Vimeo's Premium Subscription Plan - HD Embedding and Customization

Vimeo, a leading online video host, rolled out a new subscription plan today that would allow users to embed HD video content to their sites, as well as white-label Vimeo's video players. Previously, only standard definition video could be embedded, while HD content was limited to direct viewing on Vimeo.com. The subscription for premium service costs $59.95.

Almost a year to the date (October 17, 2007), Vimeo first announced support for HD. Several other hosting sites have joined them, though the unquestioned leader of the market, YouTube, continues to offer standard definition content only.

High definition video is expensive to stream, and Vimeo will not be offering carte blanche service even with a subscription. The $59 fee is good for up to 5000 streams. After that, users can purchase additional packages "a la carte." In order to prevent the hijacking of streams, the subscription service also offers domain control. Under this plan, users select approved domains. Anyone attempting to embed the video on an unapproved domain will only be streaming a standard definition version (automatically down-converted by Vimeo).

The second major feature Vimeo offers to entice subscribers is the ability to white-label (or re-brand video players. The Vimeo brand name and watermark can be replaced with custom labels, or removed entirely.

The Vimeo premium service is expected to roll out tonight.