Smart Encoding for Enhanced Media Performance in VIDIZMO

Introduction

Encoding involves converting RAW files into a format that allows for efficient storage and playback.  Encoding transforms a given input into a digital format that works smoothly, ensuring seamless playback across all devices, players, and browsers. 

In VIDIZMO, any uploaded media undergoes transcoding to ensure compatibility across various devices and platforms. Transcoding involves decompressing an encoded video file, often making alterations, and then recompressing it to deliver to end users.  For example, a video uploaded in MP4 format is transcoded to HLS for smooth playback on iOS devices.

Moreover, in VIDIZMO, the output format profiles for any audio or video file are called Encoding Profiles, offering flexibility in managing transcoding settings.  For further insights into managing Encoding Profiles, refer to the guide: "How to Manage Encoding Profiles."

In this comprehensive discussion, we shall delve into the fundamental concept of smart Encoding within VIDIZMO to enhance the encoding process, enabling seamless and expeditious video delivery and optimizing playback performance.

Concept

Smart Encoding constitutes an innovative feature strategically engineered to elevate encoding efficiency.  Its primary objective is to ensure an enhanced user experience by expediting content playback while maintaining an optimal level of quality.  Smart Encoding within VIDIZMO intelligently selects the most appropriate encoding settings and formats, tailoring them to the users' specific requirements.

In VIDIZMO, if you have a manager+ user role, you can switch on "Smart Encoding" within the Encoding Provider tab. This feature ensures that any video formats not supported by the VIDIZMO player will be automatically sent for transcoding. Essentially, VIDIZMO is pretty clever here! Smart Encoding is handled by both the VIDIZMO On Premise Encoder and VIDIZMO Cloud Encoder. When you turn on this feature, it makes the encoder smart by only processing media that can't be played directly in a web browser. What it does is it recognizes the video and audio formats that browsers can already play, so it doesn't transcode them during encoding. This saves transcoding time during encoding and reduces the storage space needed for the resulting transcoded files.

Benefits of Smart Encoding

The Smart Encoding feature in VIDIZMO offers paramount benefits, strategically designed to elevate the user's playback experience.  As a platform committed to user-friendliness, we take great pride in integrating features that significantly enhance user satisfaction and uphold content quality.

• Smart Encoding in VIDIZMO helps reduce unnecessary transcoding for already compatible formats.
• Smart Encoding speeds up the overall processing time.  It ensures that priority is given to videos that truly require transcoding, improving workflow efficiency.
• Users can enjoy a seamless playback experience without interruptions.  Videos already playable in a browser are not subjected to unnecessary transcoding delays, providing a better user experience.
• Smart Encoding allows users to decide when to initiate transcoding based on specific needs, providing flexibility in managing video processing.
• Smart Encoding helps in reducing storage requirements.  This is beneficial in optimizing storage costs and capacity.

Enabling Smart Encoding

Follow the steps to enable Smart Encoding in VIDIZMO: 

Prerequisites

• Ensure that you have Manager+ access to your VIDIZMO Portal.
• Verify that the VIDIZMO storage provider is properly configured and enabled in your VIDIZMO Portal.

Note: The Smart Encoding feature is exclusive to the VIDIZMO On Premise Encoder and VIDIZMO Cloud Encoder.

Access Control Panel Settings

1. Log in with manager plus user credentials and click the menu icon in the top left-hand corner to access the left navigation pane.
2. Expand the Admin section by clicking on the down arrow.
3. Select Control Panel from the expanded options to open the Portal Settings navigation panel.

Navigate to the Encoding Provider

1. Within the Control Panel section, navigate to the Encoding option and expand the list.
2. Select the Encoding Providers from the Encoding section.
3. Navigate to the Encoding Provider page and select your preferred encoding provider.  For additional information on configuring encoder providers, consult our guide, "Understanding Encoding in VIDIZMO."
4. Activate the smart encoder toggle button to enable smart encoding functionality.
5. Click on the Update button to save the settings.

Enable Smart Encoding via Storage Provider

To activate Smart Encoding using the Storage Provider, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Control Panel and access the Setup Wizard, then expand the available options.
2. Within the Transcoder tab, choose the desired state by selecting the appropriate radio button to enable or disable the Smart Encoding functionality.

If a user with Manager+ privileges decides to enable encryption during the portal setup via the wizard in the DEM product, they will not find the "Smart Encoding" option in the encoding provider screen. This option is exclusively available in the DEM product and is not present in Enterprise Tube.

 Additionally, informative prompts regarding the transcoding of content won't appear on subsequent application screens, including Upload Settings (located in the upload control), Process Modal (for on-demand processing), and the Clipping Screen. This situation applies when configuring storage providers such as VIDIZMO On-Premise Encoder, VIDIZMO Cloud Encoder, and Wowza Storage Provider.

Overall, Smart Encoding in VIDIZMO is a valuable feature that optimizes resource usage, saves costs, improves processing efficiency, and delivers an enhanced viewing experience for users.