Category: Announcements

Azure Media Services Migration Support

CircleHD Announces Migration Program for Customers Affected by Azure Media Services Retirement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

San Mateo, CA. July 05th 2023

CircleHD Inc., a leading provider of enterprise video content management and learning solutions, is pleased to announce its migration program for customers who have been affected by the retirement of Azure Media Services (AMS). 

Microsoft recently announced that Azure Media Services will be retired and will no longer be available after June 30, 2024. This retirement news has prompted organizations across various industries to seek alternative solutions for their video content management and distribution needs. Understanding the urgency and importance of this transition, CircleHD has come forward with a comprehensive migration program to ensure a seamless transition from AMS to CircleHD.

Azure Media Services Retirement

CircleHD offers a robust and scalable video content management platform designed specifically for enterprises. With CircleHD, organizations can securely store, manage, and distribute their video content with ease. The platform offers a wide range of features including video streaming, on-demand content, interactive quizzes, comprehensive analytics, and integration with popular collaboration tools.

As part of the migration program, CircleHD will provide dedicated support to customers affected by the retirement of Azure Media Services. The program includes a thorough assessment of existing video content and requirements, a seamless migration process, training and onboarding sessions, and ongoing support to help customers make a smooth transition to the CircleHD platform.

“We understand the challenges and concerns that organizations face when transitioning from one platform to another. Our migration program has been specially designed to alleviate these concerns and ensure a seamless transition,” said Santosh Sahoo, Co-founder at CircleHD. 

“With CircleHD, customers can not only continue managing their video content effectively but also enhance their video distribution capabilities and improve employee training and collaboration.”

To learn more about CircleHD’s migration program for customers affected by the retirement of Azure Media Services, please visit https://www.circlehd.com/enterprise-video-management

About CircleHD

CircleHD is a leading provider of enterprise video content management and distribution solutions. The platform enables organizations to securely store, manage, and distribute video content for training, collaboration, and corporate communications. With CircleHD, companies can efficiently create, share, and track video content to improve employee engagement and knowledge retention.

Secure Live Streaming and Enterprise Webinars for Employee and Internal Use

In today’s fast-paced, digital world, staying connected and informed is essential for the success of any organization. Enterprise live streaming and webinars offer a powerful, interactive way for businesses to engage with their employees, streamline communication, and enhance collaboration. 

By leveraging Live streaming and Enterprise Webinar for internal use, companies can harness the benefits of modern technology to foster a more connected and productive workforce. In this article, we will explore the use cases and benefits.

Use Cases:

Training and Onboarding

One of the most common use cases for enterprise live streaming and webinars is for training and onboarding new employees. These platforms offer a convenient, cost-effective, and efficient way to deliver training content to employees, regardless of their physical location. Live streaming enables trainers to conduct real-time sessions, while webinars provide an opportunity for employees to revisit the content at a later date, ensuring everyone has access to the same information.

Company Announcements and Updates

Keeping employees up to date on company news and developments is crucial for maintaining a strong corporate culture. Live streaming and webinars offer a platform for executives and managers to deliver important announcements, share updates, and discuss changes in the company’s strategy, all while engaging with employees through Q&A sessions and interactive polls.

Virtual Town Hall Meetings

Town hall meetings are a valuable way for employees to voice their concerns, ask questions, and discuss ideas with company leadership. By hosting virtual town hall meetings through live streaming and webinars, companies can ensure that all employees have an opportunity to participate and engage with the leadership team, regardless of their location.

Collaboration and Team Building

Live streaming and webinars can also be used to promote collaboration and team building among remote or distributed teams. By hosting virtual workshops, brainstorming sessions, or project updates, employees can work together and build rapport, even when they’re not physically in the same location.

Benefits:

Cost Savings

One of the most significant benefits of using live streaming and webinars for internal communication is the cost savings. With no need to cover travel, accommodation, or venue expenses, companies can allocate resources to other areas of their business.

Increased Employee Engagement

Live streaming and webinars promote a culture of open communication, giving employees the opportunity to actively engage with company leadership and their peers. This increased engagement can lead to higher job satisfaction, improved morale, and better overall retention rates.

Time Efficiency

By delivering content through live streaming and webinars, companies can ensure that employees receive the necessary information in a timely manner. This can help streamline workflows and reduce time spent on redundant meetings and presentations.

