The HKU Video Streaming Service supports the storage and streaming of MP4 video files (click here for procedure on converting files into MP4). Departments can apply access control in viewing their uploaded videos on the HKU Video Streaming Server. After the videos are uploaded, departments can share the links for viewing their videos by others.
To use this service, please submit CF43 to apply for a Video Streaming Server account. Application can be submitted by a departmental administrator who will manage the videos for his/her department or individual staff members who wish to manage the videos on their own. Each account will have 150GB of storage.
User Guide on Upload of Video Files (video tutorial)
Upload of Video Files
Network Connection
- Connection to the HKU Video Streaming Server has to be made within HKU Campus Network. If access is made outside HKU Campus Network, please connect to HKUVPN.
File Transfer
- Download Core FTP LE 2.2 (from http://www.coreftp.com/download.html).
For older version of Core FTP LE 2.1. see the user guide at https://www.its.hku.hk/documentation/guide/infosys/web/ssh/coreftp. - Install the CoreFTP program on your PC.
- Run the program: Start > CoreFTP (x64) > CoreFTP LE
- Click “Site Manager” button to open connection:
- Input the followings:
Site Name: VSS
Host / IP /URL: vss.hku.hk
Username:
Password:
Connection: SSH/SFTP
Click “Connect” - After successful login, you will see the file directory structure of your video streaming account.
- Upload your MP4 videos to the server. There are 3 locations where you can store your videos:
- “/disk1//vod/” for public videos (no login is required)
- “/disk1//sso/” for protected videos requiring HKU Portal login
- “/disk1//sso//” for protected videos requiring both HKU Portal login and acl white list( stands for the account name assigned to you specifically for using the HKU Video Streaming Server.)
Access Control
A. Publicly accessible videos
- Upload your videos to the “/disk1//vod/” directory.
- The URL to your videos is in the format of https://vss.hku.hk/vod/ Anyone with this URL can access your videos.
B. Videos with Single Sign On (SSO) Protection (SSO videos)
SSO videos are videos that are protected by Single Sign On using HKU Portal UID/PIN. Viewer has to login with his/her HKU Portal UID/PIN to see the video. Anyone with a valid HKU Portal UID/PIN can see the video.
To upload SSO videos,
- Upload your videos to the “/disk1//sso/” directory.
- The URL of your SSO videos is in the format of https://vss.hku.hk/sso//
C. Videos with Single Sign On (SSO) Protection and Access Control List
You can add an access control list on top of Single Sign On (SSO) protection.
- Create a new text file ‘acl.txt’ on your computer. In this file, list the staff numbers or student numbers that are allowed to access your videos (one number on each line). Below shows an example of the acl.txt:
The above access control list will allow staff having staff number ‘11111’ and ‘22222’ as well as students having student number ‘3000123456’ and ‘3000654321’ to access your videos. - Under the directory “/disk1//sso/”, create a new sub-directory to store your videos where the access control list shall apply. There is no restriction on the name of the sub-directory, for example, “acl”.
- Upload the access control list ‘acl.txt’ and your videos to “/disk1//sso//”, e.g. “/disk1//sso/acl/”
- If you have multiple groups of viewers, you can create multiple sub-directories in the sso directory (e.g. sso\acl1\, sso\acl2\, etc.) and create an access control list (“acl.txt”) for each of the sub-directories.
Access control specified in an “acl.txt” file will be enforced on all videos within the same sub-directory of the “acl.txt” file. - The URL of your SSO videos with access control list is in the format ofhttps://vss.hku.hk/sso///
Notes:
Please take note of the following when uploading SSO videos with access control list
- Sub-directory is not created by default. To enable access control list, please create new sub-directories under “/disk1//sso/”
- Create a file named “acl.txt” containing all the staff and student numbers that are allowed to access the videos. The file name must be “acl.txt”.
- If the access control list (“acl.txt”) is missing or is incorrectly named, the videos will become SSO videos and can be accessed by anyone with valid HKU Portal account.
Summary of Links
| Type of videos | Path on server | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Public video | /disk1/<your account name>/vod | https://vss.hku.hk/vod/<your account named>/<video>.mp4 |
| SSO video | /disk1/<your account name>/sso/ | https://vss.hku.hk/sso/<your account name>/<video>.mp4 |
| SSO + ACL video | /disk1/<your account named>/sso/<subdirectory>/ | https://vss.hku.hk/sso/<your account name>/<sub-directory>/<video>.mp4 |
| Path on server | URL Links |
|---|---|
| /disk1/vs00000/sso/Test2.mp4 | https://vss.hku.hk/sso/vs00000/Test2.mp4 |
| /disk1/vs00000/sso/acl/Test2.mp4 | https://vss.hku.hk/sso/vs00000/acl/Test2.mp4 |
| /disk1/vs00000/sso/acl2/Test2.mp4 | https://vss.hku.hk/sso/vs00000/acl2/Test2.mp4 |
| /disk1/vs00000/vod/Test1.mp4 | https://vss.hku.hk/vod/vs00000/Test1.mp4 |