Videolinq's EDIT AI-generated automated closed captioning service has been nominated as "Best Closed Captioning Solution" to receive the "Streaming Media Readers' Choice Awards" by Streaming Media Magazine . Cast your vote before September 24th! Follow the link below and select Videolinq from the "Closed captioning solution" drop-down option at: https://www.streamingmedia.com/readers-choice Other solutions competing for the award recognition include IBM Watson Live Captioning , Interra Baton Captions , and Telestream Stanza . Videolinq's EDIT was introduced this summer and offers practical workflows for the creation of native captions and translations for live broadcasting and recorded files. EDIT offers a real-time editor to improve the accuracy of the autogenerated captions before they are inserted back into live streams, or exported as SRT, VTT, or transcripts in PDF format. Watch this webinar and see EDIT In action.

Creating live captions can be accomplished through two main methods : human stenograph operators and automated Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology. Each approach has its own set of pros and cons. In this article, we will try to break down the advantages and disadvantages of using one method compared to the other.
Human Stenograph Operators:
Pros:
Accuracy and Context: Human stenographers are skilled professionals who can capture spoken language with a high level of accuracy, including capturing nuances, accents, and context. They can also understand and adjust for homophones (words that sound the same but have different meanings) based on the context of the conversation. Adaptability: Stenographers can adapt to difficult audio conditions, such as background noise or multiple speakers, and make real-time adjustments to ensure accurate captions. Real-time Corrections: Stenographers can make corrections on the fly if they mishear something or if there's a need for clarification, ensuring that the captions remain accurate. Cons:
Cost: Human stenographers are skilled professionals, and their services can be expensive due to the specialized training and equipment required. Fatigue: Stenographers can experience fatigue during long sessions, which might lead to a decrease in accuracy over time. Availability: Finding and scheduling qualified stenographers can sometimes be a challenge, especially for events that require captions on short notice. Automated ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) Technology:
Pros:
Cost-effective: Automated ASR technology is generally more cost-effective compared to hiring human stenographers, especially for long-duration events. Real-time Output: ASR systems provide captions in real-time, which can be useful for live events and broadcasts. Consistency: ASR systems maintain consistent performance regardless of session length, avoiding the fatigue that can affect human stenographers. Rapid Deployment: ASR technology can be quickly deployed, making it suitable for situations that require immediate captioning. Cons: Accuracy: While ASR technology has improved significantly, it still might not achieve the same level of accuracy as human stenographers, particularly in cases of accents, dialects, or complex language. Contextual Understanding: ASR systems may struggle with capturing contextual cues, leading to misinterpretations of words or phrases. Technical Challenges: ASR systems can be sensitive to audio quality, background noise, and multiple speakers, which could result in lower accuracy in challenging environments. Limited Vocabulary: ASR systems might struggle with uncommon or domain-specific terminology that is not part of their training data. In summary, the choice between human stenograph operators and automated ASR technology depends on the specific needs of the situation. If accuracy and context are critical, and the budget allows, human stenographers might be the preferred choice. If cost-effectiveness, rapid deployment, and relatively good accuracy are the main priorities, automated ASR technology could be a more suitable option. Often, a combination of both approaches might be used to balance accuracy and cost considerations. At Videolinq, we support both methods to create closed captioning. We are integrated with the leading captioning tools most stenograph operators use, and we offer automated closed captioning services. Human Captioning : Ask your steno operator to use one of our partners , connect to Videolinq, and publish closed captioning to your live stream channel. Videolinq will sync the captions to the video and help you distribute the video + closed captioning to up to 25 target destinations. Automated Captioning : Use EDIT, a real-time editor, to improve the accuracy of ASR technology. Correct mistakes generated by the AI-based automated closed captioning service. When the broadcast ends, export SRT/VTT captions files and transcripts in PDF format. Interested in learning how to use Videolinq to create native or translated closed captioning and translations to video? Book a demo .

