPlay, and Widevine) via the Common Encryption (CENC) standard. Content providers can encrypt video streams with a single method compatible with multiple DRMs.

When implementing CMAF with DRM, content providers need to consider the following steps:

• Encrypt the content: Use an encryption tool that supports CENC to encrypt the video and audio streams.
• Generate DRM licenses: Set up a license server for each DRM system (FairPlay, Widevine) to generate and manage licenses for authorized users.
• Integrate with a video player: Use a video player that supports multi-DRM playback and can request the appropriate license from the license server based on the end user’s device and platform.

By combining CMAF with DRM systems, content providers can ensure the security of their video content while maintaining compatibility and delivering a high-quality streaming experience to their users.

Note: This implementation requires technical expertise. If you are looking for a CMAF based video hosting provider with DRM security, VdoCipher seems to be the obvious choice due to additional features.

FAQs

How does CMAF reduce latency?

CMAF uses chunked encoding and chunked transfer encoding processes to break digital content into smaller, manageable chunks with a fixed duration. These chunks can be published immediately upon encoding, allowing for near-real-time content delivery while the encoding process continues.

Is CMAF compatible with DRM (Digital Rights Management) systems?

Yes, CMAF supports major DRM systems like FairPlay, and Widevine. It aims to standardize encryption and DRM systems through Common Encryption (CENC), which simplifies content protection and ensures secure streaming.

Can CMAF be used with popular streaming protocols like HLS, DASH, and RTMP?

CMAF works seamlessly with HLS and DASH protocols, standardizing the container format for cross-protocol content delivery. But it doesn’t directly connect with RTMP, an older streaming protocol designed for Adobe Flash Player.

How does CMAF compare to WebRTC in terms of latency?

Though CMAF excels in low-latency streaming (3-5 seconds latency), WebRTC trumps it with ultra-low latency (0.5 seconds). While CMAF caters to most live streaming situations, WebRTC is the go-to for real-time communication and applications demanding minimal delay.

Vishal Sharma

My expertise focuses on DRM encryption, CDN technologies, and streamlining marketing campaigns to drive engagement and growth. At VdoCipher, I’ve significantly enhanced digital experiences and contributed to in-depth technical discussions in the eLearning, Media, and Security sectors, showcasing a commitment to innovation and excellence in the digital landscape.

The post CMAF Streaming Guide to Enhance Video Delivery and User Experience appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

What is Online Video Storage

Online video storage is a virtual approach that allows users to store videos in a remote location. By remote location we mean the videos are stored on servers in off-site locations. These servers are maintained by their-party service providers who are then responsible for the hosting, management and securing the videos stored on their servers. The video data stored on these servers is accessible via public or private internet connection.

Online video storage helps organizations and individuals to store videos in an organized and safe manner, so that they don’t have to worry about the enormous video storage space and other operational costs. It’s scalable which means you can increase or reduce the storage usage as per need.

Online Video Storage System

Using remote servers, online video storage providers save data files like videos, images etc. Users upload their videos to servers via an internet connection, which is then saved on virtual machines on a physical server. The storage providers store these video files in various data centers across the world to ease availability and provide redundancy. In times of increase in the demand of storage space, the provider will spin up more virtual storage machines to handle the increasing load. To access the videos stored online, users need a internet connection and a browser, mobile app, web portal or application programming interface (API).

Types of video storage to store video online

Public Cloud Video Storage

Public clouds are large scale cloud storage services and not owned by any end user. Examples include Amazon Web Services, Google cloud and Microsoft Azure. Nowadays, many public online video storage solutions have even started offering their services on the client’s in-premises. These are mostly big corporate organizations and firms. The pricing structure is also variable and often they offer free services upon some limitations after which you have to opt for a paid model.

Private Cloud Video Storage

Private clouds store videos in a private server dedicated to a business or end user. The server can be configured, deployed and managed within the premises (Dedicated cloud) or built by a third-party cloud service provider (Managed Private Video Cloud). In this case, the data servers of the vendor are located off-premises but run behind the business firewall.

Hybrid Cloud Video Storage

In hybrid cloud video storage, the videos are stored in a combination of public and private environments. The common example includes environments like an on-premise data center and public cloud infrastructure like Google Cloud. This video storage model is gaining popularity as it combines using on-premise servers and at the same time, takes advantage of public cloud.

Multi Cloud Video Storage

This multi cloud approach involves more than one cloud vendor, be it public or private. All hybrid clouds fall under multi clouds but not all multi clouds are hybrid. In this storage, multiple clouds are integrated in some form. The included clouds can be all private, all public or a mix of both.

On-Premise Vs. Online Video Storage

Online video storage benefits for businesses

Collaboration – Hosting your video online gives the flexibility of access to the files remotely. Multiple authorized members of your team can simultaneously access, edit and improvise the video content. Any person with requisite permissions can work remotely on these files.

Online Backup – Another advantage of using an online video storage platform is the online backup of your video files. In case your system crashes or you accidentally delete some files, you can easily retrieve them from the online storage platform.

