Product Updates

We have successfully pushed an update to all instances residing in the US, Canada and the European Union. This release was focused on introducing a new, high-performance Capture Engine, providing users the ability to switch sources mid-recording, additional sign-on capabilities, additional language services, refreshed UI layout to meet accessibility standards, optimized use of space, and much more!

The application will be rolled out iteratively through the quarter to Zones. If you would like to request your Zone be enabled proactively, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager.

1. Dynamic Source Switching During an Active Recording Session
   This update will allow users to switch their audio, screen and video source during an active recording session. This would allow a Content Creator to turn on a microphone during a demonstration, and then stop it and return back to a video-and-screen presentation. While this feature is currently available for Software Capture recordings, for future releases, we intend to make this update available for live streams and exam proctoring sessions.
   
2. Brand New Engine Optimized Around the Latest Graphics Chipsets and GPU Hardware Accelerators including Intel QuickSync and NVIDIA NENC
   We’ve been hard at work re-building the capture engine from the ground up. The new recording engine is able to take advantage of on-board and off-board graphic cards, as well as newer CPU instruction sets. The result is lower CPU utilization during recording and an even higher-quality recording afterwards. This includes improved performance with Intel QuickSync and NVIDIA NVENC. For the follow-on release, we will be rolling out similar optimizations in the live stream experience.
3. Refreshed User Interface for 3+ Source Views on Confidence Monitor
   The Confidence Monitor now optimizes the video preview window size for the number of sources. In the event that 3+ sources are being recorded, the UI will shrink-and-stack sources so they are all within view. This saves users from having to constantly scroll back-and-forth, and, allows for Content Creators to view all three sources simultaneously.
   
4. Improved International Support for French and Spanish
   To make Software Capture accessible to users of all linguistic backgrounds, we have now updated the UI to be fully internationalized for our French and Spanish speaking users. In future releases, we intend to provide our Software Capture in Portuguese.
5. Estimated Upload Time Available and Upload Session Integrated with Upload Window
   Users now can see their Internet connection speed and the estimated upload time of their recordings within the Upload Status window.
   
6. Improved UI Color Scheme to Support Accessibility Needs
   Standing firm on our promise to make learning accessible to students from a variety of accessible needs, we have improved the color contrast and palette of the Software Capture to support users with visual difficulties. This allows users to navigate, interact, and record with ease.
   
7. Automatic Exclusion of the Recording Toolbar on Updated Windows 10 or Greater
   To support genuine full-screen recordings and to prevent any visual obstacles over significant content, the Recording Toolbar will now be automatically excluded from the resultant recording and live-stream experience.
   
8. Click-and-Drag Recording Toolbar
   In an effort to provide users more control over their preferred recording session layout, we’ve made the Recording Toolbar movable.
   
9. Software Capture now Offers Additional Single-Sign On Ability
   Users will be able to log-into two different accounts simultaneously with the provision of an additional single sign-on.
   
10. Ability to Select from Multiple Internal Audio Options
    This update now allows users to select from an extended list of internal audio options and be able to switch internal audio sources mid-recording.
11. Silent Installation Configuration File Supports the Ability to Specific Peripherals, Screen Configurations, and Settings
    Institutions using auto-deploy products such as Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (now called Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager) can now specify how the remotely deployed Software Capture’s peripherals should be configured. This includes default video and audio sources, default screen recording settings, and whether the annotation toolbar should be on or off by default.
    
12. Optimization Upgrades
    To provide users an enhanced Software Capture experience, we have addressed and resolved minor bugs and issues.

We have successfully pushed an update to all instances residing in the United States. For a summary of the release, please refer to the corresponding tag for the most recent Canadian and EU zones release.

1. Ability to Regenerate Alternative Formats with Latest Accessibility Engine
   Users can now reprocess the Alternative Format(s) of their documents to take advantage of the latest accessibility engine. Users have the option to reprocess either a single, or all Alternative Formats.
   • Reprocessing a Single Alternative Format File
     
   • Reprocessing All Alternative Formats Files
2. Improved Accessibility Engine to Better Detect Language and Color Contrast Issues
   We have improved the underlying engine that is responsible for detecting Language and Color Contrast issues present in documents. This includes doing a better job of Instructors when a portion of a document is written in a language different than the default for the document. We also have tuned the sensitivity of our Contrast checker to ensure that the probability of a false positive is reduced. 
3. Improved Speech-to-Text Engine for Multi-Column Microsoft Word Documents
   The Accessibility Engines have been improved to better detect column formatting when performing speech-to-text operations on Microsoft Word documents. The result is more accurate narration of the file.
   
