Frequently Asked Questions
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What VideoCasts are available?
A complete schedule of current and future events, plus an archive
of past events, is available at http://videocast.nih.gov.
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Download RealPlayer software
RealPlayer is required to watch VideoCasts. NIH staff download RealPlayer
Enterprise for Windows or RealPlayer Macintosh. Others download free
RealPlayer.
Download Windows RealPlayer Enterprise
- NIH staff only
Download Macintosh RealPlayer
Download Free RealPlayer
Streaming video is best viewed with a high-speed network connection.
Most computers at NIH are capable of displaying a VideoCast. Outside
NIH, computers with broadband speeds of 350 Kbps or faster can view
world-accessible VideoCasts. Dial-up is not supported. If you need help,
call the NIH Help Desk at (301) 496-4357, toll free (866) 319-4357 or
contact them at http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov.
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Does my network firewall block NIH VideoCasts?
Real uses RTSP at port 554 for unicasting. This has to be allowed
through your firewall to connect to our events. This is the default
port RealServer uses and the standard for RTSP.
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How do I know if RealPlayer software is working?
Test video, plug-in,
browser, java, firewall and bandwidth before watching a live presentation.
If there are problems, call the NIH Help Desk at (301) 496-4357, toll
free (866) 319-4357 or contact them at http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov.
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Why can't I see certain VideoCasts but others
work?
Select VideoCasts (Demystifying Medicine,
Proteomics,
Infectious Disease Imaging,
Green Purchasing
- HHS Only) use CIT's
Accordent system. These presentations synchronize live video to PowerPoint
web images and move caption text under the video window, all within
an embedded browser. Pop-up blockers or firewalls can interfere, so check
or turn off. Use Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher for Windows
and Safari 2.0.4 or higher for Macintosh. If you still have a problem,
re-install RealPlayer Enterprise
- NIH only, Macintosh RealPlayer
or Free RealPlayer
and re-boot your computer. Test video with
synchronized slides .
Figure 1. Slides look great with Accordent
presentations but pop-up blockers and firewalls can interfere.
Outdated RealPlayer software can cause problems, so re-installing to
latest version usually helps.
You will not be able to see NIH-only and HHS-only events on networks
outside NIH or HHS. You can only see them from the NIH or HHS network
or with NIH VPN service.
NIH VideoCasting has almost 4,000 archive videos dating back ten
years or longer. On occasion, some content encoded years ago with early
versions of RealProducer may not stream with some versions of RealPlayer
software. If you have trouble viewing an old VideoCast, please contact
CIT Video Services.
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Where can I get copies of the slides used in the
VideoCast?
CIT can attach supplementary material to special events or lecture
series, such as DNA Repair. If slides
are not available on the VideoCast page, contact the event coordinator
to see if supplementary material is available on another website. If
you need help locating the event coordinator, contact
CIT Video Services.
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Can I download a VideoCast?
WALS,
Neuroscience,
Immunology,
DSS,
Stem Cell,
Systems Biology,
Bioethics,
BSSR and
CMS RealPlayer video files
can be saved to disk. Windows IE users right-click the Download
button and save target as. Download Instructions for other operating
systems or browsers may vary. If there is another lecture series you
would like to petition for download, contact
CIT Video Services and we will forward
your request to the event coordinator.
Figure 1. Sample image shows IE users can "right click
Download button" and "Save Target As" to download select video files.
All others require a download request with title and date to
CIT Video Services. Download requests with
more than one lecture will not be processed. If approved by the event
coordinator, CIT will provide a free download.
Podcast QuickTime video and
audio MP3 files are available for download. Windows IE users right-click
the Play button and save target as. Download Instructions for other
operating systems or browsers may vary.
Figure 2. Sample image shows IE users can "right click
Play button" and "Save Target As" to download QuickTime video and audio
MP3 files.
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Why can't I see NIH-only or HHS-only VideoCasts?
All VideoCasts are world-accessible except for NIH-only and HHS-only
events. Individual event coordinators determine the access level. This
is how CIT determines which videos are world-accessible or NIH/HHS only.
VideoCasts marked NIH/HHS-only can only be seen from computers on NIH/HHS
networks or from outside networks with VPN software. The HHS network
includes the following agencies: ACF, AoA, AHRQ, ATSDR, CDC, CMS, FDA,
HHS, HRSA, IHS, NIH, PSC, and SAMHSA.
