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Introduction

Welcome to RealSystem, the most sophisticated system for streaming multimedia files across a network. This manual will help you produce your multimedia presentation, whether you simply want to stream a video from your home page or create a multimedia extravaganza with video, audio, animation, images, and text.

How this Manual is Organized

This manual tells how to assemble a RealSystem presentation. Although it gives tips on producing great content, the more you know about producing audio, video, and graphics in general, the faster you'll put together a great streaming presentation. If you know the basics of HTML, you'll find it easy to pick up SMIL, the language used to assemble RealSystem presentations.

Additional Information
This manual does not explain how to use RealSystem tools like RealProducer. For specific information about running a tool, refer to the tool's manual or online help.

Chapter 1: What's New in RealSystem?

If you're familiar with previous versions of RealSystem, this chapter will give you a quick update on the many changes in this version of RealSystem.

Chapter 2: Creating RealSystem Presentations

If you are new to streaming media, this chapter walks you through the steps you take to put together a RealSystem presentation.

Chapter 3: Targeting Bandwidth

This chapter explains how to target bandwidth connections, an important step for creating a streaming media presentation.

Chapter 4: Producing Audio

This chapter gives you pointers on capturing and digitizing high-quality audio. It then gives you the background you need to encode a RealAudio file.

Chapter 5: Producing Video

Read this chapter to learn how to capture high-quality video and optimize it for conversion to RealVideo.

Chapter 6: Producing Animation

Macromedia's Flash animation paired with a RealAudio soundtrack produces dazzling animated presentations. This chapter tells you how to create Flash content for streaming with RealSystem.

Chapter 7: Assembling a Presentation with SMIL

After you create your multimedia clips, you write a SMIL file that pulls the presentation together. This chapter explains how to use SMIL to specify when and how each part of your presentation plays.

Chapter 8: Extending SMIL

RealNetworks has developed several extensions to SMIL that enhance its media streaming capabilities. This chapter explains these extensions, which work only with RealServer and RealPlayer.

Chapter 9: Playing Clips in a Web Page

If you want to integrate your presentation seamlessly into your Web page, follow the instructions in this chapter.

Chapter 10: Inserting Ads in a Presentation

This chapter explains how to use SMIL to insert ads into your streaming presentation.

Chapter 11: Delivering a Presentation

This chapter provides step-by-step instructions for moving your presentation files to RealServer and linking your Web page to them. It also explains how to use a Web server to deliver simple presentations.

Chapter 12: Broadcasting a Presentation

Refer to this chapter if you plan to broadcast an audio or video event.

Appendix A: Quick Answers to Common Questions

If you are new to RealSystem, this appendix answers basic production questions and points you to additional resources on the Internet.

Appendix B: Quick Steps for Streaming Clips

This appendix lists the basic steps you take to get a clip to stream from RealServer or a Web server.

Appendix C: Advanced Production Techniques

For advanced users, this appendix conveys useful production techniques that help you get the most out of RealSystem.

Appendix D: SMIL Quick Reference

Once you understand SMIL as described in Chapter 7, use Appendix D as a reference when writing SMIL files.

Appendix E: File Type Reference

This appendix provides a quick reference for common file types used in RealSystem streaming.

Appendix F: SMIL Language Codes

If you create clips in different languages, you can use these codes in the SMIL file to indicate language choices.

Conventions in this Manual

The following table explains the conventions used in this manual.

Notational Conventions
Convention Meaning
variables Italicized text represents variables. Substitute values appropriate for your situation.
emphasis Bolded text is used for emphasis.
[options] Square brackets indicate optional values you may or may not need to use.
choice 1|choice 2 Vertical lines separate values you can choose between.
... Ellipses indicate nonessential information omitted from the example.

Additional RealSystem Resources

In addition to this manual, you may need the following RealNetworks resources, available at http://service.real.com/help/library/index.html:

Technical Support

For technical support with RealSystem, please fill out the form at:

The information you provide in this form will help technical support personnel to give you a prompt response. For general information about RealNetworks' technical support, visit:


Copyright © 1998-2000 RealNetworks
For information on RealNetworks' technical support, click here.
Comments on this document? Click here.
This file last updated on 03/27/00 at 11:09:39.
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