How do I make a link to my Real presentation?

Streaming Clips from RealSystem Server

RealSystem Server is the preferred host for RealSystem presentations. Designed specifically to stream multimedia over networks, RealSystem Server keeps multiple clips synchronized and uses many advanced features to ensure that clips stream smoothly under adverse network conditions.

When you stream clips from RealSystem Server, the RealSystem Server administrator creates content directories and tells you the basic URLs to use. The administrator can also set up features such as password authentication and pay-per-view. When your media clips and SMIL file are ready, transfer them to RealSystem Server and place them in the directories prepared by the administrator. Then link your Web page to your presentation as described below.

When you use RealSystem Server, the Ramgen feature can automatically launch RealOne Player, eliminating the need to write a separate Ram file. Your Web page URL simply points to your media clip or SMIL file on RealSystem Server and includes a ramgen parameter. The next illustration shows the process of requesting a presentation through Ramgen. This example uses a SMIL file that coordinates multiple clips, but you can also link to a single clip directly without using SMIL.

Requesting a Presentation from RealSystem Server using Ramgen

 

1. Using HTTP, the Web browser requests the SMIL file from RealSystem Server. The URL includes a parameter that invokes Ramgen.
   
   
2. RealSystem Server's response causes the Web browser to launch RealOne Player as a helper application and give it the URL to the SMIL file.
   
   
3. RealOne Player requests the SMIL file from RealSystem Server using RTSP.
   
   
4. With the information in the SMIL file, RealOne Player requests and receives the streaming media clips.

Linking your Web Page to RealSystem Server

With your clips on RealSystem Server, link your Web page to the SMIL file with an HTML hypertext link that looks like this:

<a href="http://RealSystem Server.example.com:8080/ramgen/media/sample.smil">...</a>

If the presentation plays back directly in the Web page through RealOne Player's Netscape plug-in, the URL occurs within an <EMBED> or <OBJECT> tag and looks like this:

SRC="http://RealSystem Server.example.com:8080/ramgen/media/sample.smil?embed"

The following table explains the components of these URLs. Contact your RealSystem Server administrator to get the actual RealSystem Server address, HTTP port, and Ramgen directory structure.

Using Ramgen

In your Web page hyperlink, the /ramgen/ parameter shown above causes the Web browser to launch RealOne Player without the use of a separate Ram file. This parameter designates a virtual directory on RealSystem Server, and may be followed in the URL by actual directory listings. If your RealSystem Server does not use Ramgen, you can write a Ram file. A Ram file also lets you utilize some RealOne Player features, such as launching a clip at double or full-screen size.

Listing Alternate Presentations with Ramgen

With altplay, you can use one link to stream new clips to new RealOne Players, and older clips to earlier versions of RealPlayer. Suppose you have a RealVideo 5 clip and a RealVideo 8 clip laid out using SMIL. You link to the SMIL file as described above using Ramgen, and include altplay to list the older clip:

<a href="http://.../ramgen/media/sample.smil?altplay=old_sample.rm">

This link instructs RealSystem Server to point RealOne Player G2 or higher to sample.smil. Earlier versions of RealPlayer receive the URL to the old_sample.rm. RealSystem Server uses the streaming protocol appropriate for each RealPlayer, whether RTSP or the older PNA. Note that altplay specifies the clip, not a Ram file. Because of this, the older clip must reside in the same directory as the new content.

Combining Ramgen Options

The question mark operator ("?") separates Ramgen options from the main URL. To use multiple Ramgen options, you use a question mark before the first option, then separate the remaining options with ampersands ("&"). The order of options does not matter. For example, the following link uses altplay and embed:

<a href="http://.../ramgen/media/sample.smil?embed&altplay=old_sample.rm">

You can use the question mark operator to include earlier Ram file options when using altplay. If your Ram file URL for a RealVideo 5 clip specified an end time, for example, include that option in the Ramgen URL after altplay. The following shows an end time set for old_sample.rm:

<a href="http://.../ramgen/media/sample.smil?altplay=old_sample.rm&end=7:45">

Playing Clips from a Web Server

If you do not have access to RealSystem Server, you can host your presentation on a Web server. Although not as robust as RealSystem Server streaming, Web server playback provides a reasonable method for sending simple presentations to a small number of users. It is not recommended for lengthy or complicated presentations, however, or for clips viewed simultaneously by large groups.

A Ram file launches RealOne Player when the presentation plays back from a Web server. You therefore need to write the Ram file and place it on the Web server. The following illustration shows the process of requesting a presentation from a Web server. All network activity uses HTTP.

Requesting a Presentation from a Web Server

 

1. The Web browser requests the Ram file from the Web server.
   
   
2. The Web server downloads the Ram file to the browser.
   
   
3. The Ram file extension (.ram or .rpm) causes the Web browser to launch RealOne Player. The .ram extension launches RealOne Player as a separate application. The .rpm extension plays the presentation within the Web page.
   
   

   Additional Information

   For more information on embedding a presentation in a Web page, see Embedding a RealVideo clip in your Web page.

    

4. RealOne Player receives the Ram file and requests the SMIL file from the Web server. Alternately, the Ram file can simply list a single clip or multiple clips played in sequence.
   
   
5. With the information in the SMIL file, RealOne Player requests and receives the clips from the Web server.

To manually create a Ram file to stream from a RealSystem Server:

Open a text editor.

If you are streaming from RealSystem Server 5.0 type

pnm://ip.address.of.RealSystem Server/filename.rm

-or-

...from RealSystem Server G2, 7 or RealSystem Server 8 or newer type

rtsp://ip.address.of.RealSystem Server/filename.rm
--Stop--
pnm://ip.address.of.RealSystem Server/live/filename.rm

 

-or-

...SMIL from RealSystem Server

rtsp://ip.address.of.RealSystem Server/filename.smi

-or-

...from RealSystem Server Live using RealSystem Producer

rtsp://ip.address.of.RealSystem Server/encoder/filename.rm
--Stop--
pnm://ip.address.of.RealSystem Server/encoder/filename.rm

-then-

Save the file as filename.ram or filename.rpm (for an embedded RealOne Player), link to this file and not the media file.

 

To create a Ram file to stream from a web server:

Open a text editor.

Type http://ip.address.of.RealSystem Server/filename.rm

Save the file as filename.ram or filename.rpm (for an embedded RealOne Player), link to this file and not the media file.

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