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Doug Twitter

Doug Sillars

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Product updates

Today we are pleased to announce the launch of video on demand (VOD) webhooks.  Webhooks are automated alerts that tell you when an event has occurred (like when your phone tells you you have a new email).  Automatic notifications will simplify the development process - by removing the need to poll api.video for updates. Today’s announcement includes an alert for when a video has been encoded.


## The problem we are solving

When you upload a video to api.video, we’ll immediately respond with information about the video. Inside the response, the assets object provides links for the thumbnail, the mp4 and for the streaming video, as an m3u8 stream, or our player - both standalone and in an iframe:

```
{
	"videoId": "vi1UQBDAMqAPCRxB3dmw1thc",
	"title": "Big Buck Bunny",
	<snip>
	"assets": {
		"iframe": "<iframe src=\"https://embed.api.video/vod/vi1UQBDAMqAPCRxB3dmw1thc\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"></iframe>",
		"player": "https://embed.api.video/vod/vi1UQBDAMqAPCRxB3dmw1thc",
		"hls": "https://cdn.api.video/vod/vi1UQBDAMqAPCRxB3dmw1thc/hls/manifest.m3u8",
		"thumbnail": "https://cdn.api.video/vod/vi1UQBDAMqAPCRxB3dmw1thc/thumbnail.jpg",
		"mp4": "https://cdn.api.video/vod/vi1UQBDAMqAPCRxB3dmw1thc/mp4/1080/source.mp4"
	}
}
```

This response is sent back immediately.  However, the video encoding is unlikely to have completed in the milliseconds it takes to receive this response.  

### How do I know when the video is ready?

Previously, you would use the [video status endpoint](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#retrieve-video-status-and-details) which would tell you if the video were playable or not.  In several of the demo apps we’ve built, we poll this endpoint every 2-5 seconds to find out when the video ‘isPlayable.’  This is far from ideal.  

## The Solution: VOD Webhooks	

Today we are very happy to announce the launch of VOD webhooks. Now, rather than polling the api to see if the video encoding is completed, your webhook endpoint will receive an alert when each version of a video is ready.

By subscribing to the “video.encoding.quality.completed” webhook, your webhook endpoint will receive a notification when each uploaded video has completed each encoding.

Each response will look something like:

```
{ 	
	"type": "video.encoding.quality.completed", 
	"emittedAt": "2021-01-29T16:46:25.217+01:00", 
	"videoId": "vi132456789",
	"encoding": "hls", 	
	"quality": "720p" 
}
```

So, if you are waiting for the mp4, you can filter on encoding to match “mp4”, and then match the videoId, and you’ll know exactly when the file is ready.

When a video is encoded, the first formats to be emitted are typically 240p and 360p. Perhaps you’d want to wait until the 480p or 720p video is ready before displaying the url to your users.  Now you can wait until that value arrives at your Webhook, and then make the video urls available to your customers.


### Implementation

Using the Create Webhook endpoint, you'll need to subscribe to “video.encoding.quality.completed”, and provide the url of the server that will receive the webhook alerts.

You'll receive a response:

```
{
  "webhookId": "webhook_123456789",
  "createdAt": "2021-01-08T14:12:18.000+00:00",
	"events": [
		"video.encoding.quality.completed"
	],
	"url": "http://clientnotificationserver.com/notif?myquery=query"
}
```

Now, whenever a video is encoded with this API key, the webhook endpoint will receive an alert for each version that has been encoded.

## Conclusion

We’re really excited to simplify the ways to display video on your websites, and in the next few weeks, we’ll create blogs how we have refactored our sample applications to stop polling on the video status endpoint, and to use the VOD webhook instead.

New feature: Video on demand webhooks

Private Live

One of our most popular video on demand features is the ability to turn a video ‘private,' where each url to the video has a one time token to prevent sharing.  We have been asked many times about when the 'private' feature would be available for live streaming. We are very excited to release this as a new feature today!

When you set a video to private, the video link has a one use token connected to it. This token can be used exactly once (in a single web session). This means that the video cannot be shared, and any subsequent access of the url will throw an error. This also means that each time the video is shown, a new token must be requested from api.video via the [Get video](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Videos#retrieve-a-video-object) endpoint.

If you use the api.video player, this all works automatically. If you use a different player, we have a walkthrough of how you must handle the headers.