Scalability – Scalability means handling increased workload without disrupting your current working model. As your business or video demand increases, you may run short of storage space with your current paid or free plan. An online video storage solution like VdoCipher offers scalable plans where you can anytime upgrade to the higher storage and bandwidth plan in a hassle-free way.

Security – Security of your videos is a major concern while choosing a video hosting platform. Every year, at least $29.8 billion is lost because of video piracy and illegal downloads. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, streaming contributes to nearly 80% of the piracy and affects upto 2.6 million workers in the U.S. Coupled with legal options like copyright infringement, advanced technologies like DRM security as provided by VdoCipher secure your videos from illegal downloads and piracy.

Considerations while choosing a online video storage platform

Pricing – Most businesses consider this as the major factor in making a selection. The pricing varies depending on the service provider and offered features. From free trials to paid plans, there is a range depending on your videos and business requirements.

Security – To maximize security, it is best to opt for a video storage provider offering the highest level of security like video DRM. At no point you are ready to lose revenue and brand reputation because of illegal downloads or unauthorized access. Securing your videos with DRM is the utmost requirement for businesses like elearning and media companies and individual creators looking for video protection.

Storage Limits – Make a consideration of how much storage space you need. Opt for a smaller plan if you have few videos or in the initial requirements of video storage. As the number of videos increases, upgrade to a higher plan with ample storage limits. Hence, choose a video storage solution providing flexibility as you scale and pricing as per the video storage needs.

Video Analytics – Generally, all video hosting websites give basic analytics to monitor your content. The parameters include no of visitors, conversion rates, traffic source, bounce rate, average view time and other engagement metrics. This information helps you better understand the video performance and tailor the content based on demographics.

Ease to Use – Apart from all the required features, the basic UI and functionalities of the video storage platform must be easy to understand and use. The videos should be properly organized and easily accessible from anywhere on the dashboard. The platform must not lag and give a smooth user experience.

Best Way To Store Videos Long Term

Cloud Storage – This is by far the best way to store, access and distribute your videos in a few seconds. The files are stored on the internet using a video hosting provider and accessible via the public internet or a dedicated private network connection.

• Cloud storage and backup
• Remote update and file synchronization
• Files can be encrypted
• Unlimited scalability
• Cost-effective

Local Storage – Local storage includes a variety of physical hardwares to store videos. Examples are external hard drives, flash drives and even local computers. Easy accessibility is the main reason to opt for local storage. But this holds good only to store a few videos locally or when security of your videos is not a concern.

• Quick access to videos
• Complete control over your videos
• No remote backup
• Only locally accessible
• Not useful when working in team
• Limited storage space. As the need for storage increases, so does the cost and number of devices.

Network-Accessed Storage (NAS) – An NAS device is a storage device connected to the internet that allows storage and retrieval of data from a central location for authorized network users and varied clients. As long as the NAS is connected to WiFi, videos are accessible from anywhere in the world.

• Centralized storage
• Accessible by multiple users
• Scalable
• No video security
• High bandwidth usage to store large video files
• Maintenance cost

Best Online Video Storage and Sharing Sites and Apps

Google Drive

Google Drive is one of the most used cloud storage and syncing services. It offers a good amount of storage space, integration with Google Workspace and other collaboration functionalities.

Pros

• Easy access to video files saved on the cloud
• Easy access from multiple devices
• Excellent user interface
• Better video organization and management

Cons

• You can store videos only up to 5 TB if you have purchased at least that much storage
• The maximum playback resolution is 1920 x 1080
• Individual users can only upload 750 GB each day between My Drive and all shared drives
• Security concerns

iDrive

iDrive is a cloud storage software to backup, save and retrieve your video data. Available for PCs, Macs and Mobile devices, iDrive offers an affordable and easy solution to store videos.

Pros

• Unlimited devices per account
• Real-time sync and share feature
• Cross-platform backup process
• Affordable backup system

Cons

• Slow upload and download speeds
• Slow and hard to reach customer support reported
• No unlimited plans
• No proper security measure in place

Dropbox

Dropbox is a file hosting service offering personal cloud, cloud storage and file synchronization. Designed to easily collaborate on projects, it works on Mac, Linux, iOS, Windows and Android devices.

Pros

• Offline capabilities
• Offers Dropbox Files API, and Paper API
• Seamlessly integrates with Google Suite, Microsoft Office, Slack, Adobe, Zoom, Autodesk, Canva and AWS
• Fast upload speeds

Cons

• Offers less amount of free storage (2GB)
• Costly pricing
• Interface isn’t very intuitive

pCloud

pCloud offers easy-to-use cloud storage solutions for individuals, families and businesses. You can backup videos from your device or play your personal playlists.

Pros

• Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption
• Up to 10 GB free storage
• Easily store files from other online platforms
• Automatic file upload
• User-friendly interface

Cons

• EFH and pCloud crypto come with independent subscription
• No dedicated customer support system
• No client-side encryption in the free plan

Microsoft OneDrive

Microsoft’s OneDrive offers free and paid online storage with availability from your Android device, computer (PC or Mac), and any other devices you use. With OneDrive for Business, you also get storage for your work files so you can share and collaborate on them with other people at your work.

