What is the best way to deliver video content on-demand?

There are different types of video compression, such as lossless and lossy, and different formats, such as MP4, AVI, and MOV. You should choose the compression method and format that best suit your video content, target devices, and delivery platforms.

While deciding the compression for OTT Video, we need to understand the target devices on the market. A HEVC encoded 4K with 60 fps transcoded content may do the best justice to a movie, but most of the devices supposed to consume this content is not capable for consuming such content, then all this effort may not be worth. For example, in India across Android smartphones, HEVC penetration is still not close to 100%, so encoding content for Android smart phone with AVC still makes better sense. Best solution is to create content according capability of large device segments (TVs, smart phones et al), and then allow consumption of content based on device capability. Remember to use right container format (i.e. CMAF/fMp4), it saves bandwidth.

In my opinion, the optimal method for on-demand video delivery hinges on a trifecta of compression, hosting, and streaming. Efficiently compressing videos without compromising quality ensures swift playback, while secure hosting platforms safeguard content. Embracing adaptive streaming technology caters to diverse internet speeds, delivering a seamless viewing experience. In essence, the synergy of these elements guarantees a reliable, high-quality, and accessible on-demand video service for a dynamic?audience.

Why you compress video is obvious; the original/master version of a feature film could easily stretch to hundreds of GigaBytes in size in its raw mezzanine format. Making all that 'data' reach the viewer over a narrow internet pipe is next to impossible not to mention costly. The aim of compression is to make the size of the video small enough to get the 'data' there in time, while not so small as to compromise on the viewers viewing experience. Once you have decided you need compression, the question comes what compression. One answer could be to pick the one which provides the least distortion for the lowest bitrate. This is only half the story; something needs to be able to view it at the other end... [>decompression]

Choosing a right origin to CDN for OTT VOD delivery is of paramount importance. If we are using a cloud based encoder, usual practice is to use cloud storage (like S3) from same cloud. This ensures no egress cost and high performance as well as the scalability. Some of the cloud storages allow replication of content across cloud storage regions, which provides an automatic disaster recovery. A very important aspect to choosing cloud storage also needs to be looked at from compatibility with CDNs one use. Not all cloud storages can be used as origin to all CDNs. Performance of origin (storage) plays important role on some of the key video metrices, especially for contents which has lower cache hit ratio on CDN (say newly released movie)

Before hosting it would be recommended to protect the content with encryption such as DRM so that if the CDN is compromised the contents cannot be played back straight away.

The best way to deliver video content on demand depends on your specific needs. Popular options include using established platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, or dedicated Video on Demand (VOD) services such as Netflix or Hulu. If you prefer more control, you can build a custom solution with a content delivery network (CDN) for efficient streaming, coupled with a user-friendly interface for seamless access. Consider factors like content type, audience, and budget when choosing the most suitable approach.

The combination of the compression & decompression mechanism we call the codec. Different devices support different codecs. Different security mechanisms support different codecs. Some codecs are more time consuming or costly to run than others. Best talk to an expert for their recommendation for your use case. [cont] The choice of the right codec could be the difference between a third of your audience being able to watch in 4k on their internet connection, or most of them, so choose wisely and plan for the future.

Using HTTP based ABR technology provides user relatively uninterrupted AV experience if his/her network speed is relatively okish. Having multiple renditions of same content enables it. Of course it entails more time to transcode and publish, but at the same time it enables buffering free playback which is key. Also for video enthusiasts, this is great opportunity (and challenge) to come up with best in class compression techniques to provide best video quality at lowest bandwidth possible. There is a considerable amount of work going on to enable ABR over UDP multicast. If it is works, it will be possible to support infinite simultaneous connections with huge amount of download without requirement of scaling network backbone.

Yes undoubtedly true if we will able to achieve ABR over UDP then would be a revolution in low latency streaming world and enhance the user experience with improved QoS/QoE and get rid of the numerous playback issues which we are seen with ABR protocols.

[cont] What makes a good Encoder? Encoders can be empirically measured via the Quality they provide -against- the Average Bitrate they need to deliver it. This is typically plotted on a graph for the different resolutions. These graphs are typically known as Rate-Distortion graphs. Much more can be found on these with a simple internet search. The goal is to obtain the least distortion of content, measured in VMAF/PSNR etc for a given bitrate, measured in megabits per second). Not all encoders are equally good at the basic task of compression.

The best method involves a combination of efficient streaming technology & user-friendly interfaces. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) play an important role, optimizing data distribution globally. But the tricky part lies in balancing quality, bandwidth, & user experience. For example, Netflix relies on a complex CDN structure to deliver high-quality video seamlessly. They use Open Connect to minimize buffering & enhance user satisfaction. Yet challenges persist. Scaling infrastructure to accommodate peak demands during events like live sports or series releases requires intricate planning to avoid disruptions. Disney+ faced technical glitches during its launch due to unexpected user surges.