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How do I add videos to a topic?

When you are creating topics, you can upload videos for learners to view as part of their training.

Lou Monsour avatar
Written by Lou Monsour
Updated over 3 months ago

Videos can be added directly to your topics using the Video element.

Note: To add videos from external websites such as VIMEO or YouTube, use the Embed element.

Expand the sections below to learn more.

Steps to add a video to a course


Add the element to your topic by selecting the 'Video' option in the Content box, then follow these steps:

  1. Click to locate and select the video you want to upload from your computer.

  2. Optionally tick the setting 'Explorers must watch the entire video before progressing.', if you want to ensure learners can't continue to the next section until they have viewed the video in its entirety.

  3. Ensure your video has finished uploading, then click Save.

Video demonstration


In the video below, we show you how you can upload videos to your topic. Please note, certain aspects of the UI may have changed since the video was recorded.
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FAQs


Below is a list of commonly asked questions. Expand each for details.
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Where are videos hosted in Tribal Habits?


Videos uploaded to Tribal Habits are stored and managed by a trusted third-party video specialist platform (Wistia). This means you do not need to have a VIMEO or YouTube account but can store your videos directly in Tribal Habits.

Wistia stores and distributes its videos in a dedicated video server environment, using Tier 1 Global CDNs.

We have enabled IP whitelisting for videos, so videos you upload can only be played back from within your Tribal Habits portals (attempting to view the URL of an uploaded video without being simultaneously logged into your Tribal Habits portal will not work).
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What format can my videos be in?


Videos can be uploaded in most popular formats (see the following FAQ for technical specifications). Once uploaded, they will be processed so they can be displayed in any browser and in multiple resolutions.

After uploading your video, you can optionally upload a thumbnail (from your computer or our stock image library). If you do not upload a thumbnail, the 'middle' frame of your video will be used as a thumbnail. Our image editor includes a 'Video Thumbnail' crop ratio (for traditional widescreen 16:9 videos).

Processing normally takes just a few minutes during which a temporary 'Processing' message will be displayed on the screen. We strongly recommend you optimise your saved video into a smaller file size to improve the uploading and encoding process. Try to keep your videos in the 50MB-100MB range (and ideally smaller than 300MB). The maximum video file size for a single video is 8 GB.


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What are the exact technical specifications of videos hosted in Tribal Habits?


Our system accepts many common file formats, but for the most consistent performance, we recommend exporting video files in MP4 format (suggested) with the H.264 codec (required).

We currently require the H.264 codec on all video uploads, which is a common standard for web video. Uploading a media with an unsupported codec will often result in a media that fails to process, or a media that won’t play at all in certain browsers.

For non-MP4 video uploads, we will re-encode the video to MP4 after you upload.

For videos, we recommend going no higher than 10,000 Kbps for your exported bit rate, and most uploaded videos can be kept in the 5,000–8,000 Kbps range unless they include a lot of finite detail — think water, leaves, sand, etc.

Below are a list of video file formats that we accept:

  • MOV, MPG, AVI, FLV, F4V, MP4, M4V, ASF, WMV, VOB, MOD, 3GP, MKV, DIVX, XVID, WEBM

Do videos include captions?


When you add a new video to a Tribal Habits topic, captions are auto-created for free via computer. After uploading your video, the captions will take a few minutes to be created.

Please note, captions have not always been auto-generated. For existing videos which you do not see the closed captioning option for (in preview mode), please contact Tribal Habits support to arrange for these to be switched on.


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Best practices


Videos should be used to explain or demonstrate knowledge.

  • Record yourself or another subject talking into the video to explain key knowledge in a visual, emotive or passionate way.

  • Use video demonstrations to provide 'how to' examples like role-plays or handling a tool.

  • Screen recordings of software are easy to create and fantastic for explorers to learn from.

  • If uploading a thumbnail image, it's a good idea to use the crop ratio "Video Thumbnail" in our image editor.

  • If you are recording yourself or others talking, ensure there are no background distractions and the audio is clear.

  • We also recommend your instructional videos are around 2-5 minutes each. However, longer videos may be appropriate depending on the topic.

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