Video details page in Wowza Video

This article introduces the different parts of the Video Details page to help you find your way around the Wowza Video user interface. 

Create an online library of videos your audience can view on their own timeline through our video on demand (VOD) offering. You can upload videos that will be automatically encoded to meet web video standards, add captions and chapter markers, define a custom poster image, set up advertising for monetization, create playlists, and publish schedules.

Embed the videos in your website or app with our industry-leading video player to deliver the best possible quality using adaptive bitrate streaming for a great viewing experience for your audience; then review analytics that can help you understand and improve your viewership and content. Utilize a broad range of add-ons to further optimize the experience. We handle all of your CMS needs from start to finish.

The following contains all of the configuration options and definitions available to configure your videos.

• Preview Player – Review your video content with the player.
• Create Clip  – Clipping (Trimming), using the Clip Editor, allows you to edit existing videos into shorter clips and save them, while stitching allows you to combine two or more videos/clips into a new video.
  • Quick Mode – Creates clips along existing video segments, which are typically 8-second segments. If you don't need frame-by-frame precision in your clips, this is an efficient and inexpensive choice.
  • Precise Mode – Creates clips by specifying start and end times, down to individual frames. While this mode offers precise control, the precision requires re-encoding the resulting clip, adding encoding costs and time.
  • Videos List – To the left in the Clip Editor, there is a Videos list. Click + Add Videos to expand the list of all of your videos. You can select a clip from the list to put in your Reel area.
  • Reel – The Reel area is at the top of the editor and contains all of the clips you want to add to your selected video.
  • Preview Player  –  Review your video content with the player.
  • Trim Tool –  The Trim tool is laid out on a horizontal timeline representing the duration of the video. The blue box on the timeline represents the clip. The white, vertical lines represent the start time and end time of the video. Hover over the white, vertical start timeline, then hold your mouse down and drag and drop on the track where you want the start time of the clip you want to create. Do the same with the end time line.
  • Zoom  – Since the timeline encompasses the entire duration of the video, you may need to zoom in on parts of the timeline for more precise control.
    • Zoom and Focus Controls – These controls are below the Trim tool. Using the zoom and focus controls, you can:
      • Zoom in on the timeline.
      • Zoom out on the timeline.
      • Zoom and focus on the currently selected clip.
      • Zoom out completely to show the full timeline.
      • Scroll the timeline.
    • Focus bar – Below the controls, there's a bar that represents the currently visible part of the Trim tool timeline. Using the handles, you can resize the bar which zooms in and out on the corresponding part of the timeline. You can also drag the actual bar part to focus on a corresponding part of the timeline.
  • Close – Closes the clip editor window.
  • Clip video – Creates a video clip based on the start time and end time by overwriting the source video. 

Warning! If you select Clip video, Wowza Video trims the video based on the start point and end point and overwrites the source video. This action cannot be undone. If you need to access your source video, ensure you store a copy of it.

• Clip as new video – Creates a new video based on the start time and end time.

• Manage Files – Location to manage video and text files for a video.
  • Video Files List – Review the stored original and encoded video files for the video with file size and URLs on the CDN and download any of the files.
    • Replace Original Video File – Replace the original file with an updated video file. You preserve the embed code/media id.
  • Animated preview files list – Review generated animated preview files available for the video with their URLs and the ability to download the files. Both WebP and MP4 formats are listed in multiple resolutions.
  • Text Files List – Review text files, including subtitle files. the label language, URL, and whether the video is published or not. You can also edit or remove a text file here.
    • Default Text Track – Set a default text track for the video if you have .vtt files listed.
    • Upload .VTT File(s) – Upload subtitle/transcription.vtt files.
    • Transcribe Speech – Select a language to translate the video through automation. The completed .VTT file will display in the Text Files list upon completion. See Add Transcriptions to a Video in Wowza Video for more information.
• Edit chapters, subtitles, and ad positions – Create and edit chapters and subtitles/captions. Wowza Video embeds will automatically display the chapters to users and offer a subtitle option/menu as well.
  • Preview Player – Review your video content with the player.
  • Chapters Track Header – Click the plus sign to add a chapter and open the Chapter form. The Header is located on the left side of the editor.
  • Ad Insertion Points Track Header – Click the plus sign to add ad insertion points at specific positions in a video and open the Ad Insertion Points form. The Header is located on the left side of the editor.
  • Subtitles Track Header – Click the plus sign to add subtitles. The header is located on the left side of the editor.
    • Eye Icon –  Choose to publish or not publish the video.
    • Label – Enter a Label title which viewers will see in the CC menu in the player. If you leave the field empty, the native name of the language you select will be used.
    • Language – Select the language for the subtitles.
    • Upload Icon – You can upload a subtitle .vtt file if you prefer.
  • Chapter Form – Create the text and configurations you'll need for your chapter.
    • Title –  Add a title for your chapter. The viewer will see the title for the chapter in the player.
    • Start Time – Edit the start time of your chapter. If you selected the start time through the use of the Timeline with Tracks instead, the start time you configured displays.
    • Remove Chapter –  You can delete the chapter you create if you want to start from scratch again.
    • Previous Chapter – Move back to the previous chapter.
    • Next Chapter – Move forward to the next chapter.
  • Ad insertion points Form – Add ad insertion points for your video.
    • Description – Add a description for the ad position.
    • Start Time – Edit the start time of your ad insertion point. An ad will be placed at the exact time during playback. If you selected the start time using the Ad insertion points timeline track instead, the start time you configured displays.
    • Ad position type – Displays the ad position type based on the start time you chose for an ad insertion point. The ad position types are Pre-roll, Mid-roll, and Post-roll. 
    • Remove ad insertion point – Delete an ad insertion point.
    • Previous ad insertion point – Move back to the previous ad insertion point.
    • Next ad insertion point – Move forward to the next ad insertion point.
  • Text Cue (Subtitles) Form – Create the text and configurations you'll need for your subtitles.
    • Text – Add the text you want to display in the player for the cue (subtitle).
    • Start Time – Edit the start time of your cue. If you selected the start time through the use of the Timeline with Tracks for subtitles instead, the start time you configured displays. 
    • End Time – Edit the end time of your cue. If you used the Timeline with Tracks to select the start time of the cue, a 5-second long cue was created. You can edit this field to make the end time shorter or longer for the subtitle.
    • Remove Cue – Delete the cue you created, then start from scratch.
    • Previous Cue – Move back to the previous cue.
    • Next Cue – Move forward to the next cue.
  • Timeline(s) with Tracks – When first opening the editor, you will see the chapters track under the preview player. If the video already has subtitle tracks, you will also see that track below the chapters track.

