api.video lets you quickly and securely deliver on-demand and live-stream videos directly from your website, software, or app. 

api.video

Glossary-Video-platform.svg

## What is a video platform?
A complete, end-to-end video platform allows you to: upload video, store it, play video back, live stream and track usage analytics. There are different ways to provide this service, with different types of video platforms providing only some of these elements. A video platform can be something flexible that you can program through the use of an API, or it can be a studio solution, where everything is already set up for you a specific way. 

## Types of video platforms
Some of the most popular video platforms offer limited capabilities to their users. For example, Netflix and Hulu are examples of online video platforms. You can't upload video or live stream, but you can watch video on demand. Contrast this with a video platform like YouTube, where you can upload videos, live stream, and watch other uploaded content, including movies and TV shows. 

Other kinds of video platforms are more flexible - allowing you to use an API to develop whatever you want. api.video, for example, provides everything you need to transcode, upload, stream video on demand, live stream, display content in a company created player, and track analytics. Other video companies may offer similar flexibility, but only for one or a few of these features. 

## Anatomy of a video platform
All online video platforms have two elements - OTT (over-the-top) and OVP (online video player). OTT is the concept of delivering video through the internet, without requiring a traditional mode of distribution like cable, or broadcasting radio waves.

Some popular examples are Instagram and TikTok videos, Amazon Prime Video, Facebook and Pinterest video, and similar. OVP is the infrastructure that delivers the OTT video. This can be set up all kinds of ways, from private, video-focused CDNs (content delivery networks) to general media delivery infrastructure that places like Akamai offer. 

## Online video platforms, cloud video platforms and api.video
api.video is an online (cloud) video platform that lets you develop your own OTT service. Complicated things that are part of the OVP, like how to set up the infrastructure, how to handle latency, the best way to store and back up your content, the most efficient way to transcode and live stream content, all of these things are handled for you.

This allows you to focus on other aspects of your development such as the content you will present, how it will be provided to your users, and what kinds of algorithms you want to create to suggest content to your users and keep them engaged. Plus anything else you might want to focus on. 

Glossary-Video-player.svg

## What is a video player?
A video player is hardware or software that allows for the playback of video.

In the past, most video players were hardware based, like the BetaMax pictured above, but today, most video players are software based, running on phones, browsers, or computers to play back video content. There are applications that can be installed to playback videos like Windows Media Player, VLC, Quicktime, etc.  In this definition, we will focus primarily on players that are web based - meaning that they are played in the browser (or are embedded in an application by way of JavaScript and the browser).

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## What is a browser video player?
Browsers that support HTML5 have an embedded video player.  The [video tag](https://api.video/blog/video-trends/the-code-behind-the-magic-the-video-tag/) was introduced in 2008 as a part of the HTML5 specification. This standardization of video on the web has helped the explosion of video content online.  All the playback and event attributes were made the same, allowing for easy playback of content - no matter which browser was being used.

Of course, each browser has slightly different video [codec](https://api.video/what-is/codec/) support, which slightly complicates things.  h.264 video is supported by 98% of browsers.  VP8/VP9 webm video is supported  by 78% of browsers, and the numbers get worse after that.  To make matters worse, only the Safari browser supports HLS video streaming.

Video streaming playback has become the de-facto way to deliver content - using adaptive bitrate to make the video delivery responsive for all screen sizes, requiring the addition of a Javascript based player to enable this playback.

## JavaScript Video players
There are a number of JavaScript video players that can be embedded into your webpage for video playback. These players extend the HTML5 video engine to playback streaming video - HLS or MPEG-DASH. Some of these players are free and open source, and others are premium applications.  

At api.video, we supply a [customizable HTML5 video player](https://api.video/product/player/) based on video.js with each video.  It can be further controlled with our [player SDK](https://docs.api.video/sdks/player/apivideo-player-sdk).

Glossary-Video-resolution.svg

## What is a video resolution? What does it mean?
In a nutshell, video resolution relates to the total number of pixels that are contained within a single video frame. While the resolution of a video is typically calculated by multiplying the width and the height of a frame, it is generally referred to in terms of “p” — 360p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, and so on.

While you might believe that “p” stands for “pixel”, it actually stands for “progressive scan”, which relates to the method of loading the pixels of each video frame.

