Intended for beginning and intermediate users, this appendix addresses specific production questions by referring you to the appropriate section in this guide. If you have questions about a specific tag or attribute, you may find later appendixes more helpful.
Chapter 2 introduces you to basic concepts and techniques for producing streaming media presentations.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
How do RealOne Player's three playback panes interact? | click here |
What can I use RealOne Player's related info pane to do? | click here |
What sets the related info pane's height and width? | click here |
How do I use my streaming clips to open HTML pages? | click here |
How do I use my HTML pages to control my clips? | click here |
Which types of streaming clips can RealOne Player play? | click here |
What does RealOne Player's autoupdate feature do? | click here |
How do I ensure backwards compatibility with earlier RealPlayers? | click here |
Does RealOne Player cache my copyrighted clips? | click here |
How do I reach audiences that have different connection speeds? | click here |
How much data can I stream to a modem or a fast connection? | click here |
What are buffering and preroll? | click here |
How do I plan my presentation's timeline? | click here |
Refer to Chapter 3 to learn about the RealAudio streaming format. Your user's guide or online help for Helix Producer explains how to use that tool to encode RealAudio clips.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
What is "lossy" compression? | click here |
How much bandwidth does RealAudio use? | click here |
What is a codec? | click here |
When should I use SureStream RealAudio? | click here |
What is the best sampling rate for an audio clip converted to RealAudio? | click here |
Does RealAudio offer stereo encoding? | click here |
How do I get the best quality sound? | click here |
What media should I use to record audio that I plan to stream? | click here |
What sampling rates can I use for audio input? | click here |
How do I optimize my source audio? | click here |
What uncompressed audio file formats can I turn into RealAudio clips? | click here |
Chapter 4 explains RealVideo characteristics. See the user's guide or online help for Helix Producer for instructions on encoding RealVideo clips.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
How does a RealVideo clip encode the video's soundtrack? | click here |
How many frames per second does a RealVideo clip display? | click here |
What frame rate should I use when I capture my video source? | click here |
Can I deliver high frame rates to computers with slow processors? | click here |
What width and height dimensions should I use for my RealVideo clip? | click here |
What dimensions should I use when capturing my source video? | click here |
Which RealVideo codec should I choose when encoding my video? | click here |
How do I ensure that my video's visual appearance is good? | click here |
How do I keep a RealVideo clip from appearing distorted? | click here |
Which uncompressed video file formats can I turn into RealVideo clips? | click here |
What streaming speeds does a RealVideo clip use? | click here |
When should I use variable bit rate encoding? | click here |
If you produce Macromedia Flash animations, Chapter 5 explains how to optimize your Flash Player clip for streaming.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
What versions of Flash can RealOne Player play? | click here |
How much bandwidth does a Flash clip use when it streams? | click here |
What Flash production techniques ensure high-quality streaming? | click here |
How do I combine Flash with a RealAudio soundtrack? | click here |
Can I use Flash timeline commands such as Play, Stop, and Go To? | click here |
Can I use Flash commands to control RealOne Player? | click here |
Can I use Load Movie to import a second clip into my main clip? | click here |
Does a streaming Flash presentation support secure transactions? | click here |
How do I prepare my Flash Player clip for streaming? | click here |
Chapter 6 explains the RealText markup for creating timed text. Appendix E provides a quick reference for RealText tags and attributes.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
What languages does RealText support? | click here |
How much bandwidth does RealText need? | click here |
How do I make text scroll up, or move from right to left? | click here |
Can I create a transparent RealText background? | click here |
How do I specify how long a RealText clip lasts? | click here |
How do I control when and where text appears in the RealText window? | click here |
Can I erase all the text in the RealText window at some point? | click here |
What fonts and font sizes can I use? | click here |
Can I use HTML-type tags, such as <b> and <p> ? |
click here |
How do I center text in the window? | click here |
Can I link RealText to an HTML page or media clip? | click here |
How do I use RealText hyperlinks to control playback in RealOne Player? | click here |
See Chapter 7 for instructions on creating a RealPix slideshow from still images. Appendix F summarizes RealPix tags and attributes.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Should I use RealPix or SMIL 2.0 to create slideshows? | click here |
What types of images can I use in a RealPix slideshow? | click here |
Can I control how GIFs animate within a slideshow? | click here |
Does RealPix support image transparency? | click here |
