As of July 15, 2020, Kaltura is the University’s official video repository tool. Although Ensemble will continue to be available through the Fall 2020 semester, any new content should be created in Kaltura.  

We are developing a process to migrate existing content from Ensemble to Kaltura. This batch process will require users to flag their content for the migration and to rebuild any links to their content after the migration. We will share more details about this process soon.

Students do not need an Ensemble account to view your videos. You will determine when, where, and how to share access to the video with them.


Adding videos you've uploaded to Ensemble to your Blackboard course site can be done in a number of ways. For any of the following methods to work, make sure your video in Ensemble is "Published." Publishing the video in Ensemble doesn't make it visible to anyone until you distribute the video link or embed the content somewhere

Ensemble Permalink

Each Ensemble video in your Media Library has a button to create a "Permalink" which is a web address you can distribute for other users to access your video. Clicking the link opens a settings panel where you can determine what happens when users follow this link. For example, users cannot download the video by default—only stream it. The "Additional Settings" let you enable downloading if you choose. 

Any user you distribute the link to can view the video without logging into Ensemble. You can post the link in a Blackboard Content Item, an Announcement, a Discussion Board or send via email. If you distribute the link, you can change the link later or "Unpublish" your video to prevent it from being seen. 

Screenshot of Permalink Location in Ensemble

Ensemble Embed

Ensemble allows you to create "Embed Code" that will make the video directly view the video in any webpage or within the Blackboard course site. This method is good when you want to limit the amount of time the video is available for. Blackboards item availability settings will automatically determine when the video is and isn't available to students. This method also works for any website that allows you to use "embed code." 

To get the embed code and apply it in Blackboard: 

  1. Go to your Ensemble Media Library and click on the "Embed" button for the video you want to embed.


    Screenshot of Embed Button in Ensemble

  2. Use the settings on the subsequent page to determine how you want to video to appear, or keep the defaults, and copy the the code from the page. 

    Screenshot of Embed Code Window in Ensemble

  3. Go to the Blackboard space where you want the content to appear and expand the tool pallet on the text editor until you see the "HTML" button.

    Screenshot of HTML Button in Blackboard

  4. In the subsequent window, paste the embed code you got from Ensemble into the Blackboard text area.

    Screenshot of the HTML editor in Blackboard

    5. Click "Update" in the lower-right corner. You'll see a yellow box in your Blackboard text editor, representing the new video. You can add text above or below it with the regular text editing tools. Click "Submit" to see what the video looks like in your page. 

    Screenshot of Blackboard Text Editor


    Screenshot of Embedded Ensemble Video


Ensemble Mashup Tool


The Ensemble Mashup Tool is an alternative method for embedding Ensemble videos in Blackboard and having them appear and stream directly in your Blackboard course site. There are two methods for accessing the Mashup Tool.

Accessing the Text Editor Mashup Tool

You can embed videos in Blackboard via the Mashup Tool anywhere you have access to the text editing tools. 

  1. Expand the text editor tool palette with by clicking the chevron in the upper-right corner.

    Screenshot of Text Editor 

  2. Click "Mashups" and Select "Ensemble Video LTI" from the drop-down menu.

    Screenshot of Mashups button
  3. If prompted, enter your NetID and password, then skip to the instructions below for "Adding Your Video." 

Accessing the Build Content Mashup Tool

To use the Mashup Tool from the Build Content Menu, you must first login to Ensemble in a separate browser window. The Mashup via Build Content will not allow you to login directly.


  1. Make sure you are logged in to Ensemble in a window of the same web browser you are using for Blackboard. 
  2. Browse to any Blackboard content area and select "Build Content" and "Ensemble Video LTI."

    Screenshot showing the location of the Ensemble Video LTI link.

Adding Your Video 

  1. When your Ensemble library content appears, find the desired Ensemble video and click the "Choose" button.



  2. To embed the video within your Blackboard site rather than having student link to it in a new window, select the "Video Player" option. Then click "Save."

    Screenshot showing the location of the video player option.

  3. The video will appear in the content area.