Digital Video Revolution: Streaming Video for the Masses

                               by Reno Marioni 19 Jan 2001

 

 

                        Reno Marioni is the Founder and CEO of a digital travel Adventure Zone

                        Network entertainment site for world travelers, explorers and adventurers.

                        The site showcases streaming video, audio and interactive content from

                        around the globe.

 

                        Page 1

 

 

                        Just a couple of years ago, producing your own short movie

                        meant going to film school, raising a lot of money, buying

                        expensive equipment and looking for distribution via film

                        festivals.

 

                        Basically, it was out of reach for most people. Today, with the

                        right talent and desire, we all have a shot at being filmmakers

                        for 1/10th or 1/20th of the cost. A whole new creative world

                        has opened up, thanks to the advent of several new consumer

                        technologies: high-quality and low-priced digital video, powerful

                        desktop PCs, inexpensive and easy-to-use video editing

                        software and a new distribution channel on the Web.

 

                        And as broadband DSL and cable modem access increase, so will

                        the audience for digital video on the Web. In addition to the

                        Internet, numerous new devices and appliances will be available

                        to distribute your work. We are already beginning to see short

                        videos on airplanes, in hotel lobbies, on handhelds and through

                        interactive TV.

 

                        To produce and showcase your own digital video involves

                        several key steps:

 

                        a. Shoot your video footage (use an analog or digital video

                        camera)

 

                        b. Capture (input video onto your Mac or PC hard drive using a

                        Firewire connection or video capture card)

 

                        c. Edit (use consumer-level software video editing tool)

 

                        d. Compress/Encode (use bundled video editing tool or

                        dedicated video compression tool)

 

                        e. Distribute (to Web, CD, DVD, etc.)

 

                        In this article, we're going to focus primarily on the encoding

                        and compression process with special emphasis on encoding for

                        the Web, which as you'll find out is a fine art.

 

Page 2 — Video Encoding

 

 

                        What is video encoding and why is it important?

 

                        First of all, digital video files are HUGE. Roughly five minutes of

                        uncompressed video will consume nearly one gigabyte of space

                        on your hard drive, and no one -­ not even your adoring mother

                        -- is going to download or stream a video that large. So

                        compression helps you optimize the video while retaining the

                        highest quality possible for distribution on the Web.

 

                        Before compressing/encoding video for the Web, you need to

                        consider the following settings and criteria:

 

                        1. What Video Format/Architecture (QuickTime, Real, Windows

                        Media)?

 

                        2. What Data Rate?

 

                        3. What Frame Rate?

 

                        4. What Window Size?

 

                        5. Streaming Method: Progressive or Real-time?

 

                        The file compression process begins when you take your edited

                        video clip and encode to a particular video format -- e.g.,

                        QuickTime, Windows Media, or Real Media -- and compress the

                        file size to output to either CD, DVD, or the Web. Encoding for

                        the Web is the trickiest part as there are far more variables to

                        deal with, such as constrained bandwidth, which results in

                        jerky, annoying videos on the Web.

 

                        In order to encode a steady sample, it's important to have a

                        well-shot video source. This is why you don't see many

                        MTV-style videos on the web -- the transitions are too fast,

                        rapid camera movement doesn't compress well, and you're likely

                        to have jerky, delayed images, even when compressed at a low

                        frame rate.

 

                        Before encoding your edited video files you have to ask yourself

                        the following questions:

 

                        a. Which streaming method is best for my setup, progressive

                        (HTTP) or Real-time (RTSP) streaming?

 

                        b. What format do I want to use (Real, QuickTime, Windows

                        Media, or other)?

 

                        c. What is my delivery mechanism (Web, CD, DVD, etc.)?

 

                        d. If output is for the Web, what Web connections am I

                        targeting (56k modem, ISDN, DSL/Cable, T1)?

 

Page 3 — What is streaming video? And which method do I

                        choose?

 

 

                        There are two main types of streaming: progressive streaming

                        (on demand) and real-time streaming (live or in real-time).

                        Progressive streaming takes a compressed video file and

                        downloads it to your hard drive via HTTP over the Internet.

                        Real-time streaming is usually broadcast to your browser

                        directly from a server. Real-time streaming uses RTSP (real time

                        streaming protocol) so you'll need access to a special video

                        streaming server.

 

                        Progressive Streaming

 

                        Progressive streaming is the easiest route for beginners as it

                        requires no special server, such as a streaming server. You can

                        use a standard Web server to upload your compressed video

                        file. Quality is generally better using progressive streaming than

                        with real-time. And once you decide to play the video online,

                        the whole file begins to download to your hard drive.

