May 2012
2 posts
1 tag
HeyWatch API: vprofile and preset x264 options...
We just added two new x264 options to even more control your encoding quality:
vprofile: baseline, main, high, high10, high422, high444
preset: ultrafast, superfast, veryfast, faster, fast, medium, slow, slower, veryslow, placebo
You can see all the available x264 options here.
1 tag
HeyWatch API: Rotation information available in...
The rotation information is now available in specs > video. 0 is default, can be 90, 180, 270
October 2011
1 post
1 tag
HeyWatch API: New Encoding Option: duration
This is the duration in second of the encoded video. It’s available in Job resource and Download resource as usual.
June 2011
3 posts
1 tag
New Client Libraries for HeyWatch
We’ve released several client libraries in the last few days.
Ruby: http://github.com/particles/heywatch-ruby
Python: http://github.com/particles/heywatch-python
PHP: http://github.com/particles/heywatch-php (by madewithlove)
.NET: http://github.com/particles/heywatch-dotnet
NodeJS, Java and iOS will come soon.
Note that the ruby lib is a complete rewrite of the old gem and...
2 tags
Sandbox environment for HeyWatch
To simplify the development and the integration of our API in your projet we decided to drop the trial option (not very adequate) and replace it by a sandbox environment.
The sandbox environment is free of charge, the only constraint is that all the encoded videos will be shortened to 5 seconds. That’s it, the full API is available.
To change your environment, go to your account page.
...
1 tag
New Developers site for HeyWatch →
We’ve totally updated the developers site which has its own domain now. We hope you’ll appreciate the new documentation: http://dev.heywatch.com
Let us know by twitter what you think.
May 2011
8 posts
3 tags
YTProxy: a simple node proxy to download YouTube...
As you may know, the transfer from YouTube to HeySpread feature is back. This is done thanks to a small nodejs script called YTProxy.
You can find the source on github, feel free to use it / fork it.
1 tag
YouTube upload is back on HeySpread
After almost 9 months without this cool feature, we’ve decided it was time to enable it again thanks to some proxy stuff.
If it goes well, we’ll bring back YouClone too.
1 tag
HeyWatch API: new encoding option to rotate videos
Use transpose=0,1,2,3.
Value can be 0 (90CounterCLockwise and Vertical Flip (default)), 1 (90Clockwise), 2 (90CounterClockwise), 3 (90Clockwise and Vertical Flip). Note that we automatically use transpose for iPhone videos taken in portrait mode.
Note that we automatically rotate iPhone videos taken in portrait mode now.
1 tag
Upload videos to your Facebook Page with HeySpread
That was a long awaited feature! Now upload your videos to your Facebook Page with HeySpread.
The username is special because you have to give the page ID after the usual email. The form must be “email:pageID”.
To find the page ID, go to your facebook page and take the numbers at the end of the URL:
We’ve just migrated our blog to tumblr http://t.co/mRCgSpx
1 tag
HeySpread Maintenance
HeySpread will be down for maintenance on May 18th @ 09:00:00 UTC. This will fix the stability and performance issue.
1 tag
HeyWatch API: New encoding option:... →
Add keep_aspect_ratio=false if you don’t want to keep the original video aspect.
1 tag
HeyWatch API: New encoding options:... →
March 2011
1 post
1 tag
HeyWatch API: upload to your Rackspace cloud files... →
February 2011
1 post
1 tag
HeyWatch API: Generate thumbnails in the... →
December 2010
1 post
1 tag
HeyWatch API: You can add special s3 headers... →
October 2010
2 posts
2 tags
HeyWatch now offers a free 15-days trial.
Hey,
We got many requests from people who wished to have a free trial period to try HeyWatch, before paying for it. We listened to them.
To enjoy this offer, you just need to send an email at heywatch[at]particle-s.com and tell us more about your video project.
2 tags
HeySpread To Shut Down Statistics/Tracking On...
Hey,
Big news today : we decided to permanently remove statistics/tracking from our offer. Why? Simply because we hardly want to focus on our core first business : Video Mass-Distribution.
Statistics weren’t very used on HeySpread and people’s main interest was video distribution. That’s why we disabled this feature to concentrate all our efforts to offer the best...
June 2010
2 posts
3 tags
HeyWatch adds "multiple formats in one request"...
We always try to make HeyWatch even more powerful and comfortable for your business.
That is why, we have just added the “multiple format in one request” feature. It will allow you to automatically encode videos in multiple formats with one unique request. Faster and more efficient, you save time in your global process.
Have a look at the API Documentation to see the changes :...
2 tags
HeyWatch officially supports WebM VP8 video codec.
We are pleased to say that the implementation of the WebM VP8 video codec is done. From now, you can transcode your videos in the next most popular video codec with HeyWatch.