## How to change the resolution of a video?
Sometimes there will be instances where you need to change the resolution of your video. This can either be because you face video resolution limitations, so the video resolution needs to be decreased, or your video resolution needs to be increased in order to match a minimum requirement.

Either way, the only way to change the resolution of your video is by using a video resolution conversion app or service such as Movavi or Filmora.

You should be aware that increasing video resolution won’t improve the native quality of your video. This means that a video shot in 480p might look gritty (or “noisy”) if it’s converted to a 1080p resolution.

Glossary-Video-streaming-API.svg

## What is a video streaming API?

A video streaming API (Application Programming Interface), is software that allows a program to quickly and easily assimilate video streaming features.  

Taking a step back, an API is any interface between 2 programs that allow them to speak to one another. In the case of a video streaming API, one of the programs being connected is a video streaming system. 

The advantage of a video streaming API is that a developer can easily integrate video features into their app.  They can focus on other features, knowing that all of the complexity and domain knowledge needed for streaming is just “taken care of” by the API.

video streaming by ProSymbols from the Noun Project

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## What does a video streaming API do?

That sort of depends. Each video streaming API will have slightly different features, but we can list the common ones that appear in most APIs.


### Video on Demand (VOD) streaming API

Video on Demand APIs will allow you to stream pre-recorded videos to your customers.  Generally these API endpoints will allow you to upload a video, and the API will encode, store and deliver the video for you. 
In addition to upload/storage and playback, the VOD API might also include APIs to control:

* Poster: Change the image that appears before the video starts.
* Captioning: Add captions to the video
* Chapters: Mark points in the video
* Advertising: Insert ads - before, during or after the video.


### Video Player API

Some video streaming APIs offer a video player. The player may be customizable via the API - allowing you to create different players for different audiences.  You'll likely be able to change many aspects of the player skin - such as colors and logos.  Some Video streaming APIs offer *only* a player, while others may recommend players to add into the API.

### Video analytics API

As your viewer begins to watch your videos, you'll probably want playback data on how viewers are consuming the content. Since the videos are being served from the API's network, these analytics are often available. - how many views, where they are - the type of device, etc.  You might even have access to session data - how much of the video was watched, how much of it was skipped?  Did the users watch at 2x speed?



## Video streaming API at api.video

We're a video API.  We offer VOD, live, player and analytics APIs to help developers easily add streaming video to tehri offering.  We'll handle all the encoding, hosting, CDN, network and delivery - and even give you a player with analytics that you can use our API to parse.




## What is video transcription?
Video transcription is the process of converting the audio content of a video into written text. This powerful tool bridges the gap between auditory and visual content, making video more accessible, searchable, and versatile across various platforms and use cases.

## The video transcription process
At its core, video transcription involves carefully listening to the audio track of a video and documenting every spoken word, along with relevant non-verbal cues. This can be done manually by human transcriptionists or through automated speech recognition (ASR) technology. Many modern transcription workflows combine both approaches, using AI to generate an initial transcript and human editors to refine and perfect the text.

Accurate transcription requires not only capturing the words spoken but also conveying the context and meaning. This includes noting speaker changes, capturing background sounds or music, and indicating tonal shifts or emotions when relevant. The result is a comprehensive textual representation of the video's audio content.

## Applications and benefits
The applications of video transcription span across numerous industries and use cases.
- In the realm of content creation, transcripts make videos more accessible to deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers.
- They also enhance SEO by making video content searchable and indexable by search engines.
- For educational institutions, transcripts provide students with valuable study aids and make lectures more accessible.
- In the business world, transcribed meetings and webinars become searchable archives of information.
- Legal and medical professionals use transcription services to create accurate records of proceedings or patient interactions.
- Media companies leverage transcripts for creating subtitles, closed captions, and translations, expanding their content's reach to global audiences.

## Technological advancements
Recent advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning have revolutionized the field of video transcription. Modern ASR systems can achieve impressive accuracy rates, even in challenging audio environments. These systems can often distinguish between multiple speakers, recognize specialized vocabulary, and adapt to different accents or speech patterns.

Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques are also being employed to enhance transcription quality. These algorithms can understand context, correct errors based on sentence structure, and even capture nuances like sarcasm or emphasis that might be missed by simpler systems.