How large can the file sizes for my slideshow images be? | click here |
Where do I specify the RealPix display window dimensions? | click here |
How do I control how much bandwidth RealPix uses? | click here |
Can my slideshow use images on different servers? | click here |
Can I deliver a RealPix slideshow with a Web server? | click here |
How do I create effects such as fades and wipes? | click here |
How do I zoom in on an image, or pan around a large image? | click here |
Can I show only part of an image, or display two images at once? | click here |
Chapter 8 explains the basics of using SMIL 2.0 in a RealOne Player presentation.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Why should I use SMIL? | click here |
What versions of RealPlayer can play SMIL 2.0 presentations? | click here |
Besides more features, are there differences between SMIL 1.0 and 2.0? | click here |
How do I update my SMIL 1.0 presentation to SMIL 2.0? | click here |
Where can I get the SMIL 2.0 specification? | click here |
Will my presentation work with other SMIL-based players? | click here |
How do I write a SMIL file? | click here |
Is a closing slash always necessary with a SMIL tag? | click here |
How do I add comments to a SMIL file? | click here |
What values can I use for the ID in a SMIL tag? | click here |
What is the rn: prefix I see in some SMIL attributes? |
click here |
How can I view the SMIL file for a streaming presentation? | click here |
Chapter 9 is your primary resource for learning about clip source tags and URLs. Chapter 21 contains information about servers and streaming protocols.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
How do I introduce a clip, such as a video, into a presentation? | click here |
Should a clip source tag have an ID? | click here |
How do I set an image clip's streaming speed? | click here |
Can I treat a SMIL or Ram file like a clip and use it in another SMIL file? | click here |
What URLs should I use in my SMIL file as I develop it? | click here |
How do I move my clips from my desktop computer to a server? | click here |
When I stream my clips, do they all need to have individual URLs? | click here |
What is Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP)? | click here |
How do I write an RTSP URL? | click here |
How do I write an HTTP URL? | click here |
Does RealOne Player cache files like a Web browser? | click here |
What is the CHTTP protocol? | click here |
SMIL and RealNetworks' SMIL customizations give you many ways to add color to your presentation, as well as to modify the colors in existing clips to create transparency or partial transparency.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
What color values does SMIL accept? | click here |
How do I add a background color to a region that plays a clip? | click here |
How do I make the background color appear only when the clip plays? | click here |
Can I make the region background color partially transparent? | click here |
Can I change a region background color when a clip starts? | click here |
Can I change the region background color while a clip plays? | click here |
How do I turn an entire clip partially transparent? | click here |
How can I make a clip's opaque background transparent, or vice versa? | click here |
Can I turn a range of colors in a clip transparent? | click here |
Can I substitute a certain color for a clip's transparent background? | click here |
Can I make a clip become more (or less) transparent as it plays? | click here |
Can I create a solid block of color other than a region background color? | click here |
Chapter 12 explains how to lay out clips in the RealOne Player media playback pane.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Where in the SMIL file do I define the layout? | click here |
Is a SMIL region like an HTML frame? | click here |
How do I set my presentation's overall size? | click here |
Can I make a clip play in a separate window? | click here |
How do a define the size of the region in which a clip plays? | click here |
How do I specify which clips play in which regions? | click here |
Can I play one clip in front of another? | click here |
How do I put a logo in front of my video? | click here |
How do I center a clip in a region? | click here |
How can I make my clip scale up or down to fit the region? | click here |
Can I make the same clip display in more than one region? | click here |
Refer to Chapter 13 for basic information about timing presentations. Chapter 11 explains how to organize clips into groups.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
How do I make clips play one after another? | click here |
How do I play several clips at the same time? | click here |
Can I make an entire group of clips stop when one of the clips finishes? | click here |
How do I let the viewer select which clip to play? | click here |
How do I create a clip preview? | click here |
Can I make a clip repeat? | click here |
How do I specify how long an image clip displays? | click here |
Can I make a clip play indefinitely? | click here |
Can I use timing values with groups as well as clips? | click here |
How do I make a clip freeze on screen after it stops playing? | click here |
How do I make a clip display throughout the presentation? | click here |
How do I delay when a clip starts playing? | click here |
Chapter 14 explains the advanced timing features, which build on the basic timing features described in Chapter 13.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Can I start or stop an element when any one of multiple events occur? | click here |
