User Guide

Transcription

1 User Guide

2 Contents 1 Introduction IT Requirements Installing efireservice Video Login to efireservice Video Video Library Additional Video Details Video Management New Video Converting Videos Upload New Video Progress Adding Videos to elearning Content LAB Captivate, Flash or Articulate Project Lab Advanced

3 1 Introduction efireservice Video is a service that allows efireservice Administrators to manage their video library for elearning Courses. The efireservice Video library is setup using a web-based server (also known as a cloud server), through which you can access and manage using the desktop application. Learners will have the ability to stream videos from the server onto their PC s without having the need to worry about any bandwidth issues, as the server automatically detects the internet connectivity speed and selects the appropriate video quality to ensure the best possible streaming experience. 1.1 IT Requirements In order for the application to function correctly and to enable the videos to be streamed to your network from the efireservice Video server the following PC and network requirements need to be met: Requirements for all PCs that will be using our site to view video content: Install Flash player 10.1 Allow video.efireservice.com to be part of your organisation s trusted sites Open RTMP port 1935 Additional requirements for PCs that will be used by efireservice administrators and authors to upload video using our software: Allow videows.efireservice.com to be part of your organisation s trusted sites Windows XP Service Pack 3 or later version of Windows.NET 4 (this will be automatically installed if required) Correct Date and Time setting on the PC 3

4 1.2 Installing efireservice Video The efireservice Video Desktop Manager is the software that enables you to upload and manage your videos. It can be downloaded from: You may require administration rights on your PC to install this - if you are having any problems please contact your IT department who will help you install the application. If there is a newer version of the Desktop Manager this will be downloaded and installed before the next screen appears. 1.3 Login to efireservice Video Organisation administrators can request access to efireservice Video by contacting efireservice. Once access has been granted you will be able to login using your efireservice username and password. 1. Select Sector 2. Enter Username 3. Enter Password 4. Click on Login 4

5 2 Video Library When you first login to the system you are directed to your Video Library. This page provides you with a list of all the videos within your organisation. This view allows you to see the Name, and description (where provided). The list is automatically sorted by uploaded date, with the newest videos added to your library at the end of the list, this can be sorted alphabetically by clicking on the Name column. When a video is selected you will have the ability to manage it using the icon menu bar. Menu bar Icons: Refresh video list Add a new video Upload additional video Edit selected video Delete selected video Preview selected video Get link to reference video in a Captivate or Flash project Get HTML script to reference video in a Wimba script Create thumbnail in efireservice LMS **Note: some of the icons will be greyed out until a video is selected** 2.1 Additional Video Details To view additional video details click on the + sign next to the video name. The following information will be shown: File Name Name of file uploaded Width and Height the size of the video in pixels as uploaded File Size size of the video Bitrate the rate at which data must be streamed to a learner s computer when they view the video. Higher bitrates normally indicate a better quality video with more detail; lower bitrates use less network bandwidth. 5

6 3 Video Management The Upload menu allows you to add new videos to your video library and view a snapshot of your upload progress. 3.1 New Video efireservice Video requires videos to be uploaded in either mp4 or F4V format. F4V is also known as a Flash Video, so as to allow multi bitrate streaming the any videos uploaded must fit into the following guide lines: File 1: Kbps File 2: Kbps File 3: 400 Unlimited Kbps File 4: 800 Unlimited Kbps File 5: 1100 Unlimited Kbps Target Bitrate: 300kbps Target Bitrate: 600kbps Target Bitrate: 900kbps Target Bitrate: 1500kbps Target Bitrate: 2500kbps 3.2 Converting Videos HandBrake offers a free converter that you can download from their website: **Note: Once you click download from the page above, it should start automatically after a short while, don t click on all the massive Download buttons on the next page** When you have installed and then opened the application, you will see the screen below: **Note: HandBrake can only output files as either mp4 or mkv, the default setting is to output to mp4 this can be seen under Output Settings, Container.** 6

