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Posts Tagged ‘Limelight Networks’

Streaming anywhere with the Stream Anywhere 2.1 upgrade

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on April 25, 2013 | 1 Comment »

Stream Anywhere is Mydeo’s solution to mobile streaming and since we launched it last year, we’ve received very positive feedback. You can read our initial post on Stream Anywhere by clicking here.  We’re very happy to tell you that Stream Anywhere has just been upgraded. This post will talk you through some of the major updates included in V.2.1

DVR

A feature that’s been requested many times since Mydeo released Stream Anywhere is DVR functionality. If you didn’t already know, DVR is Digital Video Recording and it grants the viewer a number of benefits. Firstly, using the player controls, the viewer can rewind the live feed.  Imagine you’re watching a football game and you missed the match winning goal. Using DVR functionality, you’d be able to rewind the stream back to the point of the goal and continue watching from that point. Afterwards, you could always fast forward back to the point where you left off.

The second great feature of DVR is the ability to pause the live feed, much like most modern set top boxes. The DVR functionality is preconfigured to allow the viewer to pause the live feed up to a certain amount of time before continuing the stream.

Lastly DVR functionality enables you to make the live stream available for On-demand delivery up to 24 hours after the live feed has finished publishing. The on-demand file is made available through the same publishing URL as the live feed so will work seamlessly within your player. This is great because once a live event has finished,  it’s not uncommon for an on-demand version of the video to be put up in its place. By making the original stream available for on-demand play gives the production team a window to edit the original footage and replace the live feed with a permanent on-demand file. This means zero downtime and a much better experience for your audience.

RTMP playback

Adding to the existing playback URLs for Stream Anywhere is the ability to output in basic RTMP. The way Stream Anywhere works is by taking a single RTMP feed from your encoder and transmuxing it into HDS, HLS and Smooth Streaming formats. RTMP playback has been added to the list in V.2.1 which gives the user much more flexibility when targeting older browsers or devices that don’t support HTML5. Mydeo already offers normal RTMP live streaming but we can now offer it as part of the Stream Anywhere package.

Apple AES encryption

Until know, the only security option for Stream Anywhere was Media Vault which uses MD5 hashing to encrypt the playback URLs to only work when pre-defined parameters are met. For example you could configure the stream so it only works on a particular page of a particular website. In addition to this, we can now offer Apple AES encryption for the HLS playback URLs. This functionality can be added upon direct request to your Mydeo Account Manager. Along with AES, we can also now block streams to geographical locations so if you only want your stream to work in the US, we can now do that for you.

As ever, if you have any questions about Stream Anywhere or any of our other fantastic CDN solutions, please do not hesitate to contact us by email: help@mydeo.com or by phone: +44 208 540 2300.

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Uploading to the CDN through Mydeo

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 18, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

So you already know that you require a CDN to deliver your web assets but now you need to know how to get your content ready for delivery. Here at Mydeo, we offer two methods for uploading your content to the CDN for superfast global distribution.

 

FTP 

 

If your plan is to offload your content library onto Mydeo, then FTP is definitely the best way moving forward. The process is very simple and only requires the user to have an FTP client installed on their local machine. There are many decent FTP clients out there and the majority of the best ones are completely free. If you need a free, easy to use FTP client, then Mydeo suggests FileZilla. You can download FileZilla FTP Client here: https://filezilla-project.org/download.php. Do make sure you download the client version and not the server edition…

Once you have your FTP client installed, you will need three things to connect to the network and these are: Host address, Username and Password. If you’re using FileZilla, these fields are located near the top of the window. If you’re using another FTP client, the process is usually the same and very straight forward.

Once you’ve logged into your FTP folder, if it’s a new set up, there probably won’t be much going on but the best way to think about it is simply your new empty folder that’s located on the CDN. From here you’re able to upload directly to your route directory (main folder) or you can create a folder structure very similar to that of your local ‘My Documents’ folder found on every PC. At Mydeo, we find that our customers enjoy having the ability to completely define their directory layout within the FTP folder as it makes it very easy for them to manage.

As soon as content has been uploaded, it is immediately available for delivery over the CDN using a predefined URL called a publishing URL. The publishing URL is directly linked to your route FTP folder with a predefined path such as ‘http://llnw.mydeo.com/ftpFolder’. From there, you only need to add the file name plus extension and you’re ready to go (http://llnw.mydeo.com/ftpFolder/file.ext). If your file is within a directory you created, you also need to reference the folder name within the URL (http://llnw.mydeo.com/ftpFolder/directory/file.ext). We supply you with a publishing URL when you sign up.

To add a personal touch to your publishing URL, you can request a CNAME to be set up in its place. As long as you own the domain, we can set up your content so it delivers from a sub-domain created on your DNS. This is very quick and simple to configure and the majority of our clients go for this option.

