How to "Stream" a Video??

[DoubleDee]

I would like to start adding videos to my website, but I am paranoid about people stealing them!!!

It seems the solution might be "streaming" the videos instead.

So, what do I need in order to "stream" a video on my website?

To me, "streaming" means "sending packets of data of my video" versus "letting Users download my entire video as a file". (I am not talking necessarily about "real-time streaming"...)

My fear is that to do this will cost a bazillion dollars?!


Debbie

[EastCoast]

Streaming will provide an element of protection against casual theft, but not against somebody determined to acquire your content. They can ultimately video capture the entire screen and snip out the video if they really wanted to.

In light of this, it's best to 'watermark' your video with an overlaid graphic or url so that if it ends up elsewhere at least viewers are aware of the clips provenance.

If you want to pursue true streaming, you can look at streaming e.g a h.264 video to a flash player via an rtmp server, which avoids caching of the file. This doesn't necessarily have to be expensive - amazon cloudfront CDN will serve a file over rtmp

[DoubleDee]

Streaming will provide an element of protection against casual theft, but not against somebody determined to acquire your content. They can ultimately video capture the entire screen and snip out the video if they really wanted to.

In light of this, it's best to 'watermark' your video with an overlaid graphic or url so that if it ends up elsewhere at least viewers are aware of the clips provenance.

If you want to pursue true streaming, you can look at streaming e.g a h.264 video to a flash player via an rtmp server, which avoids caching of the file. This doesn't necessarily have to be expensive - amazon cloudfront CDN will serve a file over rtmp

Can you please get more into the mechanics of how you stream a video?

What applications are required?

What hardware?

Does it change the amount of bandwidth I'd need?

Is there a way to do it from my own Web Host?

What kind of time and $$$ would you estimate is involved?

Any open-source solutions out there?

I'm looking at spending a couple - if not several - thousand on paying someone to make me some professional grade videos. And I'd be pretty pissed if someone stole them by simply downloading a file?!

Thanks,


Debbie

[ralph.m]

Off Topic:

I'd be pretty pissed if someone stole them by simply downloading a file?!

Would they be likely to, though? What would they do with them? Sell them? But who'd buy them if they are available free on your site?

As EastCoast says, you can just do a screen recording anyway, so it's easy to copy a video no matter how it's served up.

[DoubleDee]

Off Topic:

Would they be likely to, though?

Yes!

What would they do with them? Sell them? But who'd buy them if they are available free on your site?

Start a competing site and claim to be the owners/creators of the content.

As EastCoast says, you can just do a screen recording anyway, so it's easy to copy a video no matter how it's served up.

The point is not making it too easy...

There are videos on the Net that take one right-click, Save As and you own the video.

And then there are site's like the Wall Street Journal where you really need to know what you are doing to get a copy...[/QUOTE]

Debbie

[EastCoast]

Can you please get more into the mechanics of how you stream a video?

What applications are required?

None if you use a CDN. You just upload the file in the correct format, copy the URL into your video player on your site.

What hardware?

Unless you are determined to self host the videos, and reckon you will have hundreds of simultaneous viewers, this isn't something you need to worry about.

Does it change the amount of bandwidth I'd need?

Depends on how big the videos are and how many viewers you think you'll have. On a CDN you just pay per gigabyte used.

Is there a way to do it from my own Web Host?

You need to install software so unless you have root access on a VPS or dedicated server, or the server has the software available already, the chances are no.

What kind of time and $$$ would you estimate is involved?

Amazon cloudfront is about $0.12 a gigagbyte, setting up a player and uploading videos is a few hours work. Setting up server software will likely be a few days work.

Any open-source solutions out there?

Yes, red5.

I'm looking at spending a couple - if not several - thousand on paying someone to make me some professional grade videos. And I'd be pretty pissed if someone stole them by simply downloading a file?!

Make sure the video includes plenty embedded provenance - an overlaid watermark graphic or url, and mention your site throughout the voiceover. Theft of copyrighted material is an unfortunate fact of life on the internet. There's a balance to be had between the exponentially rising curve of effort required to make copying more difficult for technical and determined internet users; and then on the other hand your own resources, technical capabilities, and what damage in reality a percentage of 'shrinkage' will cause you. In your case I'd take the easy steps I've stated and accept you don't have bulletproof protection, or not bother with the videos at all. If motivated global corporations can't protect their videos 100%, you're not going to bring anything new to the arena of copyright protection that they haven't already weighed up.