How do I start or stop a clip when a clip in another group starts or stops? | click here |
Can I start or stop a clip when another clip repeats? | click here |
How do I start or stop a clip when the viewer clicks an icon? | click here |
How can I coordinate all clips with a broadcast? | click here |
Can I prevent a clip from restarting? | click here |
Can I create an effect similar to a Javascript rollover? | click here |
How do I launch a clip on a keystroke? | click here |
Chapter 15 explains how to create hyperlinks in a SMIL presentation.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
How do I create an image map over a clip? | click here |
Can a SMIL link have an alt value? |
click here |
How do I open a link with a keystroke? | click here |
How do I link my SMIL presentation to a Web page? | click here |
Can I open a link in a browser frame? | click here |
How do I open an HTML page in the related info pane? | click here |
Does RealOne Player pause when a Web page opens? | click here |
How do I open a link automatically? | click here |
How do I link my SMIL file to another streaming presentation? | click here |
Can I open a linked clip or SMIL presentation in a new window? | click here |
Can RealText include hyperlinks, too? | click here |
Chapter 16 and Chapter 17 explain transition effects and SMIL animations, respectively, the two features that allow you to create special effects with clips.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
How do I introduce a new clip with a transition effect? | click here |
Can I control how long a transition effect takes to complete? | click here |
How do I keep a clip visible long enough for a transition effect to occur? | click here |
Can I stop a transition effect before it completes? | click here |
How do I fade a clip to or from a solid color? | click here |
How do I fade a video into the next video? | click here |
Can I fade the volume of an audio clip up or down? | click here |
How do I select what clip and property I want to animate? | click here |
How do I make a clip grow or shrink? | click here |
How do I move a clip around the screen? | click here |
How do I animate colors? | click here |
How do I make an animation flow smoothly? | click here |
Chapter 18 and Chapter 19 cover switching and prefetching, respectively, two advanced features that allow you to stream different clips to different viewers, and maintain greater control over bandwidth use.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
How do I deliver different clips to different viewers? | click here |
Do I always have to use a <switch> tag when I present multiple choices? |
click here |
What attributes can RealOne Player evaluate when choosing a clip? | click here |
Can RealOne Player evaluate more than one attribute at a time? | click here |
How do I deliver clips in different languages to different viewers? | click here |
How do I stream clips at different bandwidths to different viewers? | click here |
Can I add captions and audio descriptions to aid viewer accessibility? | click here |
How do I deliver different clips to Windows, Macintosh, and Linux users? | click here |
Can I use a <switch> tag to stream different sizes of videos? |
click here |
How do I stream clip data to RealOne Player before the clip plays? | click here |
How much bandwidth can I use for prefetching clip data? | click here |
How much clip data can I stream in advance of clip playback? | click here |
See Chapter 20 for information on embedding your streaming presentation directly in a Web page.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Will an <EMBED> tag work with Microsoft Internet Explorer? |
click here |
How do I use both <OBJECT> and <EMBED> tags? |
click here |
What is RealOne Player's ActiveX Class ID? | click here |
What is a .rpm file? |
click here |
How do I set my presentation's size in my Web page? | click here |
How do I add RealOne Player controls to my Web page? | click here |
How do I make all the controls work together? | click here |
Can I center my clip in an HTML table? | click here |
Can I make my presentation start as soon as the Web page loads? | click here |
How do I set shuffle play? | click here |
How do I lay out my SMIL presentation in my Web page? | click here |
Can I use Javascript or VBScript to control my embedded presentation? | click here |
Refer to Chapter 21 for instructions on delivering your presentation from Helix Universal Server or a Web server. That chapter also explains how to link your presentation to your Web page.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
What is a Ram file? | click here |
How do I write a Ram file? | click here |
What URLs do I use in a Ram file? | click here |
Why does Helix Universal Server use RTSP? | click here |
How do I link my Web page to my clips through the Ram file? | click here |
Can I use the Ram file to open HTML pages in RealOne Player? | click here |
How do I open my streaming clip at double-size or full-screen? | click here |
How do I use Ramgen so that I don't need a Ram file? | click here |
What MIME types do I need to set on a Web server? | click here |
Can a Web server perform all the functions of Helix Universal Server? | click here |
How can I advertise my presentation? | click here |
Where do I get a download logo for RealOne Player? | click here |
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