Video upload

Video update

Normal

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api.video

Tutorials

NodeJS

no code

Video content is a critical digital media component, offering a dynamic way to share information and engage with audiences. [api.video](http://api.video) provides a robust video on demand platform, where you and your users can have full control over video accessibility. You can enable viewers to download the source videos directly from the api.video player, or from the player of your choice. Improve user experience and drive engagement in your solution by enabling viewers to access videos offline, or give content creators the ability to create backups of their media. It also works the other way around - you have the ability to disable video download functionality altogether and restrict access to the video source file, if that suits your use case better.

This article will explain the ways you can **enable or disable video downloading through the api.video player using our API and the Dashboard**, and will also give you a simple example for creating a custom download button for the player of your choice.

## Download access control with a single setting

api.video simplifies the process of offering downloadable videos by providing a single property that can be set to either `true` or `false` when a video is uploaded. The `mp4Support` property decides whether your viewers can access and download the source file a of a video. When enabled, this feature introduces a download button directly on the api.video player, allowing viewers to download videos with a single click. Setting the property to `false` on the other hand disables the download option, giving creators more control over the distribution of their content.

>The `mp4Support` property is enabled by default for all video uploads.

### Control downloads via the API

Let’s dive into how you can control video downloads programmatically when integrating with one of api.video’s API clients. 

>This example uses api.video’s **[Node.Js API client](https://docs.api.video/sdks/api-clients/apivideo-nodejs-client).** Check out our Libraries & SDKs for a complete list of [available API clients](https://docs.api.video/sdks/api-clients).

Utilizing api.video’s `/videos` endpoint, you can enable or disable downloads for individual videos during upload, or you can update an already uploaded video to change download permissions.

 
Let’s see how this process looks like when uploading a video: 

 

&nbsp;

1. **Create a video object and define the `mp4Support` property**

 

Now let’s see how the same thing looks like for a video that is already hosted on api.video:

>Check out the [API reference](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos) for more details about the `/videos` endpoint, and take a look at the [Video Download guide](https://docs.api.video/vod/video-download)’s examples for other API clients.

### Enable downloads through the Dashboard

When you are hosting your own content at api.video, the Dashboard gives you granular control over every video that you upload. Check out the [Videos page](https://dashboard.api.video/videos) to see a list of all your uploaded videos!

&nbsp;

Let’s see how you can modify download access without writing a single line of code:

 

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1. Open the **Details** view for any specific video where you want to enable or disable download access:

Showing an uploaded video in the Dashboard

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2. On the Video details page, click on the **Update video object** button:

Showing the Video Settings page in the Dashboard

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3. Modify the `MP4 support` setting with a simple toggle and click on **Update Video** to save your changes:

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Once you save your changes, the download button will appear for this video in the api.video player.

## Create a custom download button

Most video player solutions have native support for downloading the video’s source file. However, you can also add a download button to a custom player that does not have this functionality.

&nbsp;

Leverage api.video’s API by sending a request that retrieves the video’s `id`,  and then render a custom download button serves the `mp4` asset for video.

&nbsp;

Check out the [Video download guide](https://docs.api.video/vod/video-download#creating-a-custom-download-button) for a step-by-step walkthrough on how to create a custom download button using Node.Js, api.video’s Node.Js API client, npm, and React.

## Conclusion

The ability to enable or disable video downloads is a fundamental aspect of content management, and [api.video](http://api.video) is here to offer a simple and intuitive solution for both developers and content creators. 

&nbsp;

Explore the capabilities of api.video! Check out our [documentation](https://docs.api.video/), browse through the available [Libraries & SDKs](https://docs.api.video/sdks), and [sign up to get started for free](https://dashboard.api.video/register).

&nbsp;

Start with api.video today to deliver a comprehensive, feature-rich video on demand service. The team is readily available to assist you with any inquiries or to help you discover the full potential of api.video.

Enhancing Video Accessibility: Control Video Downloads with api.video

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Arushi Gupta

Video trends

_“Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road.”_ - Stewart Brand, Writer

&nbsp;

Picture yourself in your office or home, daydreaming about your next thrilling vacation. Two options lie before you: flipping through a travel booklet, or immersing yourself in captivating videos showcasing breathtaking landscapes, mountains, oceans, delicious food, vibrant cultures, and more! If you had to choose, you will surely choose the second option, because let’s all agree, videos are far more realistic and give you the right information quickly. !

&nbsp;

But there are various formats to videos, and video-on-demand is one format in which videos are consumed today — thanks to video-on-demand (VOD) platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Hotstar, and more. 

&nbsp;

Now what are VOD platforms in the first place and how do they work? Let’s find out. 

## What is VOD?

Let’s first understand what is on-demand. On-demand is something that is desired for or wanted. Similarly, [video-on-demand ](https://api.video/what-is/vod-video-on-demand/)or VOD is any content format that gives the audience the power to watch it whenever, wherever, and however they want. It can be found anywhere on the internet for any purpose — be it entertainment, online learning, or e-commerce. Since VOD is streamed through the internet, there is no intervention of cable or satellite connections unlike traditional broadcasting methods. 

&nbsp;

And that is what makes VOD so popular and also, so convenient to use. 

## Benefits of VOD

Now that we know the meaning of VOD, let's look at some of its important benefits.

### VOD offers enhanced engagement

With VOD, you can create multiple videos for your products and services, providing proper descriptions of their features and functionalities. Attendees can watch, understand, and learn about your offerings through these on-demand streaming videos. Moreover, it is a common habit for people to watch various videos, read content, and then make product comparisons before making a decision. This provides you with an opportunity to capture the attention of a global audience for your products and services. 

&nbsp;

_Did you know?_

According to a 2022 study by [Wyzowld](https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/), it was found that a massive 94% of marketers agree that video helped them understand a product or service better. It was also noted that 88% of people had been convinced to buy a product or service after watching the brand's video. Not to mention, the study also found that 96% of people watched an explainer video to know more about a product or service.



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### VOD is convenient for your business

Video on demand allows your audience or customers to watch content according to their will. There are no restrictions on place and time, and they can watch the video as they wish. The best part is that unlike most other general broadcasting services, VOD platforms’ availability is not restricted to certain geographical locations, so viewers from around the world can stream content. 

&nbsp;

_Did you know?_

[77% of Americans](https://www.statista.com/statistics/949965/pay-tv-streaming-satisfaction-rate/) report being happy with the convenience and flexibility of streaming video on demand, while [71% discarded cable TV](https://www.statista.com/statistics/319924/reasons-not-have-cable-usa/) as they can easily find the content they want online. 


### VOD tastes like freedom

VOD platforms offer the freedom to create content with complete control, free from advertisers' guidelines and restrictions. Producing videos-on-demand allows you to share your authentic self with the world. With just an idea, a camera, and an internet connection, you can craft the perfect video content for your product or service, ready to be showcased on your app or website.