## Private Live streaming

Starting today, we now have a public attribute for all live streams. Setting this to 

```
"public": false
```

will add a token to each url for viewing.  With private live streams, you can be sure that your live video is not being shared outside your expected audience - perfect for live concert streaming, or classes.

Of course, just like the video on demand feature, you’ll need a new URL for the live video for each viewer.  When you call the [Get Livestream](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Live-Streams#retrieve-live-stream) endpoint, each live for the m3u8, the player and the iframe will have the token attribute appended.

```
{
	"liveStreamId": "123",
	"createdAt": "2021-02-15T10:30:49+00:00",
	"updatedAt": "2021-02-15T10:30:49+00:00",
	"streamKey": "123",
	"name": "Dougs staging private livestream",
	"public": false,
	"record": false,
	"broadcasting": false,
	"assets": {
		"iframe": "<iframe src=\"https://embed.api.video/live/li4SB0HXeul4ITH5DXJFGPxT?token=4851b6b0-3c8a-4f15-8298-c2db754fa6ac\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"></iframe>",
		"player": "https://embed.api.video/live/li4SB0HXeul4ITH5DXJFGPxT?token=4851b6b0-3c8a-4f15-8298-c2db754fa6ac",
		"hls": "https://live.api.staging/private/4851b6b0-3c8a-4f15-8298-c2db754fa6ac/li4SB0HXeul4ITH5DXJFGPxT.m3u8",
		"thumbnail": "https://live.api.staging/private/4851b6b0-3c8a-4f15-8298-c2db754fa6ac/li4SB0HXeul4ITH5DXJFGPxT/thumbnail.jpg"
	}
}


```

## See it in action

### Why URL tokens?

Our video tokens are completely server side, removing the need for developers to do any security development (unless you are integrating with a 3rd party player).  The app makes an API call to the api.video server, receives the token, and can simply pass the value to their users.  

Once the token is used, api.video removes the token from being able to be used again.  As long as the user keeps their browser open, they can watch the video, but it cannot be shared, and if a new session is started, the user will need a new token.

### Saved private live streams

One of the great features of our live streams is the ability to have it available as recorded Video on Demand after the stream is completed. To enable this, the “record: true” setting must be enabled before the stream starts.

If your stream is set to private and set to record, all of the recorded videos will also be set to private - and will require the equivalent [private token](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/video-access-management-how-to-create-deliver-and-manage-private-videos-and-what/) for each view.

To make the example video above public, I had to update the video's setting to "public": true.


## Current Limitations

As we test and tweak private live streams, we want to keep the audiences lower. Please limit all private live streams to audiences of 3,000 viewers or less. For larger audiences - you can use a public live stream.

Later this year, we’ll be able to remove this cap, and allow for unlimited size of viewers for your private live stream.

[Give it a try](https://dashboard.api.video/register) - we'd love to see what you've built - share a link in our [forum](https://community.api.video)

Private live streams

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Once I upload my video, how quickly will it be ready to be viewed?

Our reply to this question has always been “it's really fast.”  And it is really fast. But, the dev team gave me access to the backend database, and pointed me to a few tables that might be helpful (thanks to Thomas Persohn for your patient help!)

Thus armed, I waded into a sea of data to better understand how fast our videos are encoded at api.video

## Encoding

When a video is uploaded to api.video, it is re-encoded to a HLS stream, with several different video dimensions and bitrates.  This allows api.video to deliver properly sized video to all users - no matter the device or network connection. (Read our post on [Responsive video delivery](https://api.video/blog/video-trends/responsive-video-delivery/) to learn more.)

> Summary:  All videos are encoded at 240p, 360p, 480p, 720p, 1080p and 2160p. However, the videos are only encoded up to the initial size of the video (so if the original video is 720p, there will not be 1080p or 2160p versions available). 

**FYI:** For our customers, encoding is absolutely free – we offer adaptive bitrate encoding at zero cost. 

How long does this step take? If a customer uploads a video to our service - they want to know how efficient api.video creates the content for viewing.

### Data in the study

We are constantly making adjustments to our infrastructure to speed the encoding step of our video (and that is one reason this post is dated 2H 2020 - we expect to be faster in early 2021). The last major adjustment was made in mid October, so the data presented in this study from every video uploaded to the api.video service between 15 October and 2 December 2020.

