University Systems Client Technologies Media Services - Video on Demand User Guide For Windows Computers Created by Scott Thorpe May 13th, 2015 Updated June 15th, 2015
What is video on demand? Video on Demand is a service offered by Media Services, which allows for online hosting of video and audio files on the University of Victoria campus. Files can be shared via URL links or embedded in websites making them easy to access and share. Common uses for Video on Demand include: Distance Education Job Interviews Classroom Recording Guest Lecturers Presentation Recording Benefits: Video on Demand allows your audience to view your presentation on their schedule. Host videos locally without worrying about 15 minute time limits. Video on Demand at the University of Victoria is offered free of charge to faculty and staff at the University of Victoria. A personal approach: Allow visitors to your website to see a personalized message from your staff or watch promotional materials and presentations anytime day or night. Compatible: Watch productions and interviews on a laptop, tablet, desktop or mobile device. Local: Videos are hosted close by and are easy to access. Technicians are available to help you with administration. 2
Getting started with video on demand Video on Demand (VoD) requires a Netlink ID and password to be associated with the account. Multi-person access is possible if multiple Netlink IDs are provided. Video on Demand accounts are limited to Faculty and Staff of the University of Victoria. A University of Victoria FAST code may be requested to verify that you are an internal UVic client who qualifies for charge-free service. Requesting a VoD account: Email: webcasting@uvic.ca and request access to the Video on Demand service. It will take up to 3 days for your VoD account to be created. Once your account is created you will be provided with information on accessing the account and creating files suitable for VoD use. VoD is self-administered you are provided with instructions to access your account and tutorial sessions are available. Help and information: Tel: 250-721-8292 Email: uvicav@uvic.ca 3
Preparing a file for use with video on demand file formats and recommended settings Video file formats that are suitable for use with VoD include: MP4 F4V (MPEG-4 compatible) M4V Audio file formats that are suitable for use with VoD include: MP3 Recommended video render settings: Codec: x264 Resolution: 640x480 Frame Rate: 29.97 Bit Rate: 1000kbps base tuned Recommended audio render settings: Codec: MP3 Constant Bit Rate: 128kbps minimum 256kbps maximum Audio: 48 khz mono For more information on preparing video files for use with Video on Demand, please see the following website: https://helpx.adobe.com/flash/using/create-video-files-flash.html 4
File transfer protocol FTP access to the video on demand service Definition of FTP provided by Wikipedia: The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to transfer computer files from one host to another host over a TCP-based network, such as the Internet. Uploading an audio or video file to the Media Services video on demand server: Before a file can be made available for streaming it must be uploaded into your video on demand space on the Media Services, Video on Demand Server. Download and install an FTP browsing program; PC WinSCP, http://winscp.net/eng/index.php MAC Cyberduck, https://cyberduck.io/?l=en **You may require administrator access for the installation, please contact your Desktop Support Person or the Computer Help Desk for assistance. Instructions for PC using WinSCP: 1. Launch WinSCP The following screen will appear: WinSCP Login Screen 5
Connecting to the video on demand server with WinSCP saving a session 1. Click New Site 2. Select SFTP for File protocol 3. Enter vod.uvic.ca for Host name 4. Enter 22 for Port number 5. Enter the Netlink ID associated with the account for User name 6. Enter the password associated with the Netlink ID for Password 7. Click Save The following window will appear: 8. Enter a description of the connection in the Site name field, e.g. UVic Video on Demand**. 9. If you wish to save the password, place a checkmark in the box beside Save password. **Saving the session in this manner will make it easy to connect to the Video on Demand server for future sessions. 6
Uploading a file to video on demand using WinSCP part one 1. Open WinSCP 2. Click the Session name saved from page 6, step 8: 3. Click Login The following screen will appear: University Systems respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects its users to do the same. You will not use the service to transmit, route, provide connections to or store any material that infringes copyrighted works or otherwise violates or promotes the violation of the intellectual property rights of any third party. In accordance with Bill C-32 which may be found on the Parliament of Canada website at http://www2.parl.gc.ca/housepublications/publication.aspx?docid=4580265&language=e&mode=1 and University of Victoria Policy 3810 (http://www.uvic.ca/shared/shared_usec/docs/policies/im7305_3810_.pdf), University Systems will respond expeditiously to claims of copyright infringement committed using the University Systems service that are reported to University Systems' staff. 4. If you agree, click Continue. 7
