Table Of Contents

Setting Up Web Presenter and SlideCast

Web Presenter versus SlideCast

Web Presenter

SlideCast

About Web Presenter

Creating and Directing a Live Web Presentation

Preparing HTML Presentation Pages

Creating a Scheduled Program Using Content Manager

Directing the Presentation

Viewing the Presentation Using IP/TV Viewer

Creating a Playback from File Presentation

Creating a Scheduled or On Demand Program from an .asf File

Viewing the Playback from File Presentation Using IP/TV Viewer

Using SlideCast

SlideCast with Live or Prerecorded Audio and Video

SlideCast with Live Audio

Maximum SlideCast Presentation Capability

Setting Up a SlideCast Presentation

Setting Up Web Presenter and SlideCast

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This chapter describes how to set up and create presentations using Web Presenter or SlideCast. Topics include:

•Web Presenter versus Slidecast

•About Web Presenter

•Using SlideCast

Web Presenter versus SlideCast

Both the Web Presenter and SlideCast features let you create a live or prerecorded video or audio together with a slide presentation. However, each feature has its own distinct advantages and limitations. The following two subsections describe the advantages and limitations of each feature.

Web Presenter

Advantages of using Web Presenter include the following:

•You can achieve better quality and increased clarity for text and images.

•Only one server is required to serve the entire presentation.

•You can publish HTML pages from local files.

•You can quickly convert files you have created using common business tools such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word into Web pages.

•You can incorporate other published web sites into your presentation.

•Web Presenter streams can be shared with other audio or video programs.

Limitations of Web Presenter include the following:

•The Web Presenter stream is not recordable.

•Clients must have Internet Explorer installed to view the presentation.

•Presentations must be authored in standard Web formats.

SlideCast

Advantages of SlideCast include the following:

•The entire presentation can be recorded to an RTP file and replayed later.

•No Web authoring ia required; if it can be displayed on the desktop screen, it can be transmitted using SlideCast.

•Cross-platform viewers are supported. (An H.261-based SlideCast presentation is viewable on Macintosh and UNIX platforms.)

•SlideCast streams can be shared with other audio or video programs.

Limitations of SlideCast include the following:

•Two servers are generally required if it is used with another video source.

•Text clarity may not be of high quality.

•SlideCast is CPU intensive.

About Web Presenter

Web Presenter lets you create and direct web-based presentations. The types of Web presentations you can create include the following:

•A live Web presentation with a live-capture video and audio program.

•A live Web presentation with a playback from file program.

•A playback from file program that has embedded URLs. The file must be an Advanced Streaming Format (.asf ) file. The Web presentation consists of HyperText Markup Language (HTML) pages that are flipped in a designated sequence and at a designated time as determined by the URLs embedded in the program's .asf file. See Appendix B for more information about .asf files.

Creating and Directing a Live Web Presentation

This section lists and describes the steps for creating a live presentation. Although the web presentation is always live, the audio and video program can be live-capture or playback from file. The basic steps you need to perform are as follows:

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Step 1 Prepare HTML presentation pages.

Step 2 Create a scheduled program using IP/TV Content Manager.

Step 3 Direct the presentation. Use the Presenter Server application (PresenterServerApp window) to enter URLs and control the presentation.

Step 4 View the presentation using IP/TV Viewer.

The following sections describe, in detail, how to perform each of these steps.

Preparing HTML Presentation Pages

Before directing the presentation, you need to set up the HTML pages that the director (the person who is flipping URLs) flips during the presentation. Setup methods include:

•Real-time browsing from the Web—You can flip URLs in a random manner or drag and drop shortcuts. You simply enter the URLs into the Address field on the PresenterServerApp window as desired (see Figure 8-3 later in this chapter) or click HTML links to access web pages directly from the Web.

•Pre-browsing and downloading to local cache—Prebrowse the URLs so the contents are cached on the same machine you are directing the presentation from. Prebrowsing is useful because at presentation time the server does not have to access the Web and all prebrowsed URLs are accessible from the URL dropdown list.

Creating a Scheduled Program Using Content Manager

Follow these steps to create a live capture scheduled program to be used in conjunction with a live presentation:

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Step 1 Go to the New Scheduled Program page in your Content Manager.

Step 2 Select the Basic Live Capture Program option and click Create Program. The New Scheduled Program page for live capture appears.

Step 3 Scroll to the Multimedia Source Information section (see ).

Figure 8-1 Live Capture with Live Presentation

Step 4 Select Multimedia Source Information options. describes Web Presenter options. For all other options, refer to the IP/TV Content Manager User Guide.