4. Optimized Integrity and Security 
   Taking the concern of users’ privacy and security seriously, we have made significant improvements to Panorama’s integrity and security.

We have successfully pushed an update to all instances residing in Canada and the European Union. This update includes about 200+ features and smaller improvements including improved Media Chooser recording options, new video editing insertion capabilities, refreshed layouts, faster loading of course and roster data, enhanced metadata searching capabilities, and much more! This will be released to the United States zone next Friday.

1. LMS Media Chooser Integration with Browser Capture Studio
   Users are now able to launch the Browser Capture Studio via the Media Chooser (LMS Extension). Simply by clicking Start, users can easily create presentation recordings, and then select them within the Choose Media tab afterwards. This enables Content Creators to quickly record course content and student assignments.



2. New Video Editor Insertion Options for Inserting Single-Stream Videos into Multi-Stream Videos
   The Video Editor now provides more seamless tools for Content Creators to insert (and override) single-stream videos seamlessly into multi-stream videos. Moreover, we have also expanded the Video Editor’s capabilities to include inserting lengthy videos into shorter videos.



3. Improved EnterpriseTube with New ‘More Videos’ Carousel 
   As part of a multi-release plan to add more powerful capabilities to the EnterpriseTube, this release we start some UI improvements. The EnterpriseTube now has an additional More Videos carousel, which provides additional room to publicly showcase content.



4. Refreshed Courses & Groups UI Layout with Improved Filtering, Faster Data Loading and Responsive Design
   Courses and Groups was completely overhauled from the ground-up to be more capable of handling tens-of-thousands of courses and roster entries. Users will now experience a faster, efficient, and more functional flow that is based on user feedback.



5. Ability to Search for Video PID within Media Library Using Information Encoded in Direct Link or Embed Code
   Users are now able to use the Media Search Bar to search for a video using the information encoded in a Direct Link or an Embed Code. This was a heavily requested feature by our Administrators to identify where a video, known only by Direct Link or Embed Code, resided within the Video Platform. Instructions on how to search a video through Direct Link or Embed Code can be found by clicking the arrow icon located in the Search Bar.



6. Detection of Errors in Manually Edited SRT Caption Files
   This new capability is able to detect and provide more detailed remediation information when users manually upload a SRT caption file that contains formatting issues. This aids Content Creators in easily correcting the errors, and saves all users from future inconveniences.



7. Ability to Search by Metadata Fields Defined in a Custom Metadata Schema
   The Metadata Fields defined within a Metadata Schema are now searchable with a new search operator called “metadata:” For Organizations using a Custom Metadata Schema, users will now be able to generate more accurate search results.
   
   
   • Metadata Field Search in the Media Library
     

   
   

   • Metadata Field Search in the Media Chooser
     
8. New APIs Available for Deeper Device Status Information and Functionality Customization
   As third-party Developers seek to do more with their external tools and integrations, we continue to add new capabilities within our REST APIs.
   
   • Ability to Query Device Status Through Supported REST API
     This API allows Application Developers to create an external page or application that summarizes their Organization’s Device statuses and provides a preview of a Device’s audio and video activity. We understand that some Organizations prefer to operate within a custom-built monitoring system, so now they have the capabilities to build this out fully. Please refer to this guide to learn more.

   
   

   • Ability to Specify Scheduled Recording Storage Location
     This feature allows Application Developers to determine where a scheduled recording will be stored upon completion (as opposed to storing completed recordings in a general Default Collection).
9. Ability to Customize YouTube Ingest Compliance Notification to Meet Local Compliance Laws
   Administrators can now customize the prompt that will appear when users import a video from YouTube. In addition to a custom message, Administrators are able to provide a link to their country’s relevant legal rulings and institution policies for users to refer to. To learn more about this feature, please click here.