Scalability and Flexibility

Enterprise live streaming and webinars offer a scalable and flexible solution for organizations of all sizes. As a company grows, it can easily expand its streaming capabilities to accommodate more viewers and cover additional topics, ensuring that all employees remain informed and engaged.

Security

In an era where data breaches and cybersecurity threats are on the rise, ensuring secure enterprise live streaming is crucial for protecting sensitive company information and maintaining the privacy of employee communications. In this article, we will explore the best practices and key considerations for implementing a secure live streaming solution, exclusively for employees within your organization.

Also keep in mind that security comes in layers. Implement one or more of the following techniques discussed below to secure your internal broadcast from prying eyes.  

Choose a Secure Live Streaming Platform

When selecting an enterprise live streaming platform, prioritize security features and ensure that the provider has a solid reputation for protecting user data. Look for platforms that offer end-to-end encryption, password protection, and single sign-on (SSO) integration with your company’s existing identity management system.

Use a VPN or Private Network

To ensure the privacy of your live streaming sessions, use a virtual private network (VPN) or a private network to encrypt your internet connection. This will help prevent unauthorized access and protect sensitive data transmitted during the live stream.

Implement Access Control

Restrict access to your live streaming events by implementing access control measures. This can include using unique access codes, requiring user authentication, or integrating with your organization’s SSO system. Access control measures help ensure that only authorized employees can view the live stream.

Utilize Password Protection

Password-protecting your live streaming events adds an additional layer of security. Require employees to enter a secure, unique password before gaining access to the live stream. Update passwords regularly to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.

Monitor and Moderate the Live Stream

Assign moderators to monitor the live stream, ensuring that only appropriate content is shared and that employees adhere to your organization’s guidelines for conduct. Moderators can also help manage interactive features, such as Q&A sessions and chat rooms, to prevent the sharing of sensitive information.

Implement Secure Storage for Recorded Sessions

If you plan to record live streaming sessions for later viewing, ensure that the recorded content is securely stored. Use encrypted storage solutions and restrict access to the recordings using the same access control measures implemented for live events.

Train Employees on Security Best Practices

Educate your employees about the importance of maintaining security during live streaming events. Provide them with guidelines on secure login practices, password management, and how to report suspicious activity or potential security threats.

Regularly Review and Update Security Measures

Continuously evaluate your live streaming security measures and update them as needed to stay ahead of emerging threats. Conduct regular security audits and stay informed about the latest developments in cybersecurity to ensure your organization is protected.

As organizations continue to adapt to the evolving landscape of remote and distributed work, enterprise live streaming and webinars offer a reliable solution for maintaining strong internal communication and fostering employee engagement. By leveraging these tools, companies can enhance collaboration, increase efficiency, and ultimately drive success in today’s competitive business environment.

Secure enterprise live streaming is essential for maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of employee communications. By implementing strong security measures and best practices, organizations can reap the benefits of live streaming while safeguarding sensitive data and protecting employee privacy. With the right combination of technology and security protocols, companies can confidently leverage live streaming as a powerful tool for communication and collaboration within their workforce.

If you’d like to learn more about how CircleHD’s Enterprise Video Management and Learning platform can help you engage with your employees better,  we’d love to chat. 

Sales Enablement using Video

Sales enablement is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after capabilities for businesses looking to increase their revenue and sales productivity. Sales enablement is a comprehensive approach to helping sales teams succeed. It involves providing sales reps with the tools, resources, and training they need to effectively engage prospects and customers, close deals, and increase sales.

Sales enablement is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Different companies have different needs and objectives when it comes to sales. Companies must develop an effective sales enablement strategy that aligns with their overall business objectives and sales goals.

Sales enablement begins with a well-defined strategy that outlines the company’s sales goals and objectives. This strategy should be supported by an effective sales process that outlines the activities, resources, and tools needed to achieve those goals.

Once the strategy and process are in place, sales enablement teams can begin to develop the resources and tools needed to support the sales process. This includes content such as sales presentations, case studies, white papers, and more. It also includes training materials and tools to help sales reps stay up to date on the latest industry trends and best practices.

Sales enablement also includes a variety of technologies and solutions that can help sales teams maximize their productivity and effectiveness. Solutions such as customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, sales automation tools, and analytics solutions can all help sales teams streamline their processes, increase their efficiency, and drive more sales.

Finally, sales enablement should also include a focus on sales coaching and development. Sales reps need to be trained not only on the tools and resources available to them, but also on how to effectively use those tools and resources to engage prospects and close deals. Sales reps should also be coached on how to best manage their time and prioritize their activities.

