Video delivery options... at DVinfo.net

Renton Maclachlan · March 8th, 2020, 02:29 PM

I've mentioned that I am looking at delivery options for a video project I've been working on. Initial thought was to supply on DVD (3 disk set), but DVD is dying. Online delivery is definitely a way to go and I will be pursuing that.

However I'm also looking at delivering on USB flash drive. There are some neat ones available now like a credit card which can have artwork on both sides, and I'm talking to a supplier about cost of these with custom artwork which I will supply. It would be a nice easy way to deliver the files on a physical medium. I have been thinking of getting the cards made with my artwork on them, and then I would copy the files to them.

I have a question regarding the files that will go on the flash drives. I could simply copy files to them. However I was wondering if something similar to the way a DVD is set up with a menu etc, can be applied to flash drives to make it easy for viewers. I've had a bit of a look around and there are various way to do it, but the recommended format apparently is H264 and I'm not sure how compatible that is with menus etc.
The easiest for me would be to just copy the files straight onto the flash drive and let the viewers make their selection from the files.

Any thoughts?

Bill Rankin · March 8th, 2020, 06:16 PM

Good question....I asked that question while back (perhaps on another forum) and the bottom line is, yes you can put a menu system in a file, but it required more than I was able/willing to do. Unfortunately, I do not remember the details. Looking forward to someone else's take on it.

Vince Pachiano · March 8th, 2020, 08:36 PM

I'd worry about usability of a large credit-card shaped device vs. a standard USB memory stick.
I just looked at the back and side on my television, and there's no way a credit-card sized USB stick would fit into the USB port. :-(

Pete Cofrancesco · March 8th, 2020, 09:04 PM

I’ve purchased usb encasements from https://www.premiumusb.com but they also do usb customizing.

For online delivery I use Vimeo

The best you can do to navigate usb is split your videos into smaller sections. Otherwise there is no menu system like a dvd.

Renton Maclachlan · March 9th, 2020, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince Pachiano

I'd worry about usability of a large credit-card shaped device vs. a standard USB memory stick.
I just looked at the back and side on my television, and there's no way a credit-card sized USB stick would fit into the USB port. :-(

Here is the type of thing I'm talking of. Tell me if this would work. I've done a mock-up of the graphics with the series title superimposed over a screen shot on one side and the titles and times of all 13 episodes on the other...and they are quite readable. I confess I really like the idea.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...38403e5foxHDBU

Renton Maclachlan · March 9th, 2020, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete Cofrancesco

I’ve purchased usb encasements from https://www.premiumusb.com but they also do usb customizing.

For online delivery I use Vimeo

The best you can do to navigate usb is split your videos into smaller sections. Otherwise there is no menu system like a dvd.

Thanks. I've sort of come to that conclusion. I'll just put the full episode files on and viewers will choose the episode to view.

Peter Riding · March 10th, 2020, 06:52 AM

Perhaps Amazon's Prime Video Direct may be a useful new source. I haven't investigated how it works, costs, chaptering etc
https://videodirect.amazon.com/home/landing

I dropped Vimeo completely a few months ago in anticipation of music copyright issues - though if there ever was commercial music in my videos they were only incidental background issues. I used my owned royalty free music otherwise.What a pain.

I went to Youtube and put up with the adverts. It checks and reports on commercial music straight away as you no doubt know, and often there's no real issue. It does not offer password protection but it does offer private links so these don't appear in searches etc.

Anyway, a side effect of switching to Youtube which may be relevant for Amazon as well is that views can really take off. I have one from a few weeks ago that has 164,016 views to date. And I don't do any SEO for videos what so ever. Perhaps amazon Prime may lead to far more actual purchases than might otherwise be the case.

Apparently over half of all Amazon customers are Prime and the proportion is increasing.

March 8th, 2020, 02:29 PM	#1
Renton Maclachlan Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,180	Video delivery options... I've mentioned that I am looking at delivery options for a video project I've been working on. Initial thought was to supply on DVD (3 disk set), but DVD is dying. Online delivery is definitely a way to go and I will be pursuing that. However I'm also looking at delivering on USB flash drive. There are some neat ones available now like a credit card which can have artwork on both sides, and I'm talking to a supplier about cost of these with custom artwork which I will supply. It would be a nice easy way to deliver the files on a physical medium. I have been thinking of getting the cards made with my artwork on them, and then I would copy the files to them. I have a question regarding the files that will go on the flash drives. I could simply copy files to them. However I was wondering if something similar to the way a DVD is set up with a menu etc, can be applied to flash drives to make it easy for viewers. I've had a bit of a look around and there are various way to do it, but the recommended format apparently is H264 and I'm not sure how compatible that is with menus etc. The easiest for me would be to just copy the files straight onto the flash drive and let the viewers make their selection from the files. Any thoughts?

March 8th, 2020, 06:16 PM	#2
Bill Rankin Major Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 433	Re: Video delivery options... Good question....I asked that question while back (perhaps on another forum) and the bottom line is, yes you can put a menu system in a file, but it required more than I was able/willing to do. Unfortunately, I do not remember the details. Looking forward to someone else's take on it. __________________ Bill Rankin

March 8th, 2020, 08:36 PM	#3
Vince Pachiano Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 307	Re: Video delivery options... I'd worry about usability of a large credit-card shaped device vs. a standard USB memory stick. I just looked at the back and side on my television, and there's no way a credit-card sized USB stick would fit into the USB port. :-(

March 8th, 2020, 09:04 PM	#4
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 2,996	Re: Video delivery options... I’ve purchased usb encasements from https://www.premiumusb.com but they also do usb customizing. For online delivery I use Vimeo The best you can do to navigate usb is split your videos into smaller sections. Otherwise there is no menu system like a dvd.

March 10th, 2020, 06:52 AM	#7
Peter Riding Major Player Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Reading Berkshire UK Posts: 872	Re: Video delivery options... Perhaps Amazon's Prime Video Direct may be a useful new source. I haven't investigated how it works, costs, chaptering etc https://videodirect.amazon.com/home/landing I dropped Vimeo completely a few months ago in anticipation of music copyright issues - though if there ever was commercial music in my videos they were only incidental background issues. I used my owned royalty free music otherwise.What a pain. I went to Youtube and put up with the adverts. It checks and reports on commercial music straight away as you no doubt know, and often there's no real issue. It does not offer password protection but it does offer private links so these don't appear in searches etc. Anyway, a side effect of switching to Youtube which may be relevant for Amazon as well is that views can really take off. I have one from a few weeks ago that has 164,016 views to date. And I don't do any SEO for videos what so ever. Perhaps amazon Prime may lead to far more actual purchases than might otherwise be the case. Apparently over half of all Amazon customers are Prime and the proportion is increasing.