Category: Video Sharing

Best Practices for Sharing Content

Compiled below are some of the best practices that we’ve found for sharing your content via Panopto. Techniques vary based on where the content is from, and who the target audience is. If you have additional questions on how best to distribute your content that is hosted in Panopto, please use the LAI Consultation Request Form and we’ll be happy to set a time to speak further.

Imported Zoom Recordings

The best way to easily share your Zoom recordings is to modify the ‘Meeting Recordings’ folder to be shared with ‘Your Organization (unlisted),’ as demonstrated in this documentation: How to make your Zoom Recordings in Panopto act like Zoom Cloud Recordings. You can then easily share the link to these videos with the campus community, and permissions will act much like the way Zoom’s settings do. If you need to share outside of campus, you can change the permissions to ‘Public (unlisted)’ for that video to remove the required Colgate login without effecting other content.

Panopto Recordings

Recordings made using either the Panopto app or Panopto Capture (browser tool) can be stored anywhere in Panopto. We recommend creating a strict folder structure to facilitate storage and later retrieval of video content. Our preferred method is to create folders for each course that you are or will teach, and to store content for each course in those folders. If you teach the class more than once, it is easy to share the folder with the new course so that all students will have access to the videos in that folder when needed, or duplicate the folder and add a semester label to it so you can distinguish it easily.

For content that you wish to use in multiple courses, or across multiple folders we recommend using reference copies. This method allows you to then reuse content while always knowing which copy is the original source. This is also an excellent choice if you choose to use semester based folders for your courses, as you can reference the same material multiple times without having to download and upload it again and again.

Moodle Sharing

First, make sure that you have provisioned your course. Once provisioned you can then use the Panopto block to add course content. Again, we recommend that you organize this content logically using a folder structure, such as course number (i.e. WRIT100A).

It’s important to note that if you use the provided course folder from Moodle for uploading or creating content that this will only be accessible to the class for which you originally created it. If you copy the Moodle course, or wish to reuse that content in the future you’ll need to share it with the new group of students before they may access it. Copying a course in Moodle does not automatically change any permissions in Panopto. For this reason we recommend that you create and maintain your own folders in Panopto, and intentionally set their permissions, as described above.

General Advice on Using Panopto

  • Don’t store everything in your My Folder. Having no folder structure can make finding and sharing videos difficult, and can make support take longer if you need it. Approach your my folder like a repository of folders, not a repository of every video you’ve ever made.
  • Be intentional when sharing. Think about the broadest audience that will view the video and set the permissions for them. Do not set broader permissions than needed, but understand that if you choose to add people individually by email, it may be a time commitment.

How do I Download my Zoom Recordings that are Stored in Panopto?

Once your recording is processed in Panopto, downloading is done through the settings menu for the video. Navigating to Settings > Outputs (left navigation) should give you options for a ‘Video Podcast.’ Under ‘Type’ there are several options to configure your download. Depending on the original recording you may have more than one view from Zoom to choose from – selecting a different ‘Type’ from the dropdown should generate a preview of the download in the thumbnail image above.

You may also choose the resolution of the download by using the ‘Quality’ dropdown. Panopto will not process the change until you click ‘Apply.’ Note: You cannot download a higher resolution than was originally was recorded – selecting a better resolution than the source recording will only export the best resolution possible.

Once you have selected your type and your quality, you can use the ‘Download Podcast’ link on the right of the thumbnail image to begin the download. Panopto natively exports to MP4 (H.264 / AAC 44100Hz 32bits).

Further information can be found in the Panopto Support Documentation.

How to make your Zoom Recordings in Panopto act like Zoom Cloud Recordings

Making your recordings shareable in the same manner as they were before is as easy as changing one setting in your Zoom Recording folder.

To begin, enter into your Zoom Recordings folder. Select the gear icon (settings) in the upper right. Select the ‘Share’ from the left navigation options. Below the ‘Who can access this folder’ select ‘change’ and use the ‘Your Organization (unlisted’ option. Click Save to apply the setting.

This change allows you to share any new or existing recording in this folder in a similar manner to Zoom – just select ‘Share’ from any video in your folder, or use the share icon in the upper right on any of the videos contained in the folder. People that receive the link will need to login with Colgate credentials to view the video.

How long is content saved after someone leaves Colgate? Who has access to it?

A user’s Panopto content remains in Panopto indefinitely, even after the user has lost access to the system.  This means that content shared with other users is still accessible even if the original video owner has left the institution.  All content is subject to the content retention rule, and will be archived 20 months after the last viewing. 

How can I link to a Panopto video from Moodle?

Two steps:

  1. Provision Panopto in your Moodle course by adding the Panopto block. See How to Add the Panopto Block to Moodle Courses.  After adding the Panopto block, students in the Moodle course will be able to access any video that is linked from the Moodle course without having to set share permissions for each video included in the Moodle course.
  2. Add a Panopto activity in Moodle.  See How to Insert Panopto Video Links and Quizzes in Moodle and  How to Embed Videos into a Moodle Course.

Can I Share Videos Through my Moodle Course?

Yes.  The first step is to Add the Panopto Block to your Moodle course – this will automatically share any Panopto video you link to in the Moodle course with all students if you are linking to the video from within your Moodle course.  If you wish to share the video using another means, such as in an email or a website, you need to set up share permissions in Panopto.

In this case, the second step is to add the course name to the share options for that folder in Panopto.  Open the share options for the folder. In the ‘People and groups’ area, start typing the name of the Moodle course (e.g. Fall 2022-COSC101)  and then select your course name with “Viewer” access from the matches listed.  Viewer access allows students to view the videos but not create videos in that particular folder

What are my Options for Sharing Videos?

There are several share options.  You can share videos with individuals with a Colgate.edu email address, with all students in a specific Moodle course, with everyone at Colgate who has the video link and with anyone outside Colgate who has the link.  Please be aware that if you share with people outside of Colgate, there is no way to just limit access to a particular individual.  Anyone with the video link will be able to access the video.

For more on sharing, please see Panopto’s support documentation on sharing a video, folder, or playlist.