                        Progressive users also can't jump ahead to other sections of the

                        video.

 

                        Depending on the format of the video (such as Real), some

                        progressive files may require you to download the entire video

                        before playing it. This creates one of those annoying "hurry up

                        and wait" scenarios. Thankfully, QuickTime supports a 'fast

                        start' feature which automatically kick-starts your video player

                        as it downloads. In an age of instant gratification, this is a

                        great feature and QuickTime is the only major video architecture

                        that supports it for now. For that feature alone, QuickTime is

                        much better suited for progressive streaming than RealVideo 8

                        or Windows Media 7.

 

                        In general, progressive streaming works best for videos under

                        three minutes, such as movie trailers, and the shorts you see on

                        sites such as Apple Quicktime TV, iFilm, Atom Films, and on

                        home video sites such as Share Your World.

Page 4 — Real-time Streaming

 

 

                        Unlike progressive streaming, real-time streaming requires a

                        special streaming server. This can be a QuickTime Streaming

                        Server (RTSP), a Real Networks Server or a Windows Media

                        Server.

 

                        Video streamed for real-time plays automatically. You don't

                        need to download the entire video before playing. You can jump

                        to any location in the video clip. And the clip always resides on

                        the server. Video encoded for real-time streaming generally tries

                        to keep pace with the user's connection speed in order to

                        minimize interruptions and stalling. There's nothing you can do

                        about general Net congestion, but the streaming server at least

                        tries to compensate by maintaining a constant connection.

 

                        You'll find real-time streaming is best suited for longer videos --

                        such as live event broadcasts, presentations, training videos

                        and lectures -- where users can skip ahead to other parts of

                        the clip and don't have to download a huge video file. It also

                        offers good protection for your content as users can't download

                        it to their hard drives and redistribute your work. Unfortunately,

                        the video quality isn't as good with real-time as with

                        progressive. But getting quality video on the Web is all about

                        trade-offs.

 

                        If you're just starting out, you might want to create a simple

                        Web page, encode your video using a progressive streaming

                        method, and embed the clip into your site. Or, if you're

                        determined to stream the video, you might consider using a

                        third party and their servers. Companies such as Media 100 and

                        Sorenson Broadcast Services offer a range of encoding, hosting

                        and streaming services.

Page 5 — Video Architectures and Codecs

 

 

                        The three main video formats on the Web are RealVideo,

                        Quicktime and Windows Media. When choosing a video

                        architecture and format, you need to evaluate current market

                        trends and also decide which is the best fit for you and your

                        audience.

 

                        Currently, RealVideo is the most popular and widespread video

                        format used on the Web. Real recently released version 8, but

                        you must buy the server software to use it; the cost after

                        software purchase is based on connection usage. Windows

                        Media from Microsoft is also widespread and is currently in

                        version 7. Although Windows runs its own proprietary server

                        protocol (not the standard RTSP), it's free and it runs on the

                        widely available Windows Server Platforms.

 

                        QuickTime Streaming Server from Apple, the third major format,

                        is based on RTSP. It's an open standard and available on

                        multi-platform servers from UNIX to NT. As Apache is to Web

                        servers, QuickTime Streaming is to video servers. And the best

                        part is it's free. Many professionals believe QuickTime offers the

                        best quality, as well as the elegant interface that Apple

                        products are famous for.

 

                        Video Codecs:

 

                        In order to understand video compression, you first need to

                        become familiar with "codecs" and how they work. Codec stands

                        for compression/decompression, and it's the piece of software

                        you use to compress very large files, such as video or audio,

                        into much smaller files that can be sent out to multiple media.

                        Normally, you will choose a codec according to the video format

                        you are using.

 

                        For example, Sorenson Video 3 codec from Sorenson Media is

                        compatible with the QuickTime format and is the de facto codec

                        for QuickTime Video compression. Real Video 8 codec runs in

                        conjunction with Real Server. The same compatibility issues

                        apply to audio codecs such as Qdesign Music Pro for QuickTime.

                        Codecs generally come bundled with your video editing software

                        or with compression suites such as Media Cleaner. Every year,

                        new and improved codecs are released to make files even

                        smaller, while encoding faster and producing better quality

                        video.