What is the difference between closed captioning to open captions?
Closed captioning and open captioning are both methods used to display text on a screen to provide additional information or aid understanding for viewers, particularly those with hearing impairments. However, there are distinct differences between the two: Closed Captioning: Closed captioning (CC) refers to the process of displaying text on a screen that can be turned on or off by the viewer. Viewers have the option to enable or disable closed captions, depending on their preference or need. Closed captions are commonly used in various media, including television shows, movies, online videos, and streaming platforms. Closed captioning also provides flexibility in terms of language options, as viewers can often choose from multiple languages if available. Open Captioning:
Open captioning (OC) refers to the process of permanently displaying text on the screen, and it cannot be turned off by the viewer. Open captions are embedded directly into the video frames or added during the post-production process. Open captions are always visible and cannot be removed, making them suitable for situations where captioning is universally necessary, such as in theaters or public displays.
What are the benefits of closed captioning compared to open captions? User Control: Closed captions allow viewers to control whether they want to enable or disable the text display. This flexibility is particularly useful for viewers who are not hearing impaired but may still benefit from captions, such as those learning a new language or watching content in a noisy environment. Customization: Closed captions often provide options for customization, such as the ability to change the caption's appearance, size, color, and positioning on the screen. This feature allows viewers to personalize the captioning experience based on their preferences or specific needs. Language Options: Closed captioning supports multiple languages, enabling viewers to choose captions in their preferred language when available. This aspect is crucial for international audiences or viewers with limited proficiency in the video's original language. Compatibility: Closed captions are widely supported across various media platforms, including television, streaming services, DVD/Blu-ray players, and online videos. The closed captioning functionality is typically built into the player or device, allowing seamless integration with different content sources. Accessibility Compliance: Closed captioning meets legal requirements and accessibility standards in many countries, ensuring equal access to video content for individuals with hearing impairments. These regulations often mandate closed captions for broadcast television, online video platforms, and other media distribution channels. Non-intrusive: Closed captions can be turned off by viewers who do not require them or find them distracting. This aspect ensures that the video content remains unobstructed for those who prefer an uninterrupted viewing experience. Overall, closed captioning provides greater flexibility, customization options, and compatibility with various platforms, while still fulfilling accessibility requirements. These advantages make closed captions more adaptable to diverse viewer preferences and needs. Next step? Videolinq supports the creation and use of closed captioning in different ways: Automated closed captioning creation, and to edit captions for better accuracy. This workflow can be used for both live and recorded streams. Human-generated closed captioning for live streams. Upload closed captioning files for recorded media, attach the file to a recorded video, create a player, or use the media + captions to simulate a live stream. See why Videolinq is the best tool to create closed captioning. Open a free account .

Customers have asked us about automated closed captioning, and we are proud to release support for AI-based automated closed captioning with the ability to edit the captions before they are added to the live video. We call the new service Edit , and it helps create closed captioning in two ways: Edit for live streams. Edit for recorded files. Watch a Webinar Learn about the benefits of using Edit for live or recorded media. Edit for live streams Use any video source - an RTMP encoder, a webcam or virtual meeting, an external stream, or pre-recorded file(s). Push "Go Live" to activate the channel. Expand the bar under the preview player, and select the automated closed captioning option. Drop down to pick a language and push "Start CC". When closed captioning appears in the preview player, click on the "Editor" icon. In the Editor, see the captions generated, edit as needed, and confirm your changes on the live stream. When the broadcast ends, perform more editing or click on the SRT VTT files or PDF transcript option to export captions. Edit for recorded files Upload MP4 files, select a language, and push "Start". After the captions file was created and attached to the media file, open the "Editor" to preview the video and see the captions generated. Perform changes as needed. When done, click on the SRT VTT files or PDF transcript option to export the modified captions. Invite Team Members to Edit Customers with the Premium or Enterprise plans can use a Studio project, and invite team members to manage Edit during a live broadcast. The operator will receive a separate link to the editor interface, and perform changes, leaving total control of the broadcast to the video operator. Need to make more changes to the captions data? No problem. Come back another day and edit the captions data as needed. Export SRT or VTT files, or transcripts in PDF format. The Videolinq automated closed captioning service is available to paid plans. The first 2 hours of the service are free. Additional time is billed at a discounted introductory rate of $0.25 per minute ($15 per hour) until December 1st, 2023.

Videolinq will be part of the Ontario Startup Island during Collision 2023! Come visit us at our booth PS108 on June 29th. We are proud to announce that Videolinq has been selected to participate in the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) “ Innovate with Canada ” B2B Matchmaking Program between June 26-29 2023. Find out more about Collision . During the show, we will demonstrate EDIT , an industry-first AI-based automated closed captioning service for live streaming and recorded files. When using EDIT , broadcasters can prepare closed captioning and transcripts from recorded media or live stream, add real-time closed captioning, and improve the accuracy of the output text before it is merged with the live video. Streams can be published on different social media platforms and other video services. After the broadcast ends, captions can be exported as SRT VTT or transcripts in PDF format. How to contact us during Collision? Come visit us on June 29th at booth PS108 in the Ontario Startup Islands . Use the Collision mobile App, search for Videolinq, start a chat, or connect. #Collision #collisionconf #ontariobusiness #ontariocanada #canadianbusiness #tradeshow #LiveStreaming #broadcasting #broadcastmedia #videomarketing #CaptionThis #captions #socialmedia

