JW Player - Detailed Review
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JW Player - Product Overview
JW Player Overview
JW Player is a leading platform for video delivery and intelligence, catering to a diverse range of clients in the digital media industry.Primary Function
JW Player’s primary function is to provide a comprehensive suite of tools and services for managing, publishing, and monetizing video content online. It enables content creators, publishers, advertisers, and developers to deliver high-quality video experiences across various devices and platforms.Target Audience
The target audience for JW Player includes:- Content Creators: Individuals and organizations producing and distributing video content online.
- Publishers: Companies that distribute and monetize video content across different channels.
- Advertisers: Entities seeking to reach their target audience through video advertising.
- Developers: Professionals integrating and customizing video players for specific needs.
Key Features
Here are some of the key features that make JW Player a valuable tool:Customization and Personalization
JW Player offers customizable video players that can be tailored to match the brand identity of publishers. It also provides personalized video recommendations based on viewer interests, viewing history, and behavior, enhancing engagement and retention.Interactive Elements
The platform includes interactive features such as clickable overlays, quizzes, polls, and calls-to-action within videos to increase viewer engagement and drive conversions.Real-time Analytics
JW Player provides real-time analytics that allow publishers to track viewer behavior, measure engagement metrics, and optimize their content strategy accordingly. This includes detailed insights into user interactions to inform and optimize personalization strategies.Monetization
The platform offers advanced video advertising capabilities, including contextual targeting, which helps advertisers deliver targeted and engaging video ads to viewers. Strategic partnerships with companies like ComScore, GumGum, and Oracle Data Cloud further boost these capabilities.Global Reach and Localization
JW Player is committed to global expansion, focusing on localization and customization of its products to meet the specific needs of different regions. This includes translating content into local languages and adapting to cultural nuances.Technical Innovations
The platform has been at the forefront of technological advancements in video delivery, such as adaptive bitrate streaming, server-side ad insertion, and live streaming. JW Player’s Live Channels feature, for example, allows media companies and enterprises to stream live content to virtual audiences easily. By combining these features, JW Player empowers its users to deliver high-quality, engaging video experiences that drive results and maximize revenue opportunities. JW Player - User Interface and Experience
User Interface
The latest version of JW Player, JW8, introduces several significant improvements to the user interface. Here are some key features:
Mobile Optimization and Customization
The interface is completely redesigned and optimized for mobile devices, allowing for easy customization to brand the player according to the user’s needs.
Control Bar
The control bar now uses flexbox, simplifying the DOM structure and CSS. This change eliminates the need for left, center, and right divs, making the layout more streamlined.
New Default Skin
JW8 features an all-new default skin with a transparent control bar, tooltips, and a modern interface. This new skin extends to ads and audio-only modes, ensuring a consistent user experience across different content types.
Logo Placement
Users can now place logos in the control bar with an optional clickthrough link. Logos are dynamically resized to fit within 15% of the player’s height or width to avoid obstructing the video.
Ease of Use
JW Player is known for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible to both novice and advanced users.
Simple Upload and Configuration
Users can easily upload videos to the Media Library and configure the media player without needing extensive coding knowledge. Advanced users can also copy and paste JSON code to customize their setup.
Keyboard Navigation
The player supports improved keyboard navigation, allowing users to tab through buttons and menu options, use the enter key to take actions, and the escape key to close overlays and menus.
Tooltips and Feedback
Tooltips appear on hover or focus over icons in the settings menu, providing clear feedback and increasing clarity for viewers. This feedback mechanism helps users understand the functions of different icons and controls.
Overall User Experience
The overall user experience of JW Player is enhanced through several features aimed at engagement and accessibility:
Accessibility Improvements
JW8 includes improved support for keyboard navigation and tooltips, making the player more accessible for users with disabilities. The discovery and playlist overlays are also optimized for accessibility, supporting swipe interactions and keyboard shortcuts.