The following screen will appear: 1. Navigate to the files you wish to upload by clicking the down arrow here. 2. Your local disk and files will show here. 3. This is the directory you are currently within, it will be in the format of opt/adobe/fms/webroot/vod/your_netlink_id 4. This is the directory of files that have been uploaded into your Video on Demand space. If folders have been created they will also show here. 8
Uploading a file to video on demand using WinSCP part two 1. Click the down arrow beside C: Local Disk: 2. Select the drive where your files are located: 3. The directory window will update to the selected drive from Step 2: 9
4. Click the file you wish to upload from the directory window and drag it across to your Video on Demand directory: Upon dropping the file into the Video on Demand directory the file will be uploaded to the Video on Demand server within your Video on Demand space: When the upload has completed, the file will reside on the Video on Demand server: **Upper case, lower case and spaces in the filename are all considered with the Video on Demand server, for ease of use, avoid using spaces and keep filenames in lower case only or be sure to match upper and lower case exactly. 10
Creating a directory on the video on demand server Files stored on the Video on Demand server, including files within your Video on Demand directory can be sorted into folders as required. Files located within folders must have their directory properly referenced when creating the URL link code as well as HTML player code in step 3 of Generating a Player Code for Embedding into a Website in the next section. For example, a file is stored in a folder labelled June11, must include June11 in the rtmp directory: rtmp://vod.uvic.ca/vod/mp4:your_directory_name/june11/your_file_for_viewing.mp4 To create a folder: 1. Connect to the Video on Demand server, please see pages 5 8. 2. Within the empty space on the right, right click and hover over New from the drop-down menu, then Directory and left-click it: 11
3. Enter a name for the folder in the New folder name window: 4. Click OK The folder will be created and the screen will resemble the following, with the newly created folder showing: Double-click the folder to open it, once opened, files can be uploaded into it. Double-click the Up Arrow to navigate out of the folder: 12
Generating a player code for embedding into a website Video on Demand files can be embedded into a website of your choice through the use of HTML code. For help with integrating the HTML code into your website please contact your web support person or the Website Development Office. Point your web browser to the following website: http://www.uvic.ca/systems/support/avmultimedia/webcasting/wizard.php The website will appear as follows: 1. Select Default template: 13
2. Click Player properties and ensure the Player Width and Player Height are set as follows: Player Width: 512 Player Height: 263 **Player Width and Height are best set at 512 & 263 to ensure the video player fits properly on University of Victoria Cascade Websites. 3. Click Media Properties: PLAYLIST Media File: this is the directory where your file is located and will be in the following format: rtmp://vod.uvic.ca/vod/mp4:your_directory_name/your_file_for_viewing.mp4 Initial Image: this is the graphic that will display before video playback has started and will be in the following format: http://vod.uvic.ca/vod/your_directory_name/your_graphic_file.jpg **You will need to upload a suitable JPG file to your Video on Demand space for it to be available for use as the Initial Image. For help with uploading a JPG, please follow the steps 1 4, entitled Uploading a File to Video on Demand using WinSCP Part Two, on pages 9 & 10 of this guide. Start time: Videos can be cued to start anywhere by entering a start offset in seconds. An offset of 0 (zero) is default and will result in the video starting from the beginning. 14
