(RealAudio® G2 / RealVideo® G2)

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Windows 2000 Plans

Real System G2 is not supported on Windows 2000 hosting plans. We are running Windows Media Services. Windows 2000 supports the streaming of Windows media files such as .asf files.

Modifying Files

You will need to modify links to your .asx and .asf files as follows:

mms://www.domainname.com/userid/filename.asf

.asf files

.ASF files can be streamed from your web site by linking them inside of an .asx or .wax metafile. When a browser downloads a file with one of these extensions from a website, it opens Windows Media Player. Windows Media Player then locates and plays the content specified in the file.

A Windows Media metafile contains a type of Extensible Markup Language (XML) scripting that can only be interpreted by Windows Media Player. A metafile script can be as simple or complex as you need it to be. The most basic metafile contains simply the URL of some multimedia content on a server.

.asx files

.asx files can be created in Notepad and the saved with a .asx extension. For example, a simple .asx file would be as follows:

<ASX version="3.0">
  <Entry>
    <ref HREF="mms://www.DomainName.com/userid/Path/FileName.asf">
    </ref>
  </Entry>
</ASX>

Users must insert their userid in the URL of the .asf file, if the file resides on our servers. If the User ID is not entered in the URL the MMS format will rollover to HTTP streaming format.

Streaming with Real Audio and Real Video Files

Real Audio/Video streaming using rstp://www.domainname.com/userid/subdirectory/filename.rm is not supported under the Windows 2000 platform. However, .rm files may still be played using standard HTTP streaming methods. For example:

http://www.DomainName.com/subdirectory/filename.rm

Additional Information

For More information on Windows Media Metafiles:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/imedia/windowsmedia/crcontent/asx.asp

Content Creation:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/imedia/windowsmedia/contcreation.asp

Converting other media types:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/imedia/windowsmedia/tools/encoder_for_avis.asp

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RealPlayer and RealProducer Software

How do I acquire RealPlayer and RealProducer 7 software?

In order to listen to RealMedia files, you will need to download and install a version of RealPlayer software. You have the option of downloading and purchasing the full version of RealPlayer Plus or downloading the free player RealPlayer Basic.

In order to create and manage RealMedia files, you will need to download and install RealProducer software. You have the option of downloading and purchasing the full version of RealProducer Plus or downloading the free version of Basic RealProducer.

For more information about RealNetwork's products and services, see http://www.service.real.com.

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File Formats

What audio and video formats can be converted into RealMedia clips using RealProducer 7?

  • Audio (.au)
  • Waveform audio (.wav)
  • Video for Windows (.avi)
  • QuickTime for Windows (.mov) requires DirectX 6.0
  • Moving Pictures Expert Group (.mpg, .mpeg, .mpa, .mp2, .mp3) requires DirectX 6.0

Please note that currently, you cannot convert MPEG-2 files with RealProducer 7.

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Getting Started with Audio and Video Files

How do I start creating audio and video files, if I am a beginner?

We recommend reading RealNetwork's tools and tutorials to learn the basics for creating audio and video files. To download the kit, go to:
http://www.realnetworks.com/resources/toolsplugins/index.html.

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Converting Existing Files into RealMedia Files

How do I convert my existing audio file into a RealMedia file?

In order to convert your audio file into a RealMedia file, you will need to use RealProducer program. If you are familiar with converting files in RealProducer, enter in the appropriate data in the fields provided.

If you have never converted sound files into .rm files,we suggest using the recording wizard as follows:

  1. Open the RealProducer program (these instructions were developed using RealProducer 7).
  2. Click on File and then select Recording Wizards, next choose Record from File.
  3. You will enter the Recording Wizard and be asked to find your file, you can either search with the Browse function or enter in the filename. Once you have completed this task, click on Next.
  4. You will be asked to fill out a form concerning the clip and specific information. You may fill the form out or leave it blank, click Next to proceed.
  5. You will have the option to select the type of file either Multi-Rate SureStream for RealServer G2 or sigle rate for web servers. Once you have completed this task, click on Next.
  6. You will be asked to choose a target audience, we recommend selecting 56K Modem as this will accommodate most users. If users are running 28.8 modems, by selecting the 56K Modem option the clip may briefly timeout and resume. Once completed with your selection, click Next.
  7. Choose the format of your file and click Next.
  8. You will be asked to name your file, use the format "filename.rm". It is important to know when naming a Real Media file not to use the underscore ("_") character, it will not be interpreted correctly by the .ram file. Once you have completed this task, click on Next.
  9. A screen with all of the information concerning your file will appear, click Finish to close the wizard and return to the RealProducer 7 main window.