 

Customer Origin (Origin Pull)

 

Mydeo also offers Customer Origin which is mainly for those who already have a large established library of content sitting on their existing servers. Customer Origin is great because technically, you never have to upload a single file. To configure Customer Origin, you will need to provide us with a source address to your servers. This can either be a top-level domain, sub-domain or even an IP address. Once configured, your server in essence becomes part of the CDN and your content can be pulled straight from your own origin. To deliver your content over the CDN, you’re given a unique publishing URL (again this can be a CNAME). When the published URL is requested, that file is pulled from your servers, delivered to the user and then cached on the network. The next time that file is requested; it then delivers straight from the CDN cache rather than your servers.

Customer origin gives you all the benefits of CDN caching and delivery but you retain complete control over your content as it’s stored on your own servers. It can also prove much more cost effective because you won’t be paying for CDN storage fees.

So there you have it, two very functional ways of having the CDN deliver your content. Both options have their plus points but really it’s down to your circumstances as to which method you choose to go with.

For more information on FTP, Customer Origin or any of our other services, you can contact us by email: m3@mydeo.com or by phone: +44 208 540 2300. We’re always happy to help.

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Mydeo sponsor Louise Cook in her campaign to become World Rally Champion.

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 29, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

British Rally driver Louise Cook from Maidstone has set the goal to be the first female World Rally Champion. Louise started a sponsorship campaign called ‘Promotion50’ to raise the money needed to get her started on her road to glory. The idea was to get as many companies to donate just £50 to run her mk6 Ford Fiesta ST Rally car for a whole season. With the backing of Mydeo and various other companies, Louise has already boasts a multitude of achievements, including: British Rally Championship Ladies Campion 2011, Fiesta Sport Trophy Vice Champion 2011, BRCC RC4 Champion 2012 and more. Louise still has to complete her ultimate goal of being World Champion but with the on-going support from Mydeo and other sponsors, we believe this is just around the corner.

Louise races towards the finish line!

Mydeo are a content delivery company utilising the Limelight CDN. For more information about our services, please visit www.mydeo.com. You can also call us on: +44 208 540 2300 or email: m3@mydeo.com.

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Stream Anywhere – Mydeo’s solution for live video to mobile devices

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 12, 2012 | 1 Comment »

EDIT: Stream Anywhere has been upgraded, click here for details.

Consuming digital media has changed drastically over the past few years. It seems now everyone carries a Smart Phone in their pocket or an iPad in their bag. Mobile internet means people can access their favourite websites from anywhere and at any time. If you’re unable to cater for these consumers, you could be losing a sizable chunk of your audience and it doesn’t take a genius to tell you what that could mean for your business.

HTML5 and the <video> tag, gives us a relatively easy way to reach these mobile consumers for your on-demand video content – but what about live video? Flash is still supported by older Android devices but as people upgrade their handsets and more people update their software to the latest OS, you’re going to be losing more and more consumers as support for their newer devices is inevitably dropped.

Not to worry though because Mydeo have again teamed up with Limelight Networks to bring you Stream Anywhere. The Stream Anywhere solution utilises HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) which was included as part of the latest Flash Media Server (FMS) update. HLS has swiftly become the standard for live streaming to mobile devices as it was implemented by Apple for their highly successful iOS software.

One of the great features of Stream Anywhere is that the transcoding is all handled on the fly, within the cloud. This means you don’t have to install any software locally and the encoder doesn’t need access to extreme levels of processing power. This makes the whole process of publishing live video to mobiles much more convenient.

Benefits of the Stream Anywhere solution include:

  • Automatically deliver to multiple mobile devices without preencoding content.
  • Reach new audiences (such as iPhone and iPad) without having to make any changes to existing RTMP streams.
  • Leverage the global scale and reach of the Limelight HTTP Edge to deliver to HLS supported devices.
  • A cloud-based service! No need to worry about software or hardware installation and maintenance.

For more information on pricing or on how Mydeo can help you and your business reach mobile devices – Live and On-demand. Get in touch by phone: +44 208 540 2300 or by email: m3@mydeo.com.

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FMS Video Delivery – brought to you by Mydeo and Limelight Networks

Posted in Articles, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 3, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Even with the introduction of HTML5, Flash streaming is still one of the most widely used formats for delivering video over the internet – especially for live events. Here at Mydeo, we still receive many requests for Flash live and on-demand services.  The following article by Limelight Networks explains some of the options available to you when using FMS to deliver your video content:

Flash Media Server 3.5

Customers of Flash streaming services now have more options for broadcast-quality video delivery on the Internet. With support for Adobe Flash Media Server 3.5, Limelight Stream enables dynamic streaming, DVR functionality within a live stream, and enhanced H.264 video and High Efficiency AAC (HE-AAC) audio. 