Table 8-1

Option	Description
Play Web Presentation	Indicates whether the program includes a web presentation in addition to video and audio. 1
Transfer HTML to Browser Cache	If checked (default), the HTML pages and embedded graphics files of the web presentation will be uploaded to the client's browser and cached. We recommend that you select caching when the web presentation uses static or a mixture of static and dynamic content. If only dynamic content is used, then unselect caching.
Share Presentation With	Indicates whether the program you are defining includes the presentation stream from another program you choose in the adjoining pulldown list. 2
Web Presentation Bandwidth	Sets the audio/video bandwidth in Kbps. The default is 256. You may want to use a smaller number for WAN or a larger number for LAN presentations.
Start Page URL (Optional)	Specifies the HTML page that the user goes to at the start of the presentation. It can be either a URL Internet address or the full path name of an HTML file on the server's local hard drive. For example, http://www.cisco.com or C:\BoardMtg\slide001.htm.
SlideCast/Web Presentation Server	Specifies the name or IP address of the IP/TV Server that will play the SlideCast or web presentation portion of the program. In the case of a web presentation, the server can be the same server as that of the video/audio server. Select a server from the list or enter the name of a new server.

1 A scheduled program cannot contain both Web Presentation and SlideCast. 2 The start and end time of the program you are defining must be within the range of the program that contains the Presentation stream.

Live Capture with Live Presentation

Step 5 Make sure all other sections on this page are completed.

Step 6 Click Create Program to send the form to the Content Manager and create a live-capture scheduled program.

Follow these steps to create a scheduled program from a media file to be used in conjunction with a live presentation:

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Step 1 Go to the New Scheduled Program page in your Content Manager.

Step 2 Select the Advanced Program (Show All Options) option and click Create Program. The New Scheduled Program page for an advanced program appears.

Step 3 Scroll to the Multimedia Source Information section (see ).

Figure 8-2 Media File with Live Presentation

Step 4 Select Multimedia Source Information options. describes Web Presenter options. For all other options, refer to the IP/TV Content Manager User Guide.

Table 8-2 Media File with Live Presentation  

Option	Description
Play This File	Enter the name of the file you want to use to create a scheduled program. This must be an .asf file.
Play Web Presentation	Indicates whether the program includes a web presentation in addition to video and audio. 1
Transfer HTML to Browser Cache	If checked (default), the HTML pages and embedded graphics files of the web presentation will be uploaded to the client's browser and cached. We recommend that you select caching when the web presentation uses static or a mixture of static and dynamic content. If only dynamic content is used, then unselect caching.
Share Presentation With	Indicates whether the program you are defining includes the presentation stream from the program you choose in the adjoining pulldown list. 2
Web Presentation Bandwidth	Sets the audio/video bandwidth in Kbps. The default is 256. You may want to use a smaller number for WAN or a larger number for LAN presentations.
Capture Live Web Presentation Data	Sets the program up to capture live web presentation data.
Start Page URL (Optional)	Specifies the HTML page that the user goes to at the start of the presentation. It can be either a URL Internet address or the full pathname of an HTML file on the server's local hard drive. For example, http://www.cisco.com or C:\BoardMtg\slide001.htm.
SlideCast/Web Presentation Server	Specifies the name or IP address of the IP/TV Server that will play the SlideCast or web presentation portion of the program. In the case of a web presentation, the server can be the same server as that of the video/audio server. Select a server from the list or enter the name of a new server.

1 A scheduled program cannot contain both Web Presentation and SlideCast 2 The start and end time of the program you are defining must be within the range of the program that contains the Presentation stream.

Step 5 Make sure you complete all other sections on this page.

Step 6 Click Create Program to send the form to the Content Manager and create a scheduled program from a media file.

Directing the Presentation

Launch IP/TV Server on the same machine you plan to direct the live web presentation from. The Presenter Server (PresenterServerApp window) automatically launches at the time the designated web presentation program is scheduled to play (see Figure 8-3).

From this window you browse URLs, control which HTML pages are transmitted to IP/TV Viewers while you are browsing, and view the Web Presenter PGM (Pragmatic General Multicasting) source statistics (see ).

To browse URLs in real time enter a URL in the URL file on the PresenterServerApp window. Each time you enter a URL it is added to the URL field drop-down list and added to your local cache. You can also click links within a web page to flip to another URL, drag in shortcuts from Internet Explorer favorites, history, Explorer folders, or your desktop. You can also drag in links from an Internet Explorer window. You can also open HTML files stored on the server's local hard drive.

Figure 8-3 PresenterServerApp Window

Table 8-3 lists and describes the toolbar button and menu commands on the PresenterServerApp window.