Pros

• Close collaboration with Office
• Easy file sharing
• Files on Demand
• Secure access controls

Cons

• Synchronization limits
• Limited backup functionality
• 400 character limit on the size of file paths

Apple iCloud Drive

Apple’s online storage service, iCloud Drive is a place to keep all your files and access them from all your Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Pros

• File access across multiple devices.
• Ease integration into the whole Apple ecosystem
• Capable Windows client and web access
• Automatic sync and update across devices

Cons

• It gets harder to sync across multiple devices if you have multiple Apple IDs
• A little more pricey than the competition
• Web Interface is below par

VdoCipher – Secure Online Video Storage

VdoCipher, a secure video hosting provider with Hollywood Grade DRM Encryption protects your premium videos from video piracy and illegal downloads. Our highest level of security DRM Encryption offers Multi DRM protection to the videos, so you don’t have to worry about any unauthorized access or video sharing.

We offer multiple ways to embed videos (API, iFrame, and Script) on a website where you can monetize your video content. VdoCipher WordPress Plugin makes the whole video embedding process easy and fast and supports the most popular WordPress LMS. Apart from embedding video, there are other key security features to look for while choosing our services to secure and monetize your videos.

Features

• Google Widevine and Apple FairPlay DRM Encryption
• Dynamic Watermarking
• Domain Restrictions
• Secure offline downloads in apps
• Screen capture block in Android and iOS Native App
• Smart HTML5 Video Player with adaptive bitrate streaming, multi-lingual subtitle support, chapter segmentation via API, customizable controls, theme, and layout
• Global AWS Cloud Infrastructure
• Easy to use Dashboard to upload and edit videos, generate embed code and view the usage of bandwidth consumption
• WordPress and Moodle Plugin for quick integrations
• VdoCipher Android SDK to integrate Play Integrity to added video protection. Check out our play integrity api documentation to know more.

Online Video Storage Statistics

1. The global cloud video storage market size is expected to grow at 16.1% during 2021-2028, valued at USD 20.93 billion in 2028.
2. The growing demand for meeting platforms like Teams, Zoom has likely increased the demand for cloud video storage solutions owing to high storage demands.
3. In 2020, North America was the leading region in the global cloud services market.
4. In 2020, the global cloud storage market size was valued at $6.2 billion.
5. According to Flexera State of the Cloud Report 2021, nearly 82% of the large enterprises have already deployed hybrid cloud infrastructure.

FAQs

What is the best storage for large video files?

Cloud storage is the best way to store videos of any size. It is a secure, remote, and scalable storage solution and accessible from anywhere with an active internet connection. Additionally, there is always scope to upgrade to higher storage and bandwidth plans, making it an ideal storage solution for large video files.

How much storage does 4k video take?

A 4K video approximately takes 300-400 MB of storage per minute of footage.

How to roughly estimate bandwidth usage instead of using a video storage calculator?

For example, a 1 hour long video lecture has 400 MB size. If it is watched by one user, the bandwidth utilized is 1*400 – 400 MB. For 50 users, it will be 50*400 – 20 GB bandwidth. If 20 users, each watching 10 times, then the bandwidth used is 20*10*400 – 80 GB. Hence, bandwidth usage depends proportionally on the number of viewers and their viewing time.

Jyoti

Jyoti began her career as a software engineer in HCL with UNHCR as a client. She started evolving her technical and documentation writing skills to become a full-time Content Marketer at VdoCipher.

The post Best Online Video Storage Solutions for Video Creators appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

In this blog I present statistics about the popularity of freely available video download tools. These downloader tools enable piracy of your proprietary video content. These tools in the form of software, plugins, sites and extensions are available quite freely across the web. These tools work against non secure video streaming sites to encourage easy video downloads.

Number of users of video download piracy tools

I have included the link to sources from where I have obtained the relevant numbers for the video download tools. For sites, I have taken the estimated annual unique visits from Alexa. Details for the top 10  video downloader tools are given here. Total number of video pirates are calculated at end.

Obvious Need & Source for Secure Video Streaming

To prevent such a huge number of illegal video downloads, there is an obvious demand for highly secure video streaming. An encrypted streaming technology that can block all these downloaders and sites from accessing protected video content.

VdoCipher provides video hosting with piracy protection technology for education and media businesses to help them stream content on their site or app in a most secure and smooth manner. 

Key features include highest security from video piracy through DRM encryption and watermarking technologies, and smoothest streaming at slow connections due to optimised encoding at lower sizes. The complete package features include AWS cloud hosting, smart video player, dashboard and APIs to manage and integrate content and offline secure playback in mobile apps.

Check out all these cool features with a free 30-day trial just by signing up here. *No Card details required.

Siddhant Jain

CEO, VdoCipher. Writes about video tech, ed tech and media tech.

www.vdocipher.com/

The post How many use easy video download piracy tools? appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

With the help of low latency connections, you can broadcast music and video using the Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) from Adobe. Large amounts of audio, video, and data can be efficiently transmitted from a server to the Internet using this TCP-based network protocol. RTMP’s primary function in current live streaming setups is to transfer material from an encoder to an online video server.

