Video Hosting - Streaming Server or Dedicated Server?
 

I want to provide much faster progressive downloading (streaming) of the Flash videos on my UK website (Flash videos, both public and private/in edit stuff). It's currently just on a website server - and that's the problem in busy periods....After much reading around and talking to a few people including my web hosting company I'm looking into upgrading my website's video hosting by either:

1. using a separate streaming server from which my website will call the videos (cost is moderate, say 100 Quid a year, shared space on the streaming server with other web site users), or

2. a totally dedicated 80GB server that would just have my web site and all my videos on it - so I guess should be pretty fast (monthly cost is quite high, say 600 Quid a year)

Note that I'm NOT interested in embedding YouTube/Vimeo etc. on my own website as this is often not acceptable to my clients (corporate video work) - I sometimes do it for non-critical/fun stuff where I don't mind surrendering copyright etc. My videos are typically around 500-1000Kbps, 1 to 5 minutes long. Option 1 seems the logical progression but I think some of my clients might like me to have Option 2 . Also, I'm thinking that I could then offer to host the videos that I produce for them (to embed on their own websites) for a modest charge and so help offset my costs - anyone doing this? Also, would this allow me to stream 720p nicely for clients?

Doing nothing is not an option and I'm torn on which direction to go right now so any advice and words of wisdom would be much much appreciated!

Note: Not sure if this should be in Web Video or Taking Care of Business section - but will post it here for now.

I would take a look at the Amazon S3, which is basically a high speed online storage service that you pay for what you use (and I've heard its the best deal in town). Although it doesn't offer any streaming services, sites like Vimeo use it to store and deliver all of its vidoes/photos.

Here are some useful links about Amazon S3.

Amazon S3 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Use Amazon S3 & Firefox To Serve Static Files - Nettuts+

For my money, (and I am spending some on exactly this approach), option 1 gives better performance, option 2 does not measureably increase performance for it's increased cost.

Slightly enhanced progressive download is nowhere near as good as true streaming.

Use of a true streaming server:
* Means reduced buffering time before play starts.
* Allows intelligent negotiation of multibitrate streams between player and server.
* For any given play, is much more likely to deliver better quality, more quickly, and with fewer or no pauses.

Absolutely you can host their videos for embed on clients' sites with option 1.

I don't think that there is a logical progression on to option 2 at all - that is for a class of application hosting and delivery that is beyond most streamer's needs... unless shared streaming hosting grows so much a dedicated streaming server is more cost effective. But, even then, you might be better off buying that capacity from a specialist streaming hosting service, (not from a general web hosting co.), which would allow you to lease the streaming server software as well as the box (not having to buy it).

Will shared true streaming support 720p? Yes, depending. Due diligence demands that you learn about this 100-quid streaming host, the capacity of their internet connectivity, their reputation, etc. Anyone who is seriously in this business will have the capacity to support your 720p streams.

Are you satisfied that your current problems result from shared server? They don't result from shared bandwidth? If it's a shared bandwidth problem, it'll be the same on a dedicated box on the same internet connection. Many web hosts just don't understand what streaming is, or, don't want to provision internet for it. Bigger web hosts have more connection capacity, period, and this is less of a problem.

Brilliant! Thanks so much for the EXCELLENT and quick advice! I now feel much more confident about getting to the best solution now.