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### VOD offers better opportunities at lesser cost

Video-on-demand proves more budget-friendly than hosting a virtual event or live streaming content. As opposed to livestreaming where you can be online for just a defined time — like a day or a week — video-on-demand has no restriction on the availability of your content and that allows people access to your content for a larger duration of time.


## What makes a great VOD platform

There are various aspects of a good VOD streaming platform. Let’s see what they are.

1. ### Customization with a white-label video player

The foremost focus of your product lies on branding. It is always great to have logos, images, and colors to maintain your brand's prominence by white-labeling your videos — and a good VOD platform should let you do that with ease. 

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At api.video, you get complete control to showcase your brand and [stand out with our customizable video streaming API](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/white-labeling-api-video/).

### 2. Content delivery network (CDN)

A content delivery network (CDN) is like the backbone of a VOD platform. A CDN plays a crucial role in delivering videos with minimal buffer time to your users across the globe, making sure they can enjoy smooth and speedy streaming.

### 3. Digital rights management

Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a tech tool that safeguards your content from piracy and unauthorized sharing. A good VOD platform usually has a DRM solution that lets you create videos and restrict their viewership to private or public. 

### 4. Multi-user access

A multi-user access feature provides custom access controls and user permissions within your business and for each target audience group. With the [help of built-in safeguards, a good VOD platform](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/workspace/) lets you share your workspaces with other members and collaborate on a project. 

## How is VOD different from live streaming?

The best way to describe the difference between VOD and live streaming is to understand real acting vs. reel acting. In theater, there are no second chances; what happens on stage is the final act. On the other hand, movies and series permit multiple takes, extensive editing, and color correction before producing the final video. Similarly, VOD empowers you to shoot, edit, and upload videos at your pace, granting you the freedom to pause, play, rewind and fast forward. 


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On the other hand, live streaming lacks such options since it takes place in real-time, untouched by editing. If you see the broader aspect, live streaming is a subset `of VOD as live videos can be watched on demand by the viewers at a later date. 

If you are wondering which one’s better, we would say both of them can be combined for a wholesome business package. While VOD offers convenience and accessibility, live streaming is more engaging for the user. 

## Is VOD the right option for you?

In a word, YES. There can be a lot to do in this era of online marketing, but video-on-demand can change your brand in a lot of ways. It is attractive because it grants you complete control over your videos without adhering to advertisers' guidelines. With the ability to shoot, edit, and upload at your own pace, VOD caters to diverse needs and audiences. Viewers can indulge in on-demand content, pause, play, and revisit their favorite moments at their convenience. 

&nbsp;

In a nutshell, VOD is an excellent way to connect with your audience and make a meaningful impact that can go a long way in your business’ growth but you need to evaluate your content goals, target audience, and desired level of control to be able to decide if it is the right option for your business. 

&nbsp;

_If you are looking for an API that lets you integrate videos seamlessly to your product, checkout [api.video](https://api.video/). With usage based pricing that does not burn a hole in your pocket, lightning fast encoding and a developer friendly API, you get everything you need at api.video to integrate VOD in your app or website._

&nbsp;

_[Sign-up ](https://dashboard.api.video/register)for a free sandbox account or [take a look at our features ](https://api.video/features/)now!_

What is VOD and how does it work?

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Announcements

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linkedin Alex W

Alexandre Willot

Product updates

We are excited to introduce Domain Restrictions, a feature that will allow you to restrict your videos and live stream playback to specific domains or subdomains, providing an additional layer of security for your videos and streams.

## 1. What does ‘Domain Restrictions’ do?

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With Domain Restrictions, you can now specify which domains or subdomains are allowed to stream your videos or live streams. This means that even if someone gets a hold of your API credentials, or video and live stream links, they won't be able to use them to watch or stream your content from an unauthorized domain.
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## 2. How it works

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1. Log in to your [api.video account](https://dashboard.api.video) and navigate to [Domains](https://dashboard.api.video/domains).
2. Click on "Set your allowed domains"

    

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3. In the conversation popup, input the domains or subdomains you want to allow.
4. Our customer care team will evaluate your request and provide you access as soon as possible 
5. You are all set! Your videos will only play from the list of domains you have listed.  

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## 3. Pricing

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As an api.video customer, you can use this feature at no additional cost for now. This will be a paid feature in the future. 
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## 4. Documentation

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If you need more information, you can explore our docs [here](https://docs.api.video/delivery-analytics/domain-referrer)

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## 5. What are the other ways to secure your videos?

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Domain Restrictions is just one of the many privacy and security features that api.video offers to help you protect your videos and streams. We take security seriously and are constantly working to improve our platform. 

For instance, our infrastructure provides safe, replicated video storage.

Also, in addition to domain restrictions, [api.video](http://api.video) offers multiple solutions to secure your online videos:

1. [Private videos](https://docs.api.video/delivery-analytics/video-privacy-access-management) will allow you to secure videos individually, you can select which videos are private and which are public. This is a very powerful feature that will help you control and manage access to video in a granular way. Get started with Private Videos [here](https://docs.api.video/delivery-analytics/video-privacy-access-management).

2. The [custom domain](https://dashboard.api.video/domains) feature lets you white-label the video experience you offer to your users, and also bypass firewalls that are configured to display content only from a finite list of approved domains. 

3. [api.video](http://api.video) offers a [video watermark functionality](https://docs.api.video/vod/add-a-permanent-watermark). It allows you to embed any watermark you want into your video to protect your content. For example, it is useful to apply watermarks if you are streaming copyrighted videos. 

4. Last but not least, if you use api.video’s player, you can also add your own [player themes](https://docs.api.video/delivery-analytics/player-customization). Among the options, you can [add your own brand logo](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Player-Themes#upload-a-logo) on top of your player. While the video watermark gets burnt onto the video, this player feature only creates a front-end overlay on top of your video.

If you have any questions or feedback, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team, at hello@api.video. Now time to set up your own playback restrictions based on your domains 😀

And if you don't have an api.video account yet but want to test the product, remember that api.video offers a [free signup option](https://dashboard.api.video/register), where you can test all of the product features.

Happy video day!

Restrict playback to specific domain with Domain Restriction

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webhooks

Doug Sillars

JavaScript

Video bumpers are small video intro and exit scenes added to a video to help the viewer understand what they are about to watch.  The intro 'bumper' often has a title or description of the video that is to follow, and the outro 'bumper' provides a call to action on what the viewer can do next - now that they have watched the video.

At api.video, we add bumpers to many of our videos to provide context and a subject for each video, and the end bumper provides a 'call to action' after the video has been watched.

Adding bumpers to your video makes your video appear more polished, as an editing step was taken to add these to the raw video you recorded with your camera (or screen sharing tool).  It is often a manual task in your video editing software.

In this post, we'll automate the task of adding bumpers to a video recording.  We'll use the [Shotstack API](https://shotstack.io/) to add the bumper image and text titles to the front and end of a recorded video.  The completed video will then be uploaded to api.video, and be ready to play in seconds - removing several manual steps from the creation of your training videos!

