Cloud Video Transcoding
Learn about video transcoding and how cloud video transcoding simplifies media workflow.
What Is Cloud Video Transcoding?
Video transcoding describes a process where one digital format is converted into another digital format. This is used to save space or meet a target format requirement. For example, you might have a master file that is too big for browsing and therefore needs to be transcoded into smaller and more light-weighted proxy files, while maintaining the necessary metadata for later conformity. Read more details about video transcoding
Cloud video transcoding simply refers to using cloud-based transcoding software to transcode videos.
Media transcoding is becoming an increasingly more important service in our world where digital content is king. The amount of different industries and companies who use transcoding range greatly and is only increasing. It’s for example used by film post-production teams that need to convert from an editing format such as Apple ProRes, to a distribution format such as H.264. Or a sound editor for a film who needs to convert from a production audio codec containing massive amounts of metadata, to a distribution format such as MP4.
Vidispine offers powerful cloud video transcoding with extreme scalability where you can read and write directly to cloud storages. It is natively integrated with our API-based media asset management platform. Our video transcoding services are available in VidiNet, the Vidispine cloud-based media service store, where you will find scalable and cloud-native transcoding and packaging services such as the VidiCoder, AWS Elemental MediaConvert and Bitmovin video encoder.
Using Cloud Video Transcoding Software on the VidiNet Platform
Benefits of cloud video transcoding on VidiNet
Media and video transcoding is possible both in the cloud and on local hardware, but they come with different prerequisites, advantages and benefits. While they are both viable options, the fact remains that cloud media transcoding is gaining popularity, and for good reasons.
An example of this is the rise of 4K where companies gradually need to be able to manage and deliver 4K quality videos. To be able to handle numerous and large amounts of 4K quality videos, organizations will need to spend a lot of time and money upgrading local storages, switch out servers to a higher standard, add new licenses etc. It's an investment not everyone can afford. But with cloud video transcoding, high-quality, fast, cheap and effective video transcoding will be available to everyone.
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Fast
Converting a video demands a substantial amount of process power, simply because video files are often very large, and to be able to perform transcoding at scale you need powerful hardware, including fast CPUs or graphical acceleration capabilities.
Via Vidispines’ online cloud transcoder in VidiNet you will have access to pretty much unlimited processor power to transcode all your video files at high speeds.
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User-friendly
Cloud video transcoding via VidiNet is a user-friendly transcoding experience where you simply upload your master file to the cloud, select your desired options and format for your file, and VidiNet will transcode it to as many versions you need.
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Scalable
A cloud video transcoding platform allows for extreme scalability in all directions and on all levels, setting the stage for your company to grow. It doesn’t matter how big or small of a company you are, using our transcoding software in Vidinet, you only have to pay for what you use and can upscale and downscale depending on your needs.
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No need for software updates
If it’s one thing the video industry is known for, it’s the rapid development that takes place. New formats and software quickly replace old ones and using your own local hardware and trying to keep it updated with the latest transcoding software and formats is a challenging task.
Vidispine keeps VidiNet constantly updated with the latest formats and features and allows you to transcode to any format at all times. -
Cost efficient
As mentioned, video transcoding is a processor-heavy task and will require high-quality hardware if you want to be able to perform video transcoding locally at scale. Some consider local video transcoding to be “free” as you won’t have to pay any subscription fees to use it. In reality, when taking the total cost ownership of local hardware into account it’s very rarely, if ever, cheaper than using an online cloud video transcoder service. While using local hardware you will have to take the following costs into account:
- Power costs
- Maintenance costs
- Disaster recovery
- Refreshing hardware periodically
- Time expenses
Cloud Video Transcoding Service for AWS, Azure and Google
One of the foremost features of VidiNet is the flexibility it possesses. Do you know the process you have to go through if you’re storing a video file in the cloud at Google, but want to transcode it to a compatible format for Azure?
First you will have to pay for transferring every byte of the file from Google to Azure, then pay for the transcoding service, and then pay the cost of transferring it back to Google from Azure. Not a very practical solution is it?
Cloud video transcoding via VidiNet for AWS
No, what you want and need is a way to transcode a file within the same cloud and on a server as close to you as possible. By fulfilling both these requisites, you will be able to transcode faster, cheaper and of a much higher quality.
VidiNet's cloud video transcoding service allows you to transcode files stored in the cloud of AWS where the transcoding will take place on a server as close to you as possible. You can expect more of these features and integration between VidiNet and other clouds in the near future.
What Is, and What Isn’t Video Transcoding?
What transcoding is
Transcoding is an umbrella term referring to several different digital media tasks (subsets). Transcoding at its basic definition is to decompress/decode digitized media content, altering it in some way and then recompress it using either transcoding software, hardware, or transcoding in the cloud. Video transcoding could for example consist of changing the audio or video format (codec). Video transcoding may also include performing simpler tasks such as adding watermarks, logos or graphics to a video. Transcoding might also include the two types of changes below:
- Transrating refers to the act of changing bitrates of a video or live stream, for example converting a 4K video input stream at 13 Mbps into a lower-bitrate stream (called renditions).
- Transsizing is exactly as it sounds, it refers to resizing a video frame to a different resolution to fit different websites, video players and similar from for example a resolution of 3840×2160 (4K UHD) down to 1920×1080 (1080p) or 1280×720 (720p).
When someone mentions “stream or video transcoding”, they may be referring to any combination or all of the above mentioned tasks. All of them are available in Vidispines’ cloud video transcoding service VidiNet.
What transcoding isn't
Video transcoding is not to be confused with the term transmuxing (also available through VidiNet), which can be described as the process of repackaging, packetizing or rewrapping. While transcoding refers to actually changing or altering a file in one way or another, transmuxing simply takes a compressed audio or video file and repackages it into a different format without changing the codec. Transmuxing requires a lot less process power than transcoding since it does not involve any alterations.
It’s a great feature when you want to be able to repackage something without changing the content of the file. As there is no digital generation, the quality of the file will also stay intact.
Transmuxing example: Let’s say you have some H.264/AAC content. By transmuxing and changing the container it’s packaged in, you will be able to deliver it as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), Smooth Streaming, HTTP Dynamic Streaming (HD) or Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH).
VidiNet: Your Cloud-Based Platform for All Your Transcoding Needs
By moving your transcoding needs into the cloud, you will be relieved from having to maintain a dedicated transcoding server farm. Contact Vidispine and sign up for VidiNet today and get access to our online video transcoder which is completely scalable and you only have to pay for what you use, when you use it.
Q&A's for AWS video transcoding
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Does video transcoding reduce quality?
Both yes and no; this depends on if you use a lossless or lossy codec and how it's configured.
- Using a lossy codec, the quality will get worse during the transcoding. However, the quality loss can be unnoticeable to the human eye.
- Using a lossless codec, the video file will become smaller without losing any quality.
Your Contacts for Video Transcoding
