Developing A Video Product and Need Help!

[Peter Burke]

Hi Guys

I'm in the process of developing a video product. It's nearly finished and in pre edit stage.

I have used Camtasia 5 and have seen that file sizes etc can be up to 50mb.

I'm concerned about several things.

1. If I optimise I am going to lose quality or am I wrong - and does it matter?

2. I don't want to deliver via a download link directly as I feel that I will not have much control over my link and the bandwidth consumed.

3. I have looked at some of the competition and 'they' offer the product through their 'membership area'.

Particularly on point 3 is that the way that is best to go?

Any suggestions and feedback would be much appreciated as this is my first video product.


Thanks in advance



Peter

[Chris_Willow]

Convert your videos to flv with quality software and reduce the video size too.
Then upload the videos to Amazon S3 and embbedd them in your membership area with JW player or something similar, while having the option to download the video.

I can help you out if you have specific quations...

Chris

[lakshaybehl]

Just a minute... i will be right back to offer assistance on this. Busy in a brainstorming session right now.

-Lakshay

EDIT: I wanted to help you because I can see you are taking the right track to success, and are doing one thing that most people never do... Create their own info products. And video products... most would say "Forget it".


All the best
Lakshay

[lakshaybehl]

You need to know this...

People are paying for the info in the videos and not the production quality. Its not a movie. So go on and optimize the video, don't worry as long as it is clear enough for the users to understand what you are conveying.

You can use the Flash format as Chris said for creating videos that are not downloadable. However, i would not recommend going for S3 right now as this is your first product, and you don't even know how well it will sell. But yes, embed the flash videos on to a membership secured page and you will get exactly what you need.

How to get a membership based area? Well you will need scripts for that. And then find a programmer to do it for you... OR buy a WSO by a reputable warrior that shows you exactly how to do it.

Its easily explainable through Camtasia videos (Membership area script installation), but incredibly difficult through just text.

-Lakshay

[Peter Burke]

Thanks guys

I was also doing some googling and came across DL guard for downloads - this may possibly do for protecting the download link.

Thanks for the offer of help Chris - you never know I may need the assistance.

Lakshay, you mentioned about a WSO membership script video is there any that you know about on here that you can recommend?

Thanks again guys


Pete

[lakshaybehl]

I saw one in the WSO forum, but I don't remember the topic clearly. So you will have to spend some time looking for it.

[darrinmcl]

I have several Video products that I sell. One is 70Mb in size. I use DLGuard to provide secure download links and automated e-mails to my customers. It is made by Sam Stephens, a well known and respected Warrior as well.

[LonNaylor]

Originally Posted by lakshaybehl

However, i would not recommend going for S3 right now as this is your first product, and you don't even know how well it will sell. But yes, embed the flash videos on to a membership secured page and you will get exactly what you need.

-Lakshay

Not sure why you wouldn't use S3 especially if it's your first product.

It's free to join, you only pay for disk and bandwidth you use, fast, and reliable.

Contrast to a host account where you pay for XXGB of disk space and XXGB of bandwidth whether you use it or not.

S3 is dirt cheap...

[lakshaybehl]

Originally Posted by LonNaylor

Not sure why you wouldn't use S3 especially if it's your first product.

It's free to join, you only pay for disk and bandwidth you use, fast, and reliable.

Contrast to a host account where you pay for XXGB of disk space and XXGB of bandwidth whether you use it or not.

S3 is dirt cheap...

I know, but I was thinking about the case where the OP gets only as many customers as those that consume only that much bandwidth as his hosting company is providing for free. Why would he pay the extra 10 bucks to S3 then?

When you are starting out, you should try to do as much of cost cutting as possible.

If each customer is using 200 MB and his hosting account gives him 20 GB, then he could very easily accomodate 100 customers, right? And he won't have to pay for the s3 bandiwdth charges.

Hope that helps
-Lakshay

[LonNaylor]

Originally Posted by lakshaybehl

You need to know this...

People are paying for the info in the videos and not the production quality. Its not a movie. So go on and optimize the video, don't worry as long as it is clear enough for the users to understand what you are conveying.

You can use the Flash format as Chris said for creating videos that are not downloadable. However, i would not recommend going for S3 right now as this is your first product, and you don't even know how well it will sell. But yes, embed the flash videos on to a membership secured page and you will get exactly what you need.

How to get a membership based area? Well you will need scripts for that. And then find a programmer to do it for you... OR buy a WSO by a reputable warrior that shows you exactly how to do it.

Its easily explainable through Camtasia videos (Membership area script installation), but incredibly difficult through just text.

-Lakshay

Originally Posted by lakshaybehl

I know, but I was thinking about the case where the OP gets only as many customers as those that consume only that much bandwidth as his hosting company is providing for free. Why would he pay the extra 10 bucks to S3 then?

When you are starting out, you should try to do as much of cost cutting as possible.

If each customer is using 200 MB and his hosting account gives him 20 GB, then he could very easily accomodate 100 customers, right? And he won't have to pay for the s3 bandiwdth charges.

Hope that helps
-Lakshay

Ahhh yes. I see...good point.

You could always bring extra S3 bandwidth online when required...

[Alan Petersen]

In the past I setup the videos in a folder within my hosting account. Just don't name the folders "videos" or something easy like that. Setup the folder so it isn't crawled by SE' using robots.txt.
I use easyClickGuard to protect my download link.

I have a new video product I'm creating right now and I was thinking about using wordpress. You can make the video content available for members only.

[Peter Burke]

Hello again guys.

I have taken onboard the advice.

I have checked out s3

DLGuard

and will be checking out easyClickGuard

Will keep you posted on my progress

Thanks again


Pete