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Streaming Audio/Video
Other Technical Help
Streaming Audio/Video
Some courses make use of video or audio materials that may be viewed or
listened to on your local computer. The process of sending this
audio-video file in near real-time is called "streaming". Streaming does
NOT require you to wait for the whole file to arrive, or to
be stored on your local hard-drive before you can view it. However, you do
need a small software program (called a plug-in) in order to watch or hear
this file. Of course you also need a multimedia capable computer
with speakers and a sound card installed. Usually you need a 33.3-56k
speed modem and a fast processor (at least 133 mhz) to watch the video in
near real-time. Otherwise it looks like a slow moving slide show as the
pictures are transferred over the Internet to your computer).
The streaming software program we use is called "RealPlayer"
and it is free to students. To get Realplayer you need to visit the Real
Networks software site and download the file. The company does not
charge for the "RealPlayer 10 Basic" player, but they would like
to sell you a better, enhanced version of the player for a modest charge.
The enhanced player is a good deal, and it has extra features. But, the
free player will also work just fine for viewing the video/audio files on
the Coastline site (especially if you are on a tight budget).
Follow the directions when you go to the site for the RealPlayer download.
A small file will be transferred to your computer, then you will need to
expand (install) the file on your computer to make it run properly. Be
sure you make a note of the folder/location that the file is being
transferred
to so that after the download you may click on the file to activate the
player on your computer. Once the file self- installs it will pop-up
automatically every time you click on a RealVideo file that is a part of
any Website. This includes lots of other sites besides Coastline's that
are using this streaming format. Since it is one of the most popular
streaming audio/video formats on the Internet, it is well worth the effort
to install the software for lots of media clips you will find on the Web.
These clips are usually accompanied by the "RealVideo" icon to indicate
they are a viewable file. See examples on our Web pages.
Other Technical Help
For any other technical questions, limited
technical referral is available at (714) 241-6304.
FAQ:
Every time I try to get into one of my
courses, I get a message that says, "An error has occurred in the scripts
on this page". What is
going wrong?
This is usually an indication that your browser software is not
up-to-date. We recommend that you use Microsoft Internet Explorer or
Netscape
Communicator version 4 or greater. You may also be using an AOL browser
that also needs to be updated. Please use AOL's help to learn how
to upgrade your AOL software.
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