Webinar Overlay Video and Primary Media Clip FAQs

This article covers frequently asked questions about overlay videos and primary media clips. Unless otherwise noted, the answers apply to Webinar account holders (moderators) who schedule, run, and manage events.

Jump to: General | Overlay videos | Primary media clips

General

What is the difference between an overlay video and a primary media clip?

Both are pre-recorded media files that you upload and play during an event. Overlay videos are supplementary videos that can be shared during Live, On-Demand, and Simulated Live events. They play in a window that covers (“overlays”) the audience event window.

Primary media clips are building blocks for On-Demand and Simulated Live events. Upload one or more videos or audio files (Telephone broadcasts) to your event and then use the editing studio to assemble them on the recording timeline. Primary video clips play in the video player (where you see presenter webcams during a Live event), not as an overlay.

Note: On-Demand and Simulated Live events require a primary media clip to be the main event content. Overlay videos can’t be used as the sole event content.

What format are overlay videos or primary media clips transcoded to?

All overlay videos and primary media clips (video) are transcoded to MP4 format.

How do I know when my overlay videos or primary media clips have been uploaded?

After you upload your overlay video, the file must be processed by our system before you can preview or present it. When the video is ready, you will receive an email and it will be available for use in your event.

If you are uploading a large video file, we recommend using a high-speed wired internet connection so that your browser doesn’t time out before the video finishes uploading.

Can I record my event with another platform and then upload it?

Yes. You can record your event with any platform as long as the recording file meets the requirements.

Overlay videos

For Live, On-Demand, and Simulated Live events.

What are the  requirements for overlay videos?

Each overlay video can be up to 10 GB. The video must be at least 15 seconds long and include an audio track. Supported file types for overlay videos are: 3GP, ASF, FLV, F4V, MKV, MOV, MP4, MPEG, MPG, MV4, WEBM, and WMV.

Note: You can’t play an overlay video at the start of an On-Demand or Simulated Live event. There must be at least 15 seconds of content before, after, or in between overlay videos.

What dimensions should overlay videos be?

Overlay videos should be at least 320x180 pixels in size.

Overlay videos are displayed at the native size of the file, but will stream to the audience at a maximum of 896 kbps. So, you can upload videos of any resolution (for example, 1080p), but be aware that higher resolution videos may stream at a lower quality than you’d see on your computer.

How many overlay videos can I upload?

You can upload up to 10 overlay videos per event.

At what rate are overlay videos transcoded when they are uploaded?

We support all video resolutions, but we transcode all overlay videos to 800 kbps.

Can I improve the quality of my overlay videos?

Yes. For the best video quality, we recommend your video is in MP4 format, 896 kbps total bit rate, audio with AAC codec and a bit rate of 96 kbps/48 khz mono, and video with H264 codec and a bit rate of 96 kbps/48 khz mono.

Can I speak to the audience while an overlay video is playing?

No. When the overlay video is playing, the live audio and video broadcast is paused for the audience.

Primary media clips

For On-Demand and Simulated Live events.

What are the requirements for primary media clips?

Each primary media clip can be up to 10 GB. The video must be between 15 seconds and 8 hours long and include an audio track.

If you’re broadcasting audio only, supported file types are: M4A, MP3, and WAV.

If you’re broadcasting video, supported file types are: 3GP, ASF, FLV, F4V, MKV, MOV, MP4, MPEG, MPG, MV4, WEBM, and WMV.

How many primary media clips can I upload?

There is no limit to the number of primary media clips you can upload. You can include as many primary media clips as you like.

What dimensions should primary media video clips be?

Primary video clips play in the video player (where you see presenter webcams during a Live event), not as an overlay. When you upload them, they are resized to match the video player size you selected for the event on the Player & Branding tab, under Media Options.

To avoid distortion, create your video files to match the pixel dimensions or aspect ratio (16:9 widescreen or 4:3 standard) of the video player.

If you change the video player size for your event, upload primary video clips again so the system can resize them for the new video window.