Although Streamio has a large capacity for processing uploaded video, transcoding movies always takes time. Usually, three custom videos are created for each uploaded original video, and a longer video takes longer to transcode. There is usually capacity available so that transcoding can start quickly, but queuing may occur. Sometimes there’s a rush to get videos out and available for viewing quickly. Now we have a solution for that!
Streamio Instant Play
With Streamio Instant Play, we make the original uploaded video available instantly. Once the original is uploaded, it is copied and ready to be played for viewers. This means you no longer have to wait for the first transcoded video to be completed. At the same time as we start playing the original video, we make it available for re-encoding, prioritizing the lowest resolutions that will be the quickest to finish. As the transcoded versions are completed, we start playing these instead of the original. With Instant Play activated, videos from live webinars and seminars, for example, can be made available to watch instantly.
Things to consider
This feature is not turned on by default but is a selectable option (see below).
Web safe movies & QT Faststart
For this to work, the videos you upload must be “web-safe” – i.e., they must work in a web browser directly because no transcoding has been done yet. Another detail is that the QT-fast start should be set on the original video (sometimes called “web optimized” or “streaming enabled”). This allows the video to start playing before it has fully downloaded, making it faster and saving bandwidth. This setting differs from software to software, but reading about this, many people seem to get it right on MP4 videos with H.264.
Activate Streamio Instant Play
Streamio Instant Play can be activated under ‘Account settings’ – ‘General’ – ‘Activate Instant Play’. Keep in mind that this setting applies to all videos posted to the account, so it may not be suitable for everyone.