What are some of the benefits of sales training for sales enablement managers?

1. Improved sales performance: Sales training helps sales enablement managers to understand how to effectively drive sales performance. By understanding the latest sales techniques, best practices and strategies, sales enablement managers can help their sales teams to close more deals and increase sales.

2. Improved customer satisfaction: Sales training helps sales enablement managers to understand how to build relationships with customers and develop trust. By understanding customer needs and providing solutions that meet their needs, sales enablement managers can help their sales teams to provide better customer service and build long-term customer relationships.

3. Increased sales team morale: Sales training provides sales enablement managers with the skills to motivate, inspire and support their sales teams. By providing ongoing training, sales enablement managers can help their sales teams to stay motivated and engaged in their work and increase their morale.

4. Increased sales team productivity: Sales training helps sales enablement managers to understand how to maximize the productivity of their sales teams. By understanding the latest technologies and processes, sales enablement managers can help their sales teams to quickly and accurately process orders and close deals more efficiently.

If you’d like to learn more about how CircleHD can help support your training and team enablement efforts, we’d love to speak with you. Get in touch here.


6 Tips to Transform Performance & Boost ROI with Video

Video has become an essential part of digital marketing and is becoming increasingly popular with businesses of all sizes. It’s a powerful tool for improving performance and boosting ROI, but it can be difficult to get the most out of your video campaigns. Here are six tips to help you transform your performance and boost ROI with video marketing.

1. Focus on Quality. Quality is one of the most important factors when it comes to video production. Investing in quality equipment and production will ensure that your videos look professional and are engaging for viewers. Investing in quality video production will also help you to stand out from the competition.

2. Make Use of Analytics. Analytics are essential for measuring the success of your video campaigns. You can use analytics to track the performance of your videos and make sure that you are getting the most out of your campaigns.

3. Optimize for Search Engines. SEO is an important part of video marketing. Make sure that you are optimizing your videos for search engines, so that they can be easily found by potential customers.

4. Utilize Social Media. Social media is a great way to spread the word about your videos and increase engagement. Use social media to promote your videos, and encourage viewers to share them with their friends and followers.

5. Incorporate Video into Your Website. Video should be an integral part of your website. Embed videos into your website to engage visitors and increase conversions.

6. Invest in Professional Services. Investing in professional video production services will ensure that you are getting the most out of your video campaigns. Professional video production services can help you create high-quality videos that will engage viewers and improve your ROI.

These are just a few tips for transforming your performance and boosting ROI with video marketing. By following these tips, you can ensure that your video campaigns are successful and that you are getting the most out of your investment.

If you’d like to learn more about how CircleHD can help support your training and team enablement efforts, we’d love to speak with you. Get in touch here.


Microsoft Stream Alternatives to Consider in 2023

Is your team stuck using Microsoft Stream for your internal content distribution?

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft has force-fed its video platform Stream to IT departments and leaders in the Office365 eco-system for years. But with a lack of features, support and news that Microsoft is sunsetting its platform’s “Classic” version, it might be time to switch.

Luckily, there are plenty of options for enterprise and mid-market businesses looking for an easy-to-use and secure video hosting platform.

Doomed from the Start: Microsoft Stream Lacked Product Strategy

Microsoft Stream is one of the most popular enterprise video platform services out there. With millions of users already using apps like Outlook, Teams, and Sharepoint, it would seem a no-brainer for companies to make Stream their go-to service for content hosting.

Unfortunately, Microsoft Stream lacks the advanced features found in many of its competitors—things like custom reporting and robust security protocols—which has left many users feeling disheartened.

The platform’s lack of product strategy hasn’t done it any favors either: updates have been few and far between, while questions posed to the Microsoft Stream support team have gone unanswered.

When you look at the timeline of the product, you can see it’s never been a priority for Microsoft:

2015 – Microsoft Office 365 video
2017 – Microsoft Stream
2019 – Microsoft Steam Classic and Microsoft Stream 365
2021 – Microsoft Stream (on SharePoint)
2023 – (just kidding) Stream Enterprise on SharePoint that runs on Azure

The product lacked direction, commitment, and investment. Therefore it has suffered a loss of functionality over time – limiting users to a basic feature set while competitors have leapfrogged the product.

