Using Windows Media Server and
Windows Media Encoder: Why and How
Printable versions: Doc, PDFThese instructions will help you set up and stream live multimedia content over the Internet…
Sound broadcasts – music concerts, speeches, etc.
Video-only events, such as live science projects – butterfly chrysalis opening, eggs hatching, etc.
Video + Sound events – conferences, professional development, classroom instruction, etc.
Use streaming when the content is live, or when media files are quite large or lengthy. In the latter case, streaming provides the user full control over playback, including jumping to the middle. If you’re not doing things live and files are small, simple file links on a Web page or posted through our blog system, The Point, works fine.
For more information, contact: Jeffrey L. Jones
Office of Instructional Technology [email protected] 381-4124.
For live streaming, send...
URL for LAN Connection (#6 below) Request for archive (#8 below)
Restrictions on access, if necessary (#12 below) ...to the above address.
\\cen-ambrose\installs\Windows (click to open, or copy/paste into “Start/Run” - this link will not work from home or outside of our WAN). Look for the filename WMEncoder.exe.
Step 3: Start the Windows Media Encoder wizard
Start Windows Media Encoder, select “Broadcast a live event” from the "New Session" menu option, and click “OK. This starts the wizard. At any time during the wizard, you can click “Back” and change things. You can also change things after you're done.
Step 4: Set Device Options Select what source you want to stream. Don’t stream anything your end users don’t need – if they’ll just be watching you, un-check the "Audio" box. Select the devices you set up in #1 above. If you do not have multiple devices, “…default…” will work. If you want to stream your computer desktop, select “…default” – you will need to change that later.
Step 5: Set Broadcast Method Select “Pull.”
Step 6: Set Broadcast Connection Click the “Find Free Port” button. After you do that, the complete pathway to your stream is listed under “URL for LAN Connections.”
Highlight the entire contents of that window, right-click, and select “Copy.” Paste the results into an email to the contact listed above. If you ever need to change computers, you will need to grab your new settings and send them again. Step 7: Set Encoding Options The settings here will depend on what sort of content you’re streaming. Remember: the higher the quality, the more bandwidth it uses. Do not choose high quality settings just because you think the results are prettier… high quality streams stretch bandwidth and resources, so it had
streaming a concert and sound only. Adjust your settings after trying things, and pick the lowest quality setting you can which still works for your content!
Step 8: Archive file
This saves a copy of your live broadcast. Don’t do this unless your broadcast is short, and your computer is powerful. You can ask for the broadcast to be archived on the server itself. Remember: your archive will not be any better quality than the quality of your stream.
Step 9: Include Video Files
Windows Media Encoder will allow you to include a greeting,
intermission, and ending video, to play when live action isn’t happening. Do not use this option unless you know what you're doing! You will need them prepared in advance, and they will need to be located on the same computer you use to encode your stream. Alternatively, you can just put a link to your stream on a web page, and let folks know there when it’ll be live.
Step 10: Display Information Captioning must be enabled on the end user’s Windows Media Player for this information to be displayed, but you should enter it anyway.
Remember: Copyright does not apply to live streams from public school resources.
Step 11: Settings Review
You’ll then get a screen with all of your settings so far. Take a look and make sure it’s OK. If so, and you’re ready to stream, click the “Begin broadcasting…” checkbox before clicking “Finish.” Alternatively, you can un-click that box, click finish, and then “Save session” for later use.
Step 12: “…restrictions…”
Click OK on this screen. By default, anyone can connect to your stream, but, only one computer actually will – the Windows Media Server, which controls access to your stream. It is assumed that you want everybody to see things, but if you have kids on camera or other security issues, your
green and clickable. Clicking it will start your stream. Click the red “Stop” button to stop things, or just exit Windows Media Encoder.
Delivering your stream:
In #6 above, you created a connection address – send this address to the contact above. Make sure your stream is started (see #13). When your contact hears from you, s/he will send you a public URL to your stream in the format “mms://edtech.fcps.net/filename.” You can...
Email this URL to anyone, or
post it as a link on a web page. When clicked, Windows Media Player will open and start the stream. Be sure to run a copy of WMP with the stream on your computer, so that you know things are
working.
If you prefer, you can embed the stream in your school or teacher web page, or use a page on our Streaming Server (chat is available then).
Saving settings for later:
Once you’re done, be sure to remove links which are now dead. If you will be doing this more than
once…when you close Windows Media Encoder, go to “File/Save,” and save your WME file for later use.
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