Adobe's Flash Media Server offers a unique combination of powerful streaming and a flexible environment for creating and delivering engaging multidirectional social media experiences to the broadest possible audience. Attendees will learn about HD-quality video, integrated live video streams, delivery to mobile devices, and deeper interactivity through an extensible plug-in architecture. This workshop will also cover new features that include enhanced content protection with encrypted streaming, increased performance, and new logging/measurement tools to maximize the return on content investment.

This workshop focuses on comparing the quality, playback environment, and feature sets of the big three codecs (VP6, H.264, and Windows Media), including a comparison of the primary H.264 codecs including Apple, Main Concept, Telestream, and others. Attendees will also get an introduction to universal encoding parameters, like variable and constant bitrate encoding and I, B, and P frames, and then learn the technical requirements for producing files with each codec. During the final hour, the workshop will analyze which sub-$1,000 encoding tools do the best (and worst) jobs with each format.

This workshop will cover the entire process of creating, managing, and developing rich media experiences with Microsoft Silverlight. Learn how to encode video and other rich media with Expression Encoder and see how to create media players in Expression Blend. The workshop will also demonstrate the media capabilities of Silverlight 2.0 and will explore, in-depth, how to deploy Windows Server 2008 for both streaming (Windows Media Services 2008) and progressive download (IIS 7 Media Pack) scenarios. Attendees will also have the chance to win copies of Expression Encoder.

This hands-on workshop walks you through the details of starting an audio podcast, from content creation and delivery to syndication. Learn how to use some of Apple's podcasting tools and other devices as real podcasts are created throughout the workshop. Learn all about the podcasting process including how to syndicate shows via RSS and blogs, what hardware and software solutions work best, how to get listeners to your content, and how others are benefiting from using podcasting today.

Come hear an in-depth Q&A conversation between Dan Rayburn and George Kliavkoff discussing NBC Universal’s multiplatform online video strategy.

Some advertisers see user-generated video sites as a free way to distribute their message, but this has rapidly evolved into a significant paid business, where sites charge based on video placement and search keywords. Learn the relative ROI of going to a major site (i.e., YouTube) vs. a smaller site (i.e., Metacafe) vs. a plethora of tiny sites. Learn what methods are successful for getting viewers and the importance of content vs. placement. This panel will discuss and show video examples of effective business models for both advertisers and publishers.

Use of online video in the enterprise has evolved well beyond the special occasion, rudimentary talking-head videos that characterized early adoption.  Whether webcasting executive briefings across the globe or capturing and archiving rich media presentations for training, marketing, sales, and compliance, a growing number of organizations are capitalizing on the capabilities of Web 2.0 technologies. This session will show examples from Fortune 500 organizations of best practices in integrated online video for communications and learning.

Over the past year, more and more streaming media players are utilizing H.264 and providing support for the technology. Adobe's recent support for H.264 in its Flash player has sparked industry discussions among major broadcasters and online video producers about the role H.264 will play. This session wil explain why H.264 is getting so much exposure, what recent announcements have put it into the spotlight, and whether it can really be the one codec that the entire industry can converge on. Attendees will also see real-world examples of sites and services that are utilizing H.264 today.

This panel will discuss the new ways content owners and site developers are aggregating content and distributing it on Web 2.0. See examples of ways to develop niche vertical sites without having to hire tons of new personnel and discuss how to reach audiences on social networking sites like Facebook and others. Learn about some of the new emerging platforms for niche video distribution and learn best practices for increasing your chances of making money with your content.

With more CDN players in the market than ever before, trying to figure out what you should pay for delivering video can still be quite complex. This presentation will offer real pricing numbers from large, globally focused content delivery networks and show you the average going rate when you outsource delivery to a third party. The session will also cover some of the variables that determine the final price and how you should accurately compare the delivery services of one CDN to another, and it will give you a list of providers in the market today.

In this special session, a panel of high school and college students will discuss their online video consumption habits. Learn what types of online video content they like, what sites they get their content from, the devices they are playing it back on, and how they interact with video advertising. Find out what their perspective is on pay media and portable content, as well as what they think the future holds for the next generation of viewers on the web. Bring your own questions for a lively Q&A session with the students at the end of the session.