## Challenges of video transcription
While technology has made great strides, video transcription still faces challenges. Background noise, overlapping speakers, or poor audio quality can significantly impact transcription accuracy. Specialized terminology, such as technical jargon or proper nouns, can also pose difficulties for automated systems.

## The future of video transcription
As AI continues to evolve, we can expect even more accurate and context-aware transcription systems. Real-time transcription capabilities are likely to improve, enabling live captioning for broadcasts and events. Integration with other technologies, such as augmented reality, could lead to innovative applications we've yet to imagine.  

## Video transcription at api.video
At api.video, we offer an integrated [AI video transcription](https://api.video/product/ai-features/transcription/) feature. This tool automatically generates accurate transcripts for your videos in multiple languages, easily handles various accents and speech patterns. With api.video's transcription feature, you can quickly create add captions or subtitles effortlessly, generate searchable content and expand your video's reach across global audiences and platforms.

Glossary-Video-frame-rate.svg

## What is a video frame rate?
The term “frame rate” is typically defined as the frequency at which a sequence of still images is recorded by a camera or shown on a display. Frame rates are usually expressed in “[frames per second](https://api.video/what-is/framerate-frames-per-second-fps/)” or “fps” because it relates to the number of frames that are recorded or appear within a second of time.

When it comes to watching a video, our eyes perceive it as one continuous recording. In reality, a video is actually a series of multiple still images, also known as “frames”, that a camera records in succession. Once played back, videos give the impression of continuous motion due to the rapid playback speed.

## Typical video frame rates
In general, camera video frame rates tend to be either 24fps, 30fps, 60fps or 120fps.
As the years have gone by and video technology have progressed, most modern-day cameras will produce video at a variety of frame rates. Since the human eye has the image latency of around 1/25th of a second, the standard video frame rate for movies and TV shows tend to be 24fps — both for recording and broadcasting.

However, most sports are recorded at 30fps as it provides a smoother viewing experience with less motion blur, although high-speed sports such as baseball or NASCAR tend to use 60fps. Anything beyond 60fps is great for capturing smoother slow-motion video.


## What is video encoding? 
The term encoding is used to describe the process of converting content into a different form. (Like a spy will encode his message so that it cannot be read should it fall into the wrong hands.)

In the context of video - encoding *technically* only happens when the video is being recorded, and taken from the camera's raw format and saved into a codec.  Any further manipulations of the video file (say changing the format, or changing compression values) is [transcoding](https://api.video/what-is/transcoding/). But, in practice, these two terms are used interchangeably to describe the process of converting a video file from one format to another.

## Why encode a video?
Video files are inherently large, so using a [codec](https://api.video/what-is/codec/) to compress the video ensures that the file will be much smaller.  As codecs get better at compression, we are able to transmit higher quality video for the same amount of data. For that reason, there is a lot of research into new codecs.  

There are other considerations to undertake when choosing how to encode your video. The [H264](https://api.video/what-is/h-264/), while older and not the best compression, does support the highest browser support - making it a common encoding choice.  Newer codecs like [H265](https://api.video/what-is/h-265/), VP9, and AVIF have better compression, but suffer slightly in the realm of browser support for playback.

## Encoding settings
When using a tool like FFMPEG, you can set the video quality. This determines how much compression there will be/how good the video will look.  Higher compression leads to smaller files, but also higher [loss](https://api.video/what-is/lossy-compression/). FFMPEG uses the Constant Rate Factor for encoding quality (values of 0 are lossless, 51 is high compression.) The default value for CRF is 23, and generally creates a video that offers a high compression/quality ratio:

```
ffmpeg -i input -c:v libx264 -crf 23 output.mp4
```

## Encoding at api.video

Every video uploaded to api.video is encoded/transcoded into an H264 MP4 and an HLS video stream with up to 6 different sizes (240p, 360p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, 2160p).  This ensures that video playback can occur on any device (the MP4), and along with our video player (or any other video player that supports HLS), your video can stream to the web quickly and efficiently.

## Instant Video Encoding

We run all our own infrastructure in order to squeeze the best performance out of each stage of the video pipeline. Our [encoding times](https://api.video/blog/product-updates/api-video-encoding-times-2h-2021-edition/) are the fastest in the industry, so you'll never be waiting around for your videos to encode.

