Posted by Derrick on December 28, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression | 
Auto Live feature is available in Wirecast for Live Streaming. For those that have much to do during a Webcast this works well. Every source that you click on will automatically be taken live in your Program window. If you’d rather have more control over when sources go Live then make sure you disable the Auto Live check box.
Give us a call about signing up to attend one of our Wirecast 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. Individuals from any country can attend our On-line training classes.
Posted by Derrick on June 12, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression |
Inlet Technologies, the leader in innovative solutions for digital media preparation, announced today that Qumu, Inc., a proven innovator in streaming media solutions for the enterprise, has integrated control and management of Inlet’s SpinnakerTM into Qumu’s Video Control Center 5.3. As a result, video webcast producers and IT departments can now control Spinnaker real-time video streaming appliances directly from the Qumu Video Control Center.
The Qumu Video Control Center (VCC) 5.3 is the most recent upgrade to its comprehensive enterprise video management solution. The Video Control Center simplifies the enterprise video webcast process, and centralizes content creation, management and distribution. The central control enables organizations to produce and deliver scalable live events, video on-demand (VOD), and control for all video applications, content and resources. VCC 5.3 integrates industry-leading enhancements, including encoders, editing tools, streaming servers, Content Delivery Networks, portals, and video conferencing systems.
Qumu chose Inlet Technologies’ Spinnaker to give organizations greater flexibility and more options for real-time programming. Spinnaker is Inlet Technologies’ family of award-winning streaming appliances for live video and audio delivery applications, and provides exceptional quality and professional, reliable results in an affordable, simple solution. Spinnaker provides multiple formats in one box, and can prepare content for delivery to a wide audience through the latest platforms, devices, and screens. In addition to standard formats, Spinnaker has built-in support for adaptive bitrate streaming, including iPhoneTM and iPadTM streaming, Microsoft IIS Smooth Streaming, and Adobe HTTP Dynamic Streaming. Spinnaker also supports streaming to a wide range of feature phones and smartphones.
“According to industry researchers, Gartner and IDC, Fortune 1000 organizations want to expand their use and delivery of streaming video throughout their organizations, in order to continue to reduce costs, engage audiences and increase revenues. These organizations demand cutting-edge technology that will allow them to reliably and seamlessly stream live events” said Scott Safe, Qumu, Inc. vice president of product strategy and marketing. “Now the Qumu Video Control Center with Inlet Spinnaker real-time appliances gives enterprise webcast producers the power to effortlessly control and deliver video through multiple platforms across the enterprise or around the world.”
“Inlet Technologies is pleased to work with Qumu to give enterprises the ability to easily stream professional quality live events,” said Don Bossi, CEO, Inlet Technologies. “Together, Inlet and Qumu can provide flexibility and reliability to companies looking to create compelling real-time content.”
Tags: encoders, Inlet Technologies, Live Streaming, media, qumu, Real-time, solutions, streaming, Streaming Servers, Video, video on demand, video streaming, webcast
Posted by Derrick on May 26, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression |
Creating customized graphics with Photoshop for Wirecast will benefit many that need to produce high quality Webcasts or Live Streaming events. The benefit of using Wirecast over other Free Live Encoding tools is it’s a full production studio in software and it can perform many tasks that the other tools can’t do. Wirecast comes with a host of built in title templates that can be adjusted for you webcasts. The fact that these templates are available within Wirecast is amazing.
So for this tutorial we’ll show you how to create customized graphics with Photoshop to take into Wirecast. This will allow you to take your webcasts to the ‘next level’ by having titles/lower thirds that have your logo, special colors, designs etc. The other benefit is you can continue to use your normal TV and Video Production graphics creation workflow. OK, Se let’s get to it!
First create a New Image in Photoshop. The size can be 842 x 132 and make the resolution 72 ppi. For this graphic, you’ll create a Solid to Transparent gradient for your bottom layer. Second, create a new layer and select the Gradient Tool from the Tool Palette. Make sure Foreground to Transparent is selected similar to above. Notice how royal blue is the Foreground color and the other color is transparent indicated by the checkerboards that can be seen on the Canvas. You can change your Foreground color by clicking and adjusting the Foreground color on the Tools Palette.
OK, once you’ve selected the Foreground to Transparent gradient select your New Layer and an on the Canvas hold down your Mouse and click and drag starting from the left and drag to the right (Let go of you Mouse about 3/4 of the way). This will make the gradient appear the way you designed it. In this case our layer displays a Royal Blue to Transparent Gradient. Keep in mind you can reverse the Gradient and have it appear Foreground to Transparent from the right to left. Remember, this layer should be on a layer all by itself.