The session explores what makes a video viral and how marketers and amateurs can promote their video using online video sites and blogs. Proven industry experts reveal what works and what doesn't — often counterintuitive advice that has helped them garner millions of viewers for one-hit wonders and serialized content. Come see firsthand examples from some of the best viral videos creators on the web and learn how they have created an online audience.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) technology has become one of the hottest topics lately in the online video industry. Controversy now surrounds the role P2P will play especially in high-quality video delivery on the Net. Does P2P have a legitimate shot at becoming a mass-market distribution model or will networks block the traffic before it has the chance? If P2P really is cheaper and better, then why haven't content providers adopted it en masse? What's missing from P2P business models? Can P2P truly support live delivery, Flash-based videos, VOD security, broadcast audience scalability? These and many other questions will be addressed in this interactive session.

Today, with the influx of new entertainment devices, consumers no longer rely on just the PC for their online video consumption. Between their iPhones and iPods, their Xboxes and TiVos, consumers now have many ways to get their video fix. So what are the new business models that will be created from these new devices? What current hurdles need to be overcome so that content can be monetized for multiple platforms? Explore with this panel the role of current consumer entertainment devices in this new convergent world and how these devices will play together to offer a superior video experience.

Led by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, this session will discuss how converging media technologies are redefining traditional distribution methods, how interactive and on-demand services are changing, and how entertainment and news videos are being consumed. Come hear from some of the leading publishers, broadcasters, and advertisers about the impact that video and new media is having upon their business models.

Choosing the right codec involves lots of factors, including quality, player install base, costs, and server-related features. This session will compare the video quality of the big three codecs: VP6, H.264, and Windows Media. It will also include a comparison of the primary H.264 codecs including Apple, Sorenson, Main Concept, and Dicas. The session will present attendees with the latest published penetration figures for the H.264-compatible Flash 9 player and Microsoft's Silverlight player and provide usage statistics among major broadcasters and corporations. Attendees will also learn how to compare relevant server-and player-related features, as well as costs associated with adapting and using each platform.

While big media tests the waters of mobile broadcasting, many web video producers are already out there doing it live from the street with a cell phone.  Others are joining in and experimenting with two-way broadcasts via streaming video over cell phone networks and via Wi-Fi, wherever they are. Viewers can chat while the broadcast is going on and affect and sometimes even direct the content being produced. Come to this session to hear Steve Garfield talk with other pioneers in the live broadcasting space about their experiences on the forefront of this new technology for sharing their stories over the web.

This session will show how Adobe Media Players enables consumers to take control of when and where they watch their favorite shows and other video content broadcast over the internet. Learn how the Adobe Media Player allows content owners to monetize and protect their video content and include branding and advertising around content including overlays and sponsorship. This session will also look at how to effectively measure viewership engage ment whether a consumer is viewing the content online or offline and show how to target consumers with relevant advertising.

The number of companies in the online video industry is growing at a rapid pace, and capital markets play a significant role in shaping the industry. Acquisitions, partnerships, funding, and failures are all making headlines at an increasing rate. At times it is difficult to understand why these events occur, what drives them, who is involved, and how they affect the rest of the industry. This panel of venture capitalists, equity research analysts, and others will discuss their views on the state of the markets, what gets them excited, what concerns them, and how it could impact the way you do business. 

The online video revolution has been embraced by students, teachers, instructors, and researchers, many of whom are producing video for class assignments, teaching purposes, and other uses. Learn what kind of content is being produced, where it is being posted, and how user-generated content fits into the overall strategy of educational institutions. This panel of experienced educational media professionals will discuss the many ways your school, college, or university can maximize the value of your user-generated video and how you can assist faculty and students in making it better.

Caleb Silver will address the challenges and production workflow involved in producing video for the various brands under the CNNMoney.com umbrella.  Silver will discuss how he and the CNNMoney.com team built an independent video production facility inside CNN to produce a high volume of original videos for the website and distribution throughout the internet.

This session will cover how to take advantage of the new Silverlight media serving features in Windows Server 2008. Attendees will learn about the new capabilities of IIS 7 Media Pack, including bitrate throttling and playlist options for progressive download content. The session will also demonstrate the enhanced capabilities in Windows Media Services 2008, including scalability doubling and appliancelike cache/proxy deployment for edge networks specific to streaming.