### Parameters that affect encoding

There are 2 major parameters that affect the speed of encoding a new video stream: the output dimensions and the length (duration) of the video.  

#### Dimensions

The output video dimensions have a huge impact on video creation - a 3840 × 2160 (or 4K or 2160p) video has millions more pixels than a 320x240 (240p) video, so it takes a lot longer to create.  In general, the videos exit the encoding process from smallest to largest.

#### Duration

If a video is 30 frames per second, and is 60 seconds long, there are 1800 frames to be created.  If a 30 frame per second video is an hour long 3600s), there are 108,000 frames to be created, so the longer the video - the more time for creation.

## Analysis

To better understand the encoding time, I divided the data by the size of the output video size, and looked at 2 lengths of video  - those under 5 minutes, and videos that are 45-75 minutes long (we are often asked how long a 1 hour video takes to encode).

I calculated encoding time for each bucket of video using percentiles.  

> Quick review - percentiles break the data into 100 evenly sized segments, so the 25th percentile is when 25% of the videos have been encoded. The median is the 50th percentile, and is when 50% of videos have been encoded.  We report here to the 95th percentile for video encoding.

### Short videos - under 5 minutes long

Many of the videos uploaded to api.video are short - under 5 minutes long.  These videos are generally ready to play in a few seconds:



Videos are generally ready to play in a few seconds

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The above chart has a lot of data, the 25, 50, 75, 90 and 95th percentile encoding times for all 6 variants of the video that api.video creates.

The median video is ready to play (at 240p) in 5.6 seconds, but a 720p version will be ready in 15s after encoding begins, and the 4K version will be ready in 37 seconds.

95% of all videos (under 5 minutes) will be playable in 32.6s, and will have 1080p versions ready in just over 2 minutes (140s).

### Long videos - 45 - 75 minutes long

Our most frequently asked question on encoding is "how long for a 1 hour video to be encoded and ready?"  Here are the numbers:


how long for a 1 hour video to be encoded and ready?

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Observant viewers will see there are no 4K videos in this report. At this time, there are very few 4K streams that reach the 1 hour timeframe, and the data was quite noisy.  Hopefully, more of our 'long uploads' will add 4K support, so we can add this metric in our next update.

The median hour long video (red line) will be ready to play (at 240p) in just over 9 minutes (555s), and a 720p version will be ready about 18 minutes after encoding begins (1099s).

95% of hour long videos will have a 240p version ready in 33 minutes, and 720p in 54 (3230s).  the 1080p version will be available for 95% of videos in 108 minutes,

## Conclusion

Short videos will be ready to play - even at high resolution - in under a minute: the median 4K encoding for a short video is 37s. 

Hour long videos take longer to encode, and the median 720p video will be ready in 18 minutes.  95% of 720p videos will be ready to play in 54 minutes.

This is really fast! You can have responsive streaming video ready for your customers in just a few minutes with a simple upload!

That said, our team is working hard in the background to improve our infrastructure to make our encoding speeds even faster! 

We're really excited to have hard numbers to share with you on our encoding speeds, and we cannot wait to re-benchmark this data in 2021 to see how much faster your videos will be encoded as we improve our service.

Do you have questions about api.video or video encoding? Reach out on our [community page](https://community.api.video).


How fast does api.video encode video? 2H 2020 data

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Video playback on the web allows users to skip forward or rewind. This lets people quickly find the piece of the video they are looking to view, or to move backward and rewatch critical sections of the video.  The idea of jumping ahead or rewinding is generalised under the term 'seeking'.

The api.video player offers 2 ways to seek.  The most commonly used approach is to click ahead or backwards on the video timeline to seek over large sections of the video. Additionally, we offer buttons below the timeline bar to seek back 10 seconds or ahead 20s:

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## Live seek: Video instant replay

If you have ever watched an api.video Livestream, you may have noticed that the same buttons appear in a livestream.  This is not an accident - you can seek backwards during a livestream!! 

Imagine you're watching a talk, and you want to hear the speaker repeat a point. With many videos, you might just have to put an asterisk in your notes, and then watch the recorded video when it is posted online. Even with api.video's recording feature making the video available almost immediately after the presentation, this can take a lot of effort to re-hear the point you missed.

