Help: Cross-compatible video streaming options?

Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
I need advice on the following:



I currently produce content for a high school website which we steam with Windows Server 2003 and Windows Media Services (video on demand) through the library's website. There are several problems with this:



1. I use Macs to produce the videos (Final Cut Pro), which then have to be outputted via Compressor from FCP, copied over to the Windows computer, and converted to Windows Media files using ProCoder 3. This is incredibly inefficient. Each part of this process can take at least one hour, depending on the project's size (video length): about an hour to encode in Compressor, 10 to 20 minutes to copy the file over to the sever over the network (I don't have direct access to that computer), and another hour or so to encode in ProCoder.



2. My boss is a Windows guy. Thinks that Windows Server 2003/Windows Media Services is the best thing since slice bread. I have no problem with this, but IMO, windows media files look like complete sh*t (especially when viewed in full-screen). Yes, I've tried different encoding settings, still sucks IMO. We are shooting our videos in HD and would like to use a codec that leverages this to produce better looking video streams (H.264, probably).



3. Our student population is increasingly using Macs at home, and needless to say, our website is largely inaccessible to them. Flip4mac, or using VLC to open the video streams are not really options because the ideal solution should allow Mac users to access our videos directly. In other words, we need a website that is cross-compatible. This factor has come to by boss' attention because students and parents have finally started complaining to him about this and he is starting to listen (I have been telling him about his for some time, but it is different when parents/students start complaining). Our videos are posted on a section of the school library's website and contains education videos and videos concerning the high school community, which makes the lack of cross-compatibility more unacceptable.



Our options:

1. Leopard Server/Quicktime Broadcaster: My preference, since I think that this would solve all of the three problems listed above (#1, easier workflow, #2, better quality H.264 streams, and #3, cross-compatibility).



I have not suggested this to by boss for the following reasons:

First, he's a windows guy. Second, we already have several Dell servers, so switching would involve purchasing new servers.



2. I've conviced him to at least consider using Linux to stream our videos. Any suggestions on Linux based solutions (in light of our needs) would be greatly appreciated.



3. Making our own Youtube channel and posting our videos there. My boss does not feel comfortable uploading our videos onto youtube, but this is not completely out of the question if no other solution is feasible.



Thanks
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