Below are listed some detailed guidelines and FAQs for creating and uploading video files for optimal use within KVStudio.  It identifies the ideal aspect ratio, audio rate, data rate and how to get your file in H.264 format.  There is also information on how to use a free video compression tool called MPEG Streamclip.   And attached to this Best Practice, there is a MSWord document that you can download with all this information to make it easy for you to use this information on a regular basis. 

Best Practices For Working With Video & KVStudio

• Four of the most common sizes we see video being created in are:

1. 1280 x 720  (High Definition with a 16 x 9 Aspect Ratio, wide-screen)
2. 640  x  360 (Regular Definition with a 16 x 9 Aspect Ratio, wide screen)
3. 1440 x 1080 (High Definition with a 4 x 3 Aspect Ratio)
4. 720  x  540 (Regular Definition with a 4 x 3 Aspect Ratio)

• The optimal size for bringing the video initially into KVStudio would be: “b. 640 x 360”.  The majority of the 19 starter templates we include in your license, use this size and aspect ratio requiring no modifications to the templates.

• If the incoming video has been already been created in one of the other sizes (c, or d) it may require creating a custom template to fit the video box.

• If the incoming video has been already created in size “a” above, you may want to optimize the video in KVStudio in order to reduce the file size and ensure that viewers will be able to view the presentation on their network/internet without a good deal of buffering occurring.  Most video files need to be compressed to a fraction of their size in order to be streamed to a viewer on the internet.

• The video you are uploading to KVStudio needs to either come in a H.264 format, or if it’s not in this format, you will need to say ‘Yes’ to the question, “Would you like to optimize the video for KVStudio”.  Saying ‘Yes’ will convert non-H.264 video files into that format (which is needed for KVStudio and for viewing a KVStudio on an iPad tablet).

• When the incoming video is brought into KVStudio and been optimized, a general guideline is that the size of the video should be .5 of an MB for every minute of the video.  For example, if the video were 30 minutes long, than an ideal size of the encoded video in KVStudio would be approximately 15 MB.  This should provide a good streaming rate for viewers with varying internet connections to be able to view the video without a lot of buffering.  If this ratio goes up (e.g., 2 or 3 MBs for every minute of video, the quality will be very high, but the streaming for the viewer could suffer.)

• Other Ideal video parameters we would recommend for the incoming video would  be:

1. A data rate for encoding your video of approximately 400 kbps. 
2. An audio rate of approximately 32 kbps
3. Audio at ‘mono’ versus ‘stereo’

ADDITIONAL VIDEO INFORMATION:  MPEG STREAMCLIP

KVStudio will ingest and optimize just about every video file you can upload, encoding it to just the right size, format and bitrate for optimal display in a KnowledgeVision presentation.  However, there is a free web application called MPEG Streamclip that you can use to also take your files and compress them into a more compact H.264 format.  If your source file is too big to upload (there is a file size limit on an incoming videos to KVStudio of 5Gig) or if you want to tweak one parameter or another, MPEG Streamclip is a good application to use.  This is a powerful, accurate encoding program that delivers excellent results.  Below, we share the secrets of how we prepare video for KnowledgeVision.

Video source files can be very large.  In fact, many raw files from today’s high-definition video cameras can be as large as 1 gig every two to three minutes – sometimes even larger.  While technically you can try and load these big files to KnowledgeVision, it would take far too long to do so.  Most video files need to be compressed to a fraction of their original size in order to be streamed to a viewer on the internet.

KnowledgeVision uses an encoding format called H.264 for its video file.  Using H.264, rather than Flash video will ensure future compatibility with the largest variety of devices (including versions of KnowledgeVision presentations for the iPad.)

To compress the files into a more compact H.264 format, we use a free utility called MPEG Streamclip.  (Download the latest version of MPEG Streamclip for Windows or Mac.)  Don’t let the ‘free’ part fool you – this is a powerful, accurate encoding program that delivers excellent results.

Once you’ve loaded up MPEG Streamclip, here are the steps to setting it up permanently to produce the best possible video clips for KnowledgeVision:

1. Start MPEG Streamclip.
2. Open a video clip by choosing File/Open Files and choosing the video file you would like to convert.  Your video should appear in the window.
3. Now choose File/Export to MPEG-4.

Starting at the upper left and moving across and down, adjust every parameter on the settings screen, paying special attention to:

1. Leaving the Quality percentage at 50%.  Increasing this here won’t give you an increased quality and it’s recommended to leave this at 50%.
2. Checking the Multipass box.  This usually produces better results, but may take longer to encode the first time through.
3. Checking the Limit Data Rate box and typing 400 into the Data Rate box.
4. For the Sound property, you can make this Mono if you would like.  If it’s a pure audio file you are encoding, you can make the rate 96kbps (versus the 256).  If your video file is composed of a person speaking, you can also reduce the kbps of the audio without noticeable sound degradation.
5. Checking the Other button under Frame Size and typing 640 x 360 in the boxes beside the button.
6. Checking Deinterlace Video.
7. Once you’re done entering these settings, click the Presets…. button and then New… to create a new preset that you can use again and again.
8. Type in a recognizable name for the preset such as “KnowledgeVision Uploads”.
9. Then press Make MP4 to begin the conversion process.  This will create a file that can easily be uploaded into KnowledgeVision without any further conversion.

Next time you need to prepare more clips for KnowledgeVision, you can skip step 4 and instead press the Presets button and select your KnowledgeVision Uploads preset.

Attached to this tip below, you will find a file that you can easily download with all of this information, and a screen shot of the settings for MPEG Streamclip.  If you have any other questions regarding Video best practices, just submit a ticket here in our Portal, and we'll contact you to provide further information.