Exercise #2: Quicktime Progressive Streaming, Compressing and Embedding

The purpose of this exercise to experiment with QuickTime streaming compressions, learn which you prefer to use, and understand how to embed them in a webpage and link to the files from different servers.

In this exercise, you will learn:
.to output three compressions from FCP
.Dreamweaver basics
.make a simple webpage to embed these movies using Dreamweaver
.upload and download pages and folders onto the course website (courses.csusm.edu)
.make a link from this page (w3lesson.html) to your webpage
.how to access and manage class directories
.upload compressed videos to the vpa streaming server (vpa.csusm.edu)

You will be graded on the size and data rate for progressive streaming; your ability to embed all three movies; utilizing correct file naming for the web; understanding how to upload your files to the correct server.

You will need your CSUSM login and password to do this assignment which you can get from the helpdesk if you haven't already done so. I will show you how to set up the remote and local info in Dreamweaver which you will need to connect to the class website.

Directory management
Create a folder on your local computer inside of the VSAR 305 media partition, inside your folder, with your initials on it. This is the directory structure I recommend, with a folder for the web pages and related files (ked), a folder for the FCP captured media (diekman media), and a folder for outputting video compressions to (video compressions). All of these are inside your folder in the vsar 305partition.

You will store all of your webpages and other files for the web in this folder with your initials. An identical folder will be created on the remote servers "courses" (for html files) and the server "vpa" (for QuickTime streaming videos).

Using the movie you made last week, output it from FCP using QuickTime conversation to the compressions folder, using three different compressions which are suitable for progressive downloading. Limit your largest compression to play on a cable modem. Make your smallest to play on a 56k modem. Remember to consult your reader or the on-line syllabus for this class to determine appropriate data rates. If you open your compressed quicktime videos in Quicktime Pro, you can look at their data rate. Take time to experiment with creating your own settings for compressed QuickTime movies.

After compressing your videos and saving them to your local folder "video compressions", upload them to the vpa server into your folder with your initials on it. I will show you how to access the vpa server and create a directory with your initials on it. Here are directions below. I recommend printing this page out and saving it in your binder for future reference.

Vpa QuickTime streaming server (vpa.csusm.edu)
Class directory: diekman/vsar305f04
Your directory: diekman/vsar305f04/yourinitials/
To access the vpa streaming server, you can mount it on your desktop. Follow these directions:
1. Pull down "connect to server" from the Apple "Go" menu.
2. In the server address type "afp://vpa.csusm.edu" and hit "connect".
3. In the name field type "vpastudent" and in the password field type "stream".
4. In the window asking you to select the volumes you wish to mount, click on "diekman" and hit "ok".
5. The volume "diekman" will now be mounted on your desktop.
6. Make a new folder in this volume, inside the vsar305f04 folder, with your inititals (all three) on it (all lower case). Only QuickTime compressed movies are stored here.

vpa server directory structure


Next create a web page and embed all three videos in the page, using the Dreamweaver book and my instruction to guide you through this process. Give info on each movie. Here is a simple example. Store the html page in your folder with your initials on your local computer. Give the html page a unique html file name which makes sense to you such as the title of the video. Use web conventions in naming--no caps, no spaces, underscores to separate words are okay.

The videos you compress are stored in the vpa streaming server (vpa.csusm.edu). Because they are not stored in the same folder or directory as your webpage in which they are embedded, you will need to make an absolute link to the videos. The protocol for progressive streams is "http", so your link (which can be typed into the DW properties inspector) to your movie will look something like this:
http://vpa.csusm.edu/diekman/vsar305f04/your_initials_folder/yourmovie.mov

Upload your folder (the one with the initials) containing your html page to the class website inside the vsar305kd3 directory. Eventually everyone will have his or her own folder in the courses website where individual or class projects will go. Put all of your own html pages from now on in your folder on the website. All shared class html pages (ones I have created for you to interact with) go into the class directory, vsar305kd3, where they came from.

Course website (courses.csusm.edu)
Class directory: courses/vsar305kd3/
Your directory: courses/vsar305kd3/yourinitials/
Access the courses website and directories through the Dreamweaver Site Window. The information you will need is at this link and on your handout.

courses remote directory structure



Finally, once you are done placing files and movies where they belong, download this page (week 3/lesson.html), place your name below, and link to the html page with your videos you created. Your link will be something like this: ../yourinitialsfolder/yourpage.html. Set the target to "blank". The goal is have all of your web pages containing your compessions linked to this page. Make sure you watch your videos at home or on a computer outside the campus. Make note of how long they take to download and play, and which are most successul.

kristine diekman (this link is: ked/w4westernlands.html)

Noemi Jaramillo
Salome Corona
Don Nguyen
Colin McDonell

DanFcompression
branden thompson

Tristan Sagun
Erik Guevara
Katherine Sweetman

Yanta Morrow, Diane Hsu, Laurie McDonald

Rachael Rathbun, Jeff Santos, Brad Atherton, Chris Ray

Mike Kosich, Jonathon Labrador, Frank Rodriguez, and the other guy, Woods!