The DaCast streaming service can provide a solution for both live and previously recorded, on demand streaming content. The platform provides a variety of features and tools to make video on demand a key component of the system, including support for stream archiving, mobile broadcasting and rich monetization features provided out of the box.
Live video streaming is an incredibly powerful tool, delivering content in an exciting and dynamic format. It comes with prestige and a feeling of exclusivity, knowing someone is among the first to witness it. However, sometimes live coverage just can't capture all of a desired audience. Different time zones, conflicts in schedules, and other issues are barriers to people enjoying live streaming content.
DaCast presents a simple solution to this problem: host it live and host it on demand. This allows users to view events as they happen, but also allows others who are unavailable to view the broadcast later.
The DaCast system makes live streaming easy, and also allows that content to be viewed on demand. By selecting an option under Configure, live streams can be saved after being recorded. This setting is called Enable Local Stream Backup, and saves a version of the live feed to the hard drive. This can viewed by the broadcaster, or uploaded again to the system as a VOD file for viewers to watch from an application with a customizable player skin and other features.
Through streaming with DaCast, media content is also made ready for the mobile market. Viewers can access and enjoy the audiovisual media through a variety of smart phones and mobile applications.
DaCast is a Flash video streaming based service, and video on demand content can work flawlessly on the most popular devices such as those under the Android platform.
For mobile devices attached to the iOS network, such as iPhones and iPads, there is a special embed code to make the player work. This code, called the frame code, is available under the publish settings and allows on demand content to be enjoyed by viewers connected through an iOS device. This frame code is the most compatible way to view DaCast content, as it works over iOS, Android and traditional computers and devices that are Adobe Flash enabled.
The frame code is one of three that is available to DaCast users, along with a traditional code and a swfobject2 code, for embedded video.
VOD streaming over DaCast is an open book that permits any kind of content to be shared. This includes not only previously live events, but also professionally created media with post effects such as editing and the type that can be monetized. A variety of file types are supported as well, including FLV, MOV, MP4. Additional formats, such as AVI and WMV, can also be used by encoding these files. To encode over DaCast, a small, one-time fee is collected for each file encoded. This cost is based on the size of the file, and this price is listed before encoding begins.
Strictly audio streaming is also possible, with its own set of supported file types that include MP3, M4A, AAC and additional encoding options for other file types.
DaCast is also a white label service, so premium content can be created while promoting the brand or product rather than the DaCast service.
When creating premium content, DaCast allows several ways to monetize that media and generate immediate revenue. This includes the ability to monetize with ads from readily available access to video ad networks right after sign up.
The DaCast self-service system is also fully capable of doing pay per view options as well. The platform is fully self-service, leaving the price and duration for each PPV completely up the DaCast user streaming the content. Viewers can purchase content from an integrated and unique payment system as well that is built directly into the player.
To make subscription and pay per views easier, DaCast has developed a unique payment system called Pay-in-Play. This payment interface is built directly into the player and is aimed at maximizing conversion rates for all content broadcast through the system, including video on demand.
To make this process quick and easy, Pay-in-Play is launched from the player with a wide variety of payment options. When paying with a credit card, all major credit cards supported, the viewer never has to leave the player and can validate the whole purchase.
For viewers who want to pay through PayPal, they will be dropped off at the PayPal site briefly to validate a working e-mail before being quickly returned to the player to view the content they just purchased.
Broadcasters can rest easy too as there is nothing additional to sign up for or contracts to sign to being using Pay-in-Play. A merchant account and all other needed components are available out of the box when signing up for an account on DaCast, payment system included.
