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Introduction
    How this Manual is Organized
    Conventions in this Manual
    Additional RealSystem G2 Resources
    Technical Support

1 What's New in RealSystem G2?
    New Streaming Possibilities
    Advancements in RealAudio and RealVideo
    Easier Presentation Assembly
    Enhanced Protocol Support
    Compatibility with Previous Releases

2 Creating RealSystem Presentations
    Streaming Multimedia Clips
       Choosing Media to Stream
       Clip Types Played by Previous RealPlayer Releases
    Using Editing and Production Tools
       RealNetworks Production Tools
       Additional Tools
    Working with Timelines and Bandwidths
       Synchronizing Clips to a Timeline
       Keeping a Bandwidth Budget
    Writing a SMIL File
    Hosting a Presentation on a Server
       Using RealServer G2 or a Web Server
          Web Server HTTP and RealServer RTSP
          Launching a Presentation
          Working with the RealServer Administrator
       Using RealNetworks Logos
       Playing Clips Back Locally
    Viewing a Presentation with RealPlayer
       Protecting Copyrighted Content
       Downloading RealPlayer Plug-Ins

3 Targeting Bandwidth
    What is Bandwidth?
       What is Preroll?
    Choosing a Target Bandwidth
    Developing a Bandwidth Strategy
       Understanding Clip Bandwidth Characteristics
       Delivering a Single Media Clip
       Developing Multiclip Presentations
    Supporting Multiple Bandwidth Connections
       Using SureStream Clips for Multiple Bandwidths
       Letting RealPlayer Choose between Multiple Clips

4 Producing Audio
    Steps for Streaming RealAudio
    Capturing Audio
    Optimizing Audio
    Creating RealAudio Clips
       Choosing RealAudio Codecs
       Encoding RealAudio with RealSystem Tools
    Streaming Other Audio Formats

5 Producing Video
    Steps for Streaming RealVideo
    Recording Video
    Digitizing Video
    Creating RealVideo Clips
       Choosing RealVideo Codecs
       Encoding RealVideo with RealSystem Tools
    Streaming Other Video Formats

6 Producing Animation
    Preparing a RealFlash Clip
       Choosing a Target Bandwidth
          Dividing Bandwidth Between Shockwave Flash and RealAudio
       Adding RealPlayer 5.0 Compatibility
    Maximizing Flash Efficiency
       Keeping Shockwave Flash Files Small
       Minimizing CPU Usage
    Using Interactive Commands
    Creating a RealFlash Clip
       Exporting Shockwave Flash
       Tuning Shockwave Flash
       Exporting Audio
       Delivering the RealFlash Presentation
          Supporting RealPlayer 5.0

7 Assembling a Presentation with SMIL
    Creating a SMIL File
       SMIL General Rules
    Specifying Clip Locations
       Linking to Clips on RealServer
          Creating Relative URLs
       Linking to Clips on a Web Server
       Linking to Local Clips
    Grouping Clips
       Playing Clips in Sequence
       Playing Clips in Parallel
          Ending a Parallel Group on a Specific Clip
       Repeating a Clip or Group
       Combining <seq> and <par> Tags
    Specifying Timing
       Setting Begin and End Times
          Using Begin and End Times with Groups
       Setting Internal Clip Begin and End Times
          Combining clip-begin and clip-end with begin and end
       Setting Durations
       Setting a Fill
       Clip Timing Example
    Switching Between Alternate Choices
       Setting Language Choices
       Setting Bandwidth Choices
    Adding Presentation Information
       Managing the Playlist
       Using Coded Characters
    Laying Out Multiple Clips
       Defining the Layout
          Setting the Root Layout Region
          Defining Playback Regions
          Using Percentage Values for Regions
          Adding a Background Color
          Fitting Clips to Regions
          Ordering Overlapping Regions with z-index
       Assigning Clips to Regions
       SMIL Layout Example
    Linking to Other Media
       Making a Source Clip a Link
       Targeting RealPlayer or a Browser
       Defining Hot Spot Links
          Setting an Anchor
          Defining Spatial Coordinates
          Setting Temporal Coordinates
       Linking to a SMIL File
          Linking with a Timeline Offset
    Defining Image Options
       Setting Image Bit Rates
       Overriding GIF Transparency
       Linking to a Web Page or Clip
       Controlling RealPlayer
       Ensuring Reliable Image Transmission

8 Playing Clips in a Web Page
    Choosing the Netscape Plug-in or ActiveX Control
       Using <EMBED> Tags for the Netscape Plug-In
          Supporting Other Browsers
       Using <OBJECT> Tags for the ActiveX Control
    Setting Basic Parameters
    Adding RealPlayer Controls
       Basic Controls
       Individual Controls and Sliders
       Information Panels
       Status Panels
       Linking Multiple Controls
          Multiple Controls Example
    Controlling Image Display
    Setting Automatic Playback
    Laying out SMIL Presentations
       Defining the Layout with SMIL
       Defining the Layout with HTML
          Omitting SMIL Layout Information
    Parameter Reference

9 Inserting Ads in a Presentation
    How Ad Serving Works
    Displaying Banner Ads
       Laying Out the Banner Region
       Setting Banner Ad Properties
          Specifying Durations for Rotating Banner Ads
    Interleaving Rich Media Ads with Clips
       Creating a SMIL File for a Rich Media Ad
          SMIL File with No Regions
          SMIL File with No Regions
       Disabling the RealPlayer Playlist
       Playing Interstitial Ads

10 Delivering a Presentation
    Using RTSP and HTTP in URLs
    Streaming Clips from RealServer G2
       Linking your Web Page to RealServer
       Using Ramgen
          Listing Alternate Presentations
          Combining Ramgen Options
    Playing Clips from a Web Server
       Limitations on Web Server Playback
       Configuring Web Server MIME Types
    Creating a Ram File Manually
       Adding Comments to a Ram File
    Testing your Presentation
    Advertising on RealGuide

11 Broadcasting a Presentation
    Broadcasting vs. On-demand Delivery
       Broadcasting Tools
    Preparing a Broadcast
    Using SMIL with a Broadcast
       SMIL Limitations for Broadcasts
       Including On-Demand Clips with Broadcasts
       Synchronizing Multiple Broadcast Streams

A Quick Steps for Streaming Clips
    Streaming a RealAudio or RealVideo Clip
    Embedding a RealVideo Clip in a Web Page
    URL Reference

B Advanced Production Techniques
    Smoothing Transitions between Clips
    Hiding Regions with z-index
    Writing Complex SMIL Switch Statements
       Switching with SureStream Clips
       Switching with Multiple Test Attributes
    Displaying Captions for the Hearing Impaired
       Filling a Captions Region when Captions are Off
       Resizing the Playback Area for Captions

C SMIL Quick Reference
    Header Tags
       <meta.../>
       <layout>...</layout>
          <root-layout.../>
          <region.../>
    Clip Source Tags
       Image Source Tag Options
    Group Tags
       <par>...</par>
       <seq>...</seq>
       <switch>...</switch>
    Hyperlink Tags
       <a>...</a>
       <anchor.../>

D File Type Reference

E SMIL Language Codes

Glossary

Index