In the context of its new position in live streaming, RTMP is significant, but its reach is considerably narrower than it formerly was. It is capable of low-latency streaming, a considerable advantage for broadcasters transmitting actual events in real time. Additionally, it gives minor buffering, which significantly improves the user experience. RTMP streaming is one of the finest techniques to offer streaming material with a small buffer.

RTMP technology is also used by adaptive-bitrate streaming and some web conferencing applications. Let’s explore RTMP in detail:

What is RTMP Stream?

Real Time Messaging Protocol or RTMP is used to stream multimedia data – audio and video  – between Flash Media Server and Flash Player. The chief utility of RTMP stream is in the optimization of the audio and video data transfer between the server and player. Its major use comes in Dynamic live streaming, and because of the encryption service RTMPE (which, despite of its security flaws, has a wide use). In this blog post, I expand upon –

• Use as a Streaming protocol – How RTMP evolved as a widely used real time video streaming protocol
• Differences from other streaming protocols, strengths – In what aspects it differs from newer streaming protocols such as  HLS & HDS.
• Use Cases – We also discuss certain RTMP use cases.
• RTMPE – Utility of Encrypted RTMP and the flaws in its security services.
• Flaws in Security & Streaming reliability

RTMP at a glance

Even though RTMP is officially deprecated, you can use it with certain transcoders in various broadcasting processes and circumstances. Up until the early 2010s, Flash Player and RTMP dominated the live streaming distribution landscape. RTMP is resource-intensive since it necessitates a separate streaming server. When Adobe announced that Flash would be discontinued in December 2020, it was clear that this was the end of the road. Anyone may create products and technologies to provide video, audio, and data thanks to Adobe’s release of RTMP as an open specification. With the protocol available, various novel solutions might be created without the need for Flash by using RTMP for all or a portion of the transmission process.

Key benefits of RTMP:

• You can securely transmit or display audio and video in various formats, including endless others.
• Real-time message posting or very low transmission delay
• Gives you an advantage over HTTP-enabled video streams in terms of clever search functionality. A flash player is required to enjoy this feature.
• For the delivery of packets, RTMP provides several virtual channels that operate independently of one another.

Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) may appear a relic of a bygone age, yet many platforms continue to support it for RTMP intake even if it hasn’t been used for delivery since Flash’s demise. RTMP is still essential now despite how live streaming has evolved.

Video formats supported include- H.264 (the preferred option) and VP8, as well as alternative codecs, including Screen Video v2 and AMF, SWF, FLV, and F4V.

Supported audio formats-  mp3, AAC-LC, HE-AAC, and AAC (recommended).

Is RTMP Stream Optimal for Low Latency Transmission?

RTMP stream does not use either of the 80/443 ports(HTTP/HTTPS) ports but instead uses the 1935 port. An exclusive port for video packet transmission signifies that the RTMP stream protocol is suitable for transmission of low latency content – essentially live streaming of video content, and streaming of media without buffering. However, by using this port RTMP stream becomes vulnerable to being blocked by certain corporate firewalls.

RTMP stream is theoretically optimal for low latency streaming as the RTMP pointer is always in sync with the media server at the exact point of the stream. This means that if there is a signal interruption for say 5 seconds, the flash player will not display the signal for 5 seconds, but would resume in real-time when the signal over the network resumes. The stream should therefore never lag in spite of poor network, although the quality of the video may suffer.

Adaptive Streaming through RTMP

RTMPE is suitable for live streaming as it does not download any video packets except at the time of streaming – there is no buffering of content as would occur with a progressive media player. The bitrate can be dynamically decided to optimize user experience over the available network. Dynamic streams consist of multiple single streams of the same content, all of the different quality. RTMP stream relies on dynamically adaptive content transfer to maintain video playback at periods of uneven network quality

RTMP stream is distinct from Progressive Streaming Players

Progressive media players, a category that includes popular video players Youtube, Vimeo & VdoCipher, allow video portion of the future video part to be downloaded as well. Essentially it allows for a future buffer in the player. Progressive Streaming is now a common feature across all popular video hosting services across the internet. The shifting of video metadata from the end of the media file to the front allows this possibility. Thus, before the download of the complete media file, the media player has all the information that it requires to start playback.

In progressive streaming, the media is stored in the temporary directory of the associated web browser. This is the concept on which most downloaders or download software/plugins work. They are able to fetch this data that is coming into the browser.

With RTMP there is no storage in a temporary directory, and instead of continued direct streaming between the two servers. It is conceptually live and does not have any future buffer even for recorded videos.

Encrypted RTMPE & Security

Encrypted RTMP (RTMPE) wraps the RTMP stream session in a lightweight encryption layer. Through Encrypted RTMPE, the streaming protocol provides low-level stream encryptions for high-traffic sites. RTMPE uses Anonymous Diffie-Hellman key exchange method. In this algorithm two parties – the media server and the flash player – establish a shared secret key over an insecure channel. However, the initial point of secret key sharing is unsecure. The media server cannot verify the identity of the media player. This leaves the player vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks at session initializations.

