Regarding choosing an encoding standard, there are video managment systems (such as Kaltura) that will "regularize" (my non-tech-wonk term) any of a large number of standards, play back using a proprietary standard, and determine the best bandwidth to deliver based on what kind of device and web connection a user has. At least, I think that's how it works. Oh, and they can also be imbedded into course management systems. I don't know how well they handle 2-hour movies, though. I've only witnessed them with clips.
And Gary's right, our students care more about convenience than image quality. But, I suppose we should still strive for the best image quality possible. Matt ________________________________________ Matt Ball Media and Collections Librarian University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA 22904 mattb...@virginia.edu | 434-924-3812 ________________________________________ From: videolib-boun...@lists.berkeley.edu [videolib-boun...@lists.berkeley.edu] On Behalf Of ghand...@library.berkeley.edu [ghand...@library.berkeley.edu] Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2010 6:00 PM To: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu Subject: Re: [Videolib] evaluating library hosted streaming video Hi Amanda Let me toy with your question a bit. First of all, let's dispense with the whole issue of image quality. Unless an institution is going to be storing and pumping huge chunks of uncompressed video over the the wires (thus almost certainly bringing down the network), there are limits to the quality of the image you're gonna get via streaming--no matter which codec you use (see below). Performance is another issue (i.e. how well your network can handle a large number of concurrent users) In my experience, most institutional networks can handle a reasonable number of concurrent streams of compressed video with no problem at all. You test these things out by having a whole bunch of people log on at one time, both on campus/in-building and off. Tech wonks call this stress testing... The bigger issues, in my view, are ones having to do with the encoding standard used: Flash, H264, Windows Media, Quick Time, java-based...whatev. You have to make a decision re which of these is going to work best on your particular network and work best for the largest number of users. Which of these "standards" (they're really not standards at all) is going to be around in five years (thus avoiding having to encode the whole shebang all over again) By the way, in my experience, students don't really give a two-penny damn about image quality, in most instances. These are folks (like my daughter) who will watch a 90 minute feature film on their iPhones. The bigger issue for this crew is ready access at all times. Gary Handman > This is a question for libraries that host streaming films, especially > feature length films, from their own servers. How do you assess the > performance and quality of streaming video and evaluate viewing > experience for the students? > > > > > > Amanda Timolat > > Media Librarian > > Collection Management > Baruch College Library > 151 East 25th Street > New York, NY 10010 > 646-312-1693 > amanda.timo...@baruch.cuny.edu > > > > > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of > issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic > control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in > libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve > as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of > communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video > producers and distributors. > Gary Handman Director Media Resources Center Moffitt Library UC Berkeley 510-643-8566 ghand...@library.berkeley.edu http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC "I have always preferred the reflection of life to life itself." --Francois Truffaut VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors. VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
