Kaltura at Syracuse FAQ

The FAQ page below has been developed for those interested in finding out more about the Syracuse University implementation of Kaltura. Please note that additional questions may be added at any time. 

FAQ Topics

Kaltura General Use Questions
 

Who has access to Kaltura?

All active faculty, staff, and students of both Syracuse University and ESF have access to the web interface.  

How do I log into Kaltura MediaSpace?

To access Kaltura MediaSpace (KMS) on the web simply visit video.syr.edu and log in using your NetID and password. For Blackboard functionality, log into Blackboard and click on the link for My Media.

How long does it take for my videos to process? 

Videos generally take about as long as the duration of the video to process in low definition and longer for higher definitions.  For example, a highly dynamic scene, with changing lighting and high level of detail (e.g. nature walk) will achieve different results than a static scene (e.g. talking head) or a scene with low level of details (e.g. text slides). Typical transcoding times are as follows:

• For 360p video, transcoding will usually be realtime (i.e. equal to the duration of the source video). 
• For 720p video, transcoding will usually be between 4x and 8x the video duration. 
• For 1080p video, transcoding will usually be between 10x to 15x of the video duration. 

In layman's terms, a one hour video will be ready to embed at low quality in one hour. It will continue to process until it is complete in high quality, so for our one hour video, the high definition video will be ready in 10-15 hours.

Automatic machine captions are ready within 24 hours of uploading the video.

Why does my video look so grainy, blurry, or out-of-focus? 

Assuming you captured or recorded in high definition, this is most likely due to processing that is still occuring.  This is often most obvious with intricate screen recording subjects such as PowerPoint slides, Excel sheets, etc.  If you have just created or uploaded your video, it will take up four to fifteen times the duration of the video for a high definition version of the video to be available.

How can I see statistics and analytics for my videos? 

Statistics on the use of individual media in Kaltura are available to owners and co-editors. One of the strengths of the Kaltura platform is the ability to see statistics, or "analytics" for individual media entries. A media owner, or co-editor collaborator, can view analytics on a media file. You must be listed as a co-editor on another user's media to see analytics.

To access analytics/stats on an individual video, go to the video entry, and then select Analytics from the Actions menu.  For more detailed instructions: https://knowledge.kaltura.com/help/entry-level-analytics .

How can I share a video I created in Blackboard My Media or in Kaltura MediaSpace? 

To share an unlisted link to a video uploaded or created in Blackboard My Media or in MediaSpace, access your video from the My Media section of MediaSpace, set the permissions to unlisted, and copy the URL for the video.  See more details on the Sharing Media with Mediaspace page.

Can I use Kaltura for archival purposes?

Users moving or storing data into Kaltura should be aware of the Kaltura file retention policies. Kaltura is designed for streaming video that is actively in use and is not intended as an archival system. Files will be automatically removed from Kaltura if they have not been viewed for four years. If you or anyone one else watches a video in Kaltura for 30 seconds or longer, the four-year clock on its deletion is reset. Users seeking to retain video for archival purposes should consult their departmental technical support staff. 

Kaltura Support Questions
 

How do I learn how to use Kaltura?

Users can self-learn by viewing instructions and how-to documentation for both the KMS and Blackboard functionality. As part of the Online Success Toolkit, there are many recordings of Kaltura educational seminars created by Online Learning Services. 

What’s the difference between Kaltura and Zoom Video Recording?

Common features between Kaltura and Zoom Cloud video recording, both:

• Computer screen capture with voice
• Record and share videos with others via a web link
• Make videos available via Blackboard
• Computer-based auto closed captions

Unique features between Kaltura and Zoom:

• Zoom is primarily used as a live video conference tool that can host many people in real time. Kaltura does not have a live web conference feature at this time.
• Kaltura has various editing and management features. Zoom has limited editing and management tools.
• Kaltura specializes in video capture from your desktop computer.

Why is Kaltura Capture not working properly on my Mac?

In macOS Catalina, applications that record the screen need special permission in the Security and Privacy area of the Settings panel. Without this, you may see odd behavior such as the Capture will not stop recording, the application will not capture the screen, or macOS security messages.

To grant permission for Kaltura Capture follow these instructions: Kaltura Personal Capture macOS Settings