With the DVR feature in our livestreams, you can simply press the 10s backwards button in our player (maybe a couple of times, depending on how far backwards you'd like to go), and you can re-hear the critical information you want *right away* without having to wait for the recording.

You can rewind as often as you'd like.  If there is a quiet portion in the presentation, you can then "skip ahead" to watch closer to live.

See it in action with this video:

The DVR feature allows up to 5 minutes of total "rewind" of a livestreaming video - allowing your users to very carefully pick through the information being presented in your videos without missing a thing.

In our post [Do you want to stream a snowman?](https://api.video/blog/video-trends/do-you-want-to-stream-a-snowman/) I (and my kids) used the instant replay function of my live stream to rewatch the snowman fall over as the temperatures warmed up.

## Conclusion

Do you thing that rewinding your live stream would be a function that your customers use? Try it out with our [livestream](https://watch.a.video/broadcast).  [Create your own livestream](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/live-stream-tutorial/), and then watch your stream and play with the rewind/fast forward buttons!


DVR Features in Live streaming

Blockbuster ticket stubs that say 'Be Kind. Rewind.'

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DVR Features in Live streaming: or does your live stream have instant replay?

Summer is a great time to be outside, enjoying the weather, and spending time on holidays.  This was the case here at api.video - we all got some much needed vacation and sunshine.

Of course, that does not mean we were resting on our laurels.  We’ve been very busy on our platform, making improvements and building for the future.  This week we have a few new features that are released and ready for you (and your customers) to use:

1. **Embedding videos on other platforms**:  All videos on our platform now support oembed, making sharing your videos on Facebook, Twitter, and other services easier. You can even natively play your videos on Twitter (and Facebook native playback is coming soon).


<iframe border=0 frameborder=0 height=550 width=550
 src="https://twitframe.com/show?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fdougsillars%2Fstatus%2F1242816491084566529"></iframe>
 

2. **Private video update**:  Private videos previously used cookies to store the token that allowed viewing.  Browsers are moving to block all 3rd party cookies (starting with Safari 13.1). We have rebuilt the private video token system to use headers, future proofing this feature. ([Read our updated Private Video Tutorial](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/video-access-management-how-to-create-deliver-and-manage-private-videos-and-what/) for more information.

3. **Chapters**: api.video allows you to mark [chapters](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/adding-chapters-to-your-videos/) in your video, allowing your users to easily jump to different sections. Chapter breaks now appear in the timeline of the video, making seeking faster for your users. Here, we can see that we are in the “Jupiter” section of the video:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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4. The player’s default colours are now orange, as seen in the timeline above, and the play button below:


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If you want to customise the colors of your video player, please look at the custom player tutorial we just published.

5. New [Player SDK](https://github.com/apivideo/player-sdk) with more features to control the player with Javascript. The sdk now gives access to all methods implemented in the player to support [playerjs.io](http://playerjs.io).  Note that the player object ```apiVideoSdk``` is now ```PlayerSdk```.  

We have a lot more in store for the coming months. If you’d like to help us build api.video, check out our [jobs](https://jobs.api.video/) page.  If you have suggestions for new features, please leave a note on our [community forum](https://community.api.video/).


New release and features: September 2020

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As developers, we all have grand designs for our projects.  *“If only I had more hours (days) to add that feature,”*  *“I wish I could afford to…”*  How many github repos of half started ideas do you have sitting idle, just waiting for that time/cash infusion to build your dream?  Startup life is no different, especially here at api.video. From the start, we have built a long list of all the features in our grand vision on what a video API could deliver. We’ve always been limited by the available hours, the team, and infrastructure that we had to build with.  New features keep coming out (just look at our new video player, website and dashboards released in the last few months!), but the pace has always been a frustrating one for us - we just want to build the best video delivery platform and api in the world.

Further frustrating matters, we keep coming up with great ideas.  Our vision and plans for api.video has continued to get larger and more ambitious even as features have been released.

## Now is the time!

Often, you dedicate evenings and weekends to build your pet project. You might even spend some of your holidays to make huge improvements in a longer period of time.

This is our time - with our new funding - we can now grow our team (aside: we’re hiring!), and as our team grows, we can start adding all the features we’ve been planning over the last 2 years.

## What we won’t do with our funding

We’re hiring, and it’s a great company, but we are remote first - so I can promise no ping-pong tables or beer fridges in the office (what you do at home, that’s your business!).

