Insert the Osprey-300 card into an available PCI slot and the drivers
CD into your ROM drive and follow the on-screen directions to load them
into the computer. Then install Windows Media Encoder and RealProducer
Plus, both of which are included on the Osprey Video Installation CD.
Do the same for the Adobe Premiere Elements CD, which is also included
in the Osprey Ease package.
STEP 1: Install the Osprey-300 video capture card
The Osprey-300 features an OHCI-compliant digital video (DV) port that
can control an attached DV camera or DV deck. The board also provides
analog audio and video inputs to capture video for IP streaming. Plug
the cable from your A/V device of choice into the appropriate port and
you’re ready to capture, edit and stream video.
STEP 2: Choose a workflow
Osprey Ease offers a Swiss Army knife range of video processing and
capture options and three common workflow models to choose from,
depending on what you want to do with video: (1) live streaming, (2)
batch capture and streaming, or (3) interactive capture for editing.
The workflow you select will influence how you set up and capture the
video for the best results, so now’s the time to decide.
In a live streaming workflow, sometimes referred to as live Webcasting,
content is made available over the Internet virtually as fast as it is
being captured. Batch encoding is the process of converting stored
content, such as videotapes or files, to a streaming format for
on-demand delivery at a later time. And with the interactive workflow,
a file is generated for editing in Premiere Elements or some other
editing software. Use the workflow that’s the best fit for your
application.
STEP 3a: Capture video for live encoding
In a live encoding workflow, captured video is streamed from the
encoding workstation to a streaming media server and served to many
viewers on an IP network or straight to the Web without any manual
intervention.
To set the properties of the Osprey-300, access the driver properties
pages. Once you open the Osprey Video properties window up, keep it on
screen. All of the video pre-processing tools discussed are located
here.
When you installed the Osprey Video drivers, some additional testing
applications were also installed. Locate and launch the application "VIDCONTROL," which you’ll find in the Osprey-300 Program Directory in the Start Menu. Then select "VIEW" and " CAPTURE PROPERTIES" to open the Osprey Video properties window.
Select "DEVICE" for deinterlacing controls and turn on SW Deinterlace Capture.
Color correction, cropping, scaling and watermarking are all available
as part of the live encoding process and can be set from the Osprey
Video properties window. Select the Video Proc Amp tab to access the
color correction settings. Access cropping and scaling from the Size
& Crop tab menu.
To watermark your video with a graphic, select the Logo tab and " File And Color" and click "ENABLE LOGO."
You can select any RGB-24 file as the graphic source. Adjustments can
also be made to the amount of color key and transparency you want to
give the graphic. The "POSITION & SIZE" tab allows you to select and position the graphic anywhere on the video window.
Your video can then be encoded into multiple bitrates for streaming,
giving dial-up users a fast-loading option while also providing a
high-quality version for broadband viewers. You can save a file of the
video for on-demand access at a later time as well.
STEP 3b: Capture video for batch encoding
Because batch encoding is not for live events, it gives you more
options for improving the video processing and encoding by using a
two-pass encode. Two-pass encodes let the encoder "look ahead" and plan
on how to use the bits efficiently. The encode process will take
longer, but the result will be higher quality.
Batch encoding is the workflow model for use with tape decks,
converting taped content to a streaming format. For batch encodes, you
can create an edit decision list that defines which portions of a tape
you plan to encode. Batch encoding software can use this information to
automatically control the deck, while the encoding system captures the
content to an uncompressed format like AVI. You can also control the
deck manually.
Once generated, the AVI file can go through the processing and encoding
steps without having to keep up with the real-time source. The
resulting encoded file is then transferred to a streaming server for
on-demand access. Once you’re finished editing your video, just save
the file and it’s ready to go! Windows Media Encoder and RealProducer
Plus both let you perform two-pass encoding in their session properties
menus.
STEP 3c: Capture video for interactive encoding
If quality is significantly more important than time in your project,
interactive encoding is the workflow for you. It’s similar to a batch
encode workflow, because both are designed to record a file for later
playback instead of Webcasting it in real time.
With interactive encoding, the video content is captured in a file
format, just like it is in the batch encode model. The difference is
Adobe Premiere Elements. Using this software, footage from your DV
camcorder or DV deck is automatically transferred to the program’s
timeline, where you can trim, rearrange and delete scenes while the
software automatically shifts the video clips to fill any gaps that
your editing may leave behind.
Then you can choose from a wide range of special effects to enhance
your videos. While a large collection of fun effects that warp the
video are available, you may find slow-motion and picture-in-picture
features more practical and useful. There are also a number of
dissolves, fades and wipes to choose from.
Once you’re finished editing your video, just save the file and it’s ready to go!
STEP 4: Distribute your video
There are several different ways to deliver your content to the
viewers, with three primary components in the streaming process: the
video capture and streaming encoder (where Osprey Ease resides), the
streaming media server and the streaming player. The encoder’s job is
to take content from audiovisual sources, convert it into a streaming
format and deliver it to a Streaming Server. The Streaming Server
stores content and delivers it to players over the network. The
Streaming Player requests content from the server, and plays it to a
display device, whether that is a PC, a mobile device, or a television
set. All your viewers have to do is access the streaming content
through links on a Web page.
YOUR GUIDE
Mark Fears Osprey Video Product Manager ViewCast Corporation
Mark Fears, Osprey Video Product Manager, has been at ViewCast
Corporation for five years. He previously held marketing and sales
positions at Vela Research LP, in Clearwater, FL and was product
manager for San Jose, CA -based Optibase’s product line for corporate
Internet and Intranet applications for digital video. Fears also served
as North American marketing manager for the company. He can be
frequently spotted roaming the streets of Dallas, TX, in the early
hours in search of a cappuccino.
Mark Says Keep In Mind..
When Webcasting NTSC and PAL content, be sure video is deinterlaced
from 60 fields per second (fps) to 30 fps to make it suitable for
playback on a PC screen. Forget to do that and you’ll get artifacts,
blurred video or other quality issues, especially with high-resolution
and high-motion video content. Also, any of the edits you make can be
viewed in real time as you implement them. No waiting involved!
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