Instructions for viewing and adding Real Video movies to your web pages.
Prior to the time you transfer these files to your web server, you can view your videos locally on your own PC by:
Your videos can stream over the Internet either with or without the Real Video server software. It is not necessary that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) have the server software. In actual practice, we personally prefer not to use the Real Video server software on our own site. When the Real Video server software is used, and heavy network traffic is present, the server software can thin out portions of the audio and video stream when necessary to prevent the movie from pausing. This causes audio and video degradation which we personally don't care for in our own applications. When the server software isn't used and there is heavy traffic on the Net, the video simply pauses for a few seconds allowing the buffer to fill up again.
The HTML you'll be using on your web pages should look like the following examples. Please note that clicking on these links locally on your hard drive will not activate the movies. This HTML code is meant for Internet usage only. You can change the following text to suit your needs.
Corporate Introduction - 6:57
Watch video (ISDN modem users & slow network connections - 100 Kbits/sec.)
Watch video (Fast network connections, cable modem or DSL users - 300 Kbits/sec.)
As you will notice, the HTML code points to a text file of the same name as the video file which ends with a rm extension, but with a ram extension instead of the rm extension. The extra text file with a ram extension is used to activate the video file. When a visitor clicks on the link to watch your video, he is actually clicking on a link to the text file (ram file) which in turn activates the video. This operation is totally transparent to the visitor. Do not attempt to link directly from your web page to the Real Video file (rm) or your videos won't play correctly. They will download first and then play. The content of the ram file looks like the following line below and can be created or edited in notepad. Here is an example of what the text file you'd use for video1a.ram would look like (assuming you placed it in the root directory on your web server):
http://www.eepulse.com/video1a.rm
If you will be using the Real Video server software, then your ram file should look something like this instead (depending upon where the Real Video server software is located, what it is named on the ISP's server, and what directory you're assigned to hold the video files). If you decide to use your ISP's Real Video server, you will probably need to edit this as per the final instructions you receive from your ISP.
rtsp://realserver.www.eepulse.com/directory/video1a.rm
We've already included sample ram files for your convenience in editing. Make sure you edit these files to include the actual domain name and path to where the rm files will be stored on your web server or video server. Use Windows Notepad or a similar program that will not include any word processing codes. When you transfer your video files (*.rm) to your web server, make sure you also transfer the text files (*.ram) to your server as well, and that you place them in the same directory or folder as the rm files that they correspond to. When you FTP the files to your server, make sure the transfer is in binary transfer mode rather than ASCII transfer mode. If you decide to deploy them on a video server as opposed to a web server, do not place the ram files on the video server. They should be placed on your web server along with your other page related files. Only the rm files should go on the video server.
Regardless of whether your ISP has the Real Video server software, one final change may have to be made by either you or your ISP. Before you follow the rest of these instructions, first transfer your movie files and edited web page to your web server and see if the video plays as it is supposed to. If you don't receive any error messages and the video begins playing within a few seconds, then there is no need for any further changes. Most newer web server software packages already come pre-configured to recognize Real Video files. However, since this isn't always the case, before visitors to your web site can see your videos over the Internet, you may also need to edit the MIME.TYPES configuration file on your web server, and then re-start your server software. If you don't re-start your server software, the MIME.TYPES changes will not take effect. You can either do this yourself or you can call or E-mail your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and ask them to make sure your MIME.TYPES configuration file includes the following settings:
audio/x-pn-realaudio rm ram
audio/x-pn-realaudio-plugin rpm
The purpose of your MIME.TYPES configuration file is to communicate the types of different content on your web pages (text, GIFs, movies, etc.) to the browser which is displaying the content. If the MIME.TYPES file does not contain the correct settings, visitors will not be able to see your video.
When you add video to your web pages, make sure you include a link to the Real Video site so that visitors who don't already have their plug-in can get it. Remind them to bookmark your site first in case they need to restart their browser. Here is the link to the Real Video download site: Download the Real Video player now.