More importantly, we’re not going to rest on our laurels - we’ve had a vision for api.video, and how is our time to implement it!

## So, what’s on the horizon?

We have some really cool things in store for you.  We’re committed to making api.video easiest, fastest and best video service.  In the coming months, our live video will have reduced latency. we’ll be moving all our transcoding to the network edge, for faster availability and delivery.  We’ll add plugins to help you integrate api.video into the platforms you already know and love.  We’ll add additional customisation for the video player experience. And our API will have the best documentation and reference - so that if you do run into any questions, the answers are just a page away!  And these are the high level bullets for the first 5 things on our list.

If you’ve used api.video already - thanks! - you are one of the reasons that we were awarded with our seed funding.  As I’ve hinted, things are only going to get better in the next few months/years.

If you’ve just learned about us, please come check out our APIs. [Sign up](https://dashboard.api.video/register), upload a video, or stream a live video across the world! If you have any questions - feel free to reach out to me doug@api.video, or leave a comment in our [developer forum](https://community.api.video/).

api.video Funding Announcement

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Player

api.video makes the delivery of streaming video easy. Just use our API to upload a video, and we handle all of the transcoding, storage and video delivery for you.  All you need to do is add the url (or iframe) to your site or app, and we handle the rest - ensuring fast, easy video delivery to all of your users.

The url (or iframe) from api.video that you add to your site contains a customisable video player full of great features. Today, we are announcing the release of our new video player with more incredible features to wow your customers.

&nbsp;


**<iframe src="https://embed.api.video/vod/viTLpKB231ATWOWjkHgi9bf" width = "800" height ="600" allowfullscreen></iframe>**

&nbsp;


A video describing the new api.video player, inside the new [api.video player](https://api.video/product/player/)!

Our new player is completely rewritten from the ground up, built on top of the video.js architecture. So, what that does this mean for you? For existing api.video users - all your videos have been automatically upgraded to the new player, and all future videos will automatically use the player as well!
New Features
In addition to the new sleek look of the player, there are a lot of new features that we would like to share with you.

## Captions and chapters  

[Captions](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Captions) and [Chapters](https://docs.api.video/reference/api/Chapters) were supported in the last player, and continue to be supported by the api.video player.

## Chromecast

If there is a Chromecast on the same network as the device playing the video, a “cast” button will appear, so you can send to the larger screen.

## Picture in picture
Pop the video out of your browser, and keep watching, even when you visit different pages - or even different screens!  The video follows along so you can keep tabs of what is going on!

## Responsiveness

One unique feature in Video.js is that the player automatically delivers the appropriate stream based on both the network bandwidth available AND based on the size of the video viewport.  If you are watching a video on a small screen, or small window in the page, api.video only sends the largest appropriate size video to the screen - ensuring the highest quality,  without sending extra data to your customers (that they cannot consume).

## Video playback speed
For longer videos, some viewers may wish to watch at a slightly faster rate. The speed button in the bottom right allows you to watch as much as 2x faster than the original recording.

## Video rewind and fast forward
Surrounding the video speed option are rewind and fast forward buttons.  The rewind backs up the video 10 seconds, and the fast forward moves the video ahead 20 seconds.  This is great when you miss a scene or critical bit of content, and want to quickly seek around in the video.

But, that is not the coolest part of the rewind and fast forward.  

## Live DVR
Yes! The rewind works on a live stream!  If you are watching a live stream on api.video and miss a word, or want to review a slide - you can rewind and pause the video.  Then press play, and increase the playback speed to zip back to the “live” coverage!

We are really excited to share these great new features with you, and can’t wait to see what cool videos and ways you might implement these features to better display your content.  Please let us know what you think about the new video player in our **developer forum**: [community.api.video](https://community.api.video)  

&nbsp;

_To start using api.video for your videos, [sign-up](https://dashboard.api.video/register) for a free sandbox account now._

Announcing our new video player

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iOS SDK

Swift

[api.video](https://api.video) removes the complexity from streaming video. Our simple to use APIs allow you to focus on creating your content, and leaving the video streaming details to us.

Since launching api.video, one of the most common questions we are asked is “do you have mobile SDKs?” Today, we can answer that with a “yes!”

