1-Day Sawmill Professional Training

Posted by Derrick on September 3, 2009 under Video Streaming and Compression | 2 Comments to Read

Class Summary: This Sawmill Professional training is designed to teach you how to take advantage of one of the best tools for analyzing log files.  With this tool you can analyze log files from Streaming Servers, Web Server, Apache Servers, Firewalls, FTP servers and many other devices. You’ll learn great tips for unlocking all the great features of Sawmill Professional by turning hard-to-read logs into easy-to-read tables. Our Certified Instructor will teach you how to process your log files. Learn how to resolve domain names, create custom reports, filter out unimportant database fields and gather data from specific cities and states. This training will also teach you other invaluable topics on log file analysis . When providing streaming videos on-line it’s important to be able to justify the need for streaming services to CEOs, Supervisors, Marketing Managers, TV Station Managers and other Professionals. Sawmill Professional helps you do that by providing detailed information about viewers, bandwidth usage, errors, most popular viewing days and many other items.  This class is available In-class, On-site and On-line.  Contact us at 407.477.5837 or E-mail us at info@freemancompression.com for more details about this training class.

In this training students will also learn:

• How to Create Customized Reports
• How to Resolve Domain Names
• How to View Session Paths
• Where to Locate Web Server and Streaming Server Log Files
• How to Analyze Web Server and Streaming Server Log files
• How to Analyze Apache Server, Firewall and FTP Server Log files
• How to Use Filters for Remove Unwanted Data in a Report
• How to Process Specific Time periods

Featured Software for Class

Class Overview

1. Sawmill Set-up

This portion of the class will walk students through the process of setting up Sawmill Professional. Students will learn how to set up Profiles for various log types. You’ll learn how to add additional users, specify the folders where your log files are located and how to add DNS information to resolve Domain Names. This portion on the class will also teach you how to add a customized name for a report.

2. Interface Overview

Get a feel for the Sawmill landscape as you learn where the most important interface items are located. This training module unlocks details about all the key areas that you’ll use in building your reports. You’ll learn about items such as: View Reports,View Config, Users, More Options, Log Filters, Admin, Database Info and other items.

3. Locating Web Server and Streaming Server Log Files

Before you can analyze your log files you have to first be able to find them. In this training you’ll learn where to find log files for a Web Server, Windows Media Streaming Server, Quicktime streaming Server and Wowza Flash Streaming Server.

4. Processing Web Server Logs

During this training you’ll learn how to set up your profile for performing log file analysis of Web Server log files. In addition to learning how to process files from a web server you’ll also learn about the available database fields that can be found when processing web server logs.

5. Processing Streaming Server Logs

You’ll learn how to set up your profile for performing log file analysis of Streaming Server log files. In addition to learning how to process files from a streaming server you’ll also learn about the available database fields that can be found when processing streaming server logs. You’ll also learn about the differences in information found on a web servers and streaming servers.

6. Processing Apache Server Logs

Sawmill Professional is great for processing Apache Server log files. Learn how to create reports that contain Hits, Pageviews, Spiders, Worms, Errors and other data. You can also gather information on the Web Browsers and Operating Systems your viewers use. This class will teach you how to gather information about Authenticated Users, Search Engines, Referrers, Broken Links and Server Responses.

7. Processing Firewall Logs

This portion of the training will teach you how to create reports using your Firewall log files. You’ll learn how to gather important information about who is attempting to connect to your server. In the class, we’ll create reports that provide information on Source IP Addresses, Destination IP Addresses, Source Ports, Destination Ports, and Session details.

8. Processing FTP Server Logs

In this training module, our Certified Instructor will show you how to create detailed reports for activity occurring on your FTP server. Your report will include details on User Names, File Types, Client IPs, Sessions, and Errors. These reports are great for making sure only authorized users are connecting and downloading files.

9. Resolving Domain Names

In your reports under Client IPs with the default settings, your IP Addresses will be displayed in tables only as numbers unless you resolve the Domain Names. You’ll learn where to add you DNS information so that when you create you reports you can see the Domain that viewers are coming from. This is an extremely valuable feature of Sawmill Professional.

