July 8, 2011

This update brings two new features as well as multiple improvements and bug-fixes to the VMS.

• New feature: Choose from a set of 10 automatically generated still images to easily change default poster and thumbnail for your video
• New feature: Transcoding to mobile formats is now enabled by default for all new videos.
• Improvement: faster and more efficient XML-export
• Improvement: more consistent way to generate default poster and thumbnail image
• Improvement: anamorphic video is now recognised and transcoded correctly, fixing a bug with some videos looking compressed
• Bug-fix: multiple bugs have been fixed in media archive

Choose from 10 auto-generated images

In addition to uploading a custom image to override the default one, you can now choose from a set of 10 automatically generated images. A good poster image is important to draw audience to your video and sometimes, the default one is just not good enough. This feature gives you a quick and easy way to fix that. Just click on the video in media archive and switch to the Image-pane. 

You now see the current image for this video on the left side as well as 10 generated images to the right. Clicking on one of these images will change the default image. It can take a minute or two before the newly chosen image shows up in any published players. Of course, you can also upload your own image if none of the generated images feel appropriate. 

Mobile support

Every uploaded video will now be prepared for playback on mobile phones by default. This feature can be used by copying a dedicated mobile link to a portal or website suitable for mobile devices. Click on your video in media archive and head to the Embed-section. Click on the mobile link and here you have it. 

Just copy and paste anywhere you want your mobile audience to be able to watch this video. When accessing this link on a mobile device, we will detect the model and use a compatible format suitable for that device. 

We do realize that a universal code for embedding videos that is compatible with desktop as well as mobile platforms is ideal and we're working on a single embed-code that works with flash and HTML5-compatible platforms like iOS. Stay tuned for more updates on this feature.