RTMPS is an RTMPE over a secure TLS/SSL connection. The underlying algorithm of RTMPE remains the same, but a secure SSL connection precludes a man-in-the-middle attack from unknown third parties. However there is still the case in which the client can grants access to a third party.  Through this user can download the stream content.  In that case the video download is easy, leaving the content provider vulnerable to the potential piracy from end-users for illegal distribution.

Security

As explained, RTMP stream never has a block of data, only a pointer to the current live data. Owing to this no local storage of data RTMPE occurs. RTMPE can therefore, with an additional layer of security, be a means for video transmission locally. As discussed, RTMPE was quite different from other streaming players in concept of its streaming protocol. Thus, not many downloaders or plugins are built to grab it. Thus, it has a certain level of protection sometimes pitched with it.

RTMPDump to Download RTMP Videos

RTMP dump is an RTMP toolkit to connect to Flash Media servers just like normal flash players. It stores the data from the RTMP connection, sometimes used to capture the stream from the server. This allows local saving of the video file. This opens a means by which TV shows and videos on demand being streamed via this can be downloaded to cause piracy.

RTMP Stream and Content Delivery Networks(CDN)

RTMP also requires direct constant connection with a Flash Media Server throughout the period of playback, as there is no local storage. Every flash client has to maintain state with the media server all the time.  This results in higher CDN cost.

Currently, CDNs have started to phase out RTMP. Although CDNs Akamai and Amazon Cloudfront have committed to supporting its streaming, they accept that usage traffic has declined considerably over the previous years. Limelight supports RTMP for video ingestion from content provider to CDN server, which routs to the video user through HTTP.

How does RTMP work?

RTMP relies on three essential components to function:

1. Handshake

1. Connection

1. Stream

Adobe no longer supports the RTMP protocol complicates a relatively straightforward task.

RTMP is mainly used in professional broadcast contexts nowadays.

Here is a concise explanation of the RTMP process.

Step 1: The Handshake

The client and server engage in brief interactions during the handshake phase. Initially, the client transmits what is typically known as a header. Essentially, this is a cryptographic signature. Immediately after the transmission of the title, the client transmits 1536 bytes of random data.

Step 2: The Connection

As soon as the handshake is complete, the connection phase begins. The connection step includes an AMF (Action Message Format)-encoded data exchange. This defines a standard for communication between the client and server, including broad criteria for video playback, frame size, and bandwidth.

Step 3: The Stream

After establishing the connection and communication protocols, the stream is begun. This phase permits the execution of critical user instructions such as play and pause.

RTMP protocol variations

There are several variants of RTMP, the most common of which is RTMP itself, as well as RTMPS, RTMPE, RTMPT, and RTMFP. Within live streaming, each video protocol is used for somewhat distinct goals, which contrast with one another.

Let’s look at the streaming protocol’s specific benefits of each of these different variants.

1. RTMP

RTMP proper is the version of the RTMP protocol that has been around the longest. This is the streaming format created by Macromedia, which Adobe eventually acquired. It served as the basis for the other standards included on this list.

2. RTMPS

SSL certification is used to produce a more secure stream when RTMPS streaming is being used. 

3. RTMPE

Macromedia was the company that first invented RTMPE, which was a different, more secure way of streaming video. In 2022, it will have just a marginal user base. Still, it does not take advantage of SSL security certification (which remains one of the predominant standards for securing data and content over the internet).

4. RTMPT

Video is being tunneled using RTMPT’s streaming service. Tunneling is a method for transmitting confidential information via public networks. Even though this may be helpful in some circumstances, it is well recognized to add additional delay to the process or workflow.

5. RTMFP

Real-Time Media Flow Protocol, often known as RTMFP, is an RTMP variant constructed using UDP rather than TCP. This technology is the foundation for a wide variety of video conferencing solutions and social networking applications that include video live stream chat capabilities.

RTMP encoding

As previously mentioned, RTMP technology is often utilized to send video material from a live stream encoder to a streaming platform. To stream in this protocol using an RTMP-based configuration, an RTMP encoder is necessary.

Which Encoders Support RTMP?

Broadcasters have alternatives to software and hardware encoders for RTMP encoding. 

Let’s explore some of the most popular RTMP encoder options:

• OBS Studio:

OBS Studio is a free, open-source encoding software application for novice broadcasters. If you want know more about how to use obs studio, you can check the blog linked.

• Wirecast:

Telestream’s Wirecast is a popular software encoder. This software’s starting price of $599 makes it more suitable for advanced broadcasters.

• VidBlaster:

VidBlaster is a live streaming software application with editing, mixing, and encoding options. It is an excellent alternative for broadcasters seeking to add a professional touch to their programs. The software costs $9 per year, to begin with.

• vMix:

VMix is another live streaming software package with encoding features and pricing levels to accommodate any budget. Currently, plans vary from zero dollars to $1,200 for a lifetime license.

• TriCaster:

NewTek’s TriCaster is a set of encoding devices. This series contains both portable and fixed choices.

• Teradek:

Teradek is a hardware manufacturer that provides a variety of encoding devices.