Table 8-3

Toolbar Buttons or Menu Commands	Description
Back/Forward buttons	Allows you to return to the previous web page or forward to the next web page.
Home button	Displays the HTML web page that is defined as your Home page on the local browser.
Refresh button	Reloads the current page from the Web.
Search button	Displays the search page as configured in Internet Explorer options.
Full Screen button	Toggles between maximized and normal PresenterServerApp window sizes.
Open command	Click File>Open to open a local .htm, .html, .gif, or .jpg file that you may want to use in your presentation.
Print command	Click File>Print to print the current page.
Stop button	Stops loading the current HTML page from the Web and prevents it from being sent to viewers.
Browse Online menu command	Click File>Browse Online. Controls whether you are browsing from the network or local cache. The default is ON.
Transmit while Browsing menu command	Click File>Transmit while Browsing. Controls whether you can transmit pages to IP/TV Viewers while you are browsing. The default is ON.
Presenter Stats menu command	Click View>PGM Source Stats to display the PGM Source Stats window (see Figure 8-4). PGM is a reliable multicast streaming protocol. This information is provided for network administrators who may need it for diagnostic purposes.

PresenterServerApp Window Icons and Menu Items

Figure 8-4 PGM Source Stats Window

Viewing the Presentation Using IP/TV Viewer

From the IP/TV Viewer, select the desired Web presentation program from the Program Listings window. A viewer window launches and begins to play the audio and video program. Simultaneously, the Presenter Client window appears and displays the presentation. If the Presenter Server has not yet sent a URL, then no Presenter Client window will appear on the client side.

Creating a Playback from File Presentation

The Web Presenter feature lets you create a playback from file presentation. A playback from file web presentation consists of an audio and video program that has embedded URLs.

Follow these steps to create and view a playback from file web presentation:

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Step 1 Create or select the prerecorded file you want to use in your web presentation. The file must be in .asf format. Or, start with an .avi or.wav file.

Step 2 Convert the non-ASF media file to .asf format using the Windows Media Encoder tool.

Step 3 Insert URLs into the .asf file using the Windows Media ASF Indexer tool. Refer to the Windows Media Technology (WMT) documentation for more information.

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Note   When you specify a URL ScriptCommand in an .asf file make sure you enter the complete (absolute) URL, such as http://www.nbc.com. You need to use http:// to distinguish between absolute and a relative path. Also note when you specify a frame name in ScriptCommand, that the frame name is case-sensitive.

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Step 4 Using IP/TV Content Manager, create a scheduled or on-demand program to play back the .asf file. See the "Creating a Scheduled or On Demand Program from an .asf File" section.

Step 5 View the web presentation using IP/TV Viewer. See the "Viewing the Playback from File Presentation Using IP/TV Viewer" section later in this chapter.

Creating a Scheduled or On Demand Program from an .asf File

Follow these steps to create a scheduled program from an .asf file and set the web presentation options:

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Step 1 Go to the New Scheduled Program page in your Content Manager.

Step 2 Select the Basic Media File Program option and click Create Program. The New Scheduled Program page for a media file appears.

Step 3 Scroll to the Multimedia Source Information section (see ).

Figure 8-5 Playback from File Program with Embedded URLs—Scheduled

Step 4 Click the Select media file and select the .asf file from the listing in the IP/TV Browse Media Files window. Most multimedia source information options are automatically checked. If the file contains URLs, the Play Web Presentation option is checked. Or, you can enter the full media file path and manually select the multimedia source information options. describes Web Presenter options. For all other options, refer to the IP/TV Content Manager User Guide.

Table 8-4

Option	Description
Select media file	Enter the name of the file you want to use to create a scheduled program. Make sure to enter the full path name of an .asf file.
Play Web Presentation	Indicates whether the program includes a web presentation in addition to video and audio. 1
Transfer HTML to Browser Cache	If checked (default for scheduled programs), the pages and embedded graphics files of the web presentation are uploaded to the client's browser and cached. 2
Web Presentation Bandwidth	Sets the audio/video bandwidth in Kbps. The default is 256.You may want to use a smaller number for WAN or a larger number for LAN presentations.
Web Base URL (optional)	Base portion of the URL that identifies the web server or local file path. This is required if the .asf file was built using relative URLs.

1 A scheduled program cannot contain both Web Presentation and SlideCast. 2 We recommend that you select caching when the web presentation uses static or a mixture of static and dynamic content. If only dynamic content is used, then unselect caching.

Playback from File with Embedded URLs—Scheduled

Step 5 Make sure you complete all other sections on this page.

Step 6 Click Create Program to send the form to the Content Manager and create a scheduled program from an .asf file.

Follow these steps to create an on-demand program from an .asf file:

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Step 1 Open your IP/TV Content Manager and go to the New OnDemand Program page.

Step 2 Scroll to the Multimedia Information section (see Figure 8-6).

Figure 8-6 Playback from File with Embedded URLs—On-Demand

Step 3 Click Select media file and select an .asf file from the list in the IP/TV Browse Media Files window. Most multimedia information options are automatically checked. If the file contains URLs, the Play Web Presentation option is checked. describes Web Presenter options. For all other options, refer to the IP/TV Content Manager User Guide.

