Glossary

Access Control

Controlling user access to specific content, often using a login or similar system. The KZO Business Video Suite provides built-in access control features, and can integrate with existing access control systems.

 

Algorithm

An algorithm is a specific set of instructions to follow to produce a desired result. Algorithm is a term most commonly used in computer science – more specifically, a codec is a type of algorithm the computer uses to perform compression or decompression of video or audio.

 

Aspect Ratio

The ratio of the horizontal size of the video resolution to the vertical size. Most videos today use a widescreen aspect ratio, such as 16:9 (1920×1080 is a 16:9 aspect ratio).

 

Asynchronous/ On-Demand Collaboration

Collaboration that is not live, but persistent. KZO’s deep tagging feature is an example of asynchronous collaboration.

 

Bandwidth

The rate at which data is transferred – usually used in the context of uploading and downloading from the Internet. The higher the bandwidth of your connection, the more data can be transferred at once. Measured in bits per second – for example, you might have a connection of 1Mbps (one mega-bit per second).

 

Bitrate

The amount of data that is transferred every second. Used in compression and decompression of video and audio. The larger the bitrate, the larger the final file will be and the more bandwidth a user will need to view the video. For videos encoded for the web, we’ve found a bitrate of between 500Kbps (kilobits per second) and 1Mbps (megabits per second) provides a good trade-off between quality and file size.

 

Buffering

A technique that is used by streaming video to keep the video playing smoothly. As the video streams, it is stored in memory or temporary storage to be played back in the video player. This gives the player a “buffer” to avoid stuttering if the streaming is interrupted.

 

CMS

See Content Management System.

 

Content Management System

A system used to manage content storage, distribution, workflow, and sometimes control or restrict access to content. Content can mean many things – in some cases, text, video, or other media.

 

Distribution

Refers to getting your content out to those who want or need to see it. The KZO Suite is a video distribution tool, enabling video content to be seen and collaborated on by many different viewers in different locations.

 

Embed

Embedding video generally means taking a video player and adding it into a webpage (as opposed to a link to the video on a separate site). For example, the KZO Player can be embedded into any HTML page.

 

Encoding/Decoding

Using a codec to compress or decompress video or audio for transmission or playback.

 

Encryption

Encryption takes data and renders it unintelligible to anyone without the proper key to decode it. Encryption is the basis of security over the web.

 

Enterprise Video

Using video within a large organization for internal communication (as opposed to communication with clients and customers). Enterprise video can be used for training, to enable on-demand remote viewing of meetings and conferences, and much more. The KZO Business Video Suite is very well suited for enterprise video communication.

 

File Format

A video file format is the container for the video, audio, and metadata about the file. Common examples include FLV and F4V (Adobe Flash), 3GP, MP4, MOV, M4V, and MPG (Apple video formats), AVI and WMV (Microsoft Windows formats). (It’s important to note that AVI files tend to be uncompressed, and therefore very large.) All of these common formats are supported by the KZO Sutie.

 

Frame Rate

The framerate of a video determines how many frames of the video are played each second. Most modern cameras will record around 30 frames per second (fps). Movie film runs at around 25fps – however, sometimes film for TV and other formats will use as high as 60fps. The human eye can distinguish between individual images at around 12 frames per second, losing the illusion of movement.

 

Hit

Used in metrics. A Hit represents one individual view of your video. Every time someone loads your video, it is counted as a hit.

 

Interlaced / Progressive Scan

Interlacing refers to how the individual frames are rendered. Imagine each frame split up into horizontal lines of pixels. An interlaced scan renders every other line first, then goes back to the top and fills in the rest. A progressive scan renders every line in order. Interlacing is a technology first used in vacuum-tube TVs to make the video display smoother – however, most modern TVs and monitors refresh fast enough that interlacing is no longer needed. We recommend encoding your video using progressive scan.

 

Intranet

A network of computers within an organization. Operating on the same principle as the Internet, an intranet contains only the networked computers within the single organization, as opposed to being connected to multiple computers and organizations around the world.  Computers on an intranet are usually behind a common firewall and share common connection to the public internet.

 

Key Frames

A Key Frame is a term used in video compression. Most modern compression algorithms, like H.264, compress the video by only storing the difference between each keyframe (rather than each separate entire frame). Simply put, a key-frame is a reference frame for the algorithm to plot the differences from. Sometimes videos will be compressed using a constant keyframe rate (for example, one keyframe every 5 or 10 seconds); sometimes the encoder will use a variable keyframe rate, adding a keyframe whenever it detects a significant change in the video. Most video players only allow you to start playing on a keyframe.

 

Learning Management System

An LMS is a software system used to provide and administer an online training program, tracking users’ progress and in some cases providing knowledge assessments.

