how to work with videos in ASP.NET?

Question

this is my first time doing a gallery of videos using ASP.NET, I believe there are many articles on the net regarding this, but I would like to see some recommendation and d

Answer 1

From tag "asp.net" I'm assuming that you deal with Microsoft technologies. Our team in the past had estimation project around selling video content, so you problem is close to it.

The base idea is usage of Microsoft Windows Media Services 9 Series( for brief overview look at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/howto/articles/webserver.aspx ). So this answer #1. The most difficult question is #2. Because you can just reduce possibility to download, but to watch video user needs have some frames at client side. That is why content always can be intercepted. Following list is my recommendations how to reduce risks:

• Use "Stream without downloading" (see article above for details) or broadcast
• Manage stream content with Digital Rights Management
• Use authentication of users that watch video and provide unique URL for them to disallow special tool of downloading to intercept results.

Question #3 relates to format war. Vimeo, youtube and many others use FLV format to provide video. In theory client-side player of vimeo can play without problem video from youtube and vice verse. The benefit of it is crossplatforming - Linux, Mac, Windows users can recognize this format and play it. On other hand usage of WMV (windows media) potentially can be restricted (in real I have never seen any problem). But usage of Microsoft formats are more secured since usage of Digital Rights Management tags embedded to content.

Answer on #4, #5 you can find in article above.