 

                        You'll probably use one of the following codecs for video

                        compression:

 

                        a. Sorenson Video

 

                        b. RealVideo

 

                        c. Windows Media Video

 

                        d. MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4

 

                        e. H261/H263

 

                        f. On2

 

Page 6 — MPEG-4

 

 

                        Although Windows Media, Quicktime and Real Media are the

                        major players, an open format called MPEG-4 holds great

                        promise and could become the de facto video codec standard in

                        the same way that MP3 has become the dominant format for

                        music on the Web. MPEG-4 has momentum behind for several

                        reasons:

 

                        1. Ubiquity: Streaming video today is mostly viewed on the

                        Web, but the future in streaming video will be far more prolific

                        across multiple devices, appliances, platforms and computers.

                        Streaming Video will be seen in hotel lobbies, supermarkets,

                        airplanes, videophones, TVs and more. MPEG-4 appears to be

                        the codec and standard for future devices to come.

 

                        2. Unified Standard: Today, there are many codecs. The

                        problems that people face is sorting out which codecs to use

                        with which video architectures in the encoding process. The job

                        would be far easier for digital media professionals if people could

                        encode just once for all platforms and devices.

 

                        3. Quality: MPEG-4 appears to be the most efficient encoding

                        standard and will encode at incredibly high-quality over the

                        most constrained bandwidth requirements. From what we have

                        seen, people will be able to have full screen VHS quality video.

                        Sorenson media is developing an ISO-compliant MPEG-4 codec,

                        as is Microsoft for use in Windows Media.

 

                        The bottom line is that MPEG-4 will be awesome in quality and

                        will be embedded into many new and exciting devices.

 

                        Video Encoding:

 

                        The vast majority of video content creators use Media Cleaner

                        Pro from Terran Interactive as their full-service

                        compression/encoding suite. It's an essential software package

                        and is widely used in the digital entertainment industry. The

                        Media Cleaner Pro EZ version is priced around $250 per copy,

                        and more often than not it comes bundled with popular video

                        editing tools.

 

                        Here's how a sample encoding process might go:

 

                        Once you've finished editing your video using software such as

                        Apple's iMovie or Final Cut Pro, Adobe's Premier, Media100

                        CineStream and Cleaner EditDV or Microsoft's Moviemaker, you

                        save and export the edited clip to a folder on your desktop.

 

                        In some editing suites such as EditDV or Premiere, you can

                        export directly from the editing tool into Media Cleaner Pro,

                        removing an extra step in the encoding process. Once your clips

                        are in a compression suite such as Media Cleaner Pro, you're

                        ready to prepare the clip for a particular distribution medium.

                        You then go through a series of check box options, which

                        determine the size of the clip, the data rate, the frame rate,

                        etc. Media Cleaner, for example, allows you to select your video

                        format (e.g. QuickTime), your delivery method (e.g. Web), your

                        data rate (e.g. for 56k-modem), your frame rate (e.g. 10 frames

                        per second), and the size of your video viewing area (e.g. 240 x

                        180 pixels).

 

Page 7 — Real World

 

 

                        At Adventure Zone Network, we use Final Cut Pro as our editing

                        tool, Adobe After Effects for composing and effects, and Media

                        Cleaner Pro v5 for compressing and preparing each video file for

                        output. We also use Real Video 8, Sorenson Developer 2.1, and

                        Windows Media 7 as our primary video codecs and Qdesign

                        Music Design for preparing audio files for QuickTime. We also use

                        Real Audio.

 

                        We use Apple G4s for editing and encoding our videos. There's

                        not an Avid system in the house. Everything is done digitally, on

                        the desktop, and all the software is available at consumer level

                        prices. To see some streaming video samples that use these

                        codecs and tools, go to the Channel Zero section and see

                        videos from around the globe.

 

                        We shoot video using mini DV tapes (NTSC) as our source and

                        capture digital video using a Firewire (IEEE1394) connected to

                        the Firewire port of our Apple Macs. We don't generally use an

                        analog source, as it creates an extra step to convert to digital

                        using a Sony DMA-200 digital converter. As well as the standard

                        Firewire connection, you can use a video capture card such as

                        those produced by Osprey to capture video at the source into

                        your computer for editing. Without a doubt, you get the best

                        results using a digital video camera hooked up to your computer

                        via Firewire. All the latest Mac systems include a Firewire port.

 

Page 8 — The Trade-offs

 

 

                        The optimal goal is to produce the highest quality video that

                        streams with minimal or no interruptions and a quick download.

                        For Web delivery, this means trade-offs.

 

                        On one hand, if you produce a high quality video with a high

                        frame rate (regular movies play at 24 frames per second), a

                        large viewing window, and a high data rate, you will get a video

                        that looks great but will only be viewable for people with fast

                        connections. If you encode with speed and delivery in mind, the

                        quality suffers. In an era of instant gratification, there is no

                        quick fix for making quality video accessible to a wide audience.