[DoubleDee]

None if you use a CDN.

I think Amazon is evil.

Any alternatives?

Make sure the video includes plenty embedded provenance - an overlaid watermark graphic or url, and mention your site throughout the voiceover. Theft of copyrighted material is an unfortunate fact of life on the internet. There's a balance to be had between the exponentially rising curve of effort required to make copying more difficult for technical and determined internet users; and then on the other hand your own resources, technical capabilities, and what damage in reality a percentage of 'shrinkage' will cause you. In your case I'd take the easy steps I've stated and accept you don't have bulletproof protection, or not bother with the videos at all. If motivated global corporations can't protect their videos 100%, you're not going to bring anything new to the arena of copyright protection that they haven't already weighed up.

So let's say I do a series of short (1-3 minutes) educations video on some topic (e.g. small business). And let's say I take your advice and mention "DoubleDee, Inc" (or whatever) throughout the vignettes and incorporate my company name and URL as well. (Since I would be using a professional videographer, this shouldn't be an issue.) And, let's also assume that my videos will cover topics that are fairly generic and thus possibly easier for someone to hi-jack (e.g. Starting a Small Business, Incorporating Your Business, Why Legal Contracts Matter, etc.)

What *true* threats/risks am I exposing my business to with said online videos?

Is it "free advertising" if people take/use/copy my content?

Or could it bring my company to its knees?!


And from a technical standpoint, how much more at risk am I placing myself by having Video Files (e.g. MPEG, FLV, etc) on my Virtual Private Server - which would be downloadable - versus using a Streaming Service with someone like Amazon Cloud?


I want to believe that Videos and Podcasts could help take my online business to the "next level", but I don't want to shoot myself in the process...

Thanks,


Debbie

[samanime]

Host them on Youtube. Tons of companies do it and you can embed them directly into your page. It also gives you free publicity on YouTube. It's a lot easier than trying to set up a streaming host for yourself. You could also look into using something like Fliqz, but they can be costly (and you have to have a very very good reason not to go to Youtube).

Also, back to the whole "you shouldn't try to stop people from stealing them because it's impossible": https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir...ownloadhelper/

That let's me download any video I've loaded into my browser, regardless if it was streamed or not. It's just not worth trying to defeat all of these things. That's like preventing people from stealing your images. They're on their computer already, you can't let them view it without it being on their computer.

[DoubleDee]

Host them on Youtube. Tons of companies do it and you can embed them directly into your page. It also gives you free publicity on YouTube. It's a lot easier than trying to set up a streaming host for yourself. You could also look into using something like Fliqz, but they can be costly (and you have to have a very very good reason not to go to Youtube).

Yeah, but to me it looks chintzy, and I don't want people going FROM debbie.com TO youtube.com to watch "my" videos?!

Besides, what is there to "set up" if I just link to a video in my httpdocs folder?

If I'm not streaming the video then there should be any set up except my HTML or whatever, right?

Also, back to the whole "you shouldn't try to stop people from stealing them because it's impossible": https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir...ownloadhelper/

That let's me download any video I've loaded into my browser, regardless if it was streamed or not. It's just not worth trying to defeat all of these things. That's like preventing people from stealing your images. They're on their computer already, you can't let them view it without it being on their computer.

You make a good point, but I also know that on sites like the Wall Street Journal your nifty little add-on won't work... (I know because I myself have tried.)

So what do Fortune 500 companies do to combat this?

And why are they fighting the copying - assuming it is just content and commercials versus movies or music videos?

I think it is a threat - plus theft - if someone "lifts" a series of instructional videos that I spent $10,000 on...

Don't you?!


Debbie

[samanime]

It is perfectly possible to lift Wall Street Journal (I'm not condoning it, I'm just saying it was probably a waste of time). Worst-case scenario you use a screen grabber that records volume to grab the video area. It's impossible to truly prevent it.

[DoubleDee]

It is perfectly possible to lift Wall Street Journal (I'm not condoning it, I'm just saying it was probably a waste of time). Worst-case scenario you use a screen grabber that records volume to grab the video area. It's impossible to truly prevent it.

So let's assume it is impossible to stop people stealing online videos.

Okay.

So as a result of that, what threats to my business do you see?

If it were you, wouldn't you be afraid of your competition stealing videos that you paid top dollar for?

Other than watermarks and what-not, how do you discourage or greatly reduce the threat?


