Hi, I am interested in knowing, in detail, what happens to my videos when I upload them. I understand that you, like most video sites, convert them. What I need to know is : a) What are they converted into (format) b) What resolution is the converted output. c) What bitrate do you convert to. I am happy to upload my content and collaboratively create variations of them, but only if our high quality is maintained (at least for the portions that we uploaded). Many other sites make our content look awful after conversion because they decide to use 320x240 size with low bit rates. Thanks SmartLearn Studios

For a detailed tutorial, check out our tour.

What is Kaltura?
Kaltura is a free online collaborative platform for peer production of multimedia files. For the first time, users are given the ability to CREATE RICH MEDIA TOGETHER. Like the Wiki platform that enables users to collaborate on the creation of texts from any browser, Kaltura enables a group of users to collaborate on the creation of a single multi-user generated video, a Kaltura.
Users who start a Kaltura choose its topic, customize its page, and invite friends to contribute to it video, music and photos, and even to edit it together. The collaborative end-result ("Kaltura Video") can be viewed and easily syndicated on any site, blog or social network.

Why use Kaltura?
Starting a Kaltura is a great way to document moments and events together, to tap into resources that you do not have, to strengthen the ties of your online or offline group, to mobilize a large group of people around a unified call for action, and to meet and interact with exciting new people who share your interests.

Can anyone start a Kaltura?
Yes! Starting a Kaltura is easy and free. You just need to click the Start a Kaltura button on the top of every page. People who start a Kaltura appreciate that there is great value in creating media together. Various people often have small pieces to contribute to the making of a group story.

Can anyone contribute to a Kaltura?
That's up to the producer that started the Kaltura. Producers may choose to leave the Kaltura open to anyone interested in helping out (our default)or decide to only accept contributions from friends they invite to their Kaltura by sending out a password via email. To contribute any resource to a Kaltura, click the "Add a Clip" button on the desired Kaltura page.

Can anyone edit a Kaltura?
Kaltura's video editor enables anyone with the appropriate permission to make a Kaltura Video out of the contributions to the Kaltura. The Producer can decide whether s/he alone will be able to edit the Kaltura Video, or whether s/he will allow everybody to do so. When an edit is "published" by someone other than the initial editor, it creates a new Kaltura Video that is part of the Kaltura project. To launch our editor and edit a Kaltura, click the "Edit a Kaltura Video" button on the desired Kaltura page.

Can anyone view a Kaltura?
That is up to the Producer of the Kaltura. If the Producer creates a public Kaltura (our default), he will be inviting the world to participate. The Producer can also choose to keep the production of the Kaltura entirely "in house" and keep it private among a finite list of invited viewers. Private Kalturas will appear in the search results but access to their content will be restricted to the authorized list.

Who owns the copyright of media clips posted to Kaltura?
Once a video is posted to the site the copyright remains with the user that posted it. Under the terms and conditions however, the individual who posts the video must have the necessary rights and permissions to use any material they submit to the site.



How do I start a Kaltura?
On the top of every page you'll see a link to "Start a Kaltura". From there a wizard will guide you through the main steps in the process. You'll first be asked to give your Kaltura a title, description, and add some tags for people searching the site for a Kaltura like yours. Next, customize your Kaltura's look and feel by picking the pages' style (background, fonts and colors). After that you can set the permissions, deciding who can contribute to, edit, and view the Kaltura. Finally, you create an invite explaining what the Kaltura is about. The invite is your pitch inviting others to join you. You can skip this step and have our generic Invite play in its place. The most important thing, though, is to get started; you can change everything related to the Kaltura later on by clicking the "Customize Kaltura" link.

What's an Invite?
The invite is a video clip, image or audio file that the "producer" posts upon starting a Kaltura. It should explain the producer"s perspective as to what the Kaltura is about and spell out for prospective contributors what they should submit - whether you're looking to gather pictures and videos from your travel buddies to Nepal, asking friends and family to send their wedding greetings to your brother, or gathering material for an environmental or political campaign - Spell it out. Tell people what you're looking for.

What's a Kaltura Video?
A Kaltura video is a remix of contributed media which is edited using the online editor. Anyone with the appropriate permissions can create a Kaltura Video. When people visit the Kaltura page, they will automatically see the most recent Kaltura Video. If there is more than one Kaltura Video, you will see a link "View more edits" under the "Current Video" thumbnail.

How do I get updates about a Kaltura?
Can I import videos, photos & sounds from other sites?
For sure. There are several ways to import clips from other sites:
When starting a Kaltura or contributing content you can import photos from Flickr and Photobucket, videos form YouTube and MySpace video, and sounds from various music sites.
You can do so by pasting the discrete URL of your desired images, videos & audio files or by searching the content in these sites by tag words from within Kaltura and then importing the desired search results.
Make sure that when you use content from other sites you do not infringe on the terms and conditions of Kaltura regarding copyright.

How do I change my profile image?
Go to your account page by clicking on your username on the top right box of every page. There click on the button on the top left "Edit Profile". You can upload a picture of yourself or pick an avatar that represents you.

How do I get featured?
Select featured Kalturas and teams behind the Kaltruras will appear on the Kaltura homepage. Contact us if you want to appear in premiere spots on the site.

