Viewers want to control the Internet content they consume. The success of Netflix, Hulu, and Vimeo and impressive figures prove this. Statista forecasts that the VOD market will reach $157.90 billion by 2027. That’s almost $60 billion more than in 2022. And the number of users will be 1,924.4 million within five years. Therefore, a VOD software project can be a tidbit for a business. Let’s examine the key features that each video-on-demand app should have and look at the top 10 software products that have gained market success.Â
A VOD platform: enjoy videos at a convenient time
A video-on-demand platform is an app that allows users to watch videos uploaded to the Internet. You can access this content at any convenient time. Thus, to enjoy their favorite shows or movies, users don’t have to wait for them to air. There’s a wealth of available video content. Search for an interesting movie, clip, or program in a database – and play it on your smartphone or TV. Any device will do.Â
To consume videos on demand or download them for later viewing, you need to buy a subscription. By paying a monthly fee, you can access an entire content base. You can also purchase a single video (TVOD) or use a service for free. However, the latter option usually goes with built-in ads (AVOD).Â
An insight into video-on-demand streamingÂ
VOD software relies on OTT and streaming protocols. With their help, compressed and decompressed video files can be streamed on the Internet.
Movies or programs are available upon request because hosts prestore them on a video service. When a user chooses a certain media file, it is first compressed and streamed over a cable or broadband connection. Then it enters the server for decoding and decompressing. Finally, it is stored on the video server of a viewer’s computer or TV.
During video-on-demand app development, an IT specialist should arrange the mechanism of video transmission in advance. Once a user selects a program, a VOD broadcaster must:
- encode the video file in the format required for streaming;Â
- encrypt it so that only subscribers can watch it;
- embed advertising in the video file for users viewing it for free;
- provide sufficient network bandwidth for simultaneous transmission of high-quality videos to a large audience;
- transmit the file to hundreds or thousands of Internet viewers.
VOD platforms not only host entertainment content but also serve educational and marketing purposes.
VOD platform vs. streaming software: key issues
VOD technology gives users access to a content library. There, they can choose interesting movies and watch them. Viewers play, pause, and resume videos at any convenient time.
A streaming platform has a different purpose. With its help, videos from play back in real time. If you’re not online, you’ll miss a program or movie. It is unavailable unless the broadcaster uses live recording. The host must repurpose live videos into VOD content to make them available after live streaming.
VOD platforms: key features
VOD apps have a unique set of features. The basic ones that each high-quality app has are:
- Transcoding & encodingÂ
Consuming videos on multiple devices simultaneously is possible because a software product supports different formats. An app has a mechanism for automatic instant transcoding of video files of different types, sizes, and bitrates into RAW files.
- Video management
Broadcasters control and manage the content they publish. They can break videos down by type and label them to offer different categories of movies and recommendation lists.
- Profit mechanism
For a VOD app to bring in revenue, developers implement a monetization mechanism. It includes advertising, subscriptions, or onetime payment for an individual video.
- Multi-bitrate and adaptive bitrate
Viewers access video files from devices with different computing capabilities: smartphones, PCs, laptops, and smart TVs. However, a high-bitrate video file will not play on every device. So as not to lose the potential customers, grant them the possibility to choose a convenient bitrate. Introduce adaptive bitrate adjustable to any device.
- HTML5 video player
The HTML5 video player is a useful option that supports adaptive playback. If you don’t implement such a player, subscribers will experience buffering and video lag.
- Encryption
Privacy is extremely valuable for firms that host corporate information on a VOD platform. To secure video content from pirates, implement encrypted streaming, protect videos with passwords, and implement other vital cybersecurity mechanisms.
Top 10 VOD platforms to take as a paragon for software development
If you are planning a VOD platform project, take a look at the best practices of your predecessors. So, you’ll understand what functions your competitors offer to the audience and come up with your own unique solution. You can take the following Top-10 VOD platforms with high ratings as a guide.
#1. Dacast: an innovative cloud VOD solutionÂ
Dacast is a decent cloud-based assistant for broadcasters that need a scalable hosting and delivery solution. The software distributes video through the Akamai content delivery network. High-quality files play safely and quickly on any device.
The app runs on an adaptive HTML5 video player that supports streaming with multiple bitrates and reduces buffering. Dacast has embedded SVOD, TVOD, and AVOD mechanisms. The software supports recording live broadcasts. So, the solution pays off.
Dacast supports MP4, MOV, M4V and 12 more formats. The provider offers four out-of-the-box plans that start at $39. This software can serve as VOD cloud hosting, a digital education platform, corporate training software, or a live streaming app.
#2. A VOD mobile app for Globe TVÂ
This mobile app for a TV channel is optimized for Apple TV devices and allows viewers to watch programs created by the channel online and live. Users can consume videos in HD format and search for TV programs by genre and category. They can buy content in the App Store.
The software is integrated with an analytics system. With its help, a channel can track ad performance. The platform is connected to Google Analytics. This allows broadcasters to conduct market research.
The mobile app contains not only a list of programs and shows streaming online. Thanks to the VOD option, a rich video content storage is available for users. The video library is cataloged. Subscribers can create their own listings by clicking on the “Like†button.
#3. Kaltura: a complex solution for VOD hosting
This VOD as a service allows corporations and educational institutions to spread training videos to their staff and students. With Kaltura, media outlets and broadcasters can launch a cloud TV service.
Kaltura provides cloud-based delivery of multi-bitrate adaptive video. The system has enhanced content protection (multiple authentication and encryption options). Unlike Dacast, this solution has limitations:
- in dimension (from 144p to 4K);
- in file size (up to 2 GB);
- in video formats (it only supports MOV and MP4).