Debbie

[ralph.m]

If it were you, wouldn't you be afraid of your competition stealing videos that you paid top dollar for?

Truly, sincerely, no, I wouldn't. Especially if it has watermarks etc. I really think you are making too big an issue of this. If your competition stoops to behavior like this, they are not long for this world. Those more likely to swipe your content are small, shady, two-bit operators who scurry around like rats in the unmentionable nether regions of the world who are kind of out of your view anyway. They are a different economy, so not really in competition with you as such. My 2c.

[DoubleDee]

Truly, sincerely, no, I wouldn't. Especially if it has watermarks etc. I really think you are making too big an issue of this.

It's easier to be paranoid when it's your $$$...

If your competition stoops to behavior like this, they are not long for this world.

I disagree.

The #1 threat to small businesses - short of running out of cash - is people stealing their "Intellectual Property". (That's what made America great!! And it is what Capitalism is all about... Run your competition into the ground however you can!)

Those more likely to swipe your content are small, shady, two-bit operators who scurry around like rats in the unmentionable nether regions of the world who are kind of out of your view anyway.

What great fiction book did you grab that quote from? (Or was it in some video that you stole from online?!)

They are a different economy, so not really in competition with you as such. My 2c.

Maybe so, but I just worry so much about trying to start a business based on MY IDEAS because they are SO HARD TO PROTECT - especially online.


Debbie

[ralph.m]

The #1 threat to small businesses - short of running out of cash - is people stealing their "Intellectual Property".

There are laws against it, you know. (Or do you live in the Wild West?)

What great fiction book did you grab that quote from?

I wrote it myself, and now I'm super terrified that you'll steal it and I will lose megabucks.

I just worry so much about trying to start a business based on MY IDEAS

There are no original ideas anyway, so I don't really buy that argument. (Hell, I can probably get it for free. )

[DoubleDee]

[QUOTE=ralph.m;5059105]There are laws against it, you know. (Or do you live in the Wild West?)

Worse. America! (Apparently you've never seen "Wall Street" or "The Boiler Room"?!)

I wrote it myself, and now I'm super terrified that you'll steal it and I will lose megabucks.

Nah, I already have my ideas to become a millionaire.

There are no original ideas anyway, so I don't really buy that argument. (Hell, I can probably get it for free. )

That was part of my point...

With the Internet and 8 Billion people, how can anyone and their ideas stand out and NOT get stolen on day 1?!

There will always be some mega-corporation out there like Wells Fargo or Wal-Mart or Goldman Sacs ready to screw the little guy (or gal) over...

At any rate, I am trying to get enough of a jump-start so I have a fighting chance.

And making sure people don't lift my Podcasts and Videos is a big concern to me.

More so, if they do steal my A/V, how will I even know? (When it comes to business and IT websites and blogs, I think 75% of the content is stolen or spun... How would you even know your content was stolen until it is too late?)

But back to my original post, so it sounds like "streaming (packets of data)" of one of my videos would be costly? (I never heard back if there are alternatives to Amazon Cloud.)

If that is so, then from a technical standpoint, how would I create and distribute my videos?

Do I have the videographer make a video file (e.g. MPEG) and then just drop it in the Web Root of my Hosting Account and link to it using some HTML?

Or do I need software to serve up the file?

Sorry for being so dense, but I've never You Tubed or whatever, and have no clue of how to make or get a video up on my website...


Debbie

[ralph.m]

I never heard back if there are alternatives to Amazon Cloud.

I'm sure there are plenty of others, but one I do know about is Rackspace, which I've used before. EastCoast also mentioned Red5, which sounds like an interesting option.

[DoubleDee]

I'm sure there are plenty of others, but one I do know about is Rackspace, which I've used before. EastCoast also mentioned Red5, which sounds like an interesting option.

Well, I glanced at Red5, but I'm guessing that is way over my head. (They have horrible information about there products/offerings, and after listening to their CEO's podcast, that is one way to ensure that nobody steals your content!!!)

I tried chatting with RackSpace today, but after 10 minutes it was clear that the tech didn't even know what "streaming video" is, so I gave up?!


Debbie

[logic_earth]

Well Debbie, when it comes to streaming video it will be over your head and it will be exepnsive to do it yourself. Thats why Youtube and others like it have become so big. It is not cheap to handle streaming video on your own. You need serious bandwidth just for a small videos, let alone larger higher quality videos. You'll need a bigger or more servers depending on the traffic as streaming requires more work from the server then HTML and static files.