10. Improved Visualization of Word Cloud and Confidence Score Highlights when Using the Model A – Auto-Captioning Engine
    We have made significant visual improvements to the Word Cloud feature for the Model A – Auto-Captioning Engine. Additionally, we have made significant improvements to the Confidence Scores shown in the Video Editor for Model A.



11. More Expansive Spanish and Portuguese Translations Now Available
    To better support users from diverse linguistic backgrounds, we are providing more comprehensive Spanish and Portuguese translation support within our Enterprise Video Platform. To learn how to enable your preferred language, please click here. For future releases, we are currently working on expanding our services to provide Finnish and Dutch translations.



12. Refreshed Hub Profile and Workflow
    The Hub Profile creation workflow has been refined to allow users to more efficiently create Hub Profiles. To learn more about this feature, please click here.



13. Ability to Search by Full Name in Roster
    To allow for a faster and more refined search process, Administrators will now be able to search for users using their full names.



14. Notification when User Role Has Been Changed
    To allow for easier tracking of purposeful and inadvertent role changes, Administrators can now receive a notification in the Audit Log when a user’s role has been changed within the Video Platform.



15. Refined UI Flow for Downloading a Transcript from Media Player Sidebar
    The workflow for downloading a Transcript from the Media Player Sidebar has been improved (from a slightly confusing previous UI). Moreover, the Transcript will now be included when students decide to Bulk Download all associated Resources. To learn more about this feature, please click here



16. Ability to Disable Ability to Take Video Quiz via “Bell Icon” in Video Platform
    Administrators can now disable Video Quiz Notifications which, in turn, prevents students from accessing video quizzes from the Bell icon. The most common reason to do so is to ensure that all quiz attempts flow to the LMS Gradebook (via an authenticated LMS LTI Launch event) instead of only the Video Platform’s Gradebook.

We have successfully pushed an update to all instances residing in the United States, Canada and the European Union. This release focuses on providing users a refreshed UI layout that is aesthetically and functionally pleasing.

1.  Refreshed UI Layout + Increased Number of Video Participants                                                                                                                        In addition to providing users a refreshed UI layout, we have increased the number of on-video participants to 20 (with up to 200 total participants as before). This allows for the easier exchange of ideas and enhance overall collaborative experience. For future releases, we intend to increase the number of participants to 25 and incrementally through the course of 2022 attaining 200 on-video participants.
   
2. Ability to Switch Between Sidebar View and Gallery View                                                                                                                             Users can now select a view type that best caters to their needs. Participants can opt to hold their meetings in the Sidebar View (as depicted above), allowing them to easily view all participants through the pagination feature. Or, they can opt for the traditional Gallery View. For future releases, we intend to provide more functional opportunities such as the ability to pin viewers.
   
3. Optimized Performance & Resolved Minor Bugs                                                                                                                                                 To provide our users an enhanced Video Conference experience, we have resolved several minor bugs and issues.

We have successfully pushed an update to all instances residing in the United States, Canada and the European Union. This release focuses on brand new features that will help Administrators easily organize and manage large quantities of data.

1. Himalayas Now Provides the Ability to Track Archive and Restore Jobs via Job Management
   We are excited to announce the new Job Management dashboard that allows Administrators to keep track of existing and upcoming jobs. The dashboard allows Administrators to identify a Job’s beginning and completion date, type, and its current progress.
   

   Moreover, Administrators will be able to refine their search by using the Job Management’s filtering options. In future releases, we intend to provide the ability to undo a restoring and archiving job, view associated files, access advanced filtering capabilities, and much more! To learn more about this feature, please click here. 

   

2. Ability to Undo Active Archive Jobs to Video Platform
   This update will undo an archive job for files being transferred to the Video Platform. To learn more about this feature, click here.

We have successfully pushed an update to all instances residing in the United States, Canada and the European Union. This release prioritizes making Panorama accessible to users of Blackboard 3800 and higher versions. This release also focuses on providing users easier management of content, enhanced security, and a number of optimizations.

1. Panorama Now Supported on Blackboard 3800+ via Browser Extension for Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple’s Safari
   We have now made Panorama available for users of Blackboard 3800 and higher versions through a downloadable browser extension. Users can download the extension on a browser of their choice, including: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple’s Safari. Moreover, while we currently support non-ultra courses, we intend to support Blackboard Ultra courses for future releases. To learn how to download the Panorama browser extension, please click here.
2. Ability to Remove Documents
   To allow for easier management of content, users will now be able to remove documents from Panorama through the LTI application. This will not remove users’ files from their Learning Management System. To learn more about this feature, please click here.
   
