previous next

Chapter 1: Quick Start

This chapter gives step-by-step instructions on getting RealServer started and running quickly.

Overview

In this chapter, you'll walk through simple steps for:

Prerequisites

Instructions in this chapter assume that you have already installed RealServer. You'll also need the items below, though they can be located on a different computer than RealServer:

For playing sample clips, you'll need a second computer with RealPlayer installed, and multimedia equipment.

RealProducer Plus and RealPlayer are included with some RealServer packages, and are available in free download versions from the RealNetworks Web site at http://www.realnetworks.com.

Starting RealServer

Common methods for starting RealServer are listed below. There are also other options for startup, and more details, described in Chapter 6, "Starting and Stopping RealServer". If your RealServer does not start, consult Chapter 21, "Troubleshooting".

Windows 98

On the Start menu, click Programs>Real>RealServer. This starts the rmserver.exe program.

A command window appears, and shows the files loaded. It then displays process ID (PID) numbers. You can leave this window on-screen, or minimize it.

Windows NT

When you install RealServer on Windows NT, by default it installs itself as a service, and runs automatically. If it isn't running, start it with the Windows 95/98 instructions above.

UNIX

Move to the main RealServer directory and type the following:


Bin/rmserver rmserver.cfg

Using RealSystem Administrator to Test Your RealServer

RealSystem Administrator is the Web-based system you'll use to manage your RealServer. From RealSystem Administrator, you can customize your RealServer, play sample clips, and monitor activity.

Note
After you install RealServer, RealSystem Administrator automatically appears. If RealSystem Administrator is currently running, you can skip this section.

If RealSystem Administrator does not start, consult Chapter 21, "Troubleshooting".

To use RealSystem Administrator:

  1. Start a Web browser from anywhere on your network.

  2. In the browser's address or location box, type the following URL, substituting your values for address and AdminPort: 
    
http://address:AdminPort/admin/index.html

    The setup program generates a random value for AdminPort if you did not supply one. If you're not sure what number to use, refer to "How do I figure out which port number to use for RealSystem Administrator?".

  3. You are prompted for your user name and password. Use the same user name and password you created during setup.

    If you don't remember your user name or password, consult "How do I look up my user name and password?".

  4. Click OK.

    RealSystem Administrator starts.

Playing Sample Files

In the left-hand frame of RealSystem Administrator, click Samples. A new frame appears on the right, with links to sample clips. Click any one of these to test your RealServer. (The computer you're using needs a sound card and speakers so that you can hear the audio portion of the clips.)

If the clip plays correctly, you're ready to begin streaming! If you encounter any difficulties, consult Chapter 21, "Troubleshooting".

You can also play any sample clip by typing its address in RealPlayer. Start RealPlayer and choose File>Open Location. 


where address is your computer's IP address or DNS name. Click OK, and the presentation plays.

As you will see later in this chapter, the format for URLs you type in RealPlayer is slightly different than the format used in the HTML code of Web pages. Examples of both formats are given in each chapter.

Creating and Streaming Your Own On-Demand Clips

This section describes how to create a very simple music file and then stream it from your RealServer. You'll need a music CD, and RealProducer Plus G2 version 6.1. Other versions of RealProducer Plus may have slightly different steps than the ones shown below; if you have a different software version, use these steps as a guide.

Part 1: Create the Music Clip

In this example, you'll encode your music CD directly to a file, and then move it to a location from which RealServer can stream it. There are many ways you can optimize the encoding to make the best possible listening experience, but these instructions are brief so that you can hear results quickly.

Additional Information
To learn more about options for encoding, refer to RealProducer Plus User's Guide, available at http://service.real.com/help/library/index.html

To create the music clip:

  1. Put a music CD in the computer's CD player and start playing it, using your system CD player. (Do not use RealJukebox™, as it will not initialize the audio device needed for encoding.)

  2. Start RealProducer Plus.

  3. Choose File>New Session. A dialog box appears.

  4. In the Input Source section, select Media Device.

  5. Place a check mark in Capture Audio and uncheck Capture Video.

  6. In the Output area, select RealMedia File.

  7. In the box below it, type the file name ondemand.rm. (Always use the .rm extension.)

  8. Click OK.

    The New Session dialog box closes, returning to the RealProducer Plus main window.

  9. Verify that Multi-rate SureStream for RealServer G2 is selected.

  10. In the Target Audience area, make sure the boxes 28K Modem and 56K Modem are selected.

  11. Leave all other fields blank.

  12. Choose Controls>Start.

    A message appears, asking if you want to add clip information.

  13. Click No.

    RealProducer Plus begins recording your music CD. The word "Encoding" appears in the lower left corner.

