G2 Streaming Media Workshop
by Edward Tanguay (edwardtanguay@gmx.de)
Fall 1999

If you would like to stream audio, video or multimedia presentations over the Internet, this page will get you started using the G2 streaming media technologies available today, including the multimedia script language SMIL.

Note: To view and listen to these multimedia examples, you need to have the RealPlayer G2 installed on your machine. You can download this player for free by going to http://www.real.com/products and clicking on the Blue button that says Free RealPlayer G2. Please note that the RealPlayer 5.0 is NOT adequate for playing the SMIL files. You need to have the RealPlayer G2.

Note: This page is temporarily hosted on a free Geocities website which provides a free G2 Server. Because it is free, the quality of the stream may vary, depending on the current traffic at Geocities. If the media files below do not start, or if they stop in the middle because of "Net Congestion", simply restart them by clicking on the RealPlayer stop button and then on the play button again.

### Examples of Plain Real Media Streaming:

1. | A plain audio file (stream) (play locally) This is the old way of streaming, which can be done with a RealServer 5.0. The .ram file a 1K text file. The .rm file is 454K. It was created by Edward Tanguay with Magix Dance Maker (www.magix.com) as a .avi file and then converted into .rm with the Real Encoder G2 (www.real.com).
2. | A software-instruction video with Slide Show video quality (stream) (play locally) Creation: created as a .avi file with Hypercam (www.hyperionics.com), then saved as an .rm file with Real Encoder G2 (www.real.com) with the following settings: Target Audience: Multirate Surestream for 28K and Single ISDN Video Quality: Slide Show File Size: 758K File Type: .ram streaming a .rm File Duration: 48 seconds Advantages: Near-professional-quality pictures while maintaining workable file size. Disadvantages: Choppy video, approx. 1 picture per second. Notes: The Slide Show option gives the sharpest picture quality out of all the options, but because of its choppy movements, it needs to be combined with SLOW movements when recording with hypercam. You should move slowly to a new point on the screen, PAUSE and explain what you are going to do, then do it. This way you decrease the chances that the object about which you are talking does not appear in the .rm video. Intended Use: Use the Slide Show format to create streaming software-instruction videos in which you have to move around the screen quickly.
3. | A software-instruction video with Sharpest Image video quality (stream) (play locally) Creation: created as a .avi file with Hypercam (www.hyperionics.com), then saved as an .rm file with Real Encoder G2 (www.real.com) with the following settings: Target Audience: Multirate Surestream for 28K and Single ISDN Video Quality: Sharpest Image File Size: 758K File Type: .ram streaming a .rm File Duration: 48 seconds Advantages: The motion of the video is noticably better than Slide Show (above). Disadvantages: Because of the gain in speed, you get smears in high-motion moments. Intended Use: Use the Sharpest Image format to create streaming software-instruction videos in which you stay in one place on the screen, e.g. where most of the video is typing or very small movements with the mouse.
4. | A software-instruction video with Smoothest Motion video quality (stream) (play locally) Creation: created as a .avi file with Hypercam (www.hyperionics.com), then saved as an .rm file with Real Encoder G2 (www.real.com) with the following settings: Target Audience: Multirate Surestream for 28K and Single ISDN Video Quality: Smoothest Motion File Size: 758K File Type: .ram streaming a .rm File Duration: 48 seconds Advantages: You can see every movement of the mouse. The motion of the video is the fastest and smoothest that there is (in the continuum from Slide Show to Sharpest Image to Smoothest Motion). Disadvantages: Very smeary with high motion. Intended Use: Use the Smoothest Motion format to create streaming software-instruction videos in which you need to see every movement of the mouse.
5. | A software-instruction video with Smoothest Motion video quality and LAN speed (stream) (download and play) Creation: created as a .avi file with Hypercam (www.hyperionics.com), then saved as an .rm file with Real Encoder G2 (www.real.com) with the following settings: Target Audience: Multirate Surestream for 28K and LAN Video Quality: Smoothest Motion File Size: 1651K File Type: .ram streaming a .rm File Duration: 48 seconds Advantages: You can see every movement of the mouse. Plus the picture image is the sharpest it can be, while the file size is still workable. Disadvantages: Large file size, cannot stream this quality except on LANs. Intended Use: Use the Smoothest Motion with LAN to create learning-software videos which will be primarily used on a local network.
6. | This is a test to see if .ram streaming or .smil streaming is more reliable. .ram file: 121K .rm video recorded with Hypercam, then converted with G2 Encoder single rate 28K .smil file: 121K .rm video recorded with Hypercam, then converted with G2 Encoder single rate 28K .rm video without streaming

## Examples of G2 SMIL Streaming:

1. | Two simultaneous audio tracks. This is a SMIL file which streams two .rm files simultaneously. Created with the SMIL Presentation Wizard (www.real.com).
2. | Scrolling Text, Fading Pictures, and Audio This small multimedia presentation is a combination of: 2 photographs (10K and 38K) 1 RealText file (1K) 1 RealPix file (1K) 1 RealAudio file (287K) 1 SMIL file (1K) Notice the hyperlink at the end of the scrolling text (!).
3. | Video with Scrolling Transcript Text (stream) (play locally) This is an educational software video on top with the transcript scrolling in a window beneath.
4. | Video withScrolling Text and Ticker (play locally) This is an educational software video on top with transcript on the right and an advertisement ticker running across the bottom.
5. | Audio Workshop with Graphic Aids (stream) (play locally) This is an educational workhshop in audio with four screen regions containing graphic aids which fade in and out as the speaker delivers his speech.