As an alternative, or in addition to your text only hypertext link to the Real Video download site, here is a graphic button which you can also use for this purpose.
Here are additional graphics which you can also use on your site to alert visitors that you have Real Video content.
Instructions for viewing and adding Windows Media videos to your web pages
Prior to the time you transfer these files to your web server, you can view your videos locally on your own PC by:
Your videos can stream over the Internet either with or without the Windows Media server software. It is not necessary that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) have the server software. In actual practice, we personally prefer not to use the Windows Media server software on our own site. When the server software is used, and heavy network traffic is present, the server software can thin out portions of the audio and video stream when necessary to prevent the movie from pausing. This causes audio and video degradation which we personally don't care for in our own applications. When the server software isn't used and there is heavy traffic on the Net, the video simply pauses for a few seconds allowing the buffer to fill up again.
Further, streaming from a video server can also prevent your videos from being accessible from within a network that hasn't opened the necessary ports.
The HTML you'll be using on your web pages should resemble the following examples. Please note that clicking on these links locally on your hard drive will not activate the videos. This HTML code is meant for Internet or Intranet usage only. You can change the following text to suit your needs.
Corporate Introduction - 6:57
Watch video - (ISDN modem users & slow network
connections - 100 Kbits/sec.)
Watch video - (Fast network connections, cable modem or
DSL users - 300 Kbits/sec.)
Download the FREE
Windows Media Player if needed
As you will notice, the HTML code points to text files with the same names as the video files, but with asx extensions instead of the asf extensions. The extra text files with the asx extensions are used to activate the video files. When a visitor clicks on the link to watch your video, he is actually clicking on a link to the text file (asx file) which in turn activates the video file. This re-direct operation is totally transparent to the visitor. Do not attempt to link directly from your web page to the Windows Media files or your videos won't play correctly. They will download first and then play.
The content of the asx files looks like the following line below and can also be created or edited in notepad. Here is an example of what the text file you'd use for video1a.asx would look like, assuming you placed all of the asf files in the root directory on your web server.
ASF http://www.eepulse.com/video1a.asf
If you will be deploying the videos off of one of Microsoft's video servers, the content of the ASX file will be slightly different and will generally resemble the following depending upon the name of the server and the version. Please review your video server documentation or contact your ISP for the exact content of the ASX file to be used.
mms://netshow/eepulse.com/video1a.asf
We've already included sample asx files for your convenience in editing if necessary. If the video files are going to be in a different directory than your root, you'll need to change the URL link to them. You must use an absolute reference as opposed to a relative reference to their location. When you transfer your video files (*.asf) to your web server, make sure you also transfer the text files (*.asx) to your server as well. If the video files will be deployed off of a video server instead of your web server, do not place the ASX files on the video server. In all instances, the ASX files must remain on the web server.
Setting the MIME TYPES on your web server
Regardless of whether your ISP has the Windows Media server software, one final change may have to be made by either you or your ISP. Before you follow the rest of these instructions, first transfer your video files and edited web page to your web server and see if the video plays as it is supposed to. If you don't receive any error messages and the video begins playing within a few seconds, then there is no need to do anything more. Most newer web server software packages already come pre-configured to recognize Windows Media files. However, since this isn't always the case, before visitors to your web site can see your videos over the Internet, you may also need to edit the MIME.TYPES configuration file on your web server, and then re-start your server software. If you don't re-start your server software, the MIME.TYPES changes will not take effect. You can either do this yourself or you can call or E-mail your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and ask them to make sure your MIME.TYPES configuration file includes the following settings:
video/x-ms-asf asf asx
The purpose of your MIME.TYPES configuration file is to communicate the types of different content on your web pages (text, GIFs, movies, etc.) to the browser which is displaying the content. If the MIME.TYPES file does not contain the correct settings, visitors will not be able to see your video.
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