You can also check out the API reference documentation for the endpoints used for this project: 
* [Webhooks](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Webhooks#create-webhook)
* [Video status](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#retrieve-video-status-and-details)

## The "old way" of adding bumpers:

1. Create slides in Google Slides for the intro & outro
2. Take screenshots of the slides
3. Import the screenshots into iMovie
4. Add them to the video timeline
5. Encode the video
6. Upload the video to api.video


The downsides to this: 
Steps 1-4 are all manual, and are repeated for each video that I create.
In steps 5&6 there is a lot of waiting.  

## The "new way": bumper.a.video

Add images, text and video to a web form. Click "upload." The video will upload and have the bumpers added automatically - with no manual work, and (what seems like) a lot less waiting.



Let's see how it is built!


## Ingredients for the demo

* [api.video account](https://dashboard.api.video/register)
* Background image: a 16:9 image suitable for the background

* Watermark image.  In this demo, we'll use the api.video logo. It is sized to 100x100 pixels to fit properly on the video. The image is also transparent to ensure that there is no white "background" on top of the video.


* 4 Text fields

  * Intro title
  * Intro 2nd title
  * Outro title
  * Outro 2nd title


## The tools used in this demo

### Shotstack

The Shotstack API is a video editing API. You can splice together videos, add watermarks, and add text into your video using their API.  We'll use this API to create our bumpers:

1. Upload a background image (we use the same image for both bumpers)
2. Add a title and a 2nd title for both bumpers (text fields)
3. Add a watermark in the upper right corner for the entire video.

### api.video

The initial video will be uploaded to api.video. Once the mp4 has been produced, it is sent to Shotstack for 'bumper work.' Once the video with bumpers has been created via the Shotstack API, we will re-add the completed video to api.video, and provide a playback url.


## Creating the video

Once you hit 'send' on the form at bumper.a.video, a lot of action takes place:

1. The 2 images are uploaded to bumper.a.video/images.  Shotstack requires that the images be publically available on the internet for the api to process them.
2. The video is uploaded to api.video.  For security reasons there are a few steps in this process:

   * The node server makes 2 calls to api.video: creating a delegated token and a videoId (with the name & description provided by the user). 
   * A delegated token works as a public API token for upload only.  
   * Sending this and the videoID back to the browser, we can use the api.video [JavaScript uploader](https://docs.api.video/sdks/vod/apivideo-typescript-uploader) to securely upload the video to api.video.
3. Once the video is uploaded - a message appears to the user, and a button appears to update the status of the processing.

Now that the video has been uploaded to api.video, the rest of the work is done between the Node server, api.video and Shotstack. 

1. Shotstack requires a publically available video URL for processing the video.  We use the ```video.encoding.quality.completed``` [webhook](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Webhooks#create-webhook) to monitor the creation of the videos at api.video. When the webhook alert tells us that the mp4 version of the video has been created, we know that the mp4 file is ready.  Now we can request the api for the URL of the mp4 (to send to Shotstack).
2. In order to build the bumpers correctly, we also need the duration of the video uploaded. The [video status](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#retrieve-video-status-and-details) endpoint tells us the duration of the video in the metadata section of the response.

### Creating the call to Shotstack

The Shotstack API works like an onion with many layers that must be defined to create a full video: 

Every video has a ```timeline``` that defines the overall video.

Each ```timeline``` has one or more ```tracks```.  Tracks sit atop one another (in our case, we will have a watermark track sitting atop the video track).

Each ```track``` has one or more ```clips```.  The clips are bits of video/text or images that have specific durations inside the track.

Each ```clip``` has an ```asset``` that defines the clip - this could be a string of text, or an image or a video file.



There are two tracks that play the length of the video - the watermark track - which has a single clip for the single image asset.

the code for this (using the NodeJS SDK) looks like this:

```
let watermarkAsset = new Shotstack.ImageAsset;
							watermarkAsset.setSrc('https://bumper.a.video/images/'+wmpath)
						//watermark to run full video 
						let watermarkClip = new Shotstack.Clip;
							watermarkClip.setAsset(watermarkAsset);
							watermarkClip.setPosition("topLeft");
							watermarkClip.setOffset({"x": 0.05,"y": -0.05});
							watermarkClip.setOpacity(0.5);
							watermarkClip.setFit("none");
							watermarkClip.setStart(0);
							watermarkClip.setLength(4+duration+4);
```

The clip is used to set the location - in this case the top left - with a bit of (x,y) adjustment, the opacity (50%), and how long the clip should play.

Since the intro and outro are 4 seconds, and the video has length ```duration``` - we set this clip to appear for the entire video.

The main track of the video has many clips (and assets).  Both the intro and outro have background and 2 text assets each, and the middle section has just the video clip/asset.

Shotstack does not like having clips with identical times. That means I cannot add the titles at the same moment as the background image. I could have perhaps placed the text items into different tracks to overlay the background - and then had them all start at the same time.  Instead I have the background appear, and then add each bit of text every 100ms:

```
						let titleIntroTextAsset =new Shotstack.TitleAsset;
							titleIntroTextAsset.setText(introTitle);
							titleIntroTextAsset.setStyle('chunk');
							titleIntroTextAsset.setColor('#ffffff');
							titleIntroTextAsset.setSize('x-large');
							titleIntroTextAsset.setPosition('center');
						let titleIntroClip = new Shotstack.Clip;
							titleIntroClip.setAsset(titleIntroTextAsset);
							titleIntroClip.setStart(0.1);
							titleIntroClip.setLength(3.9);

						let titleIntroTextAsset2 =new Shotstack.TitleAsset;
							titleIntroTextAsset2.setText(introTitle2);
							titleIntroTextAsset2.setStyle('chunk');
							titleIntroTextAsset2.setColor('#ffffff');
							titleIntroTextAsset2.setSize('large');
							titleIntroTextAsset2.setPosition('bottom');
						let titleIntroClip2 = new Shotstack.Clip;
							titleIntroClip2.setAsset(titleIntroTextAsset2);
							titleIntroClip2.setStart(0.2);
							titleIntroClip2.setLength(3.8);
```

The main text asset is present from 100ms into the video to 3.9s, and the secondary text asset is present from 200ms to 3.8s.  It looks kind of cool, as if they are boomeranging in and out, so I kept it this way.

The video clip in the middle has the volume set to 50%. It starts at 4s, and has a length of ```duration``` seconds.

```
						let videoAsset = new Shotstack.VideoAsset;
							videoAsset.setSrc(mp4Url);
							videoAsset.setVolume(0.5);
						let videoClip =  new Shotstack.Clip;
							videoClip.setAsset(videoAsset);
							videoClip.setStart(4);
							videoClip.setLength(duration);
```


All of this data is sent to the Shotstack API, and it begins processing the video - adding the watermark and the bumpers.

