This table provides a high level comparison between the Media platforms available to staff. Further guidance is linked to where required.
It is intended to assist staff in choosing which media platform is appropriate to their needs.
Please note that this guidance is frequently updated in line with developments of each Media platform - so it's worth watching the page (note, you'll need to be logged in to see the 'Watching' switch top right of this page.
Why you should use a Media platform
It is advisable to upload videos to a Media platform (where they can be accessed from Moodle), rather than uploading a video or audio file directly to Moodle. This is because:
- Moodle has an upload restriction which may prohibit large video files, and
- purpose built media platforms will provide a more reliable user experience for the student, for example they typically allow users to alter video quality to manage internet bandwidth use.
- The Lecturecast system automatically minimises the amount of data usage required to view content by analysing uploaded video and using less data for video content with less movement.
UCL supported Media platforms
| Lecturecast | Mediacentral | Microsoft Stream | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overview | Third party software - video application that supports scheduling, recording, and streaming videos. Also includes interactive polling and Q&A tools. | UCL's media portal - content can be private to an individual, shared to groups both internally and externally, and to an external public audience | Part of Office 365 (www.office.com) - video streaming service, includes the ability to record videos and upload videos (as files from your computer). Teams calls and meeting recordings are stored here automatically. UCL guidance is available on Recording in Teams and working with videos in Stream. |
| 2 | Integrated with Moodle |
On Moodle, add a Lecturecast activity to add specific Lecturecast videos or a whole section of videos. |
On Moodle, add a 'Media Resource' to upload a video to Mediacentral. |
Video access needs to be setup manually, and videos need to be linked to or embedded in Moodle manually. |
| 3 | Supported on all major browsers |  | |
Microsoft Stream supports Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer 11 (IE11 document mode only), and the current versions of Chrome and Safari. |
| 4 | Example use cases | Portico registered Module introductory video, | Programme level video. Special Events recordings and videos for internal UCL purposes, such as training and information. | Teams calls and meeting recordings. Host videos that you want to make available to the entire UCL community (such as a guidance video). |
| 5 | Record a video of Desktop screen and/or presenter? |
Two video feeds, the use of both is optional. Typically used to record screen and presenter but another configuration might use a webcam feed rigged as a temporary document camera. |
Through the browser you can record a presenter but not Desktop screen. Though the MEDIALecture application you can record Screen, Webcam and Audio combined or individually. |
You can record presenter and Desktop screen for up to 15 minutes. Presenter appears in the bottom corner of recording. |
| 6 | Maximum recordings or file sizes | A single recording can be up to 8 hours. | There is no limit on recording time | A recording made in Stream can be up to 15 minutes long. A video of a recorded Teams meeting or call or a video file that has been uploaded to Stream will share the same duration of the original recording/event. For example, if the meeting was 1.5 hours duration and the entire meeting was recorded, then the video on Stream will be 1.5 hours. |
| 7 | Edit recording? |
Video can be trimmed, parts of video can be removed. |
Video can be Trimmed (Start and End) or Chopped (removed). Export allows you to keep the original. |
Video can be Trimmed (Start and End). |
| 8 | Add pre-recorded video created using my own video/screencasting tool? e.g. a video recorded in Powerpoint. |
Pre-recorded videos can be uploaded to a Module section or to your personal library. Common video formats are supported including .mp4, .avi, .mkv, .mov (for a full list see Lecturecast supported formats). |
Pre-recorded videos can be added through to Moodle by adding a Media Resource or uploaded directly into Mediacentral. Common video formats are supported e.g. .mp4, .avi, .mkv, .mov (for a full list see Mediacentral Moodle guidance, step 14). |
Pre-recorded videos can be uploaded to Stream. Common video formats are supported e.g. .mp4, .avi, .mkv, .mov (for a full list see Microsoft Stream formats). |
| 9 | Maximum video upload size | There are no file upload limits for Lecturecast, but some browsers have file-size upload limits. | The system is set at a 5GB limit, for larger files up to 100GB a user would have to make a request to to admin team. A request to upload files larger than 5GB should be sent to mediacentral@ucl.ac.uk | You can upload a video up to 50GB. |
| 10 | Can I add recording to a Moodle course? |
Videos can be automatically shared to a Module section on Lecturecast. Where this section has been linked to on a Moodle course, the video can, optionally, be made instantly available to students. |
Videos can be added to Moodle by adding a Media Resource, or as a URL embed link. |
Videos can be added as URL links or embed codes. |
| 11 | Embed video on a Moodle course? |
Not currently as viewing is enabled by linking to a Moodle course's associated Lecturecast section. Once student is enrolled on a linked Moodle course no further log-in is required to view recordings or interactive PP presentations. |
Under the Share video options, you can copy a HTML embed code. This code can be added to a Moodle section or page. Students may be asked to login to Mediacentral before video displays. |
Under the share video options, you can copy a HTML embed code. This code can be added to a Moodle section or page. Students may be asked to login to Microsoft Stream before video displays. |
| 12 | Add recording to multiple Moodle courses? |
Simply access the video in your personal library or the Module section where you shared it, if you are the owner of the video you can share the video to additional module sections e.g. ECON0001, ECON0002, ECON0003. |
Yes, best approach is to upload to Mediacentral, make Personal(Public) and add either the share or embed code to each Moodle course Alternatively, add through Media Resource to each Moodle course. |