 How did lifecasting videos get so hot? In the early days of television, live was the second choice, because of potential pitfalls, cost of production, and a host of other problems. And yet, in the world of internet video, lifecasting—using internet video to share moments of our lives or to broadcast personal events and happenings—is the new hot thing. With platforms like Kyte.tv, Zannel, Mogulus, Stickcam, and many others now available, lots of new options and opportunities exist. Come see some of the hot and upcoming mobile lifecasting options in action and learn if lifecasting will become just a fad or the next big thing.

This session will bring together four frontline streaming media professionals to discuss their favorite toolsets and techniques for producing enterprise communications and training content. The emphasis will be on in-house production with "off-the-shelf" tools and apps, rather than turnkey or outsourced solutions. What works and what should be avoided? What is the best way to maximize your budget? How can you leverage existing infrastructure already inside your organization? This and more will be covered in this enterprise-focused session.

Last year, writers in Hollywood went on strike against movie studios and television broadcasters, in part because they demanded a share of revenue generated by the digital media they helped to create. Meanwhile, the largest video site in the country, YouTube, barely pays its content producers anything. Some venture capitalists sense an opportunity and are moving south from Silicon Valley to create new entertainment companies that in many instances put the writersóand directors and actorsóin control. Learn what the role of content producers is in digital media and how working with them can help your business.

Despite all the talk of how well online video advertising works and the projections of it being a billion-dollar business this year, the fact remains that many video advertising platforms still leave a lot to be desired. In the past year, new ad platforms and networks have come to the market looking to solve problems like targeting, analytics, syndication, and inventory management among others. This special session will feature demos from some of those new companies including YuMe, FreeWheel.tv, and others that will give you an insight into how these companies are looking to take content monetization to the next level.

Today's students expect more than a classroom lecture. They expect to be able to access course content and the entire universe of related archival and research material from anywhere, at any time. Learn what top universities and corporate training departments are doing to keep up with the demands and expectations of these students. This forum will discuss the tools and best practices for delivering elearning in the age of broadband, IPTV, iPods, and instant access.

While advertising has emerged as the primary business model for broadband video, it remains relatively immature. Key constraints include users' inability to find the videos they seek and limitations on targeting ads against particular content. This panel will explore how industry participants are addressing these challenges and starting to show results. Come hear the factors that are affecting the current business models for online video advertising and the hurdles that need to be overcome to truly allow content to be monetized on the web.

In the wake of the Writer’s Guild strike, what does the landscape look like for writers, content producers, and video creators who want to use the internet as the next broadcast medium? What are the non-studio/traditional revenue streams on the internet, and who’s in the best position to profit from them?  Hear from some traditional broadcast producers who have created new content companies focusing on unique web-based video and hear what types, genres, and lengths of videos are getting the most traction. Attendees will also learn what kinds of content are going to generate the most dollars online and hear where those dollars are expected to come from. 

No longer just a conduit for corporate communications, webcasting offers exciting ways to engage targeted audiences. Whether it's for internal purposes like training, sales, and marketing or consumer-facing entertainment events, effectively reaching your audience requires understanding the strengths and weaknesses of existing technologies, following guidelines for assembling event resources, and selecting the best channel for message delivery. Hear several case studies from webcast events and gain valuable insights into webcasting best practices.

In the increasingly disaggregated world of online video who will win shares of video advertising budgets: branded sites like YouTube, Heavy, Daily Motion, etc., or the burgeoning market of advertising network players. Buyers and sellers face off on the impact of branding vs. audience reach and the implications for media planning, advertising budgets and CPMs. 

With all the various means of distribution and protocols available for video today—CDN, P2P , streaming, progressive download—there is still no single solution that will meet all customers’ needs perfectly across all platforms and devices. Learn the various methodologies for content distribution, as well as the pros and cons of each type. Speakers will also discuss which methodologies apply best to which platforms and geographic locations based on type of content, length and format of video, and target audiences. Panelists will also provide you with guidelines and formulas for determining the best single and/or hybrid solution for your online video distribution needs.