It really isn't something that we cah just say "do this and this", it gets very complicated.

[DoubleDee]

Well Debbie, when it comes to streaming video it will be over your head and it will be exepnsive to do it yourself. Thats why Youtube and others like it have become so big. It is not cheap to handle streaming video on your own. You need serious bandwidth just for a small videos, let alone larger higher quality videos. You'll need a bigger or more servers depending on the traffic as streaming requires more work from the server then HTML and static files.

It really isn't something that we cah just say "do this and this", it gets very complicated.

Rewind for a second. (I get this sense people are using different meanings for the same term.) When I say "streaming video" I mean that I have the original Video FILE on a server somewhere and some Video Streaming Application dices that Video FILE up into Video DATA PACKETS and sends them one after the other to a User's browser. As such, there is no way to steal a Video by simply downloading it.

Now if a User used "Video Capture Software", then I suppose that that software would assemble each Video DATA PACKET and ultimately create a Video FILE that the User would have then successfully stolen.

Back to your comments...

What are you saying is mega expensive and over-my-head?

1.) Hosting a Video FILE on my website and letting people view it?

2.) Showing a Streamed Video where the Video FILE is converted to Video DATA PACKETS and them "streamed" over the Internet to people?


If you are saying #1 is out-of-my-league I am skeptical, because I see small website do it all of the time (without using YouTube).

Besides, think about it, YouTube is a modern phenomenon. 10 years ago people hosted videos on their websites and their was no YouTube. So how did they do it back then?!

These videos I am looking on doing can't be that hard to serve up as either "files" or "streams" in my mind, because they will only be 1-3 minutes and I'm not looking for High-Def - just something that looks presentable.

(Maybe a good videographer would have some ideas, but I suspect they are fairly ignorant on the IT side...)


Debbie

[logic_earth]

These videos I am looking on doing can't be that hard to serve up as either "files" or "streams" in my mind, because they will only be 1-3 minutes and I'm not looking for High-Def - just something that looks presentable.

If they are only going to be short and small...why bother with streaming them? One would stream to allow instant playing for larger video files but if they are already so small and short its pretty pointless.

And no, streaming would not protect them from being downloaded and copied. For a video to be displayed all the necessary bits of data need to make it to the client's side. These bits are easily captured and reassembled into a complete file.

[DoubleDee]

If they are only going to be short and small...why bother with streaming them? One would stream to allow instant playing for larger video files but if they are already so small and short its pretty pointless.

So what would I need to do so people could watch a Video File?

Can't I just place that in my Document Root and link to it like a picture?

(Again, I have no clue how to do videos online.)

And no, streaming would not protect them from being downloaded and copied. For a video to be displayed all the necessary bits of data need to make it to the client's side. These bits are easily captured and reassembled into a complete file.

Now, not to start any rumors here, but just out of curiosity, then how do porn sites prevent people from copying all of their movies?

I mean, Ralph may be correct in that nobody would want to steal my "Debbie on Incorporating Your Business", but other content (e.g. porn) would definitely get stolen even if it was streamed.

My point being, there certainly must be Technologies and Techniques that make it extremely difficult to capture videos online. Whether you are the Playboy Channel or NetFlicks or VH1 it would seem that they are ahead of the copyright infringers. (And I would think that the pron companies would be way ahead of the bad guys when it comes to protecting their content.)

So, if there is anyone out there that runs a porn network, how do you/they protect their online videos??

Thanks,


Debbie

[logic_earth]

So what would I need to do so people could watch a Video File?

Can't I just place that in my Document Root and link to it like a picture?

(Again, I have no clue how to do videos online.)

Sometimes, or use Flash/Silverlight to act as a middle-man.

Now, not to start any rumors here,

but just out of curiosity, then how do porn sites prevent people from copying all of their movies?...

DRM and encryption, both of which must be supported by the server software, and client system along with the player (Flash/Silverlight) thus you won't see "porn" sites use HTML5 for video content. HTML5 has no DRM support.

[DoubleDee]

Sometimes, or use Flash/Silverlight to act as a middle-man.

Know of any helpful tutorials to put videos on a website?

DRM and encryption, both of which must be supported by the server software, and client system along with the player (Flash/Silverlight) thus you won't see "porn" sites use HTML5 for video content. HTML5 has no DRM support.

DRM = Digital Rights Media?

Is that how the Apple Store and iTunes works?