Use Cases for a Microsoft Stream Alternative

Back in 2020, when the pandemic first hit, the need for remote collaboration skyrocketed. Zoom meetings became the norm, and remote work was no longer an inconvenience but a necessity.

With that came a dire need to easily share and disseminate information with colleagues, customers, and partners. Enter enterprise video solutions for internal communications, training, and more.

The main use case for enterprise video for employees is typically for internal communication and collaboration. Enterprise video platforms are often used to share information and updates from leadership, deliver training and onboarding content, and facilitate team meetings and presentations.

Microsoft Stream seemed like the perfect tool to alleviate newfound information-sharing struggles. It had some exciting features, such as automatic closed captioning, aka ML-based transcription, that was powered by Azure. You could live stream events, upload and share videos, and integrate with other Microsoft tools like Office 365 and SharePoint.

However, in practice, Stream was clunky and difficult to use, and users could never find the content they needed.

Video content should capture knowledge and expertise from subject matter experts and be easily accessible to a broader audience. This can be particularly useful for organizations with a decentralized workforce or remote employees.

Your internal videos should also create a sense of connection and community among employees, especially when remote work is more prevalent. This can include things like virtual town hall meetings or employee-generated content.

Another great use for video in enterprise settings is for e-learning and training of employees or performance evaluations; video can be used to create engaging and interactive learning experiences, improving retention and understanding of the material.

With the right tools, Corporate Communications Managers, HR Departments, and Sales Leaders can easily distribute consistent messaging with just a few clicks… but Microsoft Stream creates gaps in the workflow regarding user engagement, content searchability, and more.

What is an Enterprise Video Solution?

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, enterprise video solutions are web-based platforms for hosting and distributing corporate videos. They often include features like analytics, security protocols (e.g., encryption), and configurable user permissions to control who can view or share content.

These tools enable companies to quickly and easily disseminate information, such as product launches, company updates, training materials, etc.

The best enterprise video solutions come with features like live streaming, powerful security settings, customizable branding options, and integrations with other popular business applications like Salesforce, Slack, or Zoom.

Why Microsoft Stream Doesn’t Work as an Enterprise Video Platform

Microsoft Stream is a well-marketed enterprise video platform that is included in Microsoft 365 and offers a range of features for managing, sharing, and tracking videos within an organization.

However, like any software, it has some limitations and potential downsides.

Some of the demerits of Microsoft Stream include the following:

Limited Customization: Some users have reported that the platform’s customization options are limited, making it difficult to fully brand and tailor the platform to their organization’s specific needs.

Limited Integration: Microsoft Stream is integrated with other Microsoft products, like Office 365 and SharePoint, but it may not integrate as seamlessly with non-Microsoft tools and systems.

Limited Analytics: While Microsoft Stream offers analytics on how videos are used and viewed, the data is not as robust as other enterprise video platforms, making it difficult to understand viewer engagement and fully make data-driven decisions.

Limited scalability: for large enterprises with a huge number of employees, videos, and content, it may be difficult for the platform to scale to meet the organization’s needs.

Limited support: some users have reported that the support options for Microsoft Stream are limited and that getting help with the platform can be difficult.

However, other enterprise video platforms, such as CircleHD, Kaltura, Brightcove, and Vimeo Enterprise, offer similar features and benefits and might better fit certain organizations.

If you are evaluating different platforms, we have put together a checklist and RFP template you can use to see which one fits your needs.

How to Choose the Right Enterprise Video Solution for Your Company

When choosing an enterprise video platform, there are several factors to consider. Some important considerations include the platform’s scalability and security and its ability to integrate with other tools and systems within the organization.

Additionally, it’s essential to consider the cost and support options available for the platform. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a platform that doesn’t have the features you need or adequate support when an issue arises.

Finally, it’s important to evaluate how easy the platform is to use and customize. The video platform should be easy for employees to adopt quickly so they can use it effectively immediately.

4 Reasons to Choose CircleHD as a Microsoft Stream Replacement

CircleHD is a full-featured enterprise video platform; it’s important to evaluate all options and choose a solution that best fits the specific needs and goals of your organization.

Scalability, security, integration, and cost should all be considered when deciding.

1. CircleHD offers better video quality.

Microsoft Stream’s streaming quality is often subpar, resulting in choppy, pixelated videos. CircleHD, on the other hand, offers smooth, high-quality streaming that users can rely on.

2. CircleHD is more user-friendly.

Microsoft Stream can be difficult to navigate, with a clunky interface and inconsistent user experience. But CircleHD is intuitive and easy to use, making it much more enjoyable for users.

