How to Link to Streaming Media

When the VPC creates a Realmedia streaming file for you, in most cases, we will provide a raw 'ramgen' link to your streaming media file.  This is a hypertext link that will look similar to this sample:

http://realvideo.uidaho.edu:8080/ramgen/yoursubdirectory/yourmediafile.rm?mode=compact

The 'yoursubdirectory' and 'yourmediafile' portions will change to reflect the appropriate subdirectory & filenames to access your streaming media.  The "?mode=compact" portion of the link is optional; it merely directs RealPlayer to open without showing the advertisement window.

All you need to do is make a hyperlink using the raw ramgen link.   It is recommended that you do not make the raw link visible on your web page, but instead assign it to a visible phrase such as "PLAY VIDEO" or "PLAY AUDIO".

Note that these raw links only open up the appropriate audio or video in RealPlayer, they do not switch the webpage currently being displayed in the user's browser.  As a result, if the raw link is accessed without a web page already open (i.e., from a link in an email message), then the system will open the browser to a default error message.  The media will still play correctly, but this is disconcerting to the user and you miss the opportunity to bring them to your web page.   So, it is recommended that you don't distribute the raw link to others but instead distribute the URL for the page on which you have embedded it.

.ram Files

If you should encounter problems using the 'ramgen' method, the Video Production Center can provide you with a .ram file to use instead of a ramgen link.  This is a short text file (with a -.ram extension on the end) that should be uploaded into your web directory and hyperlinked to.

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