Common Topics
- AU's streaming media server
- Requesting space on the streaming media server
- Requesting a live broadcast password
- Encoding software
- Viewing presentations - player required
- Samples of streamed material
AU's Streaming Media Server
Auburn University's RealNetworks Helix Server is named rm.auburn.edu. This server is currently licensed for "unlimited" throughput, or an unlimited number of concurrent viewers. Obviously, there is a limit imposed by bandwidth, but it's not imposed by the license. If your department anticipates heavy usage of the streaming server for a particular event, please notify OIT Web Support at webadmn@auburn.edu in advance so that we can help you pre-test the broadcast and be prepared to monitor the server.
Requesting space on the streaming media server
AU Departments and chartered student organizations may request space on the streaming media server.
To request space for streaming media, please send an e-mail message to the Instructional Multimedia Group (img@auburn.edu) that contains the following information:
Your name
Your AU user name
The AU department or organization that you represent.
Intended use (class materials, departmental documents, outreach, etc.).
You will be contacted via e-mail at the user name that you specify (username@auburn.edu).
Large multimedia files should not be stored in "regular" departmental web directories, but on the streaming media server.
Requesting a live broadcast password
AU departments may request a live broadcast password. This service is not available to student organizations. To request a live broadcast password, a full-time employee of the department should contact the OIT HelpDesk at (334) 844-4944 or helpdesk@auburn.edu.
Encoding software
You can download a free or trial version of an encoder product from RealNetworks. Purchased versions of the encoder provide more features. Choose which ever one is right for you and your budget. We've found that the free encoder works fine for casual use.
Viewing presentations - player required
Your audience will need to download a RealMedia player to play your presentation from the Web. There is a free version of the most recent player available from RealNetworks. RealMedia also sells versions of the player with more features.
The free version of the RealMedia player is installed on all the OIT Lab machines.
Streaming Samples
Click below to play sample files from rm.auburn.edu:
- RealVideo 9
RealVideo 9 provides the highest quality streaming media experience on the Helix server, from narrowband to broadband, with VHS quality for broadband viewers and DVD quality at 1 Mbps.
rtsp://rm.auburn.edu:554/real2/samples/real9video.rm
Path to the file on the IT Sun Network (realmedia1.auburn.edu): /export/real2/samples/real9video.rm
- G2 from RealMedia
An older format, G2 combines jpg slides and rm (audio) in a presentation.
rtsp://rm.auburn.edu:554/real2/samples/africag2/africa.smi
Path to the file on the IT SunNetwork (realmedia1.auburn.edu): /export/real2/samples/africag2/africa.smi
associated jpg and audio files are also in this directory.
- RealPix, RealText, and SMIL
RealPix allows existing image formats like JPEG to be easily added to presentations, offering powerful transition effects and overlay capabilities. RealText allows both static and live XML-compliant text to be added to presentations with powerful effects like smooth scrolling, selectable fonts, and selectable colors. SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language) enables the server to deliver and choreograph multiple live and pre-recorded events, graphics, and text feeds into a single compelling presentation. The SMIL samples demonstrate the use of RealPix, RealText as well as RealAudio and RealVideo.
rtsp://rm.auburn.edu:554/real2/samples/presentation/presentation.smi
Path to the file on the IT Sun Network (realmedia1.auburn.edu): /export/real2/samples/presentation/presentation.smi
- Flash 4
Ideal for long-form animation and e-commerce applications, streaming Flash 4 from Macromedia provides bandwidth-efficient broadcasting and synchronization in SMIL presentations.
rtsp://rm.auburn.edu:554/real2/samples/flash.smi
Path to the file on the IT Sun Network (realmedia1.auburn.edu): /export/real2/samples/flash.smi
- MP3
rtsp://rm.auburn.edu:554/real2/samples/realmp3.mp3
Path to the file on the IT Sun Network (realmedia1.auburn.edu): /export/real2/samples/realmp3.mp3
- MPEG-4
Helix Server delivers ISMA compliant MPEG-4 bit streams with the file extension of "mp4". MPEG-4 files must be hinted before it can be streamed from the server. Playback requires an ISMA compliant player such as the RealOne Player with the EnvivioTV Plug-in.
rtsp://rm.auburn.edu:554/real2/samples/mpg4video.mp4
Path to the file on the IT Sun Network (realmedia1.auburn.edu): /export/real2/samples/mpg4video.mp4
- Windows Media
Helix Server can deliver Windows Media content with the file extensions of "wma", "wmv" and "asf".
To play in RealPlayer use the "mms" protocol as follows:
mms://rm.auburn.edu/real4/hr/introduction.wmv
Path to the file on the IT sun Network (realmedia1.auburn.edu): /export/real2/samples/wmvideo.wmv
To play back the file in Windows Media Player, v6.4 and above, include an "asxgen" statement in the URL that calls the player:
http://rm.auburn.edu/asxgen/real2/samples/wmvideo.wmv
Path to the file on the IT sun Network (realmedia1.auburn.edu): /export/real2/samples/wmvideo.wmv