Plus, with full integration with single sign-on solutions, such as Azure Active Directory, Okta, or OneLogin. It’s easy for your users (no matter their level of technical skill) to log in, access content, and learn quickly.

3. CircleHD offers a better learning experience.

Microsoft Stream doesn’t do a great job tracking and reporting user engagement with videos. CircleHD, however, has powerful analytics tools that help you understand how users engage with content and make data-driven decisions. And with a simple interface, leaders can easily create courses tailored to job functions and roles.

4. CircleHD is more affordable.

Microsoft Stream can be expensive, with its monthly subscription plans ranging from $5 to $15 per user. CircleHD, on the other hand, is much more affordable for scaling and growing enterprises.

Getting Started with a New Enterprise Video Solution

Changing your video platform is no small task – it can seem daunting, especially if you have a large library of existing videos. That’s why choosing the right vendor and platform for your organization is important.

Once you’ve chosen an enterprise video solution, create a plan for migrating your content and ensure that everyone is properly trained on how to use the new platform.

Finally, take advantage of all the features available within your new platform. Enterprise video solutions like CircleHD offer exciting ways to share data with your team — you just have to make the switch.

If you’d like to learn more about how CircleHD can help support your training and team enablement efforts, we’d love to speak with you. Get in touch here.

OSHA guidelines for protecting returning employees from COVID-19

Many employers have asked employees to return to work. As the COVID-19 pandemic still continues to evolve, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a new mandate for employers. The COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requires employers to take steps to protect and minimize the impact to workers from exposure to the virus. This is a general summary of guidelines that should not be considered as medical advice.

The ETS includes provisions for engineering and administrative controls, personal protective equipment, and medical surveillance. Employers must also develop and implement a written COVID-19 exposure control plan.

The ETS is effective immediately and will remain in effect until the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA will continue to monitor the situation and update the ETS as necessary.

The guidelines for employers to develop and implement an effective COVID-19 exposure control plan are as follows:

1. Assess the workplace and identify potential sources of exposure to COVID-19.

2. Identify and implement engineering and administrative controls to minimize exposure.

3. Implement personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines.

4. Establish and maintain a respiratory protection program.

5. Implement work practice and hygiene controls.

6. Educate and train employees on the exposure control plan.

7. Monitor compliance with the exposure control plan.

8. Evaluate the effectiveness of the exposure control plan and make modifications as needed.

Here are some most frequently asked questions

1.Is COVID-19 vaccine mandatory by OSHA. Since when and how to enforce it?

There is no federal mandate from OSHA (as of January 2023) requiring employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19.  However, some states and localities have adopted their own mandates. Employers may require employees to be vaccinated as a condition of employment.

Note: The influenza vaccine has been mandatory by OSHA since 1980. The vaccine must be administered annually.

2. What is OSHA doing to protect workers from exposure to COVID-19?

There is currently no specific OSHA standard for protecting workers from exposure to COVID-19. However, OSHA’s existing personal protective equipment (PPE) standards require employers to provide workers with PPE to protect them from workplace hazards, such as respiratory infections. In addition, OSHA has published guidance on protecting workers from exposure to COVID-19, which recommends that employers take steps to protect workers from exposure, such as implementing engineering and administrative controls, providing PPE, and establishing and maintaining a respiratory protection program.

3. What are the guidelines for employers to protect their workers from COVID-19?

There are many guidelines employers can follow to protect their workers from COVID-19. Some of these guidelines include:

-Encouraging workers to stay home if they are sick

-Encouraging workers to wash their hands often

-Encouraging workers to avoid touching their face

-Encouraging workers to cough or sneeze into their elbow

-Encouraging workers to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces

-Providing workers with personal protective equipment (PPE)

-Encouraging workers to practice social distancing

4. What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

This is a developing topic due to the mutating nature of the virus and new variants continue to evolve. Best to redirect employees to official recommendations from CDC here

5. What should workers do if they think they have been exposed to COVID-19?

Best to redirect employees to call the medical provider for any symptoms that are severe or concerning.

6. What should employers do if they have workers who have been exposed to COVID-19?

If employers have workers who have been exposed to COVID-19, they should have them self-isolate and get tested for the virus. Follow CDC guidelines and seek attention from the medical provider.

7. What are the guidelines for employers to clean and disinfect their workplaces? What are the guidelines for workers to protect themselves from COVID-19?