    The tracks are laid out on a horizontal timeline representing the duration of the video. The vertical orange line on the timeline is the cursor which represents the current position of the video preview playback. Clicking anywhere on the timeline will move the cursor to that position. If you want to move the timeline cursor to the start time of a chapter/text cue, double-click it. For subtitles, this adds a 5-second long cue that starts at the clicked position. 

  • Zoom –  Since the timeline encompasses the entire duration of the video, you may need to zoom in on parts of the timeline for more precise control.
    • Zoom and Focus Controls – Using the Zoom and Focus controls located under the Timeline with Tracks, you can:
      • Zoom in on the timeline.
      • Zoom out on the timeline.
      • Zoom and focus on the currently selected chapter/text cue.
      • Zoom out completely to show the full timeline.
      • Scroll the timeline to put the cursor in view.
    • Bar – Below the controls, there's a bar that represents the currently visible part of the timeline. Using the handles, you can resize the bar which zooms in and out on the corresponding part of the timeline. You can also drag the actual bar part to focus on a corresponding part of the timeline.
  • Switch to Single Track Mode/Switch to Multi track Mode – Displays chapters and subtitles by single track or multi track. If you want to reduce clutter while working on any one chapter or subtitle, select the single track display. In this mode, only one track displays at a time. The timeline utilizes the full width of the editor and the chapters and text cues are larger.  
• Change Poster – Change the video poster image that displays in the video before it starts playing. Wowza Video creates several images from your video during the encoding process and assigns one as the default. 
  • Poster Image – The largest image is the current video poster. This modal also contains a selection of images you can use to replace the current video poster. Select one, then click Update to add it as your video poster.
  • Upload New Poster – Upload a video file from your device.
  • Pick Image From Gallery – Displays images you have stored in Wowza Video. Select an image, then click Update to add the image as your video poster.
    • Upload Image – Adds an image from your device to your Image Gallery in Wowza Video.
    • Delete Images – Deletes images in your Image Gallery.
• Create Animated Preview – Generate an animated preview clip that will display whenever a viewer hovers over the video. The preview clip is a looped WebP image video file that doesn't contain audio. An MP4 file is also generated and both files are stored in the Manage Files page.
  • Preview Player – Choose where you want the preview clip to start by starting the video, then stopping it to display the video timeline. Next, click on the video timeline in the player controls where you want the preview to start.
  • Generate Preview Clip – Generates an animated preview. A 5-second video sample is taken starting from the position you selected. A preview of the clip displays once it's generated.
  • Save Preview Clip on Video – Save the clip and makes it the animated preview viewers will see when they hover on the video controls.
• Metadata – Configure metadata to include additional information about your video that puts the video into context and enhances its presentation. Metadata also makes it easier to search for videos grouped under specific categories or tags. Wowza Video includes standard metadata.  There's also custom metadata fields that you can add under Management. 
  • Customize Fields –  Configure metadata fields to display or be hidden on the Metadata tab. Click the gear icon to access this feature.
  • ID  – The unique id of the video on the platform. This id is used in embed codes and to allocate analytics to the video.
  • Title – The title of the video. The title displays in the video player.
  • Description – A longer byline describing the video. It displays in the video player.
  • Tags – Descriptive, short text to describe video content you want to group under the same tag. Tags are used to search for content and to recommend related content when creating playlists, for example. An example tag is Sports.
  • Category – A tree-like folder structure where each video in a category is grouped together. An example is Comedies. Categories are used to search for content and to recommend related content when creating playlists, for example.
  • Geo Blocking – Securely block specified countries from viewing your video or allow only specified countries to view your content. Alternatively, set the video to not be geo-blocked at all.
  • Ads – Enable or disable ads from running with your video. 
  • Ad Keywords – Send a custom message to the ad server for the video. 
  • Custom Metadata  – Add additional metadata fields through Management. Examples are Videographer or the external id of the video in another system. 
  • Publish Time – Time when the video should be published (visible to the external world).
  • Unpublish Time – Time when the video should not be published. 
  • Enable – Disables the ability to configure the Unpublish Time. 
  • Hide From Endscreens and dynamic Playlists – The video won't display in endscreens or dynamic playlists and won't be listed in MRSS feeds. 

• Share Video – Wowza Video generates several viewing formats for your stream, giving you flexibility in presentation. You can use one viewing format or combine them for a more robust viewing experience. 
  • Hosted page URL — Copy this URL and share it directly with your viewers. Wowza Video automatically generates a web page, that we host for you, and embed with the specified player.
  • JavaScript embed code — Copy this code and add it to your site to embed the specified player into your own site. 
  • iFrame embed code — Copy this code and add it to your site to embed an iFrame with the specified player into your own site. Select a player to use with it.