Uploading lecture videos (Cloudflare Stream)

Uploading lecture videos (Cloudflare Stream)

Videos are too large for the static site/git, so they live on Cloudflare Stream (transcoding, adaptive HLS, a global player). The site already shows a Stream player on a session once you give it that video’s ID. lectures_enabled is already true.

One-time setup

1. Create a Cloudflare account → Stream → start the free trial / plan.
2. (Optional, recommended) In _config.yml set stream_customer_code to your Stream customer code (the customer-XXXX part of your Stream dashboard URLs). Leave blank to use the legacy videodelivery.net embed.

Per video

1. Upload the recording in the Stream dashboard (drag-and-drop the .mp4), or via the API/wrangler. Large uploads run from your machine — that part is yours.
2. Copy the video’s UID (e.g. a1b2c3d4e5f6...).
3. Add it to that session’s note front-matter:

   ---
   title: "The Keynesian Cross"
   session: 2
   stream_id: a1b2c3d4e5f6...
   ---
   

4. Commit + push. That session’s player now streams the video; sessions without a stream_id keep the tasteful “coming soon” state.

Notes

• The player is download-deterred (no direct file, right-click/Save blocked, watermark). For true DRM + signed/expiring playback, enable Stream signed URLs later (needs a tiny token-minting function) — see ARCHITECTURE.md.
• Mapping all sessions at once? You can instead keep a _data/lectures.yml of session → stream_id and wire the hub to it — ask me and I’ll set that up.