3. Optimized Security, Accuracy, and Efficiency
   In addition to resolving minor bugs, we continue to stand firm on our promise of making learning accessible for all students. Thus, we have strengthened the efficiency and accuracy of issue detection for doc(x) files. Moreover, taking the concern of users’ privacy and security seriously, we have made significant improvements to Panorama’s integrity and security.

AWS has resolved their network connectivity issues that caused intermittent and slow access to the Video Platform. As of now, all system functionality has returned to normal operation.

We have successfully pushed an update to all Himalayas instances residing in the United States, Canada and the European Union. This update focuses on providing users an enhanced data management experience by offering new sorting and filtering capabilities, and, automatically uploading and organizing users recordings from a variety of third-party video conferencing software.

Keep in mind that many of the capabilities provided by YuJa’s Himalayas Team are also available to customers that license only the Enterprise Video Platform.

1. Support for Zoom LTI Pro Provides Automatic Uploading of Zoom Meetings in Media Channel (Available to EVP Customers Too)
   When an instructor completes a Zoom meeting in their course using the Zoom LTI Pro connector (available in the Zoom Marketplace), this update will now provide an option to automatically upload their recording and make it visible for students. This removes the responsibility off instructors in having to upload their Zoom media.
   
2. Policy Creator Now Offers the Ability to Add File Size and Video Length as Rules (Available to EVP Customers Too)
   This update provides Administrators the ability to filter content by File Size and Video Length. When selected, users will be able to refine their search by entering a video length and file size value.
   
3. Distinguish Between Blackboard Collaborate Recordings with the Inclusion of a Timestamp (Available to EVP Customers Too)
   To help content owners distinguish between Blackboard Collaborate recordings, Administrators can enable the inclusion of the date and timestamp in video titles. To learn how to enable this feature, please click here.
   
4. Designated Folders for Imported Webex, Blackboard Collaborate, and Microsoft Teams Recordings in Media Library (Available to EVP Customers Too)
   To replicate what was offered for imported Zoom recordings, designated folders will now be created in users Media Library for imported Webex, Blackboard Collaborate, and Microsoft Teams videos.
   
5. Bulk Enrollment for Blackboard Collaborate Videos (Available to EVP Customers Too)
   Administrators will now be able to bulk enroll users to receive imported Blackboard Collaborate videos in their Media Library.
   
6. ‘Delete Optional Transcodes’ Notification in Audit Logs (Available to EVP Customers Too)
   This update will provide Administrators a notification when the ‘Delete Optional Transcodes’ rule has run with a policy. Users will be able to filter results by selecting ‘Recurrent Action Performed’.
   
7. Ability to Sort Files by Date Added and Last Viewed (Available to EVP Customers Too)
   This update allows Administrators to easily sort content by Date Added (oldest to newest) and Last Viewed.
   

We have successfully pushed an update to all instances residing in the United States, Canada and the European Union. This update aims to provide users an enhanced experience through optimization upgrades on their PC and on their Video Conference applications on Android 1.2.0 and iOS 1.1.0

1. Increased Number of Video Presenters
   We has successfully increased the maximum capacity of presenters that can participate in a Video Conference from twelve to sixteen (in addition to about 200 more non-video participants). This update will facilitate greater collaboration and allow for the easier sharing of ideas. We intend to further increase the number of presenters in future releases. 
   
2. Enhanced Microphone and Audio Selection
   Prior to joining a video conference, users can opt to join with their default microphone and speaker or choose from the connected sources available. The Video Conference also supports dynamic source switching during an active video conference, allowing users to make changes to their microphone and speaker source.
   
   
3. Optimized Loading and Downloading
   We performed a webpack integration to reduce bundle sizes in order to allow for users to experience faster loading time and reduced memory storage.
4. Update Reflected in Mobile Applications
   In order to provide mobile users the same enhanced experience, the Video Conference application has been updated, which entailed resolving minor bugs and making general improvements, to support this release.