Hi,
You need to consider your priorities when choosing the right solution.
Someone wrote:
1) I would like to use the video on demand functionality of EvoStream and play MP4 files. However, I want to use the most efficient method for the conservation of bandwidth. Videos will be played only in the browser with something like flowplayer. No live videos will be used.
Using MP4 files should be fine as far as bandwidth and VOD are concerned. However, downloading time of a lengthy MP4 video is a drawback. You may consider HLS and HDS as they have faster start times since short video fragments are downloaded.
Someone wrote:
2) I wish to secure the stream per session using PHP for only registered users using aliases with 1) method.
Please refer to the following topic that may answer your question:
https://www.evostream.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=667&p=1175&hilit=web_ui+security#p1175
Someone wrote:
3) I woud like to place two versions of MP4 files, standard quality and HD quality and allow users to choose from a dropdown list with something like flowplayer. Unless EvoStream can automically detect user’s bandwidth or change stream without having two versions of the Mp4 file?
You would need 2 versions of MP4 files for different bandwidths, but switching would be manual. If you need to have automatic switching of bandwidth (as network or client performance change dynamically), you may consider using HLS or HDS instead of MP4. HLS is based Apple specifications and uses MPEG-TS video fragments. HDS is based Adobe specifications and uses Flash video fragments. Players for HLS include JWPlayer (see http://www.longtailvideo.com), while for HDS include OSMF (see http://osmf.org/). There should be other players or plug-ins that can playback HLS/HDS.
Cheers,
Don