Ustream and eCDN
February 09, 2017
Ustream and eCDN
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
Streaming Manager (Ustream Pro Broadcast)
Modules Used
- Ustream eCDN (IBM Cloud Video Enterprise Content Delivery Network)
Overall Satisfaction with IBM Watson Media's Video Streaming
We used the product for the first of our quarterly town hall meetings. The 30,000-viewer hour option met our needs in that we are broadcasting to a global audience and can do so with a password-protected URL. Streaming quality was as high as our ingest rate; note that this can be variable, depending on bandwidth.
We also used the Ustream eCDN product to consolidate streams to two of our remote offices .. this ensured multiple, individual streams wouldn't clog the top of our router and impact network performance and user experience at our offices.
We also used the Ustream eCDN product to consolidate streams to two of our remote offices .. this ensured multiple, individual streams wouldn't clog the top of our router and impact network performance and user experience at our offices.
- Consolidated interface: ability to manage the entire event from a single pane of glass.
- Role-based capabilities: enabled us to assign our video capture/producer a role so he could manage his aspects of the event without my intervention.
- Reliable network: no issues in performance with our global broadcast.
- Mobile interface: worked like a charm as I prowled the office to ensure viewers were seeing a satisfactory experience.
- More granular pricing; we didn't come near the 30,000-viewer hour limit. However, compared to other providers, their pricing is in line .. just not for a single event.
- eCDN setup documentation: needs work .. did a fair bit of troubleshooting with Tier 2 support before realizing there were aspects with which only Ustream could configure (missing in the documentation).
Town hall meetings.
IBM Video Streaming Feature Ratings
Using IBM Watson Media's Video Streaming
5 - Marketing (internal and external).
2 - Video ingest.
Video management in the Ustream web interface.
eCDN set up (Linux virtual machine and streaming site configuration).
Video management in the Ustream web interface.
eCDN set up (Linux virtual machine and streaming site configuration).
- Town Hall broadcast.
- Training. Not unexpected, not innovative, but global capability for canned sessions.
- Quarterly Town Hall broadcasts
- Higher video quality than Skype for Business or public products.
- More user counts than our Skype for Business.
Evaluating IBM Watson Media's Video Streaming and Competitors
- Features (one to many broadcasts)
- Price (lowest for broadcast)
- Price
- Product Usability
- Vendor Reputation
Price was our biggest factor as we had a simple use case: single-site broadcast only, with no live talk-back. There are other providers who provide multi-site and more interactivity, but it's not what we were seeking for this event.
We will be doing it again; no change in the process .. if we decide to enhance to multi-site talk-back, we will evaluate all vendors again.
IBM Watson Media's Video Streaming Implementation
- Implemented in-house
Change management was minimal
- eCDN setup: documentation had gaps requiring Tier 2 support engagement.
IBM Watson Media's Video Streaming Training
- Self-taught
The product can be used without training and the site provides reasonable walk-throughs for several scenarios.
Configuring IBM Watson Media's Video Streaming
Allow enough time to get through the documentation when deploying.
Test with stock videos.
Use eCDN if you have a higher number of users in a physical site than you have 1gb per stream bandwidth at the top of your router.
Test with stock videos.
Use eCDN if you have a higher number of users in a physical site than you have 1gb per stream bandwidth at the top of your router.
Some - we have done small customizations to the interface - We wanted our branding, including a still slide prior to live broadcast and logos in various places. Customization was easy enough to do, though required a few retries (customize, click an external URL and review) to get the way we wanted it.
No - we have not done any custom code
eCDN setup. Be sure to read the documentation and engage Tier 2 support to avoid delays.
IBM Watson Media's Video Streaming Support
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Quick Resolution Good followup Knowledgeable team Problems get solved No escalation required Immediate help available Support cares about my success Quick Initial Response | None |
Yes - eCDN documentation missed a few Ustream-side configuration items that would have enabled us to deploy ourselves. Tier 1 and Tier 2 support provided the necessary solutions for resolution.
From start-to-finish, with white glove service.
Using IBM Watson Media's Video Streaming
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using | None |
- Web interface: during real-time video streaming.
- Web interface: assigning roles and permissions so others could assist with the work.
- Ingest interface: sending live video over an internet connection to Ustream for broadcast.
- eCDN setup: documentation has gaps, requiring Tier 2 support to engage to troubleshoot.
Yes - On my Android with a good connection, quite well.
IBM Watson Media's Video Streaming Reliability
Relationship with IBM
Cost and support.
Explain your use case up front. See a demo. Ask more questions that relate to your use case.