This week I was given a presentation by Micronets on their patented video streaming technology and I have to say I was impressed. Micronets is a B-to-B-to-C company that provides companies with a YouTube like interface for hosting their user’s videos. They provide a completely hosted, skinnable web interface for Flash video streaming and hosting. Ok, so nothing too exciting there, right?

Well, the exciting thing comes in with some of their patented technology that has not yet been seen on the web.  This includes:

• Inserting still image frames of the video into the progress bar on the regular Flash video player. This allows the user to more easily move to the section of the video they want without having to remember where to go
• Having the ability to insert ad content directly into the video stream. No longer do you only have ads as a pre-roll or post-roll options.  You can insert a banner, commercial, logo, or other animation directly into the video at any point.
• Vtags. This “tag” system allows a user to take any video on the system and “chop” out a portion of it for their own use. In the YouTube model, it allows any user to take a portion of any other video and “mash up” the content how they want to.  The original video stream is never modified – that user just has the snapshot of the video they want.

Pretty cool stuff… I’ll be sure and give you an update as it progresses.