Just to remind you, here are the technical details:
- Container File Format: WebM
- Video Codec: VP8
- Audio Codec: Ogg Vorbis
- Container DOCTYPE: webm
- File Extension: .webm
- Mime Type: video/x-webm
Please, do not...
May 2010
2 posts
2 tags
HeyWatch joins Google's open source video project...
We are very proud to announce that HeyWatch is one of the first supporters of this great video project. The WebM project is dedicated to developing a high-quality, open video format for the web that is freely available to everyone.
By the way, we join many smart companies such as Mozilla, Opera, Google and more than forty other publishers, software and hardware vendors.
Here are the...
2 tags
Burger King uses HeyWatch to encode videos for its...
A Double Whopper, please! Whaou, the most famous Burger company, BK, uses HeyWatch to encode video for its basketball community : The Next Best Move. That’s so great and tasty.
The Next Best Move is a promotion in which BURGER KING® invites people to showcase the best moves on the basketball court. You can either participate in person at events in forty-one (41) Markets across the...
March 2010
1 post
2 tags
Tumblr launches direct video upload and encoding...
What to say, but we are so pleased and honored to work with Tumblr, the trendiest blogging platform. Tumblr lets you effortlessly share anything. Post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos, from your browser, phone, desktop, email, or wherever you happen to be. You can customize everything, from colors, to your theme’s HTML.
But to become even more powerful and appealing,...
February 2010
1 post
1 tag
MediaServer - Watch your iPhone/iPod Touch media...
We are so proud and honored to announce that our first iPhone application has just been validated by Apple. Its name: MediaServer
With MediaServer, you can turn your iPhone/iPod Touch into a UPnP/DLNA Media Server and play your video (even HD!), photo, and audio files on your TV via all the compliant devices and software such as:
XBox 360
PlayStation 3
XBMC
Windows Media Player
...
December 2009
1 post
3 tags
Particles at LeWeb'09
Particles will be present at LeWeb’09 next week in Paris, France. The show will take place on Dec 9th and 10th!
With over 1800 participants from 30 countries, LeWeb is the #1 European Internet event.
LeWeb brings together the best and the brightest people of the web industry from attendees to speakers. Take advantage of a unique setting of networking areas around the main stage to...
November 2009
2 posts
3 tags
LongTail Video launches HeySpread and HeyWatch...
We are very proud to announce a new partnership with one of the trendiest and powerful Online Video Platform, LongTail Video.
LongTail Video is the premier destination for online video solutions. Whether you’re a webmaster searching for the best online player compatible with dozens of plugins and skins; a consumer looking for a great desktop player; or a publisher interested in...
1 tag
HeyWatch API: keep_sample_rate and keep_channels... →
October 2009
2 posts
2 tags
Justin.tv uses HeySpread to mass-distribute...
Hi People,
If you are a live video lovers, you already are a member of Justin.tv. Justin.tv is the largest online community for people to broadcast, watch and interact around live video. With 40 million unique visitors per month and over 500,000 channels broadcasting live video, Justin.tv is the leading live video site on the Web, enabling users to create real-time connections with others...
2 tags
Kickapps partners with HeyWatch for Video...
Hi People,
If you need a white label social network platform, you already know Kickapps for sure. KickApps provides brands, enterprises and web publishers with solutions that enable them to create and manage next generation web experiences that are social, interactive, dynamic, distributed, and data-informed. KickApps solutions consist of a suite of hosted social and media applications and...
September 2009
1 post
1 tag
HeyWatch API: Download of raw videos is available →
June 2009
1 post
1 tag
New HeySpread API resource: get the list of...
As you may already notice, the list of video sites we support changed many times since the launch of HeySpread. The problem is that your application didn’t know the sites we add or remove.
So, we decided to give you a way to know what are the sites we currently support via this simple API call: GET /sites. You also get other interesting information like the registration link, the favicon...
May 2009
5 posts
3 tags
TwitVid uses both HeyWatch and HeySpread.
Hi People,
If you are a Twitter fan and a video addict, you will love TwitVid for sure. TwitVid lets you share videos on Twitter. Simple but so great. You can share your video from the site itself using the uploader, a dead simple API, your mobile via Email or MMS. And also via a your Webcam.
You can get your TwitVid Widget and show your latest TwitVids on your blog or site.
Besides,...
1 tag
All the X264 options are now available via the...
Some of our customers wanted to have full control over the H264 settings because our default ones don’t fit their needs. It’s okay and this is why we decided to bring you all the X264 options (only via API for now).
Add the “x264_options” parameter to your job / download request and you’re ready to go. The form must be:
x264_options=param1:value1,param2:value2,...
See the full documentation...
