Video is a popular content type on any LMS. It is more engaging than plain text and can give learners a comparable experience to face-to-face training.
Hosting
Considerations
The following are considerations to help you choose the video hosting solution for your courses.
LMS Video Progression
Video progression is a way of requiring engagement from learners by restricting video controls. Basically, the instructor can prevent learners from skipping through the video and disable the ability to move to the next section of the course without first viewing the video
Branding
Some video hosting providers will overlay their own branding on your videos or attempt to direct viewers away from the video with sponsored ads, video suggestions, and other material unrelated to your course.
Cost
Video hosting providers range from free to expensive and in most cases you get what you pay for. Normally free or very cheap providers sacrifice something else important (such as speed) to keep costs down.
Storage
Storage is how much digital space your videos will consume on your provider’s servers. Storage is usually measured in GB or TB. Estimate your needs based on what type of content you are planning to deliver on the ALH. For example, someone conducting weekly webinars of 1-hour and providing recorded videos may need 1GB per week whereas someone who has a single course with 3GB of video will need a smaller plan because their storage requirements won’t increase.
Speed
Slow video speed makes for a poor learning experience. The learner’s own internet speed will be one factor out of your control, however, the host speed is also a factor. Video quality will also play a part in speed (see Preparing Video below)
Options Summary
| Provider | Cost | Speed | Storage | Branding | LMS Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALH (recommended) | Included with your ALH arrangement | Fast | Unlimited for ALH content | None | Full |
| Vimeo Pro | $24/month | Fast | 20GB per week / 1TB per year | None with paid product | Video progression |
| Youtube | Free | Fast | Unlimited | Youtube logos / sponsored ads / video suggestions | Video progression |
Preparing Video
Once you have selected your video hosting provider, it is time to prepare your video material for upload.
The ideal original format (ie: the format that the video is originally recorded in-camera) for videos on the Austere Learning Hub is 1080p resolution @ 30 frames per second (fps) in .mp4 file format.
Large videos can be compressed to enhance viewer experience, however, the above file formatting is the ideal place to start. The maximum size of your video is 1GB however under poor network conditions, you may find that you struggle to upload a 1GB video before it times out. Consider splitting a large video into smaller videos.
Artwork
Processing
Format
Compression
Resolution
Uploading Video
