There's been a lot of discussion in the forum about the best ways to protect your videos. Everyone loves the S3 video hosting service but using it can leave your files vulnerable.

There are really three main ways to protect your videos. Here is a brief rundown:

1) Video Branding

If you are not putting a bug on your videos, you are missing out on a branding opportunity. If your video goes viral, you want people to know where it came from. Watch these tutorials on adding a video bug here:

In FLV Player - http://s3.amazonaws.com/camtasia/flvbug/index.html

AND

Embed using Vegas - http://s3.amazonaws.com/camtasia/vegasbug/index.html

(hosted on S3)

2) Video URL Obfuscating

Now this is an easy way to keep people from finding the video you are serving. It's not 100% but it will keep all but the most determined from getting to your files. I have posted a tutorial and also an online obfuscater. This technique makes use of an xml playlist call and hasn't been cracked yet - free for members here: http://www.askmrvideo.com/members/131.cfm

3) Video DRM

Like it or not, this is the ONLY fool-proof way to keep your videos locked and out of the pirates hands. However, using DRM can make it tough on your legitimate users and you are limited in what type of media platform you can use.

The easiest video DRM system to implement is VidLock found at http://www.Vidlock.com. While "easy DRM" may sound like an oxymoron, this system is pretty easy to use. It only works with Windows and you need to host the "keys" behind a membership site or protected file area. I'm not a fan of DRM but if you want to really lock things up, it's the most robust. But with security comes inconvenience.

Bonus Round:

I have posted two live video gadgets. One is a Live TV Channel Google wiget and the other is Justin.TV - a 24/7 hookup of a dude broadcasting his life. Find it here: http://www.askmrvideo.com/public/138.cfm

That's all for this week. Have a blast.

Perry