Uploading videos using the Silverlight Streaming plug-in for Expression Encoder 2.

This article gives a simple introduction to Silverlight Streaming that will allow you to turn your own video content into a Silverlight Streaming application ready for you to place on your website or blog using Silverlight Streaming plug-in for Expression Encoder to publish to your Silverlight Streaming account.

This article uses Expression Encoder 2 and the Silverlight Streaming Publishing Plugin for Expression Encoder 2.

The basic steps are:

• Encode and Upload to Silverlight Streaming
• Place Silverlight video on your Website

Encode and Upload your Video

This section takes you through the basic steps of how to encode your video and upload to SilverLight Streaming.

Prereqs:

1. Get your video content in an accessible place. 
2. Get Microsoft Expression Encoder 2.  A free trial download can be found here
3. Get the Silverlight Streaming Publishing Pluging for Expression Encoder 2 which can be downloaded from here.

Steps:

1. Open Media Encoder

2.Import your video using File->Import, and choose your file location.

3. Choose the player for your video by selecting the Output tab -> Job Output -> Template. I've chosen the Quicksilver Template.

4. To upload to Silverlight streaming, your video must be less then 105 MB. Chose the video and audio quality most appropriate to your use and check the estimated size on the Encode tab.

5. I like to the ability to display a thumbnail of my videos.  Encoder now makes this really easy.  Open the Output tab and select the type of thumbnail you want to display.  I usually choose 1st frame.

6. To setup publishing to Silverlight Streaming open the Output tab.

7. In the Publish To section choose Publish To - Silverlight Streaming

8. Enter your Account ID and Key.  This can be found on the Manage Account Page of your Silverlight Streaming account.

9. If you are happy with your video and want to encode and publish in one step, check the Auto Start Publish checkbox and press the encode button. If you want to encode and preview before uploading to Silverlight Streaming, leave the Auto Start Publish unchecked. Press Encode and change setting until you are happy with your video and then press the Publish button.

10. If you expand the publish directory you will now be able to see a code snippet or your video play from Silverlight Streaming by clicking on the Preview Tab

Place Silverlight video on your Website

This section will show you how to place a Silverlight Streaming application on your website.  Previously this involved creation of javascript files or manual javacript creation.  With the plugin for Expression Encoder this is much simpler

Steps:

1. Click on the Code tab of the video you wish to put on your blog, site etc.

2. Copy and paste the code from the tab to your site.

3. You're Done!