Late last year, we announced our [Android SDK](https://github.com/apivideo/android-sdk), and today we are happy to announce the release of our [iOS SDK](https://github.com/apivideo/ios-sdk). If you have used api.video in the past, you’ll see that all of the features that are available in our APIs are now available as native iOS calls.

If you have never used api.video, imagine a simple API interface to upload, modify, and delete video streams, create custom players, add captions or chapters, and even live stream video — all from the native app. That is the power that api.video (and all of our [SDKs](https://docs.api.video/)) can give you. To get started, read the documentation on [GitHub](https://github.com/apivideo/ios-sdk), and check out the [demo application code](https://github.com/apivideo/ios-demo) (launching this week).

The quick start guide (pulled from GitHub):

## Installation

### Cocoapod

1.  Add the following entry to your Podfile:

2. Then run pod install

3. Don’t forget to import sdkApiVideo in every file you’d like to use api.video sdk

### Quick Start

### 1\. In the AppDelegate.swift instantiate a new Client


### 2\. In the didFinishLaunchingWithOptions func add the following code

*   If you want to use the production environment, use createProduction method
*   If you want to use the sandbox environment , use createSandbox method

### 3\. In your ViewController.swift file import the sdk

And that’s all there is to it!

Now you can use all your favourite api.video calls in your mobile app, simplifying the delivery of your videos with one API to apps, browsers and billions of devices around the world.

If you have questions, file an [issue](https://github.com/apivideo/ios-sdk/issues), or reach out to us on [chat](https://api.video).

api.video launches iOS SDK

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Twitter (Anne-Sophie)

Anne-Sophie Poupard

[Video encoding](https://api.video/what-is/video-encoding/) is the process of exporting digital video into a format and specification suitable for playback by a user. 

Each video file contains two elements: 
* Codecs, or “compression-decompression“ algorithms which compress the video
* Formats, the type of file the data is compressed to. 

Imagine a shipping container filled with packages of many types. In this analogy the shipping container is the format, and the codec is the tool that creates the packages and places them in the container.

## Video Codecs


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Video codecs used today include H.264, HEVC, VP9, and AV1. Common formats includes MKV, AVCHD, MP4, and WebM. 
There are pros and cons to each video codec and file format. There is no silver bullet when it comes to streaming content on the web. Certain video codecs and video formats are open source, meaning the source code is available to the user, who is given the rights to study, change, and distribute software to anyone for any purpose. VP9 and AV1 are both open source codecs types. MKV and WebM are also both open source, developed by nonprofit organizations and allowed to be used without a license.

## Video Formats

Video formats are often equated to a file’s extension, for example the .mp4 in Video. mp4. Video formats are much more than that and include a whole package of files, including a files video stream, the audio stream, and any metadata included with the file. All of the data put together, both of the streams and the metadata, is read by a video player to stream video content for playback. A file’s video stream includes the data necessary for motion video playback, while the audio stream includes any data related to sound. Metadata is any data outside of audio and sound, including bitrate, resolution, subtitles, device type, and date of creation.

## Bitrate
Bitrate or bit rate, is the rate at which bits are processed or computed over time. The higher the bitrate, the more data there is, which generally means a higher quality video file. When choosing a bitrate it is important to consider the device your videos will be played on. High bitrate file streams need lots of processing power to encode, and a fast internet connection to download for playback. If you’re having trouble choosing the right bitrate, file format, video codec, and video resolution, maybe it’s time to consider api.video.

With the api.video you can easily and quickly transcode video for your audience no matter the quality, format or bitrate. We wrote this article to help you sort through the hundreds of codecs and formats, and help you take the guesswork out of streaming video content on your site, application, or platform.

## The Most Popular Codec: H.264


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First let’s talk about H.264, also known as AVC. 

H.264 is the most widely used video codec. Sure, the H.264 codec may be a bit outdated by now, but this type of compression technology is present everywhere, with decoders available for pretty much every platform and mobile device. H.264 likely won’t be the standard for long. 
HEVC, short for High Efficiency Video Coding, or H.265 is slowly becoming ubiquitous thanks to the proliferation of 4K content. If AVC or H.264 was the codec of 1080p content, then HEVC and H.265 is the codec for the 4K era. H.265 compresseses videos far more efficiently (hence the “high efficiency”) when compared to H.264. This means H.265 4K content that is easier to stream and at a higher quality than 4K content compressed using H.264.