Autoplay Experience
On mobile devices, the autoplay experience has been improved by showing controls immediately when playback starts, allowing viewers to control the video without needing to unmute it first.
Customizable Branding
Users can customize the player extensively, including branding elements, playback rates, and other settings, which helps in creating a cohesive and engaging user experience.
In summary, JW Player’s user interface is designed to be intuitive, accessible, and highly customizable, ensuring a positive and engaging experience for users across various devices and content types.
JW Player - Key Features and Functionality
JW Player Overview
JW Player is a comprehensive online video management software that offers a wide range of features, many of which are enhanced by AI and other advanced technologies. Here are the main features and how they work:
Video Management
JW Player allows users to upload, manage, and stream high-quality videos on a centralized platform. Users can upload videos to the Media Library, where they are automatically encoded for adaptive streaming, ensuring optimal playback across various devices and internet speeds.
Adaptive Bitrate Streaming
The platform supports adaptive bitrate streaming, which adjusts the video quality in real-time based on the viewer’s internet connection. This feature ensures smooth playback and minimizes buffering, enhancing the viewer’s experience.
Customizable Branding and UI
Users can customize the video player’s UI, including the color scheme, playlists, and control buttons. This customization is done using HTML and CSS, allowing for a high degree of flexibility in branding and design.
Live Streaming
JW Player supports real-time broadcasting, enabling users to host live events, webinars, or product demos. This feature is integrated with tools like Whippy AI to automate the distribution of live video content via multiple channels such as SMS, Email, WhatsApp, and Voice messages.
Audience Engagement
The platform includes features to enhance audience engagement, such as social media streaming, social sharing, and lead capture. These tools help in increasing viewer interaction and retention rates.
Analytics and Reporting
JW Player provides detailed analytics and reporting tools, including ROI tracking, campaign analytics, and video performance metrics like PSNR, SSIM, and VMAF. These analytics help users understand viewer behavior and optimize their video content.
Monetization
Users can monetize their videos through various ad formats, including Google AdSense and DoubleClick ads. The platform supports prerolls, midrolls, and postrolls, as well as banner ads, to help manage ad revenue effectively.
AI-Powered Personalization
When integrated with tools like Whippy AI, JW Player leverages AI to deliver personalized video messages. This personalization is based on billions of signals, ensuring that each recipient receives content tailored to their preferences and interests.
Multi-Channel Distribution
JW Player allows for the distribution of video content across multiple channels, including SMS, Email, WhatsApp, and Voice messages, thanks to integrations with platforms like Whippy AI. This feature streamlines the process of reaching a wide audience through different communication channels.
Digital Rights Management (DRM)
The platform supports various DRM technologies such as Widevine, PlayReady, FairPlay, and ClearKey, ensuring that video content is protected from unauthorized access and piracy.
Captioning and Accessibility
JW Player supports captioning and subtitles, as well as full keyboard navigation and screen readers, making the video content accessible to a broader audience.
Integration and Automation
JW Player can be integrated with various tools and platforms, such as Kontent.ai via Zapier, to automate workflows. For example, users can set up triggers and actions to automate tasks like changing language variants or updating content, all without requiring any coding.
Event Scheduling and Publishing
Users can schedule events and publish videos at specific times, which is particularly useful for live streaming and on-demand content. This feature helps in managing content delivery efficiently.
Conclusion
By combining these features, JW Player provides a comprehensive solution for video management, streaming, and monetization, enhanced by AI-driven personalization and automation capabilities.
JW Player - Performance and Accuracy
Performance
JW Player has made significant strides in improving its performance, particularly with the migration to new technologies and testing frameworks. Here are some notable points:Faster Release Cycles
- The company’s transition to WebdriverIO for automated testing has led to faster release cycles and improved quality. This change reduced regression cycles from about a week to just a couple of days, allowing for more timely and reliable releases.
Enhanced Speed
- JW Player 7 performs faster than its predecessor, version 6, due to lighter skins and optimized use of Flash, which is only used when necessary. This results in better support and faster loading times across mobile browsers.