What do I need to do in order to produce a Kaltura?
Sign up and get started! Once you have an idea for a Kaltura, you'll need to think about a couple of things:
- Do you want your Kaltura to be open to the world? In that case, create an Invite pitching your Kaltura (see next question) and contribute some clips yourself to get the ball rolling. Then you'll need to promote your Kaltura. See "Promoting and Inviting" section for our promoting options.
- Do you want to create a Kaltura for a group of people you know? Think about how to invite them: create an Invite and send them emails with the password you created for them to keep the Kaltura semi-private.

How do I update my Invite?
If you started a Kaltura, click the "Customize Kaltura" button and select "Change Invite". You'll be guided again to add your invite either by recording it via webcam or uploading pre-prepared content.

How do I find people to contribute to my Kaltura?
You can search people on the site by tags or keyword and contact them via the web or IM, if they entered their contact info. BUT the best way to find people is to spread the word - place a widget on any site or on your MySpace profile; add a link to your Facebook profile; email your friends. See "Promote and Invite" for more details.

How do I change the look and feel of a Kaltura?
When you start a Kaltura you're offered an option to give your Kaltura a face lift: add a background image, select colors and font (we've got some really sweet type styles for the title) . If you don't design the page right away, you can always do it later. Only the person who started the Kaltura can change the look of it. If you started a Kaltura, you'll see a "Customize Kaltura" button under the description that opens a wizard allowing you to change the settings of your Kaltura anytime.

What file formats can be uploaded?
We currently support these file types: .flv, .wmv, .asf, .avi, .qt,.mov, .mpg, .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .png, and .mp3

Can I import media from other sites?
YES! We curretnly support easy imports from Flickr, Youtube, MySpace video, Photobucket, NY Public Library Archive & a couple of open source music sites. You can also paste a link to any file on the web and that will get imported as well. Clicking on "Add a Clip" opens a wizard that offers you all these options.

Can I import media that doesn't belong to me?
Yes. Part of our "Add a Clip" wizard includes visual searches that allow you to browse and preview media from youtube and flickr. In any case, the use of these materials should not violate Kaltura's terms of use.

I uploaded my video but it hasn't shown up yet. What's up?
When you upload a video we convert it for optimized viewing on our site and in our widgets. This process may take several minutes if the file is large. During that time you won't be able to preview the file or use it in our editor and a message will appear "Conversion in progress".

What is the maximum file size or video length that can be uploaded?
200MB.

Is there a limit to the number of clips I can add?
No, so long as you comply with the general terms and conditions.
If you plan to load an exceptionally large amount of files, please contact us so that we can provide you with sufficient resources.

What's the best video format for good quality video?
There is no simple answer to this question. The quality of the video depends on the quality of the sources as well as the encoders that are used and the frame rates. MPEG files usually give a good quality at reasonable files sizes.

How do I remove clips I added?
Go to your account page and scroll down to "My Media Clips". Click on "Edit All". This will bring you to a page that lists everything you've previously added and will allow you to delete a clip. Note that if a clip was used in a Kaltura Video, it will not be deleted from the video. If you feel you must remove any trace of it, contact us. You can also delete Kaltura's you have started. Again, on your account page select Kalturas I Produced > Edit All. then, Delete the Kaltura. Note that deleting a Kaltura does not delete all it's contents, as these can show up in search results.

What can I promote?
You can promote a Kaltura you started or any other Kaltura. You don't have to be the owner of the content to promote it. You can also promote specific media clips within a Kaltura. Say you found great footage of a rare gig? You can select to promote that particular clip by embedding it or send it via emails to friends.
One of the best promoting tools for a Kaltura you created is sending your Invite out, either via email or by embedding it on other sites.

How do I promote?
Glad you asked...
We offer several ways of spreading the word about your creation. On a Kaltura page select the invite, Kaltura Video or any one of the media clips you want to promote. Then...

• Send an email invitation with a link by clicking the "Email to Friend".
• Embed a widget on any website by copying the link from the "Embed".
• Copy the URL of the Kaltura or one of its clips and paste it on any website.

Fair Use is the right, in some circumstances, to quote copyrighted material without asking permission or paying for it. Documentary filmmakers have created, through their professional associations, a clear, easy to understand statement of fair and reasonable approaches to fair use.

Click here to view this handbook, written by veteran filmmakers to help other filmmakers understand some instances where using copyrighted material without clearance is considered fair use.

What’s a Kaltura Video?
A Kaltura Video is the edit of all the clips added to a Kaltura, done with our video editor. You don’t have to add clips to edit a video; just click on "Edit Kaltura Video" on any Kaltura page and you’ll reach our video editor.

Can anyone edit a video?
That depends on the person who started the Kaltura. By default, all kalturas are open to contributions and editing, but this can be restricted. If you have permission to edit the Kaltura Video you can create your own edit which gets saved under your name, in the Kaltura. This means that one Kaltura can have several Kaltura Videos.

How do I use the Editor?
Now, that’s really not a one liner. We suggest you visit our tour and see the tutorial or if you want to try it out, check out our "sandbox" which includes an explanation of the editor and clips we included for practice. You cannot save what you do in the sandbox but you can play around to get the hang of things.