Now you can add additional layers with text and other elements similar to above by clicking the Horizontal Type Tool and/or using the Rectangular Marquee Tool. Both are located on the Tool Palette. Make sure you prioritize all layers above the Foreground to Transparent gradient layer.
Once your graphic is ready Save a copy as a Photoshop file and then Save a copy as a PNG file. You’ll use the PNG file to take into Wirecast. Saving the Photoshop file maintains all of your layers in case you want to edit the graphic later. Now, let’s move on to the fun part with Wirecast.
Place your PNG graphic somewhere on your computer. Next Open up Wirecast. Make sure the Title Layer is selected and Choose File Import Media from the Wirecast Pull-down menu. To view the Title Layer you’ll have to choose Layer Panel from the Layout Pull-down Menu.
Locate the PNG image that you want to bring into Wirecast and choose Open.
Notice that the new graphic is displayed on the Title Layer, which is above all the other layers. The Layer ordering in Wirecast works similar to Photoshop and Non-linear Editing tools. Whatever is displayed at the top of the layer list has the priority. You can see that the image we brought in has the graphic displayed in the middle but you’ll want your title/lower third displayed on the bottom. This way it will appear below the speaker, presenter or person talking. Let’s adust this now. Select the Customized Title you created in Photoshop. Now Control-click (for Mac)/Right-click (for PC) to view the Contextual Menu and select Edit Shot.
Once the Editor opens, you should see the image you created centered in the middle of the Canvas. Click and drag it down toward the bottom of the Canvas similar to above. Now close you Edit Window.
Lastly, it’s time to display your image on top of your video. This is an important step and it will give you a better understanding of how Wirecast works. Bring up a video or camera source on the Normal Layer and click the Go button. Once your source is live in your Program Window navigate to the Title Layer and click on the graphic you created earlier so that it’s in Preview. Make sure the Smooth transition is selected and click the Go button. Now your title should appear over top of your video similar to what’s above.
Notice that the you can see the Foreground to Transparent effect that we created with the gradient tool. What’ nice about Wirecast is that it automatically recognizes items that should be transparent without you having to add any special Alpha Channels. Keep in mind you can create 10 – 15 customized graphics in Photoshop and then have then displayed periodically during your Webcast or Live Streaming event.
If you would like to get the .PSD file used in this tutorial as a starting point for creating your own graphics for Wirecast, send us an E-mail at info@freemancompression.com.
Posted by Derrick on May 11, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression |
Creating TV Channel style Live Streaming using Wowza Media Server 2 is something that many will likely implement in the future. Wowza Media System’s Wowza Media Server 2 has already brought a lot of excitement to the Streaming Server landscape. Now, with the ability to create TV Channel style Live Streaming it’s another benefit that’s pushing content delivery networks and others towards Wowza.
Here are some benefits of the TV Channel Style Live Streaming approach with Wowza Media Server 2:
- Live Streaming events can be scheduled in webcasts
- On-demand videos can be scheduled in webcasts
- Users can create a complete playback schedule for the day, week, or month
- On-demand Videos and Live Streaming events can be scheduled in a Channel
- Playlists can be created to playback multiple videos in order
- Users can designate a length for on-demand video playback
- Various events can be scheduled without interrupting channel programming
- You can create multiple channels for your website viewers
- Content can be looped for repeat playback
Attend one of our 1-Day Wowza Media Server 2 Trainings to learn more about TV Channel Style Live Streaming with Wowza Media Server 2. Freeman Compression Inc. also provides consulting for this set-up. Call Freeman Compression Inc. at 407.477.5837 for more information or E-mail us at info@freemancompression.com.
Also read how More Churches Should Take Advantage of Streaming Media. This information is valuable for Churches looking to provide On-line Streaming Content.
Tags: 2, broadcast, consulting, live, media, on-demand, Playlists, schedule, scheduled, Server, streaming, Trainings, TV Channel, webcast, Wowza
Posted by Derrick on April 23, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression |
Recording presentations with Keynote and PowerPoint using Wirecast is simply amazing. The folks at Telestream have an amazing tool on their hands and the way that Desktop Presenter works is really cool. If you have Desktop Presenter on your workstation with Keynote or PowerPoint, your presentation can be brought up on a separate computer running Wirecast. What’s nice is you can have several Desktop Presenters going within your Wirecast application. So if you wanted to have 5 different presenters speak during a Webcast or Video Recording you could have all 5 PowerPoint or Keynote presentations displayed at the appropriate time.