Need to add real-time closed captioning to your live stream? Videolinq can help in just a few steps! Open the channel interface in the media dashboard. Expand the panel under the preview player and click on the CC tab. Option 1: If you do not have closed captioning click the first checkbox. Option 2: Customers with hardware closed captioning decoders from EEG, Evertz, Link and more can embed closed captioning in the lie video when they use SDI cables to feed their media encoders. When you use this workflow select this option. Option 3: Many customers do not need to purchase expensive hardware or software. If they have a one-time event or only a few events per year, it makes sense to hire stenograph operators and contract them to capture audio from your event (via phone or online) and use their equipment and service to send closed captioning to your Videolinq live stream. Closed captioning service providers charge about $100 per hour, depending on how many hours you will need their service. Use your own service provider or contact us for recommendations. Your vendor can use any of our software partners to send the closed captioning to Videolinq: AI Media (EEG), 1CapApp, StreamText, Telestream, and Voice Interaction. Option 4: Use Videolinq's automated closed captioning service to insert closed captioning into your video source. Use Edit to correct the captions and increase the accuracy of the output data before it is inserted into the live stream. This article explains what video sources we accept and how to add automated closed captioning to live broadcasts. Pre-recorded media with closed captioning: Upload MP4 and VTT caption files, and use them as a source for a live stream. This article explains how to achieve this. You can also upload MP4 files and use EDIT to create captions and transcripts for VOD. In Summary: Regardless of your use case, Videolinq can help you add closed captioning to live streams. You can use recorded media with captions files and "simulate" a live broadcast. You can stream videos with built-in CEA-608 captions already in the video. You can use stenograph operators to insert highly accurate captions to your stream. And now, you can also use automated AI-based closed captioning to generate real-time closed captioning from a video source, correct mistakes the AI software makes (last names or special terms), and increase the accuracy of input text to your closed captioning feed. When the captions are on the video, we deliver them to our own player, or to your preferred player. We also let you include closed captioning in streams sent to social media or 3rd party video services and CDNs.

While these are crazy times, 2022 has been a great year for Videolinq! - 3.4 Million hours of live video streamed. - 8 New services launched. As well as some amazing product highlights: - First streaming service provider where users can upload MP4 and VTT (closed captioning) files for live streaming. Read more . - Ratings on both Capterra and G2 placed Videolinq among the "Top Live Streaming Platforms". - Incredibly successful “Live from TIFF!” where Videolinq streamed a live interview with the cast of The Woman King . The stream was viewed by over 2 million people in 24 hours. Ready for 2023? We are!

The Videolinq media dashboard provides creative workflows for broadcasters to produce and distribute live streams to multiple social media platforms, third party video services, and CDN's. Tracking viewers on multiple destinations is complicated. This article explains how to count audience in an hybrid live broadcasts setup. What can I do in the Videolinq media dashboard? Track viewers when using the Videolinq player. Track viewers when using Videolinq and a 3d party player. Track viewers when using Videolinq's integration with Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Twitch. What I cannot do in the media dashboard? Track meeting participants of a Zoom style service, when sending the program output video to Videolinq. Track viewers when streaming to other video platforms and CDN's. Track viewers when streaming on social media platforms in "manual" mode. Track viewers when streaming to social media platforms not listed above. Find out how many viewers are watching your broadcast when using the Videolinq Player, or when using the channel HLS path with another player: Open a channel and Go Live. Expand the Player tab and see the number of peak viewers . Comeback anytime after the broadcast to see historical statistics. The channel statistics page shows maximum viewers per day/month. Customers of the Premium or Enterprise+ plans take viewers tracking to a new level. The Studio Engagement tab shows audience connected to the Videolinq channel (when using the Videolinq Player or 3rd party players), and to selected social media platforms, when the Login method was used. Important: The Studio Engagement tab shows peak viewers on the Videolinq platform (viewers using the Videolinq or 3rd party players), and recurring or peak viewers on social media platforms. To see advance reports of a subscription plan open the billing section product page . Find out how many viewers are watching your broadcast when using Videolinq to send live video to other video platforms, or to social media channels in the "manual" mode: When a live stream is sent to social media platforms using the "manual" mode Videolinq does not have access to statistical reporting of these platforms. The same applies when sending video from Videolinq to 3rd party streaming video services and CDN's. To find out more about your audience open the management console on these individual platforms and retrieve the viewers information manually.