The CDC has released a series of guidelines for employers to clean and disinfect their workplaces. The guidelines include:

1. Identifying and cleaning high-touch surfaces regularly.

2. Encouraging employees to clean their workstations and equipment.

3. Providing employees with the proper cleaning supplies.

4. Implementing proper ventilation in the workplace.

5. Monitoring employee health and providing prompt medical attention if needed.

8. What are the guidelines for workers to protect themselves from COVID-19?

9. What are the guidelines for employers to provide personal protective equipment to their workers?

OSHA requires employers to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to their workers if the workers are exposed to hazards that could cause injury or death. PPE includes items such as gloves, safety glasses, and earplugs

10. What are the guidelines for employers to conduct health and safety training for their workers?

OSHA has established guidelines for employers to conduct health and safety training for their workers. The guidelines include the following topics:

• Health and safety hazards in the workplace

• Safe work practices

• Personal protective equipment

• Emergency procedures

The guidelines for employers to develop and implement an effective COVID-19 exposure control plan

The first step is to create or update your exposure control plan. This should include a list of all job tasks and corresponding exposure risks. Once you have identified the tasks and risks, you need to determine how to eliminate or minimize the exposure. This may include implementing engineering controls, work practice controls, and personal protective equipment. Once you have determined the controls, you need to train your employees on how to properly use them.

Educate and train employees on how to properly use personal protective equipment

Educate and train employees on how to safely work with and around bloodborne pathogens and how to clean up.

Educate and train employees on how to safely dispose of contaminated materials

Educate and train employees on how to safely handle and dispose of needles and sharps

Educate and train employees on the importance of getting vaccinated against hepatitis B

Educate and train employees on the importance of reporting any exposure to bloodborne pathogens

Educate and train employees on the importance of following the exposure control plan.

There is no proven method to effectively train employees about COVID-19 prevention. The commonly used measures include using clear and concise communication, providing employees with opportunities to ask questions and receive feedback, and using a variety of training methods (such as online resources, in-person training, and hands-on demonstrations) to cater to different learning styles.

We wish you and your employees a very happy new year and look forward to having a successful return to work. If are looking for a platform to train employees, please checkout CircleHD.com

If you’d like to learn more about how CircleHD can help support your training and team enablement efforts, we’d love to speak with you. Get in touch here.


Welcome to CircleHD’s New UI Design

At CircleHD, we continue to invest in the innovation of workplace video and podcasting. We are always thriving to enable the media industry with the best use cases and workflows to power everything in an enterprise. Since the day we launched in 2016, we have gone a long way in understanding how enterprises can use media to their fullest in areas of learning and engagement, and empower their employees by having all information available to them quickly and easily.

Our UX design has gone through series of usability analysis to understand user’s unique preferences and patterns. And Our steady vision of simplifying user experience for smart learning and engagement has helped many customers succeed in all scenarios, may it be pandemic, work from home, remote or distributed global teams.  

This journey of continuous improvement wouldn’t have been possible without support from our large successful customer base. We thank all our Customers for putting their trust in our platform and allow us to contribute in meeting their goals of smart learning and engagement.

What’s new?

  1. New Responsive UI Design
    CircleHD believes that if an application design is simple, you don’t need to train anyone on how to use it. Simplicity is hard to achieve, and we have put a lot of efforts automating many scenarios in our platform, so each user can focus on their main requirement of creating, sharing, consuming and analyzing. The new UI breaks down the inactive and active components in a way that user can get to his content quickly with some personalized experience. User can also personalize between dark mode and light mode view, as per his preference.

  2. Powerful Performance for any bandwidth and device
    CircleHDs application has been highly performant from day one, we still feel we can do more. This constant push has allowed us to keep improving the application performance on all types of devices and bandwidths and given users the best possible experience in terms of speed, availability and reduced latency.

  3. Enterprise Podcasting Taken to the next level
    CircleHD is proud to be the first company that has successfully launched a podcasting solution that works with video and audio both at the same time. This is a big innovation step for CircleHD by using the full potential of active and passive employee engagement and leading the space of smart effective learning and engagement. Executives and Enterprises can share their messages and announcements with employees and also get statistics on its engagement.

