Introduction
Streaming media is the one-way delivery of audio/video over the Internet.
The Live Streaming Web Cast video files broadcast here
are designed to be viewed over a high speed Internet
connection on the University of Idaho campus. They are
typically created
to run at a bit-rate of 150 Kbps. Dialup modem and ISDN
connections are not fast enough to support the data rate
required by general video distribution. However, audio files
are created at much lower bit-rates and can be heard adequately
off-campus over slower Internet connections such as dialup modems and
ISDN.
Installation
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Before you watch a broadcast, you need to
have a current version of
RealPlayer
installed on the computer you plan to use. Play one of the
streaming media tests provided below to test your system.
If needed, click on the RealPlayer
button to the left to download this program for installation. Note:
The RealPlayer is distributed free.
Visit:
http://www.real.com/freeplayer/?rppr=edu.
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Testing
Note: Live webcasts will not be available
until 5 minutes before the advertised broadcast.
The University of Idaho has a RealServer license
which allows 100 users to stream files concurrently. If you have
trouble watching a Broadcast, it may be because the UI has reached its
100 user limit.
Configuration
If you are able to watch a broadcast, but you are
having problems with the video stream freezing or jumping, you may be
trying to view a streaming file over an Internet connection that is
too slow for the broadcast's bit-rate. It is also possible that your
RealPlayer is not configured to stream at a bandwidth matching your
Internet connection speed. Incorrect bandwidth settings can severely
hinder RealPlayer's ability to play the broadcast smoothly. To check
your settings and change them, if needed, run RealPlayer
and select Tools > Preferences...> Connection.
Individuals viewing streaming media files on the UI Moscow campus
should set their normal and maximum bandwidth connection rates to
Office LAN (10Mbps and above).
RealPlayer
Connection Troubleshooting
"Cannot connect" errors generally mean that RealPlayer did not connect
to the computer that serves the media content (the server); they may
also mean that the link you clicked is out-of-date. Connection
errors that occur at all sites on a recurring basis indicate a
problem with RealPlayer connection configuration or your Internet
connection. To allow RealPlayer to connect, you may need to
reconfigure RealPlayer or your security software.
http://service.real.com/realplayer/streamhelp/
Technical Requirements
In addition to a high speed Internet connection to
watch streaming video, the minimum technical requirements for watching
UI
live broadcasts are:
Windows:
333MHz Intel Pentium processor or equivalent
32MB of RAM
16-bit sound card and speakers
65,000-color video display card (video)
Windows* 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows 2000 ME (final release version only), Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4,
or Windows XP
IE 4.0.1 or Netscape 4.0 or later
Macintosh:
Mac* OS 8.1 or later
32 MB RAM
Virtual Memory turned on, set to 64MB
604 PowerPC* (200 MHz or better)
Browser support: Microsoft* Internet Explorer* 4.01 or later or Netscape* 4.05 or later
Further Assistance
For immediate assistance with this technology, please
contact the Help Desk at
208-885-4357 (helpdesk@uidaho.edu)
or the Center for Teaching
Innovation at 208-885-2121 (cti@uidaho.edu).
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