Our annual special Black Friday & Cyber Monday sale is on its way! New customers get 50% Lifetime discount on all subscription plans! To qualify for this special deal you must be a new customer, and order the subscription plan between November 25 at 01:00 AM to November 28 at 23:59 PM ET. Find the deal on popup banners displayed on Videolinq.com with links to the Black Friday special sale page. The plan selection link will display the regular monthly plan cost minus the 50% discount. This discount will continue to be active as long as the subscription plan is active. Plans closed will lose the special discount.

We are excited to announce a new feature many customers asked about: the ability to protect broadcasts from unauthorized viewers! The new Videolinq Stream Protection feature is an excellent alternative to complex to setup and expensive DRM solutions. It works with both live and pre-recorded content hosted by the Videolinq platform or 3rd party streaming video providers or CDN's ! Watch our 11-minute webinar explaining how to use the feature: To utilize Stream Protection, a Videolinq customer specifies allowed viewers during a live or recorded stream setup, generates an embedded player, or points from 3rd party players to a link provided by Videolinq. Stream requests are then restricted to play only by: Domain names. Geographic location. IP addresses. Image: The Videolinq dashboard channel page with privacy protection. Stream Protection is also a part of the Videolinq player helping customers add privacy rules to their content when they use Videolinq, their preferred streaming service provider, or any content delivery network (CDN) that support HLS streaming.  For example, Stream Protection could allow a company to broadcast proprietary meetings for just its employees or investors and be assured of the required privacy. Other use cases include local TV stations who want to target regional audience, online education institutions, and pay-per-view (PPV) events. Image: The Videolinq Player with privacy protection. The new privacy Stream Protection feature is available on the Videolinq’s Premium and Enterprise plans, starting from $149/month. Click here for more information .

Videolinq won the prestigious Capterra award a 2nd year in a raw. Capterra – a Gartner Property – included Videolinq in its shortlist in the years 2021, and 2022. This important award includes Videolinq as an 2022 Emerging Favorite among the top Live Streaming Companies segment. "Emerging Favorites" are products that rate highly in satisfaction (sometimes even higher than the Top Performers) but aren’t as well known as the Top Performers. Videolinq average reviews score
4.7 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Capterra Shortlist methodology scores vendors on two dimensions: User Ratings and Popularity.
The Ratings component is plotted on the X-axis and considers the overall user ratings of products based on reviews written in the last 24 months. Users rate products on a scale of 1 star (lowest) to 5 stars (highest). The Popularity component is plotted on the Y-axis and considers average monthly search volume for a standardized set of keywords for each product, as derived by a proprietary search methodology, as well as the position of the vendor’s domain on the search engine results page (SERP) for each keyword. This is a measure of user interest and relevance used as a proxy for popularity. Each score (Ratings and Popularity) is weighted and scaled to a value between 1-50.
Data sources include approved user reviews, public data sources and data from technology vendors. Image: Capterra's 2022 ranking grid. Shortlist constitute the subjective opinions of individual end-user reviews, ratings and data applied against a documented methodology; they neither represent the views of, nor constitute an endorsement by, Capterra or its affiliates. Recent features that were added to the Videolinq's arsenal of tools for live event producers include privacy Stream Protection service helping customers secure live and recorded broadcasts to play on specific websites, from authorized geographical regions, or by a set list of IP's. In addition, Videolinq customers can take advantage of many more practical workflows that simplify broadcast production for video professionals: Multi-stream to Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and Twitch in few clicks. Add real-time closed captioning to live streams. Upload recorded MP4 and closed captioning files and simulate a live broadcast. Schedule hands-free live broadcasts from files and playlists. Build custom players and point to any streaming service provider or CDN. Monetize on live and recorded stream using 3rd party advertising platforms. Invite teams to collaborate on Videolinq's Studio during the creation of live broadcasts on social media. Features include universal chat, graphics, and engagement reports. See Videolinq in action: open a free trial account .

Videolinq was proud to help TwitterCanada and TIFF deliver an amazing conversation with the cast of The Woman King movie. Over 2 million viewers watched the live broadcast and it's recording on social media in the first 24 hours. Image subject to copyright. The Woman King is a 2022 American epic historical drama film about the Agojie, the all-female warrior unit that protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey during the 17th to 19th centuries. Set in the 1820s, the film stars Viola Davis as a general who trains the next generation of warriors to fight their enemies. See The Woman King trailer:
The new Sony Pictures Entertainment film starring Viola Davis as the leader of an all-female set of warriors took the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office on its opening weekend with a surprising $19 million. #streaming #broadcasting #thewomanking #twitterlive #tiff