10. Utilizing Filters

It’s great to take advantage of using filters in Sawmill Professional. With filters you can choose not to include certain database fields and items in your report. For example, if you don’t want to include a certain Domain Name or IP Address in your report you can make sure the information doesn’t get included by using a filter. In this part of the class you learn about all the great tasks you perform by applying filters.

11. Creating Customized Reports

If you have specific information that you would like to get out of your report on a regular basis, you can create a Customized Report. You can name the report and only include those items that you’re interested in. You can even take your Customized Reporting to a whole new level by adding a Menu Item name on the left hand sidebar. This is an amazing feature and our 1-Day Sawmill Professional training class will teach attendees how.

12. Understanding Session Paths

Viewing Session Paths is one of the coolest features of Sawmill Professional. This is a very important feature that Marketing departments might be interested in. Learn how to view session paths in this training module. What’s unique about viewing Session Paths is that you can see which videos users are viewing and then see where they go after viewing one particular video. This is helpful because you can see the activity of your  streaming viewers after they view certain videos.

13. Getting City, State and Country Demographics

Users can process web server and streaming server log files right down to the City to get the information they need. If you have specific cities that you want to target with a streaming media campaign, you can see if your videos are being viewed by individuals in those particular cities. Let this class show you how to get statistics on cities as well as states and countries.

Sawmill Professional can also process Microsoft Exchange Server, McAfee, Cisco, Coldfusion, Interscan, NetGear, Novell, Oracle, Symantec, Watchguard, and Windows Event logs. In total the application supports 819 log formats.

Give us a call about signing up to attend one of our Sawmill Professional Trainings.  Call Freeman Compression Inc. at 407.477.5837 for more information or E-mail us at info@freemancompression.com.  Individuals from any country can attend our On-line training classes.

Episode Pro Training

Posted by Derrick on July 12, 2009 under Video Streaming and Compression | Be the First to Comment

Class Summary: Learn how to compress videos in this 1-Day Episode Pro training to formats like QuickTime, Real Media, Flash, Windows Media and H.264. As one of the best applications for craft encoding, Episode Pro 5 gives users the power to make a wide number of adjustments and changes to compression settings, filters and many other settings.  With Episode Pro users have total control over the adjustments that they would like to make for their encoding jobs.  This one day class gives users hands-on tips and tricks for utilizing this video compression tool. Students will learn how to encode to all the popular video formats for Web Server and Streaming Server delivery.  In addition attendees will learn how to encode to 25 Mbps and higher MPEG-2 files, how to encode Multiple Bit Rate Real Media video files, and how to add and adjust filters. Our Episode Pro Training class is available On-site or On-line. Contact us for more details.

Episode Pro training class schedule

In this training students will also learn:

• How to encode to QuickTime, RealMedia, Flash, Windows Media and H.264 formats
• How to encode Real-time and Downloadable streaming videos
• How to set-up Filters for Encoding Projects
• The process for encoding multiple videos using Watch Folders
• How to choose the proper codec for your output format
• How to compress videos for Video iPods, iPhones and Video Podcasts
• How to encode Multi Bit Rate Windows Media Files
• How to add watermarks when encoding
• The process for including bumpers and trailers on video output files

Featured Software for Class

Episode Pro 5 with Flash 8 encoder

Class Overview

1. Interface Overview

Your instructor will show you the different features of the interface to get you familiar with the application quickly. This part of the class will cover Bookmarks, Compression Settings, the Job Batch, the Settings Editor, and the various Tabs within the Compression Settings. This part of the training will also cover the Source and Preview windows along with how to choose a custom output location for your encodes.

2. Encoding Downloadable Streaming Videos

You will encode videos for downloadable streaming in formats such as: QuickTime, H.264, Windows Media, Real Media and Flash. This part of the class will teach you how to get the quality you desire for your downloading streaming videos.  Learn how to adjust the various Compression Settings for your desired format and how to choose the proper codec in Episode Pro 5. You’ll also learn how to take a default compression preset and customize it for better quality.