You will need an NIH VPN account and software on your home computer
to watch NIH-only or HHS-only VideoCasts. Virtual Private Network (VPN)
allows NIH employees to access the NIH network and Institute computing
resources over a third-party Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as
that from Verizon FIOS/DSL or Comcast Cable. You will need to contact
your third-party ISP to verify that the ISP allows VPN over their network.
More information is at http://remoteaccess.nih.gov
or staff can call the NIH Helpdesk at (301) 496-4357 for VPN information.
NIH or HHS staff trying to use Citrix, remote desktop, proxy servers
or any other remote access system will not be able to watch NIH-only
and HHS-only events. NIH VPN is the only supported remote access solution.
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How quickly are new VideoCasts added to the
archive?
New VideoCasts are added as quickly as possible, usually within a
few days after the broadcast. On occasion the archive copies are made
from backup tapes, which will delay this process. All VideoCasts are
archived for on-demand playback. Video archives are not removed unless
requested by the event coordinator.
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Are the VideoCasts captioned?
All live VideoCasts are captioned for Section 508 compliance. Some
older VideoCasts may not have captions and these are exempt from Section
508. Most VideoCasts are open captioned. CIT is testing a closed caption
system to move text below the video window.
Open caption
video
Closed caption
video
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How does VideoCasting work?
Streaming files are not downloaded, but rather are broadcast in a
manner similar to television broadcasts . The videos are processed by
a compression program into a streaming format and delivered in a staggered
fashion to minimize impact upon the network and maximize the experience
of the content for the viewer. When users request a streaming file they
will receive an initial burst of data after a short delay ("file latency").
While content is being viewed, the streaming server machine and software
continues to "stream" data in such a manner that the viewer experiences
no break in the content. For more information, visit
What is NIH VideoCasting?
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Who do I call if there is a problem with the broadcast?
If you have tested RealPlayer software by watching a past event but
can not view a live VideoCast, call the NIH Help Desk at (301) 496-4357,
toll free (866) 319-4357 or contact them at http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov.
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Does VideoCast have RSS feeds?
There are RSS 2.0 feeds for Upcoming Events, Past Events, individual
past event categories and Podcasts.
For more information, go the RSS help page.
Figure 1. RSS feeds publish frequently updated
content and Podcasts.
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Are Podcasts available for my portable media player?
Video and audio Podcast files
are available for download so you can access content whenever you want
from your portable media player. We recommend using
iTunes to subscribe to the
Podcasts, as well as viewing the files and synching them to your media
device. The Podcasts can also be downloaded directly from our website
and viewed in QuickTime.
For more information, go the Podcast
FAQ. If there is a lecture series you would like to petition for
Podcasting, contact
CIT Video Services and we will forward
your request to the event coordinator.
Figure 1. Take videos to go with Podcasting.
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The RealPlayer video size is 320x240. This format works best to stream
content over the Internet. The best way to show NIH videos in a "cinema-session"
would be to lower the computer's screen resolution to its lowest 640x480
or 800x600. To avoid degraded video, do not play in full screen. Double
screen works best. AV staff can contact
CIT Video Services in advance to get the
video link for an upcoming VideoCast so they can test the room 30 minutes
prior to the actual start time.
Figure 1. AV conference room staff can avoid degraded
video by lowering computer display properties and not playing in "full
screen."
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Why can't I see video on my second dual-monitor
display?
If RealPlayer shows black video on your second dual-monitor display
and works fine on your first display, check RealPlayer preferences to
see if optimized video is selected. Go to Tools, Preferences, Hardware,
video Card Compatibility to disable "Use optimized display."
Figure 1. RealPlayer can show normal video on your primary
display and black video when you move the player to your second
dual-monitor display.
Figure 2. Usually turning off "Use optimized display"
enables video to be displayed on your second display.
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Why do slides look fuzzy?
If viewers increase the video size, slides and text can look fuzzy.
Figure 1. The normal video size is 320x240.
Figure 2. When viewers increase the video to "double
size" text begins to get fuzzy.
Figure 3. When viewers increase the video to
"full screen" text gets fuzzy.
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Why do I get an error that says "I don't
have enough bandwidth" or video stops
but audio continues to stream?
To improve performance and to avoid degraded video, check RealPlayer preferences to see if bandwidth
is configured properly. Go to Tools, Preferences, Connection to adjust
bandwidth values to 10Mbps LAN. If necessary, re-install
RealPlayer Enterprise -
NIH only, Macintosh RealPlayer
or Free RealPlayer.
