How to save a media on the blockchain Link to heading
Maybe you want to save a text, a soundfile or a video clip that nobody can ever delete, censor or destroy.
On the blockchain this is possible. There are a lot of alternatives but one of them is Arweave. Here is a guide on how to store and access a video clip on the Arweave permaweb.
ardrive setup process Link to heading
- Go to https://app.ardrive.io
- Click “New User? Get started here!”
- Read the text and make sure you understand what a Keyfile and a Seed Phrase is.
- Click continue and write down or copy your seed phrase.
- Confirm your seed phrase and ardrive starts to generate your wallet.
- When the wallet is created, download your Keyfile.
- Click continue a couple of times, and you will go through some more steps.
- Create and confirm your password when asked to.
- Check the terms checkbox and click Proceed.
You need to fund your Arweave wallet Link to heading
There is a small fee for actions on ardrive and you need some funds in your wallet. In the process above you created a wallet for AR tokens. You’ll find the wallet address in the upper right corner of the ardrive page. Click on the box and copy the address. You can open your wallet at arweave.app. Some useful links:
- Doc’s about Arweave.app Web Wallet
- Binance. Here you can buy and send AR tokens to your wallet.
After funding your wallet you are ready to store your data permanently on ardrive. As an example I will record, store and access a video clip from Youtube.
Record Link to heading
The recording of the Youtube file has nothing to do with ardrive, but I include my way of doing it here anyway.
- I went to this Youtube clip – What are Resistance, Reactance and Impedance?
- I opened OBS Studio and recorded the Youtube clip.
- I converted the recorded file to a .mp4 file with FreeConvert.
Upload to ardrive Link to heading
- Click on the red New button.
- Create a new drive, name it and choose Public or Private from the Privacy dropdown list. (I named it Electronics and choosed Public).
- Click Create and you will find your drive under Private… or Public Drives depending on your choice above.
- If needed, click your newly created drive from the left menu, click Upload your first file and choose your file from where you saved it on your computer. Klick OK.
- Info about the cost that will be deducted from your Arweave wallet is shown. Choose payment method and click Upload.
- Wait for the file to upload – can take some time with large files. When the yellow dot at the file icon has changed to green, all is ready.
Access your saved file Link to heading
Because I choosed Public above, anybody can now download or view the clip i have stored.
- Go to the drive and file in ardrive.
- Click on the three dots to the right.
- Choose Share File and copy the link. This is a link for downloading the clip, in my case this: https://app.ardrive.io/#/file/9af7bb06-5764-4e5f-8526-94ff8008b559/view
- Or Choose Preview. The clip starts. Mark and copy the address from the address field in your browser.
- Mail this address, put it in a web page or share it in any other way. It will open the clip in a browser. In my case the link is this: https://jbtd5tik5yjy6mwyipu447lxluimln7ycchhqvvnkicynr6vz33q.arweave.net/SGY-zQruE48y2EPpzn13XRDFt_gQjnhWrVIFhsfVzvc
Arweave alternatives Link to heading
Here is a list generated by ChatGPT:
There are several alternatives to Arweave for storing data on the blockchain. Each of these platforms offers unique features and capabilities, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Here are some popular alternatives:
Filecoin: Filecoin is a decentralized storage network built on top of the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). It allows users to rent out their excess storage space and get paid in Filecoin (FIL) tokens. It’s designed for long-term storage and retrieval of data.
Sia: Sia is a blockchain-based decentralized storage platform that enables users to rent storage space from a global network of hosts. It uses smart contracts to ensure data integrity and availability.
Storj: Storj is a distributed, encrypted cloud storage platform that uses blockchain technology to secure and manage data. Users can share their storage resources and get paid in STORJ tokens for renting their space to the network.
maidsafe: The Maidsafe network is a decentralized and autonomous data network that aims to provide secure, private, and censorship-resistant storage and communication services. It uses a unique consensus mechanism called PARSEC.
Bluzelle: Bluzelle is a decentralized database service that uses blockchain technology to provide data storage and management. It’s designed to be scalable and offers features like data sharding and redundancy.
IPFS (InterPlanetary File System): While not a blockchain itself, IPFS is a distributed file system protocol that can be used in conjunction with blockchain technology. It allows you to store and retrieve content-addressed data in a decentralized way.
Ocean Protocol: Ocean Protocol is a decentralized data exchange protocol that allows users to publish, share, and monetize data assets. It enables secure data storage and access through blockchain technology.
Handshake: Handshake is a decentralized naming and certificate authority service. While not primarily for data storage, it can be used to associate human-readable names with blockchain addresses or content hashes, making it easier to access content stored on various blockchain networks.
Avalanche: Avalanche is a blockchain platform that offers customizable subnets, which can be used to build decentralized applications with storage capabilities. It provides a flexible environment for developers to create storage solutions.
Hyperledger Fabric: Hyperledger Fabric is an open-source blockchain framework that allows organizations to build their own private or permissioned blockchains. It can be used to create custom blockchain-based storage solutions tailored to specific business needs.
These alternatives vary in terms of technology, approach, and use cases, so it’s essential to research each one to determine which best aligns with your specific requirements for data storage on the blockchain.