Mediasite vs Microsoft Stream


This article gives a high-level overview of the differences between Mediasite (the software which runs the Lecture Capture and Media Management service) and Microsoft Stream.

Please note: the features listed in this article are subject to change.

The Lecture Capture and Media Management (LCMM) service allows staff and students to create, edit and share digital media in a secure way. It is powered by Mediasite (developed by Sonic Foundry) which allows users to capture, edit, share, search and manage videos in one secure place.

A screenshot of the Mediasite homepage

Microsoft Stream is part of the suite of Microsoft 365 applications. It is an Enterprise Video service where people in an organisation can upload, view, organise and share videos securely.

A screenshot of the Microsoft Stream homepage

The primary difference between the two applications is that Mediasite allows the creation of automatic Lecture Capture recordings in teaching rooms (as well as the ability to store, share and playback videos) whereas Stream is designed as a video playback solution. It would not be able to link with the hardware in the teaching rooms.

Please see the table of features below and which system supports the function:

FeatureMediasite (including Lecture Capture) Microsoft Stream 
Automatic Lecture Captures linked with the University timetableYesNo
Ad-hoc recording in teaching rooms and physical recorders in teaching room.Yes (via Record Now)No
Edit content before publishing/sharingYesNo
Create screencasts and podcasts for free (University staff and students)Yes (via Mediasite MosaicScreencasts with a 15-minute time limit
Upload video files YesYes
Upload audio filesYesNo
Share files with members of the University (staff and students) YesYes
Share files with people external to the UniversityYesFeature coming soon
Live Streaming.Not currently enabled at LeedsYes
Automatically (and manually) link Mediasite content to Module Catalogue areas in Minerva. Yes.No
Automatic Closed Captioning (and basic transcript)YesYes
Control playback speedYesYes
Insert chapters into videosYesNo
Download videos as MP3 (audio) and MP4 (video) filesYesMP4 only
Detailed analytics and content reportsYesNo
Create quizzes in videosYesNo
Embed with Microsoft applications (e.g. PowerPoint, OneNote, SWAY)NoYes

A full list of features for Stream can be found on the Microsoft Website as well as a full FAQ and overview document.

More information about Mediasite can be found on Sonic Foundry's website.