Deliver Flash Video

Once you have created streaming media, how do you get it out to the users? These pages explain how to use the ACCC WebDisk, how to link to your files once they are there, and alternative delivery methods.

Streaming Servers

Streaming media requires a special server, not just a regular webserver. While it is possible to deliver, say, a Flash Video clip from a webserver, you will not get all the functionality, quality, and efficiency of using a true Flash Media Server. Thus you should always use the ACCC Flash Media Server to deliver your streaming media.

You can also place streaming media on a CD-Rom. All media types can be played from a local filesystem, so this is a good way of distributing your media if high quality matters and you want to ensure that everyone can see the material. Local playback always uses the highest quality streams in the file, so when creating for CD-Rom delivery, you should create single-rate files. Using a very high bitrate can overwhelm some older systems at playback, so you may want to provide a completely separate medium bandwidth version on the CD-Rom.

The ACCC Flash Media Server

The server is licensed for unlimited concurrent streams. Currently no file quotas are enforced, nevertheless your use of the available bandwidth and storage space should be reasonable and appropriate for your content.

Placing files onto the WebDisk requires a directory set up for you (and your collaborators, if any), so you need to notify us if you want to put files there, similar to requesting web-space for your classes or departmental uses. Request Flash Media Server space now

After submitting the request, we will create a directory under Group WebDisk which is paired with the directory on the Flash Media Server.

The Flash Media Server Directory Structure

The media files are actually stored on a separate machine, and are remotely mounted on streaming.uic.edu with subdirectories classes, depts, orgs, and users, similar to the structure of the documents on the webserver. Depending on your request, we will assign you specific subdirectories of these. When you need space for different types of materials (e.g. for a new class), please request additional space, and do not simply put them in your current directory. This will not only help you and us with the file organization, it also allows setting appropriate file permissions, e.g. the files for some class might be owned by you and your TA, those for another class just by you, and those of a departmental nature by you and several colleagues.

Linking to Realmedia Files

A streaming file, whether it has the .rm extension, or .smil, or any other streaming media type, cannot be played back by your web browser, and in fact the browser does not know how to handle them at all. Browsers use the http:// protocol, while Flash Media Server 'speaks' rtmp:// instead.

You can also embed streaming media in your webpages, rather than linking to external players. Here's sample code showing you how to do that for a flash video.

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