You need a key on your computer or something to be able to access content?


Debbie

[ralph.m]

I've not yet come across any online video content that I couldn't copy with a simple screen recording program I have, which captures the video and audio beautifully. With the click of a button, I can copy anything, from videos to movies, and with another click save them in a format ready to upload to YouTube or whatever. Not that I do this often, mind you ... but the point is that it's easy. I have this software for making screencasts on my computer, but it's really handy for other things, too. I can record family Skype conversations, TV shows and all sorts of stuff to keep filed away.

I'm just pointing out that once something is on your screen, it's utterly trivial to copy it.

A while back I was exploring copyright protection of PDFs, and discovered that you can sign up to Adobe and set some kind of key on each PDF so that the purchaser has to be registered with Adobe to view the PDF and it is restricted to one computer. But then I discovered that this costs tens of thousands of dollars per year! Gulp. That was the end of that idea. And then I discovered that a lot of people are turning away from DRM (digital rights management) anyway ... because it punishes honest people and, in the end, is never failsafe anyway.

Perhaps instead of making these videos free to view online, charge people to view and/or download them. And if you have the time, prepare a copy for them that displays their email address at the bottom (or maybe their credit card number ... ... if that's legal, but I suspect it isn't) to discourage them from passing it around.

In the end, though, you have to ask yourself if all this protection is worth it. It costs you a lot of time and money ... when probably you are better off just creating more great content and keeping ahead of the pack. As some who have turned against DRM maintain, having your work passed around freely is good advertising ... so as long as the videos have your branding all over them, the worst that would happen is your advertising costs are reduced to nothing!

[DoubleDee]

I've not yet come across any online video content that I couldn't copy with a simple screen recording program I have, which captures the video and audio beautifully. With the click of a button, I can copy anything, from videos to movies, and with another click save them in a format ready to upload to YouTube or whatever. Not that I do this often, mind you ... but the point is that it's easy. I have this software for making screencasts on my computer, but it's really handy for other things, too. I can record family Skype conversations, TV shows and all sorts of stuff to keep filed away.

I'd be curious to know what program(s) you are using.

And if they are freeware or pay-ware?!

Anything freeware I have tried in the past certainly could not copy everything. And more advanced sites like the Wall Street Journal or some mdeia sites were very hard if not impossible to copy.

I'm just pointing out that once something is on your screen, it's utterly trivial to copy it.

Okay.

A while back I was exploring copyright protection of PDFs, and discovered that you can sign up to Adobe and set some kind of key on each PDF so that the purchaser has to be registered with Adobe to view the PDF and it is restricted to one computer. But then I discovered that this costs tens of thousands of dollars per year! Gulp. That was the end of that idea. And then I discovered that a lot of people are turning away from DRM (digital rights management) anyway ... because it punishes honest people and, in the end, is never failsafe anyway.

Okay.

Perhaps instead of making these videos free to view online, charge people to view and/or download them. And if you have the time, prepare a copy for them that displays their email address at the bottom (or maybe their credit card number ... ... if that's legal, but I suspect it isn't) to discourage them from passing it around.

Well, that could be another thread in and of itself.

I have had a really hard time even getting visitors to my website and my clients' websites.

The reason I am thinking of spending a lot of money on videos and podcasts is to GET VISITORS (and hopefully Customers).

So that is probably why I am so protective of my future materials...

If people had to pay to watch my videos and listen to my Podcasts I would be out of business. (Some days I don't think if I paid people they would even come to my site?!)

In the end, though, you have to ask yourself if all this protection is worth it. It costs you a lot of time and money ... when probably you are better off just creating more great content and keeping ahead of the pack. As some who have turned against DRM maintain, having your work passed around freely is good advertising ... so as long as the videos have your branding all over them, the worst that would happen is your advertising costs are reduced to nothing!

All valid points, Ralph.

I'm just worried because everything I have tried so far has failed.

I didn't do a good job helping my clients make money online, and now I am suffering myself. I spent A LOT of money on radio advertising that yielded virtually no visitors to my site, and I am fearful of even putting up good copy and images for fear some bigger competitor (or even a small scavenger) will come along, steal my content and ideas, and leave me in the dust...

Yeah, if I plaster my videos and Podcasts with my company name and URL, I suppose it is pretty useless to others, except they can still use it for ideas and then copy my content in an even worse way.

I don't know...

Maybe I should have become a beautician?!


Debbie