7 To convert a video: Click on the Source tab Select Open File and browse for the file you want to convert Once you have uploaded the file: Click on Browse in the Destination section to select the output folder and name of your converted file. **NOTE: It is recommended that you are the target bitrate to the Title of your file destination for example, Video.mp4 becomes Video_300.mp4. This makes it easier to identify which file is used for which bitrate when adding them to the video manager** To set the desired bitrate for the video click on the Video tab in the lower window, and under Quality choose Avg Bitrate and in the text box to the right enter your desired bitrate. Then to start the encoding click on Start at the top of the window Sometimes after converting the bitrate may still be too high to meet the ranged needed for the file to upload, a way of checking the bitrate size before uploading into efireservice Video Manager is to right click, properties, then details. If a file is still too high replace the entered Avg Bitrate with a lower value. 7

8 3.3 Upload New Video 1. Select Upload New Video from the Menu 2. Select whether you would like to upload 5 or 3 streams. 3. Enter a Name (without spaces) and Description for your video. These details can be viewed and updated in the LMS Resource Library. 4. Click on Browse to select your streams (5 or 3). 5. Once you have added all streams click Upload. 8

9 3.4 Progress The Progress page allows you view the upload status of your queued videos. A progress bar and percentage status of the video currently being uploaded are visible on the right-side of the application. You can cancel an upload by selecting the video and clicking on the Cancel icon. Videos that have been finished and/or cancelled can be cleared from the progress list by clicking on the Clear All icon. 9

10 4 Adding Videos to elearning Content Videos uploaded via the efireservice Video Manager can be embedded in various authoring tools. These videos can be streamed for our servers for learners to view within their courses. 4.1 LAB efireservice has developed an HTML script that allows videos to be streamed within an elearning course authored using the LAB Authoring tool Generate the HTML Script To generate the HTML script for a video to be added to a script 1. Select the video you would like to add to the script 2. Once highlighted click on the HTML icon 3. You will be given the options of Desktop, Mobile, or Automatic. 1. Desktop - Creates a script that works on Desktop browsers 2. Mobile - Creates a script that works on Mobile browsers 3. Automatic - Creates a script that detects if the browser is desktop or mobile and display the correct version 4. A new window will appear. Click on the Copy button 5. Close down the window by click on the X at top right corner Add the HTML script into a LAB script 1. Open your LAB script and navigate to the section and/or page you would like to add the video to stream to. 2. Click on Paste or press the Ctrl + V buttons together on your keyboard. 3. The HTML script will appear. 10

11 4.2 Captivate, Flash or Articulate Project Generate the Captivate or Flash Stream Link To generate the Captivate or Flash stream link 1. Select the video you would like to add to the project 2. Once highlighted click on the Link icon 3. A new window will appear. Select the video/ bitrate you would like to add in your project 4. Click on the Copy button 5. Close down the window by clicking on the X at the top right corner Add Video to a Captivate Project 1. Navigate to the Slide on which you would like to add a video 2. From the Insert menu select FLV or F4V File 3. Select the Radio button: Already deployed to web server, Flash Video Streaming Service or Flash Media Server. 4. Paste the copied URL into the URL field and click on OK 11

12 4.2.3 Add Video to a Flash Project 1. Navigate to the Slide where you would like to add a video 2. From the File menu select Import > Import Video 3. Select the Radio button: Already deployed to web server, Flash Video Streaming Service or Flash Media Server. 4. Paste the copied URL into the URL field and click on Next 5. Select your skin and click on Finish Add Video to an Articulate Project 1. Generate the Flash stream link for the F4V video (refer to 4.2.1) 2. Add the stream link to a Flash project (refer to 4.2.3) and publish as a SWF file 3. Within the Articulate Engage project, click Add Media to insert the SFW file 4. Click OK **Note: The SWF published shouldn t include a play bar as Articulate only allows one SWF file to be added per project** 12

13 4.3 Lab Advanced For adding videos to Lab Advanced, please see Page 7 of the Lab Advanced Manual, this is available from the link provided below: 13