RTMP Apps for iPhone

In addition to the tools mentioned above, iOS applications enable RTMP streaming from an iPhone. These applications are developed for mobile live streaming.

Here are some of the top iOS and RTMP-compatible live streaming applications:

• Larix Broadcaster
• Twitch. tv
• nano stream
• Wirecast Go
• Airmix Solo
• Broadcast Me
• LinkedIn Live

Although it is feasible to stream from an iPhone, professional-grade equipment is preferred for streaming. Nonetheless, an iPhone or iPad would do if you are streaming on-site and do not have mobile live streaming equipment.

HLS and DASH as an alternative for RTMP

We have sufficient knowledge of the RTMP streaming protocol. Examine protocols that may serve as alternatives to RTMP.

HLS

HLS is one of the most used protocols for streaming media. Like HTTP, it can send on-demand video data, but it also excels at live streaming. HLS was created by Apple and was first exclusive to iOS, but now it is compatible with the time of end devices and browsers. The primary benefit of HLS is the clear separation of video data. HLS employs a protocol already supported by most end devices and is thus compatible with many devices. 

Due to the transfer of individual data packets, users may modify the stream quality without interrupting or refreshing the stream. HLS makes it feasible to load the following data segment at a lower bit rate if a user has a momentary Internet connection time. Hence, you can avoid buffering of a stream by momentarily delivering a stream with lesser quality. This method is known as Adaptive Bitrate Streaming.

DASH

DASH is a streaming protocol that segments data similarly to HLS. It has the benefit of dividing video files into significantly smaller chunks than HLS does. This enables the broadcast stream to respond to changes on the client side and transition between various speeds more rapidly. While HLS segments are around 10 seconds long, DASH segments are just 2 to 4 seconds long, providing significantly more flexibility. 

DASH, unlike HLS, is a standard protocol; however, not all end devices support it. iOS-based devices are incompatible with DASH streaming. DASH may be incompatible with other devices since it is not inherently compatible with HTML5. Despite this, DASH is a popular and commonly used streaming protocol, particularly for live broadcasts owing to its efficient and adaptable functioning.

The Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) is essential in various live streaming activities. It is necessary to remember that RTMP is not extinct; instead, it only serves in more supporting capacities than it did in the past. This is something to keep in mind.

Alternative to RTMP – High Secure & Smoother Streaming

As seen above, it has primary two problems –
1. Poor streaming due to no future buffer and constant server to player connections.
2. Downloadable through RTMPdump compromises security from piracy.

VdoCipher offers Google Widevine DRM encryption + Apple Fairplay DRM encryption, viewer specific watermarking, and backend authentication. This ensures the highest security from any downloader or plugin looking to hack content. The OTP given to the specific viewer is authenticated at the backend, precluding access from anyone except the intended video user.

VdoCipher has a progressive buffer-conserving player. On seeking the video to past or future timeline, the buffer remains conserved, thereby demanding lower bandwidth. Our html5 video player is optimized for serving at both low and high bandwidth – VdoCipher serves viewers in tier II and tier III cities in India, we also have major clients across Africa. Our streaming has been highly effective even at lower connection speeds.

For a full version 5 GB free trial , please visit VdoCipher.

Ref – 1

Signup for Free 30 Day Trial

Siddhant Jain

CEO, VdoCipher. Writes about video tech, ed tech and media tech.

www.vdocipher.com/

The post RTMP Streaming: How does Real Time Messaging Protocol Streaming work? appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

The main encrypted video streaming protocols in use by most other streaming providers are:

1. HTTP Live Streaming – HLS Encryption with AES-128
2. AES 128 Encryption & Sample AES 128 Encryption.
3. Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) and RTMP Encrypted (RTMPE)

HLS encryption, with AES-128 bit encrypted streaming, is widely marketed as a secure video encryption streaming protocol used for video protection. Indeed, certain security features have been built into these streaming protocols. However, by themselves, HLS Encrypted, DASH, and RTMPE are not sufficient to protect your content. Their security flaws lie in:

• Partial video encryption of streaming content
• Open key exchange mechanism for decryption

Why Only Video Encryption is not good enough?

The video encryption that these protocols offer is not foolproof.

Suppose, you have bought a state-of-the-art lock for your home. One that even the most masterful locksmiths cannot breakthrough. But then, well, you leave your key under the door-mat. Does your state-of-the-art lock still ensure state-of-the-art security for your home?

Many tools are widely available that exploit security vulnerabilities in encrypted streaming protocols. Tools such as IDM, Video Download Helper, and RTPMDump can even download content that has been encrypted, opening the gates for pirates to download and share your content. These tools bypass the video encryption by finding out the key to access the video, without bothering about the video encryption itself.

Although widely used, these streaming protocols are not the only streaming protocols that can be used. VdoCipher uses a modified version of the existing streaming protocols to increase video security, and minimize bandwidth usage.

How VdoCipher’s DRM Based Video Encryption Protects Your Content?

Here we explain how VdoCipher’s Encrypted Video Streaming works, and how our DRM encrypted video streaming technology is hackproof. We explain the complete workflow that our video DRM uses. Steps 5 and 6 of the video streaming workflow are the key differentiators that set us apart from the competition.

