Distributing your video
VP8 vs. H.264 vs x264 Comparisons
- July 20, 2010
- No comments
As part of my First Looks review of VP8 and WebM for StreamingMedia.com, ran a bunch of VP8 and H.264 comparisons, initially using the MainConcept H.264 codec, since that's the codec included with Sorenson Squeeze, which I used to produce the VP8 files. Then, I added some comparison files produced using the x264 codec, encoding via the QuickTime-based x264Encoder version 1.2.13 (dated 6/27/2010).
You can read the StreamingMedia article here. In this article, I present the frame comparisons that were too big to fit in the StreamingMedia article, plus present URLs for the streaming files that I created and compared.
New Survey Report about the Apple iPad and HTML5
- June 7, 2010
- 3 comments
Fifty-seven percent of organizations that deliver video online are supporting the iPad, or will be by the end of 2010. That's one of the many compelling findings in a new survey-based report from StreamingMedia.com called Supporting the iPad and HTML5—Timing, Motivation, Costs, and Scope, which provides details the plans of 1,147 survey respondents regarding support for the iPad, the HTML5 video tag, and a variety of mobile devices. The report also provides implementation data like content and monetization plans, development budgets, and feature sets, enabling report buyers to make better-informed decisions about the timing, scope, and costs of their own iPad and HTML5-related implementations. Further, the report breaks down all responses by demographic category: organization type, annual revenue, target market, and size of video library.
online are supporting the iPad, or will be by the end of 2010. That's one of the many compelling findings in a new survey-based report from StreamingMedia.com called Supporting the iPad and HTML5—Timing, Motivation, Costs, and Scope, which provides details the plans of 1,147 survey respondents regarding support for the iPad, the HTML5 video tag, and a variety of mobile devices. The report also provides implementation data like content and monetization plans, development budgets, and feature sets, enabling report buyers to make better-informed decisions about the timing, scope, and costs of their own iPad and HTML5-related implementations. Further, the report breaks down all responses by demographic category: organization type, annual revenue, target market, and size of video library.
Streaming production
Critical Issues for Enterprise Streaming Producers
- May 24, 2010
- No comments
I gave a talk at StreamingMedia East in New York City earlier this month to a group of business executives assembled by California-based webcasting solution provider MediaPlatform. I was told that the execs were interested in "future directions of online video," so I put together a talk entitled "In Your Chair, I'd Be Asking Myself ..." The talk covered three main questions, Is my video competitive?, Am I reaching all my target viewers?, and Am I investing wisely? Click above to read the article.
Video Production for Streaming
- May 23, 2010
- No comments
Here's the PDF from a course on Streaming Production that I taught at StreamingMedia East. Here's the agenda.

Choosing production tools
New Performance Features in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5
- April 12, 2010
- 6 comments
Here's a screencam-based tutorial detailing and demonstrating the new performance related enhancements to Premiere Pro CS5 and identifying the relevant hardware requirements. Click the link to view the main article and the video.
Better buy 64-bit systems from here on out
- October 22, 2009
- No comments
"Adobe today confirmed that ... Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 and Adobe After Effects CS4 are the last versions to support 32-bit operating systems. Future versions will be native 64-bit applications which will run only on 64-bit operating systems."
This has some interesting implications about future hardware investments and provides a preview of what CS5 will bring. You can read the full release (and my short analysis) in the complete article.
Recent Blogs
Which MPEG-2 Compressor Plug-in is Best?
- July 28, 2010
- No comments
VP6 Encoding Parameters of the Technology Laggards
- July 26, 2010
- No comments
H.264 Encoding Parameters of the Rich and Famous
- July 26, 2010
- No comments
Why Flash Still Plays "Critical Role" for YouTube
- July 7, 2010
- No comments
Google Open Sources VP8 Codec
- May 19, 2010
- 2 comments
Encoding your video
Interesting Video on Creating Video Case Studies
- July 27, 2010
- No comments
Just finished watching an interesting video entitled Video Case Studies - Top 10 Tips, which was produced by UK video producer Aspect Film and Video. You can watch it here, though you may need to sign in first.
Click over to the main article to see the top ten tips and my short peer review of the video produced by Aspect.
VP8 vs. H.264 vs x264 Comparisons
- July 20, 2010
- No comments
As part of my First Looks review of VP8 and WebM for StreamingMedia.com, ran a bunch of VP8 and H.264 comparisons, initially using the MainConcept H.264 codec, since that's the codec included with Sorenson Squeeze, which I used to produce the VP8 files. Then, I added some comparison files produced using the x264 codec, encoding via the QuickTime-based x264Encoder version 1.2.13 (dated 6/27/2010).
You can read the StreamingMedia article here. In this article, I present the frame comparisons that were too big to fit in the StreamingMedia article, plus present URLs for the streaming files that I created and compared.
Video tutorials
Peer Review - WatchGuard Technologies Case Study
- April 29, 2010
- No comments
Firewall vendor WatchGuard Technologies uses video aggressively in their marketing efforts, and produces some of the most focused and highest quality case studies that I've seen, though the presentation of these videos on their web site could definitely be improved. In this "peer review" video, I review their case study of the Burlington Public Library, which you can watch here on YouTube.
I detail what the producers of the video did right production-wise, and what went wrong on their web site. Click the link above to view the video; I hope you find it useful.
Color and Brightness Correction in Final Cut Pro
- December 22, 2009
- 8 comments
Of all the skills necessary to successfully edit video, one of the most important is brightness and color correction. To understand how to adjust brightness and color optimally, you have to know how to read a waveform monitor.
In this tutorial, first we'll learn how to enter Final Cut Pro's color correction mode and read the waveform monitor. Then we'll learn how to diagnose and correct a range of brightness and color related problems Using Final cut Pro's Color Corrector effect. Click over to the main article to view the tutorial.