Once the video is completed (the Node server polls every 2s to get an update), a new video at api.video is created, using the source URL from Shotstack:


```
	function updateApiVideo(url){
							//ok so the video is created at Stostack
							const videoCreationPayload = {
								title: title, // The title of your new video.
								description: descr, // A brief description of your video.
								source: url, // If you add a video already on the web, this is where you enter the url for the video.
								
							}; 
							finalUpload =  client.videos.create(videoCreationPayload);
							finalUpload.then (function(finalVideo) {
								console.log(finalVideo);
								var finalvideoId = finalVideo.videoId;
								var finalPlayerURL = finalVideo.assets.player;
								console.log('finalvideoid',finalvideoId);
								console.log('finalPlayerURL',finalPlayerURL);
								//res.send(finalPlayerURL);
								videoProgressJson.finalVideoId = finalvideoId;
								videoProgressJson.finalPlayerURL = finalPlayerURL;
								videoStatus(videocreationList, videoId);



							});
						}
```

Finally - we use the same video encoding webhook we used earlier to wait until the 720p version of the video is ready for playback (looking for the new videoID, and the HLS version at 720p resolution).

The user - back on the webpage, can click the "update status" button and track this process.  The update status reports:

* Initial mp4 created
* Shotstack id
* Shotstack status
* New api.video videoID
* Final video at 720p

When the last item reports true - we add a link and embed the new video right onto the bumper.a.video page.

## Conclusion

Automating the mundane tasks we run regularly makes life easier. In this demo, I identified a process that was very manual - creating video bumpers for demo videos.  I used [api.video](https://api.video) and [Shotstack.io](https://shotstack.io) to automate the process, and thereby making the creation of video demos faster and easier!

If you have any questions or suggestions, please share them on our [community forum](https://community.api.video). If you still need to create your api.video account, you can do that in just a few moments by following [this link](https://dashboard.api.video/register). Happy building! 

Add bumpers to your video with bumper.a.video

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Restrict playback to specific domains with Domain Restrictions 

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Erikka Innes

This script is part of a collection of scripts from Hervé Pita that help with bulk video uploads. Everything is available in our [Helpful PHP Scripts](https://github.com/apivideo/helpful-scripts) repository on Github. In each part of this series, we'll walk through how to set up one of the scripts. What you'll find includes:

* [Ingest Videos from Google Drive](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-upload-videos-from-google-drive-to-api-video/) - You can transfer all your videos from a folder in Google Drive to your api.video account with this CLI script.
* [Ingest Videos from an FTP Server](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-pt-2-upload-videos-from-an-ftp-server/) - Transfer all your videos from the FTP server of your choice to your api.video account.
* [Export All Your Video Data to .csv](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-pt-3-export-all-your-video-details-to-a-csv/) - With this script you can grab details about each video in your api.video account and gather it in one .csv spreadsheet.
* [Update Metadata for api.video Videos Using CSV](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-pt-4-update-metadata-for-api-video-videos-using-csv/) - You can update your metadata in bulk with this script.
* [Update Video Settings in Bulk Without a CSV File](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-pt-5-bulk-update-without-a-csv-file/) - Update videos to all be public or private or offer an mp4 download or disable an mp4 download.

Today we're going to learn how to use the script that lets you do a bulk update without a CSV file. Rather than choosing custom fields, these are preset. You'll be able to quickly update your videos to all:
* Be public 
* Be private
* Support an mp4 download
* Not support an mp4 download

## Prerequisites

For this project you'll need:

* PHP 5.4 or greater with the command-line interface (CLI) and JSON extension installed
* The [Composer](https://getcomposer.org/) dependency management tool (or another way to manage your dependency management). See the Composer website for installation options.
* A GitHub account
* An api.video [account](https://my.api.video)
* Your API key for either production or sandbox

## Installation

1. Navigate to the [Helpful PHP Scripts](https://github.com/apivideo/helpful-scripts) repository.
2. Click **Code** and from the drop-down click **Download ZIP**. (You can also install from the CLI if you prefer.)
3. Put the contents of your new .zip file in a folder you want to work from.
4. Navigate to the folder containing the contents of your zip file in the terminal.
5. In the terminal, type ```composer require api-video/php-sdk```

## Try the Script

1. In the terminal, type ```php bulk_scripts.php```
2. You're asked what environment you want to use, prod or sandbox (p or s). Choose **p**. 
3. Provide your API key. Make sure it matches the environment choice you made in the last step. You can get your key by navigating to [my.api.video](https://my.api.video) and copying the appropriate key.
4. Next, you choose what operation to apply to all your videos. The options are private - this makes all your videos private. public - this makes all your videos public. mp4on - this makes all videos offer an mp4 download. mp4off - this makes all videos disable the option of an mp4 download. 
5. The script runs and when it's done, you can check to see the settings are updated. If you made a mistake, you can bulk update again to correct, or if you need to change only some videos, try the script that lets you update some files that you list in a .tsv - [Update Metadata for api.video Videos Using CSV](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-pt-4-update-metadata-for-api-video-videos-using-csv/)

And that's it for today! 

PHP Scripts: Update Video Settings in Bulk Without  CSV File

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Helpful PHP Scripts Pt 5: Update Video Settings in Bulk Without a CSV File

This script is part of a collection of scripts from Hervé Pita that help with bulk video uploads. Everything is available in our [Helpful PHP Scripts](https://github.com/apivideo/helpful-scripts) repository on Github. In each part of this series, we'll walk through how to set up one of the scripts. What you'll find includes:

* [Ingest Videos from Google Drive](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-upload-videos-from-google-drive-to-api-video/) - You can transfer all your videos from a folder in Google Drive to your api.video account with this CLI script.
* [Ingest Videos from an FTP Server](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-pt-2-upload-videos-from-an-ftp-server/) - Transfer all your videos from the FTP server of your choice to your api.video account.
* [Export All Your Video Data to .csv](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-pt-3-export-all-your-video-details-to-a-csv/) - With this script you can grab details about each video in your api.video account and gather it in one .csv spreadsheet.
* [Update Metadata for api.video Videos Using CSV](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-pt-4-update-metadata-for-api-video-videos-using-csv/) - You can update your metadata in bulk with this script.
* [Update Video Settings in Bulk Without a CSV File](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/helpful-php-scripts-pt-5-bulk-update-without-a-csv-file/) - Update videos to all be public or private or offer an mp4 download or disable an mp4 download.

Today we're going to learn how to use the script for updating custom you choose using a CSV file. This will allow you to make updates in bulk, so be careful! With great power comes great responsibility. 