3. Encoding Real-time Streaming Videos

Learn how to encode real-time streaming videos for streaming server delivery to QuickTime, H.264, Windows Media, Real Media and Flash file formats. Also learn about hinting and how to deliver real-time QuickTime and H.264 files for a QuickTime Streaming Server, Flash Streaming Server or Helix Universal streaming Server.  You’ll learn what you will need to consider when compressing your videos for Streaming Servers such as: bandwidth considerations, target audiences, frame size, frames per second and other items.

4. Compression for Video iPods, Video Podcasts and Audio Podcasts

Students will learn how to compress video content for Video iPods, iPhones, Video Podcasts and Audio Podcasts using Episode Pro 5. Participants will learn how to adjust their compression settings to get high quality results. The instructor will also show you how to get encoded videos onto the video iPod and how to display them onto your TV. This class will teach you the best codec to use for compressing your videos for Video iPods, Video Podcasts, iPhones and Audio Podcasts with Episode Pro 5.

5. Compression Settings

This portion of the class will cover the details of adjusting the many compression presets. Learn how to set parameters such as: Data rate, Sample Size, Sample Rate, Encoding Method, Frame Size, Frame Rate, Frames Per Second, Profile, Key Frame Every.  Also learn which codecs to use with your desired output format.

6. Adding and Adjusting Filters

You will learn how to add and adjust filters for your compression presets. Learn how to add and adjust Deinterlace, Noise Reduction, Contrast, Fade, Smoothing, Burn Timecode and Watermark filters along with many others.

7. Encoding 25 Mbps and higher MPEG-2 files

Many video editors need to create high bit rate MPEG-2 files for services such as DGFastchannel. Episode Pro is the perfect encoding tool for this. Learn how to create an encoding preset that will allow you to encode 25 Mbps or 50 Mbps MPEG-2 files with Episode Pro 5.

8. Creating Multiple Bit Rate Windows Media and Real Media files

Students will learn how to create multiple bit rate Windows Media files for playback on a Windows Media Streaming Server or a Helix Universal Server.  Class attendees will also learn how to encode Real Media files for a a Helix Universal Server.  With the MBR files the player will automatically detect the best data rate to use for the end user based on their Internet Connection.

Give us a call about signing up to attend one of our Episode Encoder Pro Trainings in Orlando or On-line.  Call Freeman Compression Inc. at 407.477.5837 for more information or E-mail us at info@freemancompression.com.  Contact us about training times for your country if you are an international student.

Video Streaming and Compression Training Sessions for Churches

Posted by Derrick on June 29, 2009 under Video Streaming and Compression | Be the First to Comment

Freeman Compression Inc.  is hosting five Video Streaming and Compression training sessions for Churches.  The sessions include: An Overview of Video Streaming and Compression, Improving Video Compression Workflows with Sorenson Squeeze, Sawmill Professional: Analyzing Your Web Server and Streaming Server Log Files, An Overview of Live Streaming, and Audio Podcasting and Video Podcasting.  Contact us at 407.477.5837 or E-mail us at info@freemancompression.com for more details about having these training sessions at your Church.

An Overview of Video Streaming and Compression – 2 hours

Training Session Summary: This session is designed to give Pastors and Church technical staff a better understanding of Video Streaming, Video Compression, Live Streaming, Web/Streaming Server Analytics and Podcasting.  The session will provide a good overview of how Churches can take advantage of delivering videos for Downloadable Streaming, Real-time Streaming,  Live Streaming and Podcasting.  This two hour session is great for those that aren’t familiar with streaming and compression.  The training will also give a good understanding and the cost to move forward with streaming and compression projects. The presenter will show various streaming and encoding tools during the presentation to give staff a better understanding of what’s available.  There will also be more details on the cost of the various streaming and compression tools.