Table 8-5 Playback from File with Embedded URLs—On-Demand

Option	Description
Play Web Presentation	Indicates whether the program includes a web presentation in addition to audio and video.
Transfer HTML to Browser Cache	If not checked (default), the pages and embedded graphics files of the web presentation will be uploaded to the client's browser and cached.
Web Presentation Bandwidth	Sets the audio/video bandwidth in Kbps. The default is 256.
Web Base URL (optional)	Base portion of the URL that identifies the web server or local file path. This is required if the .asf file was built using relative URLs.

Step 4 Make sure you complete all other sections on this page.

Step 5 Click Add OnDemand Program to send the form to the Content Manager and create an on-demand program.

Viewing the Playback from File Presentation Using IP/TV Viewer

From the IP/TV Viewer, select the Web presentation program from the Program Listings window. A media window launches and begins to play the audio/video program. Simultaneously, a the Presenter Client window appears and displays the web presentation portion. The web presentation consists of HTML pages that are flipped in a designated sequence and at a designated time as determined by the URLs embedded in the program's .asf file.

Using SlideCast

The SlideCast feature allows you to capture screen information for transmission over a network.

SlideCast enables the IP/TV Server to serve the following:

•Live or prerecorded video and audio together with a separate SlideCast presentation (requires two servers)

•SlideCast together with the presenter's audio

•The presenter's audio with alternating SlideCast and live video

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Note   If one server is used for both SlideCast and live capture, the video card must be Video for Windows compatible.

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SlideCast with Live or Prerecorded Audio and Video

SlideCast allows the IP/TV Server in live capture mode to show either or both a presenter speaking and computer-based presentation materials (such as a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation or even a computer screen to demonstrate software) for a presentation. You specify whether a server will use SlideCast and the SlideCast server address in IP/TV Content Manager. Refer to the IP/TV Content Manager User Guide for more information.

shows SlideCast with live or prerecorded audio and video.

Figure 8-7 SlideCast Together with Live or Prerecorded Audio and Video

SlideCast with Live Audio

You can use the same server to serve both SlideCast and live audio. shows SlideCast with live audio.

Figure 8-8 SlideCast with Live Audio

Audio with Alternating SlideCast and Video

You can use one server and manually alternate between live video and SlideCast while using one audio track. A good analogy for this scenario is a television studio switching from camera one to camera two. shows audio with alternating SlideCast and video.

Figure 8-9 Server Shows Audio Alternating with SlideCast and Video

Maximum SlideCast Presentation Capability

You can use the same server to serve both SlideCast and live-capture, or you can use different servers. If you use one server to serve both SlideCast and live-capture, the client sees both video and SlideCast on the same window. You must toggle between live-capture and SlideCast on the server computer. If you use different servers, both windows can be viewed simultaneously.

Figure 8-10 shows an example of maximum SlideCast presentation capability. The presenter would be to the right, making eye contact with the live audience and speaking into the camera and microphone for both the live and remote audience. Using Question Manager, the presenter would respond to queries from the live or remote audience members. The presenter's assistant would have a passive IP/TV Viewer to confirm that the audience is receiving the desired image or images. In addition, the assistant could alternate between live video, recorded video, and SlideCast presentations at the IP/TV Server console.

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Note   Question Manager is a feature that allows audience members to ask questions of the presenter.

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Figure 8-10 Maximum SlideCast Presentation Capabilities

Setting Up a SlideCast Presentation

The Capture Options window, accessed through IP/TV Server, is used to control the area of the screen captured and sent by SlideCast. If you have set up a server for SlideCast, the Capture Options window automatically opens when IP/TV Server starts serving the program.

Follow these steps to access the Capture Options window on a live-capture program:

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Step 1 Right-mouse click the scheduled live-capture program.

Step 2 Click Program Details.

Step 3 Click Window>Capture Options.

describes the options in the Capture Options window.

Table 8-6

Option	Description
Audio/Video	Allows you to switch between live-capture and screen capture options. Only available on live-capture programs.
SlideCast Partial Screen	Captures a partial screen. Use this option when clarity is more important than full-screen viewing.
SlideCast Full Screen	Captures the full screen. Note that the quality of a slide may degrade, depending on the type of compression being used.
Select Capture Region	Enables an outline of area to be captured, which you select by moving your mouse. This option only takes effect if the SlideCast Partial option is also selected

Capture Options Window Information

Follow these steps to set up a SlideCast presentation:

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Step 1 Start your computer-presentation tool on the SlideCast server computer and load the first slide onto the window.

Step 2 Click Select Capture Region. The capture region appears in a partial window. A box appears that you can use to select the area you want to capture by moving your mouse.

Step 3 Click the left mouse button to lock in the desired position.

Step 4 Proceed with your presentation.

For a SlideCast-only server, no capture card is required. The server desktop must be set to use 16-bit or 24-bit color to use SlideCast.