## Prerequisities

For this project you'll need:
* PHP 5.4 or greater with the command-line interface (CLI) and JSON extension installed
* The [Composer](https://getcomposer.org) dependency management tool (or another way to manage your dependency management). See the Composer website for installation options.
* A GitHub account
* An api.video [account](https://my.api.video)
* Your API key for either production or sandbox (the script will update video metadata based on your API key - if you choose production your production videos are updated, if you choose sandbox, your sandbox videos are updated)

## Installation

1. Navigate to the Helpful PHP Scripts repository.
2. Click **Code** and from the ddrop-down click **Download ZIP**. (You can also install from the CLI if you prefer.)
3. Put the contents of your new .zip file in a folder you want to work from.
4. Navigate to the folder containing the contents of your zip file in the terminal.
5. In the terminal, type: ```composer require api-video/php-sdk```

## Prepare Your .csv File 
You're going to need a .csv file containing the information you want to update. The script is designed to be flexible, so you can include any three fields for the columns after the first column, which you must label **id**. In this column you place your videoId. The script can handle legacy video IDs beginning 'vi' or the new ones beginning 'video_'. The next three columns can be the parameters you decide on. In this walkthrough, I picked **title**, **description**, and **public**. I can use these to set the title of my video, provide a description of the video, and choose whether it will be public or private. 

Make sure the top of your file has the field headings, and they correspond to exactly how they are presented in the api.video API. If you need a refresher, check out [docs.api.video](https://docs.api.video/reference) to make sure you're setting up your file correctly. 

Set up all the files you want to edit, one row per video file. Then save your file as **.csv** or **.tsv**. Hervé's script will accept either ending, but be aware that you MUST set up your file so that the separator is a tab, or the script won't run. The easiest way to do this is to save it as **.tsv**.

After you set up your file, place it in the same folder that you run your script from. The script will expect to be able to retrieve your file from this location. 

NOTE: Double and triple check your rows! You don't want to accidentally upload mistake updates if you don't have to. 

## Try the Script

1. In the terminal, type ```php update_metadata.php``` 
2. You're asked what environment you want to use, prod or sandbox. For our walkthrough, choose **prod**.
3. Provide your API key when prompted. You can get this by navigating to [my.api.video](https://my.api.video) and copying the appropriate key.
4. You're asked to provide the name of the file you want to use. Provide the full name of the file, including the ending. 
5. You're asked if you're ready to have your file checked to make sure it has the right headings. Put **y**.
6. If all goes well, the metadata you provided is added! Go check your videos to see if they list the information you wanted to provide. 

Thanks for checking out the latest installment of helpful PHP scripts for bulk video uploads! 

PHP Scripts: Update Metadata for api.video Videos Using CSV

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Helpful PHP Scripts Pt 4: Update Metadata for api.video Videos Using CSV

Delegated Upload

Video Status

Video tagging

Video list

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Doug Twitter

# Video Content Moderation

User generated content (UGC) is taking over the internet. From sites offering video product reviews to vlogging and online education - video is being created at the fastest pace yet (and shows no sign of stopping). Many companies are looking for ways to easily incorporate UGC video on their sites.  

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All of our customers who allow UGC to be posted on their site worry about a few bad actors working to ruin their brand by posting inappropriate content. In order to protect their brand and the content on their site - evaluating any user generated content before it is allowed to be placed on the website is an important step. Traditional content moderation requires human moderators (which takes time and is expensive).

In this post, I'll walk through an alternative: using machine learning to moderate videos. Before publishing, it is scanned using machine learning for content, tested against rules, and then either accepted or rejected based on those rules.  Super fast, works 24 hours a day, and there will be no human error in the categorisation of the video.

As a demonstration, we've built a site with [api.video](https://api.video) for video hosting, and using Hive AI to power the video moderation.

## The Basics

## api.video
api.video is a full service API-based video hosting solution.  You can use our APIs to upload videos, modify and serve streaming video.  Every video that is uploaded is transcoded into a video stream, and can be delivered in a custom video player. If you haven't created an api.video account yet, you can do that [here](https://dashboard.api.video/register). 

In this solution, we'll use the [delegated upload](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos) (used like a public key) for uploading the videos.  We'll use the video [tagging](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/video-tagging-best-practices/) function to label each video based on the moderation results. We can search all of the tagged videos to deliver the videos (and custom player) to users based on their moderation state.

### Hive AI

Once the videos are uploaded, we need to run moderation before allowing them to appear on the website.  

Hive AI has several moderation suites. We've set up our API to use 2 endpoints. For short videos (under 25s) - we scan 1 frame every second, and for long videos, one frame every 5 seconds. (The demo above only works for 25s long videos).

The API is trained to identify several subjects that, depending on the context of your application, might be important to moderate. In this post, we will use a small subset of the trained models:

* Safe for work/Not Safe for Work
* Yes/No: Female nudity
* Yes/No: Male nudity
* Yes/No: Female swimwear
* Yes/No: Shirtless male
* Yes/No: guns
* Yes/No: smoking

After each frame is analyzed, a JSON file with data for each frame analyzed is returned for analysis.  

After analysis, the video is tagged with moderation value, ensuring that it only appears on pages appropriate for the video.

### Code

This application is available on [GitHub](https://github.com/apivideo/videoModeration). The general flow is:

1. On Upload, a video is tagged "needs moderation" (and will not appear on the site).
2. Hive AI performs frame analysis.
3. Based on the analysis, the video is tagged as "SFW" or "NSFW" (etc.).

moderation workflow, ai moderator, automated moderator

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On entering the site, users are presented with an upload form.  As we walk through this example, we'll be following the upload of the intro theme to the classic TV show Baywatch.

With api.video, we have created a delegated upload key - which allows us to place the code publicly on the webpage without exposing our API private key. The form takes the video, and uploads the video to api.video.  The uploader uses the [Blob API](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/uploading-large-files-with-javascript/) to break the videos into 50MB segments for uploading.

For the purposes of the demo, we show how many chunks are created, and update the progress of each chunk, in addition to the total video upload:


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The response from the upload provides the api.video ```videoId```, which is used to identify the video at api.video.  This is then sent to the NodeJS backend as a POST (along with the video's name).

On the Node server, we begin the process of moderating the video.  First, we call the [update video](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#update-a-video-object) endpoint to add the video's name and to tag the video "needsScreening" to indicate that it has entered the moderation queue.

### Transcoding

When the video is uploaded, api.video's servers begin the process of creating different size/bitrate videos to provide adaptive bitrate streaming.  We also create a mp4 version of the video. For content moderation, we need to submit the mp4 to Hive AI. The Node server pings api.video's [video status](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#retrieve-video-status-and-details) endpoint every 2 seconds to determine when the mp4 is ready. Initially, the API will indicate that the video is not playable (transcoding has not yet started). Once transcoding has started, the API lists the encoding status of every format being created, so we can monitor the encoding status of the mp4.

video status, video upload, upload a video

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Once the mp4 is created, we can create our connection to Hive AI, and make the request for content moderation.