Yes, by adding the share or embed code into each Moodle course. |
| 13 | Add recordings to different weekly/topic sections of a Moodle course? |
Its common to have one Lecturecast activity link to the Home section of your module. This will contain all the recordings under you module as they become available. You can also add additional Lecturecast activity links to any Moodle section, and configure the link to go to a single video (In Lecturecast this is referred to as a 'Classroom'). |
Add a Media Resource or link to any Moodle section as required. |
Create a page in any Moodle section, and embed the relevant videos for that week/topic. |
| 14 | Restrict who sees the video? | Videos you create or have permission to use are restricted to your personal library until you choose to share them. When you share a video, you choose which module course to share to. A single video can be shared to multiple module courses or with individual UCL staff/students. | Video is restricted to the course in which it is added. Video added to the Mediacentral portal, can be restricted to a URL (Personal (Public), to UCL staff, UCL students or UCL All - staff and students. if you wish to share with a wider audience the content can made public. | By Default, video is visible to all UCL staff and students. However video can be restricted to specific users or a group of users. Groups must be manually configured in MS Stream, there is no integration with Portico module groups in Moodle. See UCL guidance on Permissions in Stream for more details. |
| 15 | Suitable for highly sensitive material? |  |
If you have content which is sensitive or that you think should be restricted in some way, please contact the Mediacentral team. | |
| 16 | View statistics on who has watched the video? | Total number of views, unique views, downloads and average view length. If a video is shared to a number of modules, the statistics will be unique to each module. Viewing statistics are integrated with other Lecturecast interaction stats. giving a fuller picture of student participation/engagement. | In the Portal each video shows total number of views. For analytics, a user can login to Mediacentral and click on My Account > My Admin Area > Analytics and view analytics of all their content. Analytics can be requested from the system admin team Within Moodle, analytics can be viewed by a course admin (Details to follow) | Total number of views, not unique. |
| 17 | Allow students to download the recording? (This may be essential for students with poor or intermittent internet connection) |
The option to allow downloads is off by default but any instructor in a section can enable/disable downloads, including allowing only audio downloads. In addition the Echo360 mobile app has an off-line mode where students can optionally download chosen recordings to view under low bandwidth conditions - the recordings can only be viewed on the app and are encrypted i.e not re-publishable. |
Staff can turn download option on or off for each single recording. |
Not currently supported. Video can only be downloaded by Owner. |
| 18 | Example file size (if students are allowed to download video). Each system will have content that is captured at different frame rates so video size is not comparable. A video captured at SD and 60fps is much larger than a video at 10fps in HD. MP3 file size depends on the sampling rate. 44. 1 kHz is the normal rate for CD quality. Some sound engineers record at much higher sampling rates - so file size for a 10 minute audio will vary depending upon the source. | 10 minute recording: 6MB at 360p 37MB at 720p 4MB for MP3 audio | 10 minute recording: SD 1280p x 720p @ 24 fps = 65MB HD 1920p x 1080p @ 30fps = 130 MB MP3 Audio @ 44.1 kHz = 7MB Mediacentral accepts 4K video but will downsize this to HD (1080p) | 10 minute recording: 1080p 400MB 1 hour Teams Meeting recording: 200MB |
| 19 | Transcriptions and captions generated automatically? |
If Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) is activated in a given section recordings are transcribed on initial sharing/publishing to that section. An on-line editor is provided for transcript correction and allows the transcript to be applied as captions. |
This is a charged for service 1. Automatic and corrected by content owner 2. Automatic and corrected by UCL staff 3. Captioning with supplier corrections Transcriptions can also be created from the captions file, this is also a charged for service. |
During upload, select for captions to be created (you'll need to specify a language for the video if it's not automatically detected). Automatic captions can be edited in MS Stream or using a VTT file editor. |
| 20 | Can a transcription and caption file be added? |
Captions produced externally can be added and corrected using the Transcript Editor in the application in a web browser. Note as Lecturecast adds a short intro to uploaded videos, captions generated outside of Lecturecast need to take account of this. |
Captions produced externally in .vvt or .srt formats can be added and corrected within the application in a web browser. |
Automatic captions can be generated as above. Otherwise, a caption file can be uploaded. |
| 21 | Add interactions to the video? | Students can submit questions and answers, make notes, bookmark and set confusion flags, all of which which can be automatically referenced to a specific time in the video. Assessment results are not stored in Moodle so only suitable for formative assessment. | Videos added to Moodle through adding a Media Resource do not allow for interaction. Videos added to Mediacentral portal and/or linked to from Moodle can have an optional discussion forum beneath them which can be used for discussion and questions. | Videos have a Comments section beneath them (which can be disabled by a video owner). Quizzes can be added to specific moments in the video. Assessment results are not stored in Moodle so only suitable for formative assessment. |
Difficult to compare Apples and Pears...Other Media options
Interactive Videos with H5P
It is possible to add interactive features to your video using H5P. Interactive options include multiple choice questions, pop-up information text, free text questions and many more.
H5P is an activity type available in UCL Moodle, simply Turn on editing, click Add an activity or resource, and select Interactive Content.
Currently, interactive videos can only be created using Youtube videos or video files directly uploaded to Moodle.