Once you have completed the wizard, you have successfully converted your sound file into a RealMedia file.

How do I convert my video file into a RealMedia File?

In order to convert your video file into a RealMedia file, you will need to use the RealProducer program. If you are familiar with converting files in RealProducer, enter in the appropriate data in the fields provided.

If you have never converted video files into .rm files, we suggest using the recording wizard as follows:

  1. Open the RealProducer program (these instructions were developed using RealProducer 7).
  2. Click on File and then select Recording Wizards, next choose Record from Media Device.
  3. Select the Input Sources either audio, video or both and click Next.
  4. You will be asked to fill out a form concerning the clip and specific information. You may fill the form out or leave it blank, click Next to proceed.
  5. You will have the option to select the type of file either Multi-Rate SureStream for RealServer G2 or Single rate for web servers. Once you have completed this task, click Next.
  6. You will be asked to choose a target audience, we recommend selecting 56K Modem as this will accommodate most users. If users are running 28.8 modems, by selecting the 56K Modem option the clip may briefly timeout and resume. Once completed with your selection, click Next.
  7. You will be asked to select an video device if your file has video capabilities. These options are based on the content of your video, most users choose Normal Motion. Once you have completed this task click Next . If your file does not include video features, proceed to the next step by clicking Next.
  8. You will be asked to name your file, use the format "filename.rm". It is important to know that when naming a RealMedia file not to use the underscore ("_") character, it will not be interpreted correctly by the .ram file. Once you have completed this task, click Next.
  9. A screen with all of the information concerning your file will appear, click Finish to close the wizard and return to the RealProducer 7 main window.
  10. You do have the option of changing the recording. To do so click on Start to begin recording, once completed click Stop. A dialog box will appear asking you to confirm ending the recording, but the session will continue to record. You must click Yes to stop recording.
  11. After the recording has stopped a dialog box will appear with three options. First, you may Add Your Clip to Janus Now! To place your file on a public listing of clips hosted by RealNetworks. Second, you may View Statistics to view complete information about your recording session. Or you may Close the dialog box and return to the RealProducer 7 main window.

Once you have completed the wizard, you have successfully converted your video file into a RealMedia file.

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Updating and Creating .ram Files

Do I need to update my existing Real Audio/Video 5.0 .ram files to work with RealSystem G2?

Yes, to take advantage of the new features that RealSystem G2 offers, you will need to modify your existing .ram files as follows:

Current Format as supported by RealSystem G2 (UNIX):

  • rtsp://<yourdomainname>/userid/filename.rm
  • rtsp://<yourdomainname>/userid/subdirectory/filename.rm
  • rtsp://<yourdomainname>/filename.rm
  • rtsp://<yourdomainname>/subdirectory/filename.rm

*Your existing RealAudio/Video 5.0 .ram files will continue to work with the upgraded RealSystem G2 server. However, effective May 1, 2000 we will discontinue support of RealServer 5.0.

I am currently using RealAudio/Video 5.0 on Unix and the "~userid" format in the .ram file, will this work with RealSystem G2?

No, you will need to upgrade your .ram files to the RealSystem G2 format. It is important to delete the "~userid" and replace it with "userid".

How do I create a .ram file?

For each .rm file that you create, you will need to create a .ram file. First, use a text editor such as Notepad to create a text file with a .ram file extension. You should consider using the same file naming convention for example the "test.ram" file will launch the "test.rm" file. The .ram file should contain one line in the following format for both Unix and NT users:

rtsp://<yourdomainname>/userid/filename.rm

Substitute your domain name, userid and the complete filename including the ".rm" extension. This file can reside in the root directory of your account.

Once the .ram text file is created, you should save it and upload it to your web site using ASCII as the transfer mode.

Now that you have completed creating and uploading your .ram file, you should have both the .rm and the .ram files in your root directory.

How do I create the HTML code for a .ram file on my website?

The following HTML code can be inserted into your website's HTML source:

<a href="http://yourdomainname.com/(textfile.ram)">Click Here</a>

Please remember to substitute your own domain name and RealMedia file into the example HTML code above.