In this training session attendees will also learn about the following:

• 2-pass CBR
• 2-pass VBR
• 1-Pass CBR
• 1-Pass VBR
• Audio and Video CODECS
• Streaming Formats
• Pros and cons of Downloadable Streaming
• Pros and con of Real-Time Streaming

Improving Video Compression Workflows with Sorenson Squeeze – 2 hours

Training Session Summary: Sorenson Squeeze is a powerful tool for encoding and the application holds many untapped secrets that many users aren’t aware of.  This session will show attendees how to improve their video compression workflows with Squeeze.  Learn how to utilize features such as:  Capture, Video Trimming, Output to FTP, Output to Local, Multiple Video Creation from Source Files, One-off DVD creation, and Watch Folder Encoding.  You’ll learn time-saving tasks to help you get your encoding projects done quicker.  During this 2 hour training session you’ll also learn how to encode Downloadable Streaming and Real-Time Streaming videos in various media formats.  Formats such as Windows Media, H.264, and Flash Video will be covered in this training session.  Users will learn how to encode SD and HD Sources for Web Server and Streaming Server Delivery.

Sawmill Professional: Analyzing Your Web Server and Streaming Server Log Files – 1 hour

Training Session Summary: Sawmill Professional is a superior log file analysis tool that helps you gather statistics about your viewers.  This session is designed to teach you about log file analysis and how to take advantage of Sawmill Professional for analyzing your log files. With this tool you can analyze log files from Streaming Servers, Web Servers and many other devices. Learn how to resolve domain names, create custom reports, use filters, and gather data from specific cities and states. When providing on-line streaming content it’s important to be able to prove that viewers are watching and this training module help you do it.

In this training sessions attendees will also learn about the following:

• Creating Profiles
• Single Page Summary Reports
• Videos Viewed Reports
• Gathering IP addresses of Viewers
• Error Reports
• How to Create Customized Reports
• How to Resolve Domain Names
• How to View Session Paths
• Where to Locate Web Server and Streaming Server Log Files
• How to process log files

An Overview of Live Streaming (Featuring Telestream’s Wirecast) – 1 hour

Training Session Summary: If you need to get familiar with Live Streaming this training session is for you. Learn how your Church can take advantage of Live Streaming using Telestream’s Wirecast tool.  The instructor will walk you through the Live Streaming set-up process with Wirecast.  Wirecast is available on the Mac and PC platforms and comes with a host of features to improve your Live Streaming broadcast.  If you need to switch between sources, include lower third graphics or need to display a presentation during your Live Broadcast, then Wirecast is the tool to use.  Learn how to utilize these items in this training session.

Audio Podcasting and Video Podcasting (Featuring Telestream’s Episode) Set-up – 2 hours

Training Session Summary: This session is great for those planning to create an Audio Podcast or a Video Podcast.  This two hour session will be very hands-on and Instructor Derrick Freeman will walk attendees through the Audio Podcast and Video Podcast Set-up.  You’ll also learn how to encode your audio and video files for your Podcast using Telestream’s Episode in this training module.  Additionally attendees will learn why their Church should create a Podcast and what the many benefits are.

If you would like to host the Video Streaming and Compression training sessions for Churches at your Church contact Freeman Compression Inc. at 407-477-5837 or E-mail us at info@freemancompression.com.

Performing Log file analysis with Sawmill

Posted by Derrick on May 26, 2009 under Video Streaming and Compression | Be the First to Comment

Consider performing log file analysis with Sawmill. If you have some log files that you need to analyze, Sawmill is an excellent tool for this purpose. The log analysis tool can process almost any log on the planet. What’s also nice is you can customize reports, use macros, apply filters and zoom in to analyze data even more. With Sawmill you can resolve domain names, create users, assign user roles and perform a host of other task. A feature I think is very cool is the ability to create users accounts and assign them a Statistics Visitor role. This means you can have the user log-in from anywhere with Internet access to view stats without having access to Administrative settings. There are many more features found in this tool. You should at least download a 30 day trial of Sawmill. Get some Firewall, Web Server, Streaming Server, System, or FTP logs and analyze them with this tool.