Figure 1. Verify normal and maximum bandwidth is set
to 10Mbps LAN.
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Could network conditions cause degraded video?
Figure 1. Unstable network conditions can lead to
video impairments.
If you are experiencing poor performance using RealPlayer on a Windows
computer, you have installed or re-installed the latest version of RealPlayer,
and you need to send a request to your network administrators to research
your problem, it may be helpful to include a screen shot of the information
provided by a built-in diagnostic feature of RealPlayer.
Under the Tools menu in RealPlayer, select Playback Statistics, and
then select in turn each of the three options: Bandwidth, Packet, and
Streams. Each option will open a small window on your PC. Within the
Streaming Statistics window, select "RealVideo Stream" from Streaming
Statistics to display transport protocol and current bitrate. You may
also want to open the PC's Task Manager, Networking tab.
Then, take a screen shot, save it as a JPEG in the Paint accessory program,
and attach it to your email message. Also, include the IP address of
your PC.
Figure 2. Sample image shows less than desirable
network conditions. Player is not getting target bandwidth when it drops
from 100% to 0%. Go to Tools, Playback Statistics, select Bandwidth.
Figure 3. Sample image shows normal network
conditions. Player is getting 100% target bandwidth. Go to Tools, Playback
Statistics, select Bandwidth.
Target Bandwidth
Encoded at |
Rate at which the clip was encoded (typically
with RealProducer, also known as an Audience). |
Current |
Instant update of current stream rate |
Minimum |
Lowest rate at which the current stream
has reached |
Maximum |
Highest rate at which the current stream
has reached |
Average |
Total bandwidth used divided by the
amount of seconds the stream has played. |
Figure 4. Sample image shows packet statistics.
Go to Tools, Playback Statistics, select Packets.
Packet Status
Received |
Amount of packets delivered to player
that were successful |
Recovered |
Amount of packets that initial had trouble,
but were retransmitted successfully |
Total |
Sum of Received and Recovered packets
|
Late |
Number of packets that were received
out of sequence, but later were set in place (typically seen
when streaming with TCP) |
Lost |
Number of packets requested that never
reached the client |
Total |
Sum of Late and Lost packets |
Retransmission
Requested |
Number of packets client asked server
to resend |
Received |
Number of requested retransmitted packets
the client received |
Retransmission Rate
Average |
Total time of retransmitted packets
to be received divided by amount of retransmitted packets
|
Peak |
Longest duration of retransmitted packet
|
Lowest |
Shortest duration of retransmitted packet
|
Figure 5. Sample image shows streaming statistics.
Go to Tools, Playback Statistics, select Streaming. Select RealVideo
Stream from the list of components in the blue window. The default component
is Stream0- .Source0.
Streaming Statistics
Stream |
List of each component involved in entire
stream (i.e. Audio, Video and SMIL) Components that are registered
by the player but unidentifiable are listed as Stream0 and count
upwards accordingly. |
Codec |
Format at which individual component
was encoded (i.e. RealVideo 8,9,10) |
Server |
Shows streaming server where clip component
originates with version and corresponding operating system build
(i.e. Helix Server 11.1.1.1099 |
Transport Protocol |
Listed protocol in use (i.e. Multicast,
UDP, TCP, HTTP, RTSPvHTTP) |
Bitrate |
Rate at which the individual clip component
was encoded (typically with RealProducer, also known as an Audience). |
Encoded at |
Frame rate the video was encoded at
(i.e. 30.0 fps) |
Current |
Instant update of current clip component
stream rate |
Post filter |
Detects if Post Filter has been enabled
during clip creation. HFE (High Frequency Emphasis) post filter
corrects and further enhances the spectral information lost
or attenuated in video. This filter looks for subtle improvements
in textures/noise in the spatial domain and their temporal continuity. |
Frames Displayed |
Percentage of frames requested that
were displayed in the client |
Frames Lost |
Number of frames requested by client
that were never displayed in the client |
Frames Dropped |
Number of frames sent, but client rejected |
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Can I get CME credits watching a VideoCast?
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is the accredited
provider for NIH CME activities as of
March 1, 2008. For more information, please visit
https://www.nihandhopkinscme.org
and contact CME tech support directly from this page.
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Center for Information Technology
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
local (301) 496-4357
toll free (866) 319-4357
TDD (301) 496 8294
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