B2C or B2B marketplaces also often require features over and beyond video security. VdoCipher fulfills all major requirements for secure video hosting. The complete set of features that VdoCipher offers for enterprise video hosting may be found here.

1. Upload – The video content is uploaded by the registered customer through Desktop, FTP, DropBox, directly from the server, and direct from URL. VdoCipher supports all typical video formats.
2. Transcoding for Protected Streaming – At VdoCipher, we encrypt videos with DRM encryption protocol & multiple bitrates.  Each device (Android, IOS, Desktop) has its own encrypted version of the file. It is in this format that the encrypted streaming takes place in. After the user uploads the video, VdoCipher converts content into an encrypted format. The video is transcoded for optimization at multiple bitrates so that viewers on networks of any quality can conveniently view videos.
3. Storage of Encrypted Content – The videos are stored securely on Amazon’s AWS S3 servers using our own server-side video encryption technology, creating a double layer of protection.
4. DRM Encrypted Video Transfer – Differentiator – Now the encrypted content has to be streamed to the final viewer interface, be it app or browser. Unlike many other media streaming service protocols, there are two key differences: Firstly, the entire stream (not partial) is encrypted using a non-public key whose exchange mechanism is hidden (Via Google Widevine DRM & Apple Fairplay DRM for all platforms). Others like RTMP does it partially and not fully secure. Secondly, the transfer of this encrypted content is not through direct access to the video file. There is a one time URL that is generated and the content is transferred in different chunks to optimize streaming.
5. Licensing & Authentication – Differentiator – If the video has a direct video URL that can be shared, then the encrypted video streaming has completely ineffective security. This is because there can be multiple browser playback of the same video, and therefore the video can be easily downloaded. Our key service differentiator is that we have One Time generated dynamic video URLs. These URLs are accessed only through custom video embed codes, allowing licensing duration for each single video stream. This prevents any URL based sharing.
6. Decryption & Playback – Differentiator – Finally, the encrypted stream content is decrypted inside the player with a dynamic key. Our DRM based key transfer protocol is fundamentally different from the public key transfer protocol in cases of HLS, HTTPS, and RTMPE Encrypted Streaming Protocols. A private key transfer between the website and our API signifies that it is not possible for hackers to decrypt our streams. The One Time video encryption that we use is theoretically and practically hack-proof. We regularly update our authentication mechanism to keep the security features up to date. Video licensing and playback are combined to generate customizable viewer specific watermarks. Within the watermark offering, IP address, Email ID  and User ID can be shown as a light transparent watermark, to identify a playback session by the viewer.
7. Result – Progressive High Secure Adaptive Video Streaming – Through this 6-step Video Hosting, DRM based Video Encryption, and Streaming process, VdoCipher is able to provide a progressive high-security video streaming with future buffer possible. This is also different from RTMP which does not maintain any buffer and can be quite erratic as a result.  Also, once a part of a video is buffered it remains conserved, even when the viewer seeks back or forth. This ensures the fastest loading times and minimal bandwidth usage for secure video streaming.

What Is Video Encryption?

Video encryption is the process of encoding your video so that it can not be accessed by anyone without the encryption key. This stops any unwanted view or even download of the video. This puts a stop to any unwanted view or even download of your videos. 

The videos are encrypted with the help of encoding software and hardware to protect the video content. When a user tries to access the encrypted video. Pirates will get an encrypted file playing via an online video player on their website or app. 

What Is DRM Video Encryption?

Video encryption does a pretty good job to secure videos. Breaking encryption just by brute force might take ages to get access to the video. But there’s a catch even to it, as I mentioned in the beginning, all this encryption would mean nothing if a pirate can easily get access to the encryption key.

This is where DRM comes in, DRM protects the encryption key so that it can not be easily accessed by a malicious user. So, DRM video encryption not only helps in encrypting the video but also protects the encryption key so that a pirate can not access the video via any hack.

Detailed explanation on all VdoCipher security features (DRM encryption, url authentication, dynamic watermarking, screen capture prevention for certain device/browsers, Geo restriction). It is a lengthy video (28 min), but we bet that you won’t have any questions unanswered on video protection after watching this.

Also, feel free to check out our video encryption software, all you need to do is signup and upload your video. We take care of the encryption part, all you need to do is just embed your video on the page and voila, it’s done.

Siddhant Jain

CEO, VdoCipher. Writes about video tech, ed tech and media tech.

www.vdocipher.com/

The post Encrypted Video Streaming: Standard Technologies & VdoCipher Compared appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

Siddhant Jain

CEO, VdoCipher. Writes about video tech, ed tech and media tech.

www.vdocipher.com/

The post VdoCipher package workflow and demo: Upload & Embed tutorial appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

Vimeo and YouTube have a free offering to help consumers and businesses host videos on either their own platform or on Vimeo/ YouTube directly. Still, many times businesses tend to choose options other than Vimeo and YouTube to better fulfill their requirements and make large revenues. Also, many mid-size video creators are looking forward to get additional features like DRM within the Vimeo pricing range.