Dynamic Streaming

For an optimum viewing experience, the quality of the video file you deliver needs to match your end user’s available bandwidth. The trouble is, their bandwidth may suddenly drop, perhaps because other users in the house or community start consuming more bandwidth on a shared pipe. Your viewer is left watching (or trying to watch) a high-bit-rate video on a connection that’s too slow to handle the stream, resulting in stutters, stops, and a less-than-positive experience.

Dynamic streaming addresses this common scenario by switching seamlessly to a higher- or lower-quality stream based on available bandwidth — without ever disrupting the flow of video or audio. (Of course, this means you need to have encoded and uploaded the same content as multiple independent files at different bit-rates.)

Although Flash Media Server 3.5 provides the ability to switch files, it’s the Flash client that actually requests the change. The user’s Flash player (version 10 required) monitors current bandwidth and CPU load. If the video buffer is filling up too rapidly or the CPU is nearing pre-defined utilization levels, the Flash client can simply ask the server to switch to a different file.

Dynamic streaming is available for live and on-demand Flash content and supports both .flv and H.264 files types.

Live DVR

Give your viewers the freedom to walk away from a live event without worrying about missing out on the action. Flash Media Server 3.5 supports live DVR, enabling end users to return to portions of live streaming events, even if their Internet connection choked and missed a crucial moment. With Live DVR, you can create streaming video solutions that include instant-replay, catch-up, or seek functionality.

Even with all these interactive features, there’s no transfer of your content to the user’s system. As with all streaming services, Flash Media Server 3.5 caches the live DVR at your discretion.

At Mydeo we offer a whole host of Flash delivery solutions including those mentioned above – We also offer instant set up with no installation fees. If you’re interested in Mydeo’s Flash services or any of our other many CDN solutions, please do not hesitate to get in contact – Email: danny@mydeo.com, Phone: +44 208 540 2300.

You can also find us at: www.mydeo.com

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Customer Origin – reduce your CDN storage costs and keep source control of your content

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on July 5, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Customer Origin is the best way to have complete control over your content but at the same time, utilise the power of a global CDN like Limelight Networks.

What is a CDN?

As you probably already know, a CDN is a collection of servers strategically placed across the globe. When a file that’s being handled by a CDN is requested, a copy of that file is cached to the closest POP to the end user. This means that when another user requests the same file from a similar location, the file is now being served locally. This can do wonders for performance as well as taking critical load off of your own servers. Mydeo utilise the Limelight Networks CDN to provide our customer with global content delivery and site acceleration solutions.

What is Customer Origin?

Customer Origin is an alternative to storing your files straight on the CDN. Basically, Limelight Networks will pull your content directly from your servers eliminating the hassle of uploading and maintaining your content in a second location. This will save you time and money because you won’t be charged for storage space.

When would you use it?

Customer Origin is a great solution when you have tons of content already stored on your own server. Manually moving all your content over onto another storage solution will take valuable man hours which can be costly.  Control over HTTP headers is essential to those who want to specify caching policies and how their content behaves. If a file is uploaded to the CDN, there’s no way to control HTTP headers which makes practices such as browser caching impossible. Customer Origin means that, because your content is stored with you, you can determine its behaviour on the network.

How to get set up

To set up Customer Origin, all we would need from you is the address or IP of where your content is being stored. If your content is usually being served in this manner: http://myServer.com/folder/myFile.txt, the CDN will be able to use http://myServer.com/ as the source address. Our network will accept: top level domains, sub domains and specific directories such as: http://myServer.com/folder/. As long as the files you want to deliver over the CDN are accessible from the source you provide, the CDN will be able to handle and cache your content.

Once the source address has been configured and set up on the network. You will be given a Publishing URL. In most cases you can specify what this is so most of our customers follow this format: http://cdn.myCompany.com/. To use the network for content delivery you use the Publishing URL which maps directly to the source address. Going back to my source address example: http://myServer.com/, you would be able to call the same example file using this format: http://cdn.myCompany.com/folder/myFile.txt.

Content Freshness

The final point that needs to be raised is regarding content freshness. If the file is changed on the origin, will the cached ‘older’ copies of the file (that have been stored on the edge) continue to be delivered?

By setting the Time-To-Live (TTL) header on your content, you’re telling the network how often it needs to check back with the origin to see if the file has been removed or modified. In most cases this is set somewhere between 24 – 72 hours because making too many freshness checks could have an effect on performance. If there’s a particular case where a file or a whole range of files needs to be removed from the network quickly, we can make a purge request. Purging will remove all traces of that file or collection of files from the edge and force all new requests to be called from the origin, resetting the caching process.

I hope this has given you a better understanding of how we set up Customer Origin and how the network handles your content. If you ever have any questions regarding Customer Origin or other CDN solutions, you can get hold of us by email: m3@mydeo.com or by phone: 0208 540 2300, we are always happy to help. Pricing can also be found here on our website.

Many thanks

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