Accuracy and Quality
Accuracy is a critical component of JW Player’s performance, especially in terms of analytics and user experience.Real-Time Analytics
- The analytics dashboard provided by JW Player offers real-time data, enabling users to monitor their content’s performance accurately. Features like the ‘Right Now’ view and detailed engagement metrics help identify precise moments where viewer engagement drops, allowing for targeted improvements.
Content Score
- The Content Score, a metric developed by JW Player, combines complete rates and play rates to give a comprehensive view of content performance. This helps users compare and optimize their media effectively.
Limitations and Areas for Improvement
Despite the improvements, there are some limitations and areas where JW Player can enhance its offerings:Technological Adaptations
- Technological Adaptations: JW Player faces challenges in keeping up with rapid technological advancements. For instance, the transition from RTMP to MPEG-DASH and HLS streaming, while beneficial, still has limitations since not all browsers support these new methods yet.
Data Privacy and Security
- Data Privacy and Security: Ensuring compliance with data privacy and security regulations is crucial. JW Player must continue to prioritize user data protection to maintain trust and avoid potential reputational damage.
Global Expansion
- Global Expansion: Expanding into new markets presents challenges such as cultural differences, regulatory requirements, and competition from local players. Addressing these factors is essential for successful global expansion.
User Experience
Improving the user experience is a key focus for JW Player:Seamless Viewing Experience
- The platform emphasizes providing a seamless viewing experience across devices and platforms. This includes optimizing user interface design, performance, and mobile responsiveness.
Engagement Tools
- Features like the ‘Right Now’ view and detailed engagement analytics help content creators optimize their content to keep viewers engaged, which is crucial for retaining existing users and attracting new ones.
JW Player - Pricing and Plans
JW Player Pricing Overview
JW Player offers a structured pricing model with several tiers, each catering to different needs and scales of video publishing. Here’s a breakdown of the available plans and their features:Free Plan
JW Player does not offer a free plan. However, they do provide a 1-month free trial of the Developer Plan for front-end and back-end engineers. This trial includes:- Access to all features of the player
- Full API and SDK access
- Non-commercial license
- 25GB hosting and 75GB streaming
Pro Plan (Now Free)
As of July 2015, JW Player made its Pro edition free. This plan includes:- Full control over player branding (no JW Player watermark)
- 9 pre-built skins
- Social sharing and related videos overlays
- 5GB hosting and 25GB streaming
- Video engagement analytics
- Player and platform APIs
Premium Plan
The Premium plan is available for $299 per year and includes all the features of the Pro plan, plus:- Adaptive streaming with DASH and HLS
- Live streaming with DVR windowing
- VTT and 608 captions
- Direct email support
- Increased storage and streaming capacity: 500 videos stored and 50,000 video plays per month
Enterprise Plan
The Enterprise plan is customized for high-volume needs and includes all the features of the Premium plan, plus:- High-volume hosting and streaming
- Content protection functionality with DRM and AES decryption
- Geo-blocking
- Android and iOS SDKs
- Priority email support
- Live event streaming
- Real-time video analytics
- AirPlay/Chromecast support
- OEM distribution rights
- Various ad-support features
Custom Plans
For very large or specific needs, JW Player offers custom pricing plans, particularly for developers and content creators. These plans can be tailored to include high-volume storage and streaming, and other advanced features as required.Conclusion
In summary, JW Player’s pricing structure is tiered to accommodate different levels of video publishing needs, from the free Pro edition to the more comprehensive and customizable Enterprise plan. JW Player - Integration and Compatibility
JW Player is a versatile video player that integrates well with various tools and supports a wide range of platforms and devices. Here’s a breakdown of its integration and compatibility:
Integrations with Other Tools
JW Player can be integrated with a multitude of applications and services through Zapier, an automation tool. This allows users to connect JW Player with over 7,000 other apps, enabling automated workflows such as uploading videos from Dropbox or Google Drive, sending notifications via Slack or Gmail, and syndicating videos to RSS feeds.Platform and Device Compatibility