1 tag
HeyWatch API: All x264 options available →
2 tags
Fotolia partners with HeyWatch for Video Encoding.
Hi People,
If you are a photo lover, you obviously know Fotolia. Fotolia is the first worldwide social marketplace for royalty free stock images, allowing individuals and professionals to legally buy and share stock images and illustrations.
But after Photos, Fotolia has just launched its video offering. Fotolia is launching with 10,000 royalty free video clips that can be used in video...
2 tags
LIFT partners with HeySpread to viralize official...
Hi People,
If you are familiar with big events in the World, you may know Lift Conference for sure. Lift is a series of events built around a community of pioneers who get together in Europe and Asia to explore the social implications of new technologies. Each conference is a chance to turn changes into opportunities by anticipating the major shifts ahead, and meeting the people who drive...
April 2009
2 posts
1 tag
Myspace Video is back
Many of you asked to bring Myspace back. It’s now done.
2 tags
Scheduled Downtime for HeyWatch/HeySpread.
Dear People,
We will experience a downtime for both HeyWatch and HeySpread, due to an electricity network improvement coming from our Web hosting provider.
This will take 1 hour max. But maybe far less.
Please, check your timezone below:
- April, Monday the 6 from 6pm to 7pm EST (USA)
- April, Monday the 6 from 3pm to 4pm PST (USA)
- April, Tuesday the 7 between midnight and 1am GMT+2...
March 2009
1 post
1 tag
HeyWatch API: New watermark positions “topright”... →
February 2009
3 posts
2 tags
Particles page on Facebook
Hi People,
We have just created the product page for Particles on Facebook.
Become a Fan to be updated with all the new features. Besides, let us know what you would like to see on both HeyWatch and HeySpread. We want this page to be a new way to communicate.
See you on Facebook!
1 tag
Hey!Spread integrates Seesmic for quick video...
Great feature today, you can now record yourself directly on HeySpread and send your video to the best platforms in just seconds. Just click on the Webcam link and you’re ready.
For now, all the videos you record belong to the same account “particles” on Seesmic.
Also, when you record a video using Adobe Flash, the audio codec is nellymoser which is not supported by the...
1 tag
Amazon S3 Buckets located in Europe supported
To upload a video to Amazon S3, we used the path-style URL like http://s3.amazonaws.com/bucket.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work with Buckets located in Europe because Amazon only allows virtual hosted URL like http://bucket.s3.amazonaws.com as explained in their documentation.
To access Amazon S3 buckets and objects that were created using CreateBucketConfiguration,...
January 2009
2 posts
1 tag
HeyWatch API: Authenticated pings are now...
1 tag
Hey!Spread Video quality improved (HD now...
Many video sites now support High video quality. YouTube recently changed their player to be always wide (16:9 format) and also provides the HD version of the videos when available. Vimeo and Dailymotion support HD videos too for a while now.
The format Hey!Spread used when you watermark or convert your video was not appropriate anymore, so we decided to keep the original video specs and always...
December 2008
9 posts
1 tag
H264 Encoding Optimization
We’ve just added some optimization to the H264 encoding. The video looks much better now, especially at low bitrate. See the image below for the comparison (click to view the original version):
This is done automatically for all the H264 encodings.
1 tag
The Watermark size won't change anymore
There is a weird behavior with the ffmpeg watermarking option (vhook): the watermark is applied before the video is resized. It means the watermark can have a different size depending on your input video resolution. Pretty annoying since you make the image according to your output format and not the inverse. This is now fixed.
This example shows a 1280x720 video encoded in 640x0 before and after...
1 tag
Hey!Watch now keeps the video aspect when encoding...
We always tried to respect the video aspect by adding black bands at top and bottom of the video. In fact, that was true when your video is 16:9 and your format is 4:3.
Now, 16:9 is becoming the new standard because of HD format, HD TV, and even the web. You may already know that YouTube changed their flash player to be displayed in 16:9 instead of 4:3.
This is why, we added the side...
2 tags
Particles at LeWeb'08: get ready to meet!
Hi People,
Tomorrow, the biggest European web event will start: LeWeb’08.
Particles will be there to show Hey!Watch (Video Encodind Web Service) and Hey!Spread (Video Mass-Distributing and Tracking Web Service). We’d love to meet you.
So, feel free to contact our VP Business, Eric Fontaine, to meet him at any time:
Phone: +33 676 399 518
Email:...
1 tag
2-pass encoding Tips
Woody on the forums pointed out that he can’t find the difference between 1-pass encoding and 2-pass encoding. So I did a screenshot comparison to show him the difference:
Like I said, 2-pass encoding is better, but you need to change your format settings. Two things to take into account: video bitrate and video resolution. The raw video quality is also important, but you already know...