## New Codecs: H.265 and VP9


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H.265 is a licensed codec, meaning you have to pay to use it. Its main competitor, VP9 is a royalty free and open source codec developed by Google. This means that anyone can use the codec to compress their videos license free. Generally, VP9 produces more consistent or more reliable streams, whereas H.265 (HEVC) produces videos of higher quality. 

The differences between the two codecs are due to the strengths and weaknesses of their compression algorithms. VP9 was developed to produce videos with a smaller file size and therefore ones that are easier to stream. H.265 compresses videos using a large variety of processing techniques which ultimately create a compressed video that retains a very high level of detail.

In addition to VP9, there is another open source codec still under development called AV1. AOMedia Video 1 (AV1) is an open source, royalty-free video coding format specifically designed for streaming video content over the internet. AV1 was developed to succeed the VP9 codec and compete directly with HEVC codec on both video quality and file size. AV1 is still a highly experimental codec, but is supported by Firefox, Google Chrome, VLC media player, FFmpeg among others.

## The Most Popular Video Formats
We mentioned this before, but formats are the entire set of storage rules that package a video file’s container, codecs, and metadata. File formats are used so that a variety of devices, platforms, and players can process and playback any number of codecs. Formats are developed to improve image quality, decrease file sizes, allow for universal playback on a variety of devices, and provide special features such as subtitles. Since there are new formats getting developed every day it’s difficult to cover each and everyone. Instead, we’re going to focus on video formats used specifically for online distribution or content streaming.

The most popular video format is MP4, also known as MPEG 4. MP4 is a multimedia container for video, audio, and data, including things like subtitles and still images. Make sure you don’t confuse MPEG 4 and MPEG 4 Audio. MPEG 4 has the file extension .MP4, while MPEG 4 Audio has the file extension .M4A and can only contain audio files. So, why exactly is MP4 so popular? Well it mainly has to do with how ubiquitous it is across a range of devices. Both mobile and desktop devices can playback MP4 video files, so it makes sense that it would be used by most content producers.

## Playback Techniques for Video and Livestreaming
MP4 files are played at a constant bit rate (CBR), meaning the quality of your video stream will remain at the same bitrate no matter the variance in your internet bandwidth. There are other file formats that support adaptive bitrate (ABR), which will adapt the quality of your stream to match the internet speed of your player. One of the most popular formats that supports ABR is HLS..

HLS or HTTP [Live Streaming](https://api.video/product/live-stream/) use adaptive bitrate streaming techniques to enable high quality streaming with small HTTP-based file segments. The key to this format’s popularity is the use of HTTP. HTTP is the universal language protocol for the internet, and allows for reduced infrastructure costs, greater reach, and simple HTML5 player implementation. Another great feature for the HLS format is the M3U8 file descriptor. This file allows the client or device to automatically select the best quality stream at any time, to prevent playback buffering regardless of bandwidth or CPU power.

Now that you know how file formats and codecs work it’s time to get streaming. Visit [this page](https://dashboard.api.video/register) to create a free account, so that you can quickly and easily integrate streaming video content into your application, site, or workflow. Our API can accept pretty much any type of broadcast (even 4K native content), and can quickly transcode and adapt the stream for any type of network, including EDGE. No matter the screen, size, quality, or bitrate, api.video can manage it for you. Our web service is built to answer the most demanding video and streaming needs. If you want to learn more check out our website at [api.video](https://api.video/) or join our [community forum](https://community.api.video/). Good luck and happy streaming!

## You May Also Like...
If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:

* [Create a Live Stream](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/live-stream-tutorial/) - Create your first live stream!
* [Videostreaming with a Raspberry Pi](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/video-streaming-with-a-raspberry-pi/) - Now that you've got a live stream working, have some fun adding one using a Raspberry Pi. 
* [Video Upload](https://api.video/blog/tutorials/video-upload-tutorial/) - Upload your first video. 

Every video format, codec, and container explained

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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.

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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/apivideo/talk-to-us) 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/apivideo/talk-to-us)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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api.video

Video trends

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/what-is/video-encoding/) that allows companies to add on-demand videos to their websites more efficiently.

Using [api.video](https://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](https://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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Erikka Innes

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)!_

Encoding and transcoding: what's the difference? 

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Huge pricing update! Introducing video encoding at zero cost

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