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Glossary-Video-compression.svg

## What is video compression?
The process of video compression relates to encoding a video so that it becomes smaller in file size. Compression allows videos to be transferred across the Internet or between devices more quickly. It is considered the lifeblood of over-the-top services like Netflix and YouTube, which rely on compression in order to stream video.

Video compression occurs by removing repetitive frames or unnecessary data from the original video file. However, when compression is used on its own, it doesn’t usually produce the highest quality of video, which is why video compression is generally used hand-in-hand with video encoding.

## What are the different video compression formats?
After a video file has been encoded and compressed, it will typically be placed (or saved) into “containers” — more commonly known as “video formats”. You can tell what container a video file is in by looking at its file extension. Here are the most commonly used video formats:
* MP4
* MOV
* AVI
* WMV
* FLV
* WEBM
* AVCHD
* MKV
* MPEG-2

## What is Video Alteration?

Video Alteration refers to the process of modifying existing video content using AI and advanced digital techniques. This technology encompasses a wide range of manipulations, from subtle enhancements to dramatic transformations of video footage. It combines elements of [Computer Vision](https://api.video/what-is/computer-vision/), [Generative AI](https://api.video/what-is/generative-ai/), and traditional video editing to change, improve, or completely reimagine video content.

## Key Components of Video Alteration Systems
Video Alteration systems typically involve several key components working in harmony. At the core is video analysis, which aims to understand the content, structure, and motion present in the original video. This understanding then informs the object detection and tracking capabilities, allowing the system to identify and follow specific elements within the footage.

The content generation component is responsible for creating new visual elements that can be inserted into or used to replace parts of the original video. Seamlessly integrating these altered elements with the original footage is a critical challenge, requiring sophisticated blending techniques. Maintaining temporal consistency is also crucial, ensuring that changes remain coherent and natural across multiple frames.

These interconnected components form the foundation of video alteration systems, enabling a wide range of applications from visual effects and video editing to content manipulation and virtual environment creation. As the technology continues to advance, the capabilities and complexity of these systems will likely expand, offering new possibilities for creative expression and video production.

## Techniques Used in Video Alteration
Several AI and digital techniques are crucial for Video Alteration:
- Deep Learning Models: For tasks like object recognition, segmentation, and generation.
- Motion Estimation and Compensation: To maintain consistency of alterations across frames.
- Image Inpainting: Filling in areas where content has been removed or modified.
- Style Transfer: Applying visual styles from one video or image to another.
- Face Swapping and Reenactment: Replacing or animating faces in video footage.

## Applications of Video Alteration
Video Alteration technology has numerous applications:
- Film and TV Production: Enhancing visual effects, changing backgrounds, or altering actor performances.
- Content Localization: Adapting videos for different cultures or languages by altering visual elements.
- Historical Recreation: Colorizing and restoring old footage or creating historically accurate scenes.
- Virtual Try-On: Allowing users to see how products would look on them in video format.
- Privacy Protection: Blurring or replacing sensitive information in video content.
- Educational Content: Modifying videos to better illustrate concepts or adapt to different learning styles.

## Challenges and Considerations
Video Alteration technology faces several challenges:
- Realism and Seamlessness: Ensuring altered elements blend naturally with the original footage.
- Ethical Concerns: Addressing issues related to deepfakes and the potential for misinformation.
- Copyright and Ownership: Navigating legal issues around altering and repurposing video content.
- Computational Demands: Managing the intensive processing required for high-quality video alterations.
- Preserving Original Intent: Balancing alterations with the original creator's artistic vision.

## The Future of Video Alteration
We can expect several exciting developments for video alteration, such as: Real-Time Alteration, Enhanced Personalization, AI-Driven Creative Editing, Improved Detection of Altered Videos and Integration with Virtual and Augmented Reality.

As Video Alteration technology evolves, it promises to revolutionize content creation and consumption, offering new possibilities for creativity and personalization. However, it also raises important ethical questions about the authenticity of visual media and the responsible use of such powerful manipulation tools. Balancing the creative potential with the need for transparency and ethical guidelines will be crucial as this technology becomes more prevalent.

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Online video platforms, cloud video platforms and api.video