The request looks like this:
```JSON
{
  method: 'POST',
  url: 'https://api.thehive.ai/api/v2/task/sync',
  headers: {
    accept: 'application/json',
    authorization: 'token {API TOKEN}'
  },
  form: {
    image_url: 'https://cdn.api.video/vod/vi1iHWIy6Doy0LBJl3ajaED0/mp4/1080/source.mp4'
  }
}
```

and a few seconds later, a huge JSON response comes back - 39 categories * x frames analysed.  Let's look at a snip of one frame to see the sort of information we get (for brevity, I've only included the first 5 categories that are returned):

```JSON
	{
		"class": "general_not_nsfw_not_suggestive",
		"score": 0.00460230773187999
	},
	{
		"class": "general_nsfw",
		"score": 5.180850871024288e-06
	},
	{
		"class": "general_suggestive",
		"score": 0.995392511417249
	},
	{
		"class": "no_female_underwear",
		"score": 0.9998768576722025
	},
	{
		"class": "yes_female_underwear",
		"score": 0.00012314232779748514
	}

```

"Not NSFW" means "Not Not Safe for Work" which, removing the double negative is "safe for work." This score is combined with "not suggestive", and is scored at 0.004.  Since 0 is a low score, and 1 is a high score, this means that the API has determined that this frame is not considered appropriate for work.  Looking at the next 2 values, general NSFW is also very small, but the "general suggestive" is 99.9%. Since the yes:no scores will always add up to one, this means that the general suggestiveness is what makes this frame not safe for work.

video moderator, automated content moderator, ai moderation

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### Compiling the scores

Hive AI gives you scores for each category on each frame, but it is up to us to define the pass/fail criteria for our videos.  

In order to do this, I take all the scores for each category, and place them in an array. With the data sequestered for each category, I can calculate the min, max, average and median of each score. I also calculate how many frames appear over 0.9 as a 90% certainty ("yes_smoking") and how many frames appear under 0.1 (90% certainty of "no_smoking.")  


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In the above "SFW" array (really the 'not not safe for work' response, but that is a mouthful), of 22 frames, I finde:
* min score: 0 (not safe for work)
* max score: 1 (safe)
* average:  0.55 right in the middle!
* median: 0.75 
* count of frames > 0.9: 9
* count of frames <0.1: 7

As you can see, 9 frames are over 0.9 (safe!), but 7 are below 0.1 (not safe!). If the median falls below 0.9, than means at least 50% of the frames are not "certain" to be safe for work ( which I place at the 90% threshold).  Based on these numbers, my rudimentary pass/fail algorithm deems the Baywatch intro "NSFW."  

If you wanted to prevent videos with smoking from appearing to your audience, just one frame with a 90% certainty of smoking would be enough to cause the video to be categorised as "yes_smoking." I used this same threshold for guns, nudity, underwear and swimwear. 

>Interestigly, this does push the Schindler's List trailer into the "yes smoking" category.

Based on these metrics, it is not terribly surprising that the Baywatch video is flagged for "yes female swimwear" and "yes shirtless male."  Also unsurprisingly, the algorithm found an absence of smoking and guns.

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Once we have the categories measured for each application, we can remove the tag ```needsScreening``` and add in the new tags from the moderation. This is done with the [Video Update](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#update-a-video-object) endpoint.  

And that ends the moderation process for the video.

### Video Categories

Now that each video has been categorised, it is easy to display each video category. Each video's categories have been added to the video as a tag and the [List videos](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#list-all-video-objects) endpoint allows us to search by tag - returning every video that does not have smoking, or is safe for work, etc.  Using Node, we can generate the list of videos (sorted newest first), and send them to the client:

```Javascript
app.get('/no_smoking', (req, res) => {
	//get list of no smoking videos
	client = new apiVideo.Client({ apiKey: apiVideoKey});
	let recordedList = client.videos.search({"tags":'no_smoking', "sortBy":"publishedAt","sortOrder":"desc"});
	recordedList.then(function(list) {
		console.log("list of tagged videos");
		console.log(list);
		return res.render('videos',{list});  
	}).catch((error) => {
	    console.log(error);
	});
		
});

```

The API returns the metadata for each video (including links for the video), so creating a page with each video iFrame is a pretty simple task.  On each page in the sample app, you can display (and watch) each of the videos assigned to a category.  In the demo, I use Pug for the rendering

```
 each video in list
    p #{video.title}
    iframe(type="text/html", src=video.assets.player, width = "960", height="540",frameborder="0", scrollling="no")
    p #{video.publishedAt}
   
```

For example, the "yes guns" page has 3 movie trailers (as I write this post): Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Die Hard and the latest James Bond,  

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## Conclusion

There we have it - we have uploaded a video to api.video, and before it is displayed on the site, it is moderated by Hive AI for several categories of inappropriateness.  Based on the analysis for each frame, the video is categorised into buckets and displayed on the appropriate page on the website.


If you have questions about using content moderation with your videos at api.video, feel free to reach out on our [community forum](https://community.api.video) or comment on the [GitHub repo](https://github.com/apivideo/videoModeration).  We'd love to see how you are using moderation to sort and categorise your videos, and the rubrics you utilise to decide what categories a video might fall into. If you haven't created your api.video account yet, you can do that in just a fewmomnets by follwoing [this link](https://dashboard.api.video/register). Happy building! 

Video moderation with machine learning

video content, machine learning, moderator, AI moderator

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Adding tags is a great way to simplify searches in your video collection - you can simply search for a specific tag to show all of the videos. 

Adding tags is easy, but there are a few tricks you should be aware of. For example this video has the tag "captions":

If I want to add a tag "dialogue", I cannot simply Update the Video with a new caption. The PATCH command will rewrite the "tag" entry.

You can see more about available tagging commands in the API reference documentation: 
* [Update a video](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#update-a-video-object)
* [List all videos](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#list-all-video-objects)

## Best practice

[Show the Video](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#retrieve-a-video-object) to receive a JSON similar to the snippet above.  Collect any existing tags, append the new tag, and then update the video:

and you'll have the correct tags on the video:

## Example of tags in action

[upload.a.video/toDiscord](https://upload.a.video/toDiscord) is an uploader that tags each video with 'Discord'  We then have a way to see all te videos in our collection that have been posted to Discord channels.


## Conclusion

Are you ready to start your video journey, and using tags to help organise your videos? [Sign up now](https://dashboard.api.video/register) to begin testing for free! 

A picture of a set of tags, a pun on video tagging

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Video tagging best practices

codec

video create

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Cédric Montet

At api.video, our goal is for video to be easy and affordable for anyone to build, be it individuals or organizations. We understand that achieving this goal means reducing costs at some stage of the video streaming process. That’s why, we now offer adaptive bitrate encoding for your videos at zero cost. 

&nbsp;

Yes, you heard me right. 

&nbsp;

**Encoding videos will be absolutely free for all video qualities (1080p or 4K) at [api.video](https://api.video/) - no hidden calculations, footer notes or tricks.**

(Check out this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouosgLbW7Ts) for more details) 


## A step towards making video streaming affordable

Video encoding is crucial as it makes it possible for videos to be shared and played smoothly on the internet. It is why we are easily able to consume various types of video media, whether it’s a YouTube video, our favorite shows on Netflix, or even catching up with friends across the globe on Zoom. Video encoding basically makes the world go around in regards to anything related to video and video content.

