Published on September 15, 2015
I started streaming video when the industry was just in its infancy. There were roughly nine to 15 companies that were doing this day in and day out. Basically, ISDN lines, MPEG1 and 2 video codecs were widely used in video. Real Player was king and Microsoft hadn't even launched Windows media.
The biggest thing about becoming an expert at anything, including streaming, is that it takes time, trial and error. Yes, there are a million “follow my steps to streaming” blogs and articles. Those articles are great and their information is useful—but is their use-case your use-case? Remember, everyone’s environment and need is different. I’ve rarely seen many companies with the exact same use-case and workflow.
When trying any new technology or workflow, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Realize there will be lessons learned. I’ve been lucky to have never lost a show (producing and streaming several thousand hours of content), but that took a lot of planning and preparation. And, while I have had issues (like having the internet and equipment die on me right before and during shows), being prepared will allow you to get around these sort of pitfalls.
Just start streaming and stream often. You don’t need the most expensive gear to start. If you have a webcam and a laptop you can always start off that way. There are also a lot of companies out there that will let you try out equipment and demo a platform. You can always move up from there. You don’t always know what you need until you try and see what you like and what works for your situation. Stream often to get practice and increase your comfort level. Don't be afraid to take chances, experiment or test. Of course, don’t try new things right when your CEO is about to give a major talk or launch a product.
And, when it comes to experimenting, remember town halls and product launches are not the only things to stream. You don’t need to only be a TV station or a major corporation to use video in entertaining and engaging ways.. You can do video news releases, trainings, “how to” tutorials or create your own Internet TV station by using playlists. Employee engagement and brand awareness will keep you thriving and growing. Why not try using video for both?
Don’t be afraid to take a risk and try communicating with the world or a tight community with video. If something didn’t go as well as you would have liked it or quality isn’t where you want it to be, don’t give up. Keep streaming and don’t be afraid to ask for help or tips. There are a lot of great resources out there to help. (www.streamingmedia.com; www.broadcastbeat.com; https://twit.tv; https://www.video.ibm.com and others) It takes time to become an expert.
"Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer."
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