4. Click Player customization: **For each of the option under Player customization, click the down arrow to select your choice of True or False from the drop-down menu. True will enable the selected option, False will disable the selected option. Icons: this option is currently deactivated and may be ignored Repeat Playback: if true is selected, upon completion of video playback, playback will start again from the beginning Autostart Playback: if true is selected, playback will start automatically Copyright Image: if true is selected, a copyright watermark will overlay the video player window Playlist Location: choices include none/bottom/right: none select this for the majority of uploads bottom select this to change the layout of the video player, the active video will play at the top of the player window with other videos showing and selectable at the bottom of the window right select this to change the layout of the video player, the active video will play at the left of the player window with the other videos showing and selectable at the right of the window Playlist Size: this option is currently deactivated and may be ignored 5. Click Update Preview & Code: 15
6. The Preview Your Player window will appear: 7. Click the Player window to preview your uploaded video. **If the video does not play, double check that PLAYLIST Media File is correctly entered (step 3, page 12) and verify that the file is of the correct type, please see Preparing a File for Use with Video on Demand File Formats and Recommended Settings on page 4 of this guide. **The default graphic is the University of Victoria Webcasting graphic, if you wish to change the graphic, you will need to upload a JPG to your video on demand space following the instructions steps 1 4, entitled Uploading a File to Video on Demand using WinSCP Part Two, on pages 9 & 10 of this guide. **You may change any of the video player properties (Player properties, Media properties, Player customization) then click Update Preview & Code to see the changes. When you are satisfied that the video is playing back correctly proceed to the next section. 16
Gathering the HTML code Video on Demand files can be embedded into a website of your choice through the use of HTML code. For help with integrating the HTML code into your website please contact your web support person or the Website Development Office. **Please be sure to have completed all steps in the previous chapters of this guide before attempting to copy the HTML code. 1. If you have not already done so, click Update Preview & Code, this will show the Preview Your Player window along with the Copy Your Code/HTML code windows: 17
2. Click in the Copy Your Code* window and hold to highlight the text. Start before to the left of <div style=>, don t include <html><body> Click and drag across the text to the bottom and to the right of </script>, don t include </body></html> When the text is highlighted as the above example and all is selected between <div style=> and </script>, press Ctrl + C to copy the code to the Windows clipboard. 3. Open your website editor as well as the website you wish to edit and paste (Ctrl + V) the code from the Windows clipboard. **For help with integrating the HTML code into your website please contact your web support person or the Website Development Office. Please seek help before making any changes to your website if you aren t sure what to do. 18
Generating a URL link for embedding into a website or sharing via email Generated URLs are quite long and may be undesirable for use on a website. URLs are useful for emailing or sharing via other means. It is recommended that you generate a Player code and integrate that into your website rather than use a URL link. For help with generating a Player code, please see Generating a Player Code Embedding into a Website (pages 11 14, steps 1-7) & Gathering the HTML Code (pages 15 16, steps 1-3) **The URL link code is generated at the same time as the HTML code. Please be sure to have completed all steps in the previous chapters of this guide before attempting to copy the HTML code. Located under the HTML code window is the URL Link code window: 1. Click Test URL link: 19
A new tab will open in your browser which will display a video player window: If you have uploaded a graphic it will display in the video player window. **For help with uploading a graphic, please see Generating a Player code for Embedding into a Website, Initial Image on page 12. 2. Click anywhere in the player window to start video playback: After a moment the video will start. If you are satisfied with the video, please proceed with step 3. 20
3. Click the original tab in your internet browser to show the Video Player Setup Wizard and locate the URL Link code window at the bottom of the screen: 4. Right click on Test URL link: 5. Select Copy shortcut from the pop-up menu and left-click it: The URL link has now been copied into the Windows clipboard and can be pasted into an email for sharing or whatever document requires it. 21
Pasting the URL link into an email or Word document 1. Open Outlook or a similar email application and create a New email: 2. Left click within the body of the email and press Ctrl+V to paste the URL Link code: 3. You may now email the URL link code as required. 22