&nbsp;

We at api.video recognize that. From [increasing the transcoding and playback speed ](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/2021-in-review/)to building [specialized hardware like ASICs](https://api.video/blog/video-trends/the-comeback-of-specialized-hardware/) cards to increase our transcoding capacities, we've been working to make video streaming easier for you every day. And after dedicating ample time to engaging with our customers and learning about their concerns, free encoding seemed to be the next step in this direction. 

&nbsp;

So, we worked tirelessly behind the scenes to give you what no one else will - free encoding for all video qualities, be it 360p or 4K. 

## How does free video encoding benefit you as a customer

The benefit is straightforward: you save a LOT of money!

&nbsp;

- With free video encoding, you will have one less thing to worry about. As you know, you pay for three things for streaming videos — encoding, hosting, and delivery – out of which encoding is the most expensive, especially if you have a lot of videos. Free video encoding will allow you to focus your attention and resources to what is most important.

&nbsp;

- As the video needs of your app users grow, you might need to scale up your encoding capacity. Free video encoding services will give you the power to scale without any additional costs, meaning your users can handle more videos without increasing your expenses.

&nbsp;

- You can [migrate from your previous provider to api.video](https://api.video/compare/azure-media-services/) without paying an ‘entry tax’ to us. With free video encoding, you no longer need to spend money on encoding videos with a new provider when you have already paid for encoding with an older one.

&nbsp;

Now with all the saved cost, you can allocate your resources and money to a place where it is actually important – building your product and delighting your users. 

## How to get started

To use the free video encoding benefit, getting started is easy. 

&nbsp;

- If you’re a new user, [sign-up](https://dashboard.api.video/register) for a free sandbox account and start uploading your videos
- If you are looking to migrate from another vendor, [import](https://import.api.video/) your videos from your current vendor
- If you have any questions, [talk to us](https://meetings.hubspot.com/diego398/cc-talk-to-us?__hstc=54467703.754940701eda85e3c99a902d8ab0b988.1687266643206.1694417789132.1694427271479.149&__hssc=54467703.3.1694427271479&__hsfp=3654297906) by booking a slot in our calendar

&nbsp;

To know more about our[ features](https://api.video/features/), [pricing](https://api.video/pricing/) or ask any other questions, [talk to our team ](https://meetings.hubspot.com/diego398/cc-talk-to-us?__hstc=54467703.754940701eda85e3c99a902d8ab0b988.1687266643206.1694162373815.1694167498585.144&__hssc=54467703.1.1694167498585&__hsfp=3654297906)and we will help you out. 

&nbsp;

Or, you can straightaway [sign-up](https://dashboard.api.video/register) for a free sandbox account and check our product out for yourself. 


Huge pricing update: Introducing video encoding at no cost

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Modern technology has been helpful for an increasingly fast and simple method of consuming various types of video media, whether it’s a YouTube video, our favorite shows on Netflix, or even catching up with friends across the globe on Zoom. Despite the relative ease of doing anything related to video, a few complex processes take place behind the scenes, away from public view. One such process is video encoding.

Video encoding basically makes the world go around in regards to anything related to video and video content. Thanks to the technologies behind the video encoding process, it has become much easier for people and companies to share video content on the internet. But what exactly is video encoding, and what happens during the process? We’ll take a closer look at this and much more in this handy guide to video encoding.

## What is video encoding?

In a nutshell, video encoding occurs when you take raw video footage, either from a digital camera or an analog film camera, and digitally compress it to make it a more manageable file size. Video encoding happens daily in both professional and personal capacities, and many people don’t realize it.

But, without encoding, services like Netflix and YouTube would not exist – or, at least, not in the same way that it does today. Without it, we couldn’t send videos of our beloved pets to our friends and family as easily as we can today.

## Why is video encoding used?

There are a variety of reasons why video encoding is used, but all factors point to the single function of video encoding – **compression**.

This is done to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with a selected suite of software and hardware, be it for DVD/Blu-ray playback, mobile viewing, online video streaming, or general video editing. A file's video and audio information undergo transformation and compression during the encoding process, all in accordance with the requirements of the selected encoding standard.

On a professional level, the ability to compress raw video into more manageable sizes makes it easier to transmit video content such as training, promotion, presentation, and so on over the internet. 

On a personal level, video encoding makes it much easier to send videos taken from your phone directly to friends and family. Most modern-day personal devices have built-in video encoding capabilities to allow for this to happen without a second thought.

To put things in perspective, uncompressed or unencoded video can have a data rate that’s as low as 3,000 Mbps and as high as 12,000 Mbps, depending on the length and quality of the video recorded. 

**Without encoding, it would take up to days for anyone to not just transmit video, but to be able to consume it, too.**

## Differences between video encoding and video transcoding

You need to be familiar with two more [essential terms related to video encoding](https://api.video/what-is/) – transcoding and codecs.

Transcoding relates to the conversion from one digital encoding format to another. It takes the already encoded video file, decompresses it, and then alters it before re-encoding or compressing it into a different codec. Codecs are what allow encoding to occur in the first place. They are software or hardware that gives us the ability to compress video to make them more easily stored and delivered tightly.

While you may hear “encoding” and “transcoding” used interchangeably, the two terms actually mean different things. Putting it succinctly, encoding is the initial process of compressing a video from a source – such as a camera – into a codec, while transcoding takes an already encoded video file to convert it into a different codec.

## Examples of video codecs

In order to understand video encoding, you must first be familiar with two interrelated terms: [video codecs and video formats](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/every-video-format-codec-and-container-explained/). These also tend to be used interchangeably, but much like the terms encoding and transcoding, they refer to two different things.

Video formats are the type of files in which the compressed video/audio is stored. Also known as a “container”, you can tell what a video format is by looking at the file’s extension — the three to four characters that sit after a period in a file name. Here are some of the most common video formats used today:

* MP4
* FLV
* MOV
* MKV
* LXF
* MXF
* AVI
* WebM
* QT

On the other hand, **the codec is short for “Coder / Decoder” (compression / decompression)** and relates to the video compression algorithms that allow encoding to happen. Over the years, codecs have gone through multiple iterations as it coincides with the increasing sophistication and rise in the quality of filmmaking. 

If you’re a content creator, you might be aware of some of the video codecs that exist today:

- **H.264 – also known as AVC, this is the most widely-used video codec available on every platform and mobile device.**
- H.265 – also known as HEVC, stands for High-Efficiency Video Coding, and it’s slowly overtaking H.264 as the standard. This codec can compress video much more efficiently than its predecessor.
- **VP9 – is an open-source, royalty-free codec developed by Google and is considered the direct competitor of H.265. The video compression codec VP9 was created to reduce file sizes, making streaming videos simpler.**
- **AV1 – is another royalty-free, open-source codec released in 2019 by the non-profit Alliance for Open Media. It was developed to become the successor to Google’s VP9 and contend with HEVC more directly.**

## How do different technologies handle video encoding

As you may have suspected, there are a majority of ways that different technologies handle the video encoding process. Let’s take a look at the most common technologies that use video and how video encoding works on each of them:

### Video editing software

When it comes to video content creation, a majority of people will use one of two video editing software — Adobe Premiere Pro or Apple’s Final Cut Pro. Both of these video editing software handle video encoding in very similar ways: when exporting the finished video.