 

Live Video

A video that is being streamed out to viewers as it is being recorded, sometimes to a public audience (as in the case of live TV).

 

LMS

See Learning Management System.

 

Mobile Device

A portable device that is capable of accessing the Web. Common examples include smartphones (Blackberry, Android, iPhone) and tablets (such as the iPad). Not to be confused with portable computers such as laptops and Macbooks.

 

Multi-Pass Encoding

A type of compression that runs through the video multiple times to optimize its compression. Multi-pass encoding typically achieves better encoding quality, at the cost of taking roughly twice as long as single-pass encoding. We recommend always using multi-pass encoding, unless time constraints are an issue.

 

NTSC

Short for National Television System Committee; the standards specification used by modern television in North America, specifying a framerate of 29.97 fps. The equivalent standard in Europe and many other countries is PAL, or Phase Alternating Line.

 

Offline Video Viewing and Collaboration

The KZO Business Video Suite supports video collaboration in zero-bandwidth environments with its Offline Player. The Offline Player downloads videos when connectivity is available for viewing later, then syncs your collaboration when connectivity is available again.

 

On-Demand Video (also known as Video On-Demand: VOD)

On-Demand video refers to video that is available for users to watch any time (as opposed to live video broadcasting).

 

Perpetual Knowledge Exchange

Combining KZO’s Video Suite with the capabilities of KZO Collaboration delivers Perpetual Knowledge Exchange. Through deep-tagging and asynchronous collaboration, knowledge is stored and shared with anyone who watches the video, ensuring your video content remains fresh and relevant.

 

Portal

A webpage from which users can log in and access other websites and services.

 

Protocols

A specification for transferring data over the Internet.  Examples include HTTP (Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol), HTTPS (secure HTTP encrypted over an SSH port), RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol), RTMPT (RTMP encapsulated within HTTP), RTMPS (Secure RTMP using HTTPS). Protocols operate over specific network ports.  For streaming video you want to ensure your firewall allows the video protocol and port connections.

 

Raw Video

Uncompressed video data. Raw video tends to be very large and is not suitable for distribution over the Internet.

 

Resolution

Resolution refers to the frame size of the video, generally measured in pixels. Common resolutions include 720×480, 960×540, 1280×720, or 1920×1080 (when you hear the phrase 1080p HD, it’s referring to a 1920×1080 resolution). Different resolutions will have different aspect ratios (16:9 or 4:3)– this refers to the ratio of the horizontal size to the vertical size.

 

RSS

Short for RDF Site Summary, or sometimes referred to as Real Simple Syndication. RSS is a format for content syndication, used to keep users up-to-date on websites that are frequently updated, such as news websites. An RSS service for a single website or work is called an RSS Feed. RSS feeds are read using an RSS Feed Reader or RSS Aggregator. The KZO Suite provides RSS feeds for video discussions, allowing your users to easily stay up-to-date.

 

SAAS

See Software as a Service. Sometimes pronounced like “sass”.

 

Screen Capture

Recording to video whatever is displaying on your desktop monitor. There are several programs that can acomplish this, such as Camtasia Studio, Captivate, FRAPS, or KZO’s Full Desktop Capture functionality. Screen Capture is different from a screenshot in the sense that a screenshot is only one single frame, not a video.

 

Security

Broadly, refers to the practice of preventing information from being seen by those who are not authorized to see it. Web security is a very large enterprise, consisting of concepts such as access control and encryption. The KZO Suite has been built with security in mind, and includes integrated security features to keep your content safe.

 

Single Sign-On

Web technology that allows users to use one login for a variety of different services – for example, an administrative platform, a CMS, and an LMS. The KZO Suite can easily integrate with existing sign-on systems using LDAP or Active Directory.

 

SME

See Subject Matter Expert.

 

Software as a Service

Software that is centrally stored mostly on the Internet via cloud computing, and accessed via a thin client on the user’s machine (such as via a web browser). Contrast with traditional software, where the software itself and its data is stored mostly on the end user’s machine. The KZO Suite can be licensed as Software as a Service.

 

SSO

See Single Sign-On.

 

Streaming

Streaming video is video that is being played as it is being received from a server or other data source. When streaming there is nothing downloaded onto a persons computer.  Streaming is typically a more secure way to deliver video content.

 

Subject Matter Expert

In video, someone who is knowledgeable about a specific topic relevant to the video. The KZO Suite enables easy communication between viewers and subject matter experts.

 

Synchronous Collaboration

Collaboration in real-time – i.e. phone conversations (such as a conference call) or live online chat.

 

Variable Bitrate

A type of encoding that dynamically adjusts the bitrate of the video depending on how much movement is happening.

 

Visit

Similar to a hit, a visit represents a unique user session. Unlike a hit, a visit is only counted once within your viewer’s session.

 

VOD

See On-Demand Video.