Web Platforms
JW Player supports playback on web browsers using its HTML5 video player. For instance, the Amazon IVS Provider is specifically supported on JW Player’s web player, requiring the inclusion of a specific script tag and marking the playlist items with `type: ‘ivs’` for Amazon IVS streams.Mobile Devices
JW Player is compatible with mobile devices, including both iOS and Android. It supports HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) and DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP), which are essential for delivering video content seamlessly across mobile browsers and apps. Recent Android devices, in particular, support HLS, making it possible to play streams through JW Player. For older Android devices that may not support HLS, fallback options like RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol) can be used.Specific Considerations for Android
On Android devices, especially older ones, there can be challenges with streaming. For example, devices running Android 4.2 may require workarounds such as providing an RTSP link for use with a third-party player like MX Player, or installing Flash (though this is not ideal and no longer officially supported). Creating a custom app using OSMF (Open Source Media Framework) is another option for supporting RTMP or HDS streams on these devices.Additional Features
- Adaptive Streaming: JW Player supports adaptive streaming formats like HLS and DASH, ensuring that video content is delivered in the best possible quality based on the viewer’s internet connection.
- Event Handling: For specific use cases, such as Amazon IVS, JW Player allows for event handling through the `providerPlayer` event, enabling access to the underlying player instance and its events.
JW Player - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support
JW Player provides multiple tiers of support to cater to different customer needs:
Standard Support
This includes a 24-hour response time via a webform. It is suitable for general inquiries and issues that are not urgent.
Plus and VIP Support
These tiers offer a faster response time of 5 minutes, along with phone support for urgent issues. This ensures that critical problems are addressed quickly.
Support Teams
The support teams at JW Player include:
Customer Success Managers
They help customers achieve their desired outcomes.
Support Engineers
These engineers are available to resolve technical issues.
24/7 NOC (Network Operations Center)
This team monitors live events to ensure smooth operation and immediate troubleshooting if needed.
Professional Services
For more complex and specialized needs, JW Player offers Professional Services. These teams can assist with:
Content and Data Migration
Helping customers migrate their content and data while retaining critical metadata.
Integration Consulting
Assisting with technology integrations, such as JS/HTML5 player development, iOS and Android SDK integration, and backend API integrations.
Application Development
Custom application design and development for video-centric applications.
Live Streaming Configurations
Setting up live channels, events, and customizing Server Side Ad Integration (SSAI) workflows.
Additional Resources
Help Center
JW Player has a dedicated Help Center where users can find detailed guides, FAQs, and troubleshooting tips.
Contact Information
Customers can reach out via phone at (212) 244-0140 or through various email addresses for different inquiries such as legal, media, and sales.
Specific Tools and Features
For users looking to integrate JW Player videos into their platforms, there are detailed guides available. For example, the Brightspot integration guide explains how to search for and use JW Player videos within the Brightspot platform.
Real-Time Support and Monitoring
JW Player’s 24/7 NOC ensures that live events are monitored in real-time, providing immediate support for any issues that arise during these events.
By offering these diverse support options and resources, JW Player ensures that customers can effectively use their video solutions and address any issues promptly.
JW Player - Pros and Cons
Pros of JW Player
JW Player offers several significant advantages that make it a popular choice for video hosting and streaming:Ease of Use and Speed
- Users praise JW Player for its easy-to-use interface and fast upload speeds, allowing videos to be quickly integrated into web pages and articles.
- The platform is characterized by its speed and HTML5 format, making it efficient for web page creators.
Advanced Analytics and Insights
- JW Player provides comprehensive analytics tools, including real-time metrics, total plays, average video complete rate, devices used, and geographic data. This helps in assessing user engagement and making strategic decisions.