If you reference the .rm file directly from your HTML code, the file may play, but you will not benefit from the streaming media effect.

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Uploading RealMedia Files

What mode should I use to upload .rm files to my website?

All .rm files should be uploaded in Binary mode to the root directory of your website. If you are not familiar with uploading files, please see Uploading Files with FTP.

What mode should I use to upload .ram files to my website?

All .ram files should be uploaded in ASCII mode to the root directory of your website. If you are not familiar with uploading files, please see Uploading Files with FTP.

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Streaming Media

What is streaming media?

Streaming media allows you to send small packets of information over a network connection. The user receives the information packets and plays your clip little by little. The process is transparent to the user, except for a small amount of buffering at the start of the clip.

Streaming media can be either RealAudio or RealVideo. Before the concept of streaming media, users had to wait for a file to download from the Internet or a network server in order to play it. When you create streaming media, users can view it almost instantly.

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Web Page Features

How do I create a web page that opens a separate RealPlayer?

  1. Open the RealProducer program (these instructions were developed using RealProducer 7).
  2. Click on Tools and then select Create WebPage.
  3. The Web Page Wizard will appear, proceed by filling in the appropriate information for each item. The wizard will take you through selecting your media file (by default the last RealMedia File created will appear), select your file and click on Next.
  4. You will now see a page called playback methods, choose the Pop-up Player method and click on Next.
  5. The web caption page will ask you to enter the text that links to your clip, enter in the information and click on Next.
  6. At the Web Page Filename form, enter the name and directory of the web page that you would like to create and click on Next. You will be informed that a web page and a RealMedia metafile have been created.
  7. If you wish to preview you page with a browser just click on Preview on the Results page.
  8. Exit the wizard by clicking Finish.

 

How do I create a web page with an embedded RealPlayer by using HTML code?

First, make a copy of your .ram file and save it as a .rpm file, then upload to the same directory as the .ram. Next, reference the new.rpm within the web page's HTML as follows:

<EMBED SRC="yourfile.rpm" WIDTH=250 HEIGHT=35 CONTROLS=ControlPanel AUTOSTART=TRUE>

How do I create a web page with an embedded RealPlayer by using a wizard?

To use the wizard click on Tools and then select Create Web Page and proceed as follows:

  1. Open the RealProducer program (these instructions were developed using RealProducer 7).
  2. Enter the Web Page Wizard and proceed by filling in the appropriate information for each item. The wizard will take you through selecting your media file (by default the last Real Media File created will appear), select your file and choose Next.
  3. In the Playback methods, choose the Embedded Player method and click on Next.
  4. The Player Control Layout page appears, you can decide what components of the RealPlayer to include within the Web page. Select a layout and Auto Start if you want the file to play automatically when your web site is opened once you are done, click on Next.
  5. The web caption page will ask you to enter the caption name that will appear as a title for the RealMedia file. Then, decide if you would like the caption to be above or below the files and click on Next.
  6. At the Web Page Filename form, enter the name and directory of the web page that you would like to create and click on Next. You will be informed that a web page and a RealMedia metafile have been created.
  7. If you wish to preview you page with a browser just click on Preview on the Results page. You must have RealPlayer installed to view your page correctly.
  8. Exit the wizard by clicking Finish.
  9. Web pages you create with the Web Page Wizard will point to files located on your hard drive. If you upload your pages to a web server, these local file references will update automatically.
  10. You should avoid making manual changes to any file references in HTML files created by the wizard. Changes to these files or any file references contained in the .ram/.rpm metafile may cause errors when publishing your web pages to a remote server.

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RealSystem G2 Server Accessibility

RealSystem G2 Server is only accessible if you have a Advanced Hosting plan. (RealPlayer G2 Server is not supported in the Windows 2003 plans. If you wish to upgrade your plan to include RealSystem G2 Server access, please check out our plans & prices pages.)

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Additional Support for RealSystem G2

For additional information about creating multimedia presentations and streaming media effectively with your clips, we recommend reading RealNetwork's tools and tutorials to learn the basics for creating audio and video files. To download the kit, go to:
http://www.realnetworks.com/resources/toolsplugins/index.html.

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Please note: the information on this page applies to ITS web hosting plans. It may or may not apply to other environments. If you are looking for a feature described here, or better support from your hosting provider, please consider hosting your site with ITS!

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