Despite the limitations, large companies use the app: it has proven reliable in live broadcasts. With its help, businesses prepare educational videos on demand. Smart TV companies can use the white-label version for branded smartphones and tablets.Â
#4. VPlayed for broadcasters in any industry
VPlayed is an off-the-shelf VOD solution. It helps enterprises launch and stream video content and thus make a profit. The software has over 150 options to stream to any device, with over 6 monetization models.
Users appreciate the following powerful features of VPlayed:
— partner contentÂ
— uploading multiple videos to the CMS;
— multilingual support;
— multiple formats;
— live recording and repurposing to VOD;
— CDN for geographical coverage;
— transcoding for streaming files on any OS;
— almost limitless video file size or length.
VPlayed gives broadcasters full control of their video content, allowing them to integrate new VOD features and build customer trust.
#5. Wistia: distribution of “TV-quality†content
Broadcasters use Wistia to create and stream videos, both live and on demand. They can record content in the browser and export it to Wistia for distribution.
Content creators can edit files by trimming unwanted fragments. Video content looks impressive and appeals to users.
With Wistia, professionals create webinars and a library of “evergreen†content that viewers can access whenever they need. The software has almost no limitations:
— its maximum dimension is 4K;
— Wistia allows users to upload video files of up to 8 GB and 2 hours;
— the software supports 7 video formats, from MP4 to 3GPP;
— its heatmap analytics allows businesses to monitor the interests of their audiences.
These capabilities enable companies to use Wistia for corporate video distribution, marketing activities, and live streaming.
#6. Wowza: a VOD server for different purposes
Like previous solutions, Wowza includes VOD and live streaming capacities. Thanks to the following features, streaming is possible on almost any device:
— adaptive streaming (it preserves video quality and saves traffic at all device bandwidths);
— streaming video files to any device;
— VOD scaling;
— RTMP stream encryption protocol and HLS AES-128 security.
This VOD platform service has certain limitations in dimension (240p to 4K) and aspect ratio (16:9, 4:3). The storage size depends on the subscription plan and starts at 250 GB. The software supports all popular video formats.
Thanks to its simplicity and user-friendly functionality, both private content distributors and market leaders in various industries (from media to healthcare) use Wowza.
#7. Vidyard: a VOD platform for marketing activities
Companies striving to optimize the sales funnel should pay attention to Vidyard. By creating video content with its help, marketers can attract more customers. This tool targets online sales and helps to achieve decent results.
With Vidyard, marketers record and send videos to target customers in a few clicks. The app offers a library of free video templates. Such samples are very convenient at all stages of the sales cycle. No video creation experience is required.
Marketers appreciate Vidyard for its excellent functionality (SEO, email capture, and detailed video analytics). But the tool lacks a monetization mechanism. Users can record up to 1 hour of content in WEBM, MP4, MKV, and MOV formats. There is no access to shared file storage.
With Vidyard, marketers can track viewers’ interaction with videos, create landing pages, and embed video content on websites.
#8. Brightcove: an award-winning VOD toolÂ
Brightcove knows that video content is a good way for motivating and training employees, selling products, and informing subscribers. That’s why the company has implemented a secure, scalable, and reliable system for VOD delivery. Because of its exceptional performance, it won an Emmy Award.
Brightcove is a synonym for quality:
— it provides 875 million views per week with a 99.99% uptime;
— guarantees enhanced content protection (domain and IP restrictions, DRM, GDPR, DPP);
— provides video content statistics;
— supports batch loading and simple management of large content libraries.
In contrast to its analogs with predefined limits, users choose the minimum and maximum dimensions themselves. Brightcove supports seven file formats. The storage capacity depends on a subscription plan.
#9. SproutVideo: a VOD hosting service for any budget
SproutVideo has entered our top 10 VOD platforms because it is an all-purpose solution for organizations with different budgets. The tool does a pretty good job. It contains the following features:
— a multifunctional video player. You can edit colors, create playlists and animated thumbnails in it;
— AES 128 encryption for security;
— change of video playback speed and resolution;
— embedding code into Shopify, WordPress, and other platforms;
— compatibility with any device and browser;
— CDN for quality video transmission around the world;
— detailed analytics tools.
The platform has four subscription levels that differ in the number of viewer accounts and encoding slots, bandwidth, memory, and additional tools.
#10. Muvi: a multiscreen VOD platform
Muvi is a feature-rich solution. It has everything a broadcaster needs, from hosting and deployment to subscribers’ reports and analytics. With Muvi, you can easily run a cloud-based VOD solution on websites, smartphones, and smart TV operating systems. You don’t even need to be a programmer to do this.
It is also a white-label product. A company can buy and customize it for specific purposes. The CMS panel helps to manage all functions, from servers and CDN to user analytics and profit reports.
Muvi integrates with at least 8 popular payment gateways (Adyen, Stripe, PayPal, and others), so multi-currency billing is possible. The software also allows you to post videos and communicate with subscribers in many languages. This VOD solution supports decoding languages with UTF-8 encoding, so you can upload and geotag them.
The app works with videos up to 4K and has no limitations in file length or size. The size of the total file storage depends on the type of subscription (1 to 5 TB). Muvi works with MP4, FLV, VOB, 3GP, and other popular formats.
VOD for close interaction with viewers
If you want to stay in touch with your audience and deliver quality content, a VOD platform is a brilliant decision. To gain success, find a reliable partner. With an experienced VOD hosting provider, you will achieve your business goals. One of the top 10 VOD platforms mentioned above can become a wonderful choice. To create a unique and fresh app, take these solutions as paragons to develop your custom video-on-demand solution.
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