Integration and Flexibility
- The platform integrates seamlessly with central CMS systems, allowing for unified management without the need for extra programs. It also supports various streaming protocols like HLS and DASH, and offers multi-bitrate HD encoding.
Engagement Features
- JW Player includes features like Article Matching and Recommendations, which automatically insert relevant videos into articles and suggest content based on viewing activity. These features can significantly boost audience engagement and ad revenue.
Live Streaming Capabilities
- The platform supports live event streaming, AirPlay/Chromecast, and DRM playback in HTML5, making it suitable for various live streaming needs.
Custom Reporting and Cross-Device Insights
- Users can create and save custom reports, including views by player ID and playlist ID. The platform also provides cross-device insights, helping to understand content performance across different devices.
Cons of JW Player
Despite its many advantages, JW Player also has some notable drawbacks:Cost
- One of the major cons is the cost; JW Player can be quite expensive, especially for hosting large volumes of content. The pricing structure is intricate, making it difficult to forecast expenses and manage usage limits.
Limited Support
- Users have reported limited support from JW Player, with some issues not being resolved effectively by customer service. For example, some users had to resolve playback errors on their own.
Missing Features
- Some users have noted that JW Player lacks certain features, such as multichannel publishing and audience segmentation, unless available in more advanced payment plans. Additionally, geo-blocking is only available at the Enterprise level.
User Interface Issues
- While many users find the interface user-friendly, some have reported minor issues like difficulty in distinguishing between different upload pages and the need to add source file names manually.
Specific Use Case Limitations
- JW Live is designed for event-based live streams and does not support 24/7 broadcasts, real-time video chat applications, or other continuous use cases.
JW Player - Comparison with Competitors
When Comparing JW Player to Other Products
When comparing JW Player to other products in the video playback and streaming category, several key features and alternatives stand out.
Unique Features of JW Player
Comprehensive SDK
Comprehensive SDK: JW Player offers a powerful software development kit (SDK) that allows for seamless integration of video playback functionality into websites, mobile applications, and over-the-top (OTT) services. It supports a wide range of video formats, including HTML5, Flash, and adaptive streaming technologies like HLS and MPEG-DASH.
Customization and Control
Customization and Control: The platform provides a rich API for fine-grained control over player behavior, playlist management, and advertising integration. This flexibility enables developers to customize the video player’s appearance and functionality to match their specific requirements and brand identity.
Advanced Analytics and Monetization
Advanced Analytics and Monetization: JW Player includes advanced analytics and reporting features, giving publishers valuable insights into viewer behavior and content performance. It also supports various monetization models, including pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads, as well as integration with major ad networks and servers.
Mobile and CDN Support
Mobile and CDN Support: The platform offers native SDKs for iOS and Android, enabling features like offline playback, background audio, and picture-in-picture support. Additionally, its content delivery network (CDN) integration optimizes video delivery by serving content from geographically distributed servers.
Potential Alternatives
Brightcove
Brightcove: Known for its comprehensive video platform, Brightcove offers similar features to JW Player, including video hosting, streaming, and monetization. It is particularly strong in enterprise video solutions and provides advanced analytics and security features.
api.video
api.video: This platform allows users to build, scale, and operate on-demand and live videos within applications, software, or web platforms. It offers customized content and project management, making it a viable alternative for developers looking for a more specialized video solution.
Taboola
Taboola: While primarily a personalized discovery and monetization platform, Taboola helps publishers recommend content to their users. It can be used in conjunction with video players like JW Player to enhance content discovery and engagement.
Additional Considerations
AI-Driven Features
AI-Driven Features: JW Player is also integrating AI to enhance user engagement and retention in OTT streaming. Features like Article Matching, which embeds relevant videos within written articles, and AI-powered search for enhanced content discovery, set it apart from some competitors.
In summary, JW Player stands out with its versatile SDK, extensive customization options, and advanced analytics and monetization features. However, alternatives like Brightcove, api.video, and Taboola offer different strengths and may be more suitable depending on specific needs and use cases.