7 Reasons to choose VdoCipher instead of YouTube or Vimeo?

1. Secure Video Streaming

   Viewers can easily download videos from Vimeo and from YouTube,  using so many free tools, downloaders, plugins and hacks. VdoCipher encrypted video streaming ensures 100% download protection from piracy.

2. Customers & Testimonials Ease of Video Management

   Vimeo and YouTube do not provide detailed aspects related to custom Video deletion, ID management, upload from server, FTP, URL, Dropbox or Tag-based video management. VdoCipher offers all these features through APIs and GUIs.

3. Custom Bitrates , Custom player themes & controls

   Vdocipher unlike others allows you to set custom multiple bitrates, using a full enterprise level encoder for all devices. The Vdocipher player can be modified by developers to change controls, add call to actions, change color and fully provide the desired look and interaction.

4. Enterprise level variety of APIs

   Sometimes, as part of your video hosting requirements you may require your customers to upload to a mid way portal and to manage streaming. Upload, embed, tagging, watermarking, security, user based authentication, licensing, lot of things need to be managed in an API workflow. VdoCipher is far ahead as Vimeo alternative or YouTube alternative in API offerings.

5. Analytics

   Data for details of video playback, seek, pause, viewer variety, demographics, is what enterprises are looking through GUI and APIs. VdoCipher again one step ahead in fulfilling analytics requirement than its competitors.

6. Specific solutions for education & media

   VdoCipher is inherently built for businesses. Due to vast experience of providing full packaged solutions to online education and media customers, the understanding and implementation is quick and revenue effective.

7. Great Support

Email, phone, site chat , 24*7 availability for emergency cases, is what VdoCipher strives for. Customers look to vdocipher for an awesome support and is thus far more reliable then its free competitors like vimeo & youtube. We did a comprehensive comparison of Youtube vs Vimeo vs Wistia, find out how these big platforms compare with each other.

Using Vdocipher you can build your own video platform like youtube.

Hear our customers saying few good things about us at – Customers & Testimonials

Forget YouTube, For Free full version 5 GB secure video streaming VdoCipher trial,  please register at – www.vdocipher.com

All these things, VdoCipher handles for you. Launch Today.

Siddhant Jain

CEO, VdoCipher. Writes about video tech, ed tech and media tech.

www.vdocipher.com/

The post Business Video Alternative to Vimeo and YouTube appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

Siddhant Jain

CEO, VdoCipher. Writes about video tech, ed tech and media tech.

www.vdocipher.com/

The post VdoCipher shifted to HTML5 Widevine DRM in 2018 appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

It is a full packaged video streaming, hosting, Encoding+DRM service offered in easy to use manner.

This post presents an overview on various practices adopted by VdoCipher to deliver secure video streaming for its clients. For e-learning and media companies hosting streaming videos on their sites, having a secure video player on the site is the primary requirement. For better user experience, forcing the viewer to install some plugin is also not preferable.  VdoCipher ensures that its customers can use secure video streaming without deteriorating the viewer experience.

The encryption and authentication technology is built in with the VdoCipher player.

Secure video streaming technology

Dynamic watermarking the videos with viewer detail further enhances security from screen capture. It discourages distribution of content captured using external cameras.

Encryption, authentication and  dynamic water marking are thus the tools by VdoCipher for secure video hosting.

You can also limit access to certain IP addresses and Geographical locations using the whitelisting features.

A light weight video player which allows buffer retention ensures a smooth streaming experience for the viewer. Buffer retention here means , that as the viewer seeks back and forth on the video player, the buffer remains conserved. This ensures minimal bandwidth usage and a smooth streaming experience for  viewers with slow internet speeds.

A note on secure video hosting – As already mentioned, encryption, watermarking & licensing are the key features that prevent illegal access of streaming videos. Coming to the hosting part of videos in secure fashion, VdoCipher stores videos in a proprietaryy format on its owned AWS(Amazon) + Akamai servers. These are internationally the largest server + CDN companies catering about almost all the media content in the world. The direct access to the servers for any piracy or hack attempt is impossible owing to strict hosting security standards maintained by these server companies. The fact that the one time url for the secure hosted video is a link to the raw encrypted file with no access to its decryption key, it makes even the rare access of the encrypted video useless.

Integration with secure video player

Integration of VdoCipher with any website is quick with embed codes provided through easy to use APIs. For websites built with services like wordpress and joomla , VdoCipher has ready to use plugins. Features which are supported along with secure video streaming are- video analytics, bulk upload through computer, dropbox or shared url, custom video player design, pay per use pricing and live customer support.

So, how to start using this secure video streaming with VdoCipher ?

To start with a free full version 5 GB trial of VdoCipher – you just need to signup with a mail id. No credit card , no details , no time limit, just signup and you are ready to sell videos online.

  Signup for free trial

If you have any queries, team VdoCipher is here to help you. Please send your queries and specific requirements to the contact link located here.

Siddhant Jain

CEO, VdoCipher. Writes about video tech, ed tech and media tech.

www.vdocipher.com/

The post Secure video streaming and hosting: Advances in technology appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.