  14. Wait one minute, then click Stop.

    A message appears, asking if you want to stop encoding.

  15. Click Yes.

  16. Click Close.

  17. Click Yes.

    RealProducer Plus halts the recording and creates a file named ondemand.rm in the RealProducer Plus directory, or in the directory location you specified in Step 7.

Part 2: Put the Music Clip in the Content Directory

Copy the file ondemand.rm clip you created in the previous section, which is currently located in the main RealProducer directory, to the RealServer Content directory.

In Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT, the path is C:\Program Files\Real\RealServer\Content.

In UNIX, the path is /usr/local/RealServer/Content.

Part 3: Create a Link (Optional)

Create a link for the clip in a Web page. (The Web page can be local; it does not have to be on a remote Web server.)

In a Web page, type the following link and save the page (substitute your RealServer's machine name or IP address for address):


<a href="http://address:8080/ramgen/ondemand.rm">Click here to listen to my CD</a>

The word "ramgen" tells RealServer to instruct the Web browser to start RealPlayer. The Ramgen feature is described in "Ram Files and Ramgen".

Part 4: Play the Sample Clip

If you added the link to the Web page in Step 3, use a Web browser to view the page. Click the link that says "Click here to listen to my CD". RealPlayer starts, and you hear the one-minute clip you created.

To play this in RealPlayer without using a Web page, start RealPlayer and choose File > Open Location. Type this URL and then click OK:


rtsp://address:554/ondemand.rm

Creating and Broadcasting Live Events

In this section, you'll encode your music CD directly to your RealServer and broadcast it while it encodes. You'll listen to it from a second computer.

Instructions in this section create a demonstration audio clip, using a music CD, and RealProducer Plus G2 version 6.1. Other versions of RealProducer Plus may have slightly different steps than the ones shown below; if you have a different software version, use these steps as a guide.

Part 1: Encode the Event

There are many ways you can optimize the encoding to make the best possible listening experience, but these instructions are brief so that you can hear results quickly.

Additional Information
To learn more about options for encoding, refer to RealProducer Plus User's Guide, available at http://service.real.com/help/library/index.html

To create a live clip:

  1. Put a music CD in the computer's CD player and start playing it, using your system CD player. (Do not use RealJukebox, as it will not initialize the audio device needed for encoding.)

  2. Start RealProducer Plus.

  3. Click File>New Session. A new dialog box appears.

  4. In the Input Source section, select Media Device.

  5. Place a check mark in Capture Audio and uncheck Capture Video.

  6. In the Output area, select Live Broadcast.

    1. In the RealServer box, type the IP address of the machine on which your RealServer is installed.

    2. In the Server Port box, leave the default setting of 4040.

    3. In the Filename box, type live.rm. (Always use the .rm extension.)

    4. In the Username box, type the same user name you use for logging in to RealSystem Administrator.

    5. In the Password box, type the password you use for RealSystem Administrator.

    6. Uncheck the box labelled Display this broadcast in Project Janus.

  7. Click OK.

    The New Session dialog box closes, returning to the RealProducer Plus main window.

  8. Verify that Multi-rate SureStream for RealServer G2 is selected.

  9. In the Target Audience area, make sure the boxes 28K Modem and 56K Modem are selected.

  10. Leave all other fields blank.

  11. Click Start.

    A message appears, asking if you want to add clip information.

  12. Click No.

    RealProducer Plus begins encoding your music CD.

Part 2: Create a Link (Optional)

Create a link for the live broadcast in a Web page. (The Web page can be local; it does not have to be on a remote Web server.)

In an existing Web page, type the following link and save the page (substitute your RealServer name or IP address for address):


<a href="http://address:8080/ramgen/encoder/live.rm">Click here to listen to my CD</a>

Part 3: Play the Clip

Go to a second machine that has a sound card, speakers, and RealPlayer installed.

  1. Using a Web browser, view the page that you just edited.

  2. Click the link that says "Click here to listen to my CD".

    RealPlayer starts, and you join the music broadcast in progress.

To play this in RealPlayer without using a Web page, start RealPlayer and choose File > Open Location. Type this URL and then click OK:


rtsp://address:554/encoder/live.rm

The word "encoder" tells RealServer to look for live input from RealProducer Plus or other encoding software.

Notice that there are a few seconds of delay on your system. Encoding is not instantaneous, plus the music must travel over the network to the second machine. This delay ensures reliability and cannot be eliminated.

When you have finished with this demonstration, click Stop in RealProducer Plus to halt the live encoding.

Copyright © 1998, 1999 RealNetworks
For information on RealNetworks' technical support, click here.
Comments on this document? Click here.
This file last updated on 12/02/99 at 10:52:48.
previous next