JW Player - Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about JW Player, along with detailed responses to each:
Q: What is JW Player?
JW Player is an online video management software that helps businesses upload, stream, and deliver high-quality videos on a centralized platform. It offers features such as video transcoding, high-quality playback, multi-CDN, live streaming, engagement tools, and content organization.
Q: What are the key features of JW Player?
Key features of JW Player include easy-to-use APIs and SDKs, comprehensive video solutions, powerful user search and back-end organization, customizable branding, video streaming, multi-channel distribution, role-based permissions, and advanced analytics. It also supports live streaming, real-time broadcasting, and video ad serving.
Q: Does JW Player offer any free trials or plans?
Yes, JW Player offers a 1-month free trial of the Developer Plan, which includes access to all features of the player, full API and SDK access, and a non-commercial license with 25GB hosting and 75GB streaming.
Q: What types of customers typically use JW Player?
JW Player is used by a variety of customers, including large enterprises, mid-size businesses, and small businesses.
Q: What languages does JW Player support?
JW Player currently supports the English language.
Q: Does JW Player offer an API?
Yes, JW Player provides an API available for use, which allows developers to integrate the player into their websites, mobile applications, and OTT apps.
Q: What kind of support does JW Player offer?
JW Player offers several support options, including chat, FAQs/forum, knowledge base, email/help desk, and phone support.
Q: Can JW Player handle live streaming and real-time broadcasting?
Yes, JW Player supports live streaming and real-time broadcasting, along with features like real-time video analytics and AirPlay/Chromecast support.
Q: Does JW Player provide analytics and reporting tools?
Yes, JW Player offers comprehensive analytics and reporting tools to help track audience engagement, ad revenue, and other key metrics.
Q: Is JW Player customizable?
Yes, JW Player allows for customizable branding, enabling users to customize the video player to match their brand and create a more immersive experience.
Q: Does JW Player support multi-CDN and DRM?
Yes, JW Player uses a multi-CDN approach with POPs in over 130 countries and advanced DRM technology to protect content and ensure only authorized users have access.
JW Player - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of JW Player
JW Player is a comprehensive and innovative video streaming and analytics platform that offers a wide range of features and benefits, making it an excellent choice for various stakeholders in the digital media industry.Key Features and Benefits
Streaming Technology
JW Player supports HTML5, Flash, and RTMP protocol, ensuring content delivery across all modern browsers and legacy devices. It also features adaptive bitrate streaming, which adjusts video quality in real-time based on the viewer’s internet connection speed, ensuring uninterrupted streaming.
Customization and Accessibility
The platform is highly customizable, allowing users to control quality settings, playback speeds, and more. It also supports closed captioning, making content accessible for users with hearing impairments.
Monetization and Analytics
JW Player offers advanced analytics tools and supports video advertising, including pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads. This helps content creators and publishers track key metrics and maximize their revenue.
Security
The platform includes DRM support and advanced security features to protect video content from unauthorized access and piracy.
Recommendations Engine
JW Player’s recommendations engine helps publishers increase viewer engagement and ad revenue by suggesting relevant videos based on viewer interactions and content traits.
Who Would Benefit Most
JW Player is particularly beneficial for several key groups:Content Creators
Individuals and organizations producing and distributing video content can use JW Player to upload, manage, and monetize their videos effectively. The platform’s advanced analytics and customization options help optimize video strategies and enhance viewer engagement.
Publishers
Publishers can leverage JW Player’s video player solution to distribute and monetize video content across various channels. The platform’s video advertising capabilities and real-time analytics help maximize revenue and audience reach.
Advertisers
Advertisers can use JW Player’s comprehensive video ad platform to deliver targeted and engaging video ads. The platform’s brand safety, contextual targeting, and real-time viewability features ensure effective and precise ad targeting.
Developers
Developers can integrate JW Player into their websites and applications using the developer-friendly API and SDK. This allows for seamless customization and extension of the video player’s capabilities.