NCast Presentation Recorder Reference Manual
The “video_format” types currently supported are “mpeg4” and “h264”. There is currently only one audio
format available, “aac”.
5.1.3. Upload Button
Clicking on this button marks this archive file for immediate upload (via FTP or Secure FTP) to the
configured FTP server (see Section 4.10 for details on (S)FTP server setup). The upload is executed
immediately and can start when a Session is active. Immediate upload may interfere with ongoing
Session streaming, and should be used cautiously or not at all if network bandwidth is not available to
support both streaming and file transfer.
The (S)FTP information is specified on a Channel basis. Since each Channel has its own unique (S)FTP
information, different (S)FTP sites may be accessed by starting or using different Channels.
For example, if the Session starting at 9:00 am needs to be uploaded to Dept. A's server, and the
Session starting at 10:00 am needs to be uploaded to Dept. B's server, this is easily accomplished by
specifying different (S)FTP sites in the Channel Table. Or if some uploads go to a local, on-campus
server and if other uploads go to a remote CDN server, the Channel Table settings may be used to
differentiate the upload repository for each different recording.
Information about what Channel was used to record an archive is retained with the archive. If later, from
the Archives page, a new upload or re-upload is requested, the system extracts current (S)FTP settings
from the Channel Table entry and uses that (S)FTP site information to upload the recording. Thus, the
“Upload All Archives” button may result in the transfer of existing archives to many different (S)FTP sites.
5.1.4. Edit Button
Along with every archive file an associated text file (in XML format) is kept with additional information
about the archive. The Edit button allows entry of “Title”, “Presenter” and “Description” comments into
this file. These entries may be made during the presentation or afterwards.
5.1.5. Remove Button
Places the archive file into the Trash. Files may be recovered from the Trash Can if they have not yet
been automatically deleted by the system during recording operations which require more disk space.
5.1.6. Play Button
The Play button allows an archive to be played directly and immediately on a PC or laptop. No download
is needed.
5.1.7. Unfinished Tab
Files which are not yet ready or are being processed are unfinished. To reduce processing and archive
not ready time, uncheck the “Hints track”, “Optimize MP4” and “Compatibility” options on the recording
tab.
5.1.8. Uploads Tab
A list of files uploading or waiting to be uploaded.
5.1.9. Trash Can Tab
Files which have been removed are placed into the system Trash Can. If a file was removed or deleted in
error, opening the Trash Can permits recovery of the file, provided the file was not permanently deleted
in the quest for more recording space. At the start of recording the system empties trashed files until the
Trash Can size threshold is reached (See Section 6.10.4.). If the recording consumes all free space,
more archive files in the Trash Can will be permanently deleted until the disk becomes completely full.
5.1.10. Editing Archive Files
There are several tools which have been used to edit and manipulate MPEG-4 archive files: Quicktime
Pro, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Final Cut and Streamclip. There may be, and probably are,
other tools as well, but these are known to work.
The words "video editing" means different things to different people. Common tasks related to
manipulating archive files would include these different activities:
•
Reducing resolution and reducing the frame rate to downsize the file to smaller formats and
smaller bit rates so lower power PCs can successfully play them back.
NCast Corporation
Revision 1.0
Page 48