Depending on which device the video content is recorded on, it will already be encoded and formatted according to the settings of the device. For those using iPhones recording 1080p video at 25 frames per second (FPS), for example, the iPhone will automatically encode the video using H.264 and contain it in a .mov file format. The video editing software will “open up” the container to get to the encoded, compressed video file within so the editing process can begin.

After editing the footage is complete, it will need to be exported, which typically concerns video encoding. The edited raw media taken from a recording device such as a camera will be encoded via the codec of the person’s choosing before being put into a .mp4 container once they’ve hit “export”. As we’ve mentioned before, the most common codec used in video content creation is H.264 for HD videos, with 4K videos using H.265. 

### Websites

Different websites utilize different techniques to handle video encoding – with a majority of the major sites like YouTube, Netflix, and so on using their own technologies to handle the process. A majority of social media websites allow you to upload video files directly onto the site to share, although most of them require the files to be saved in specific containers. 

These websites will take your video file and transcode it before using their own systems and serves to re-encode it to match multiple display resolutions. This process will happen regardless of your video file's original codec and settings. Different websites have different processes, but companies that don’t have the capacity to build their own video encoding systems can use a third-party application programming interface (or API) to handle this process. These APIs act as [dedicated video encoder](https://api.video/encoding/) that allows companies to add on-demand videos to their websites more efficiently.

Using [api.video](http://api.video) as an example, all of the videos submitted to the platform will be transformed into H.264 codec in an MP4 container. This may be done using transmuxing and/or transcoding.

We expect the video bitrate to be lower than 16 Mbps for up to 1080p resolution and 50 Mbps for up to 4K resolution. We accept any bitrates, however, we will scale them down to the limits mentioned because anything above is usually challenging for most viewers’ connection to watch.

### API

The ability to generate, store, and distribute video is made possible via a video API. [api.video](http://api.video)’s solution can be tailored to suit any specific need. 

The backend process of video on demand (VOD) is exceptionally complex, even if you’re a software programmer specializing in video. It is necessary to encode, package, and typically transcode the data before sending it to any of several possible destinations. All of these things, and more, may be done with minimal fuss using api.video.

Our API basically keeps the complexities of streaming media hidden from view, so you can rapidly develop apps with as much control as you need. This saves time and effort so developers can concentrate on making the product.

## Conclusion

As you can see through this video encoding guide, a lot of work goes into making the video you watch and the video you share possible. Without video encoding compressing raw video footage, it could take days to upload and transmit video content over the internet and perhaps even longer to be able to download and enjoy them. 

The best part about encoding at api.video is that is offered at ZERO cost. You will only be charged for delivery and hosting of your videos, and the encoding will be free. Now integrate your videos in minutes with api.video or [contact us](https://api.video/contact) for more information.

A Guide to Video Encoding & Video Codecs

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Encoding and transcoding are often used interchangeably but they have slightly different definitions. **Encoding is the initial process of converting raw video files into a specific digital format or codec.** It involves compressing and packaging the video data, often to reduce file size while maintaining acceptable quality. Encoding prepares the video for storage, transmission, or playback.

&nbsp;

**Transcoding, on the other hand, involves converting a video from one digital format or codec to another.** This is typically done to optimize the video for different devices or platforms, adapt to varying network conditions, or ensure compatibility with specific playback requirements. Transcoding occurs after encoding and often involves changing resolution, bitrates, or formats without altering the content itself.

## What goes on behind encoding a video?

It's easy to say that encoding is when you go from an _uncompressed source_ to a _compressed source_, but you may ask, what exactly do compressed and uncompressed sources mean?

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Uncompressed sources are video files that contain data that comes directly from a camera sensor vs. encoded video. In the digital space, it's SDI (Serial Digital Interface) or HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface). Both of them are popular standards. You'll find HDMI in places like your GoPro camera, or a mini camcorder. These days, you might also find HDMI in professional settings, but SDI is more common due to its reliability. Another example of an uncompressed source would be something analog, for instance, VHS tapes.

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A compressed sources, on the other hand, are video files that have undergone compression during the encoding process. Compression involves reducing the file size by removing unnecessary information or encoding the data in a more efficient format. This process results in a smaller file size, making it more manageable for storage, transmission, and playback.


## What are the types of transcoding methods?

There are three types of transcoding, depending on what you are trying to do to get a video to suit a particular browser, player, or platform:

* **Lossless-to-lossless** - This type of transcoding maintains the quality of your video across formats but allows you to take advantage of better hardware or compression algorithms. 
* **Lossless-to-lossy** - This type of transcoding will decrease your video in quality, but it will benefit you in ways such as – you will get a smaller and/or faster playing file, or a file that is compatible with the requirements of a particular platform, player, or browser.
* **Lossy-to-lossless** - Sometimes people think this means they are regaining quality. This isn't the case in this type of transcoding. If you transcode from a lossy format to a lossless format, all that it means is that you will not lose additional quality in the conversion process. You will not regain data you already lost through compression.

## Codecs for encoding and transcoding

For both encoding and transcoding, you will need to make use of codecs. A codec's job is to compress and decompress video files. It's right there in the name -  **co**mpress **dec**ompress or encode decode. So basically, codec is an algorithm that takes the video and shrinks it or changes it into a format that makes it compatible with the requirements of wherever you want the video to play. There are many codecs because there are many ways to compress a video or livestream for playback.



## What is transmuxing?

Now that you know the difference between encoding and transcoding, let's throw one more term in there - transmuxing. Transmuxing is when you change the container for a video instead of the format. It's a way of repackaging a video to make it compatible somewhere without changing what's in the file. 

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This process is faster than encoding or transcoding and takes less computing power because you only change the container, not the file. It's great when you need to quickly make something available, but the downside is that it doesn't handle things like making multiple video resolutions available. If you choose a container type that's incompatible with your video file, you may also cause compatibility issues, resulting in not being able to play the video.

## In closing

* **Encoding** - Encoding happens when you compress a raw data file from a video camera sensor or an analog source like a VHS tape. 
* **Transcoding** - Transcoding happens when you take an already compressed video file and change it to another format.
* **Transmuxing** - Transmuxing happens when you change the container of a video file but leave the video file untouched. 

We hope that explains the difference between encoding and transcoding clearly. 

_If you are looking for an affordable video API solution that does not burn a hole in your pocket for transcoding and encoding videos, check out our offerings on our [homepage](https://api.video/) or [sign-up for a free account here](https://dashboard.api.video/register)!_

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Huge pricing update! Introducing video encoding at zero cost