  4. “Wizy” – AI based Smart Learning Platform
    In this release, CircleHD announces it latest Smart Learning Platform “Wizy” which will serve as the easiest platform to use for internal employee learning and external Partner or Customer Training. Not only is the platform simple to use for end users, but it’s equally simple and quick to create a new course or record a training video and make it available to all required teams or employees in no time, on any device. Wizy has been developed after years of pilots done with large enterprises and usability studies across various demographics and regions. This is the answer to all enterprises having distributed teams and want to increase their effectiveness in employee development and training, thus increasing their overall reach and ROI.

We Can’t Breathe

We at CircleHD are shocked and saddened by the events which have taken place, not only in our community, but across the country. When one of us hurts, we all hurt and we stand in solidarity against racism and injustice wherever they are.

“We are deeply saddened by the horrific incident and death of  George Floyd,” said CircleHD, Santosh Sahoo. “Our team stands by the family of Mr. Floyd, and everyone protesting for equality and justice.”

If you’d like to donate time or resources to support our brothers and sisters, please consider the following organizations:

National

LGBTQ Fund: Bail fund providing relief to jailed LGBTQ people in 15 states and counting.

Campaign Zero: Organization that utilizes research-based policy solutions to end police brutality in the U.S.

Unicorn Riot: Nonprofit media collective dedicated to exposing the root causes of social, economic, and environmental issues.

Minnesota

George Floyd Memorial Fund: The official GoFundMe to support the Floyd family.

Minnesota Freedom Fund: Community-based fund set up to pay criminal bail and immigration bonds for individuals who have been arrested while protesting police brutality.

Black Visions Collective: Minnesota-based black, trans, and queer-led organization committed to dismantling systems of oppression and violence.

Reclaim the Block: Coalition that advocates for and invests in community-led safety initiatives in Minneapolis neighborhoods.

California

Peoples City Council Freedom Fund: Los Angeles-based fund helping to pay for legal support, bail, fines, and court fees for arrested protesters in the city, as well as medical bills and transportation for injured protesters, supplies for field medics, and direct support to L.A.’s Black Lives Matter chapter.

Silicon Valley Democratic Socialists of America Bail Fund: The Oakland/San Jose chapter of DSA is currently allocating donations to a temporary bail fund, as well as a COVID-19 aid fund.

Colorado

Colorado Freedom Fund: Providing bail relief to protesters and other individuals across the state of Colorado. CFF has also been providing protest updates on its webpage.

Georgia

Atlanta Solidarity Fund: Action Network fund set up to support the George Floyd protesters with both bail and necessary legal relief.

Illinois

Chicago Community Bond Fund: Organization committed to posting bail for individuals in Cook County, Illinois, who are unable to post bail themselves.

Kentucky

Louisville Community Bail Fund: Bail, legal, and support fund for activists in Louisville.

Maryland

Baltimore Action Legal Team: Bail fund and legal relief for the city of Baltimore, with a focus on black activists.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Bail Fund: Working to post bails up to $2,000 in Essex and Suffolk Counties in Massachusetts.

Michigan

Detroit Bail Fund: Bail fund launched by a local activist to provide relief to the city’s protesters.

New York

Brooklyn Bail Fund: Community bail fund for Brooklyn’s incarcerated individuals. The nonprofit recently pivoted its focus to bail reform, but organizers have committed to helping those arrested in this week’s protests and are providing support to other bail funds across the country.

May 2020 Buffalo Bail Fund: Fundraiser set up to provide bail for those protesting in Buffalo, New York.

Ohio

Columbus Freedom Fund: Bail fund committed to helping those arrested for protesting in Columbus.

Oregon

PDX Protest Bail Fund: GoFundMe established by the General Defense Committee Local 1 to bail protesters out in Portland.

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Bail Fund: Bail fund providing relief to protesters in the city of Philadelphia, with the long-term goal of bringing an end to cash bail.

Bukit Bail Fund of Pittsburgh: Organization founded after the preventable death of Frank “Bukit” Smart Jr., in Allegheny County Jail, working to bail out individuals currently incarcerated in ACJ.

Tennessee

Nashville Bail Fund: Nonprofit committed to freeing low-income individuals from jail in the city of Nashville.

Texas

Restoring Justice Community Bail Fund: A partnership between Restoring Justice, the Bail Project and Pure Justice to provide bail relief in Houston, initially set up as a response to COVID-19.

Luke 4:18 Bail Fund: Bail fund overseen by Faith in Texas committed to posting bail for individuals in Dallas.