                        Finding a balance between video quality and connection speed

                        that best serves your target audience is the key.

 

                        Sample Settings

 

                        A sample encoding settings for 56kbit modem delivery using

                        NTSC DV source might look like this:

 

                        Streaming Method: Real-time Streaming

 

                        Data Rate: 40 Kb

 

                        Although we may have a 56 Kb modem, our true connection

                        speed is nearly always lower than 56 Kb. Therefore, setting to

                        40 Kb or around that rate minimizes the interruptions that occur

                        due to general Net congestion.

 

                        Window Size: 160 x 120 pixels

 

                        For 56 Kb, if you increase the display size of your video, quality

                        will immediately suffer due to the larger file size. You need to

                        keep the display size to 160 x 120 pixels or only slightly larger.

                        This is what many people disparagingly call a "postage stamp"

                        display.

 

                        Frame Rate: Use 5 for 6 frames per second (fps).

 

                        Uncompressed video typically plays at around 30 fps (NTSC) or

                        25 fps (PAL). Choose a frame rate that evenly divides into the

                        above figures. Since many of us use NTSC in the US, you'll need

                        to select a frame rate such as 5, 6, 7.5, 10, or 15 fps

                        depending on connection speed. As modem delivery is very

                        slow, we suggest 5 or 6 fps, then scaling up based on data rate

                        and Web connection.

 

Page 9 — Encoding Methods and DVD

 

 

                        If you're encoding for progressive streaming delivery, use the

                        2-pass Variable Bit Rate (VBR) setting, which is supported both

                        in Real Video 8 and QuickTime 4 & 5 versions. You won't find

                        this feature in Windows Media 7. VBR encoding is a great

                        feature to enhance the overall quality of your video. It works

                        like a 2-pass encoding approach, analyzing your video first for

                        choke points, then compressing it. It's a longer process but the

                        results are better.

 

                        Some techniques used in video streaming actually mix encoding

                        techniques. It's more common now to see companies encode for

                        modem (e.g. 56kb) delivery using progressive download and for

                        higher data rates (e.g. ISDN and DSL) using real-time streaming

                        methods. The mix and match approach works well because it's

                        hard to do real-time streaming for 56Kb delivery unless you're

                        streaming a talking head video, which compresses better due to

                        minimal camera movement.

 

                        When you start the encoding process, use a very short clip

                        because it will take a long time (even with a fast computer).

                        You can enter different settings into Media Cleaner Pro 5 until

                        you get the best results for the type of video you are

                        compressing. Then be sure to save these settings for future

                        use.

 

                        Media Cleaner Pro offers new users a wizard interface, which

                        takes you through the encoding process to create your own

                        settings. However, the results are often poor and you have to

                        go through a lot of trial and error before you really start to see

                        optimized results. Start with the wizard interface then try the

                        advanced settings until you find the results you like best. There

                        is no magic bullet here. The experimental phase can be very

                        frustrating and time consuming to say the least, but once you

                        have the settings you like, you can reuse them for future

                        encoding jobs.

 

                        DVD Distribution

 

                        If you go to a Blockbuster store today, you might notice that

                        DVD is well on its way to replacing analog VHS tapes. Up until

                        this point, the main focus in digital video has been on Web

                        distribution, but producing your own videos and 'burning' them

                        on DVD is also possible for 'pro-sumers'.

 

                        Until recently, encoding and 'burning' DVDs required very

                        expensive equipment. Apple Computer has introduced new but

                        powerful consumer level DVD software called iDVD and iDVD

                        Studio that can deliver professional results.

 

                        Media100's Terran Division also has a product called Cleaner

                        MPEG Charger that helps you create and encode for DVD.

                        Generally, DVDs use MPEG-2 codecs and you can encode at far

                        greater data rates than you might for the Web, with a full

                        screen window size to boot.

 

Page 10 — Community Sites

 

 

                        There are several useful video community sites that can help

                        you find further information about video encoding.

 

                        See 2-pop, which supports a vast bulletin board for everything

                        from video encoding, editing and capture to special effects.

 

                        Another Site called Streaming Media is a great portal which

                        offers media talk radio shows, highlights everything from

                        content and technology to industry trends and news, discussed

                        by the latest luminaries.

 

                        Digital video creation, distribution and communication represents

                        the next killer app. And it's a very exciting and fun process once

                        you get the hang of it. Like everything, it requires learning a

                        few key tools, some perseverance to get them working in

                        tandem, and some trial and error until you're happy with the

                        results. And beware -- once you get into it, you might get

                        hooked.