400+1 Bail Fund: Bail fund originally created to assist a black man arrested in Austin who feared he could catch COVID-19 in jail. The fund is now being directed toward protesters in the city.

Virginia

Richmond Community Bail Fund: Community group dedicated to freeing jailed individuals in Richmond who can’t make bail.

Washington

Northwest Community Bail Fund: Providing cash bail to arrested individuals in the Seattle metropolitan area.

Wisconsin

Milwaukee Freedom Fund: Bail fund for black and brown organizers in Milwaukee. Donations are currently on pause so as to administer the funds they’ve already received, but the webpage includes a list of similar local organizations to donate to instead.

Outside the U.S.

Toronto Protestor Bail Fund: Toronto activists are holding their own Black Lives Matter protests over the death of Regis Korchinski and have set up this bail fund for those arrested.

CircleHD Makes Platform Free for K-12 Educators Affected By Coronavirus

Platform easily integrates with already in-use technology like Zoom for a more seamless learning experience

March 16, 2020 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – CircleHD, a Bay-area based company known for its highly-secure, learning experience platform (LXP), has just announced that it will make its solution free to any K-12 teacher or educational institution that has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe.

“The spread of coronavirus has caused my son’s school to close until mid-April and they don’t have any e-learning resources available,” says CircleHD’s Chief Executive Officer, Santosh Sahoo. “We wanted to make CircleHD available to any other individuals or institutions also experiencing a shut down so they can continue doing the incredible educational work they do every single day with minimal interruption.”

CircleHD’s LXP enables users to use a combination of video, audio, and slide deck content to easily create class modules that can be accessed on desktop or mobile, 24/7, from anywhere–even where there is no wifi connection. The platform integrates with Zoom, which many educators have turned to during the outbreak, and features powerful analytics tools that track key metrics like which content is being accessed, when it’s being accessed, and overall student progress. Teachers are also able to create and assign quizzes in order to gain a better understanding of how well knowledge is being absorbed and retained. 

In addition to the aforementioned, CircleHD’s Learning Experience Platform also contains a catalog of tech-forward features that can help instructors get more from their educational content including:

  • Ability to target and restrict learning modules to specific people
  • Automatic transcription which enables content to be transcribed and close-captioned at the point of creation
  • AI-powered search to identify where specific terms and phrases occur in your content library
  • iOS and Android mobile apps allow users to access content on-demand

Sahoo finishes, “With schools from coast to coast shut down to prevent the spread of coronavirus, we hope CircleHD will be a useful tool to mitigate downtime and help educators continue to effectively conduct classes in these uncertain times.”

The company has asked any teachers or institutions wishing to use their platform to reach out directly to sales@circlehd.com

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ABOUT CIRCLEHD

CircleHD is an Enterprise Learning Experience Platform founded by Santosh Sahoo and Vinay Ubale in Bellevue, Washington. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, CircleHD brings enterprise-grade security, privacy, and compliance to company videos, presentations, and podcasts. 

4k Video Support is Here

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding 4k video, also known as aka 2060p, ever since ultra-high-definition televisions burst onto the market. Over the years this technology has become more sophisticated with more mobile phones and tablets now offering support for 4k content than ever before.

Today, we’re excited to announce the roll-out of support for 4k video at CircleHD: Employees will now be able to natively upload crisp, clear screencasts and stream videos made with premium high-resolution cameras.

4k videos are larger, have 3840 x 2160 or 4096 x 2160 resolution, contain 8 million pixels and can be cumbersome on your resources. In fact, typical file size can range from 1Gb ~ 50Gb. That’s why we have accounted for all these variables and bumped up our single file upload limit to 10GB.

When it comes to bandwidth, we recommend at least 25Mbps. However, if your working with limited bandwidth and/or low powered GPU-like mobile devices, CircleHD will automatically transcode with a lower bit rate, creating a frictionless user experience.

We are proud to be the first enterprise video platform to allow the uploading and sharing of 4k content. How can you benefit from 4k? Here are just a few of the ways:

  • Your training videos will look visually richer
  • All-hands meetings can become more lifelike
  • Conduct screencasts without losing pixels
  • Easily read on-screen code during developer training sessions

With CircleHD, enterprised are able to mix videos, slide decks and podcast content together to create cohesive playlists used for training and knowledge sharing. With 4k, you’ll be able to deliver the best-looking content possible, every single time.

Do you want to learn more? We’d love to connect with you and show you how your organization can benefit from 4k video. Get in touch with us.