Video Library

Documentation for creating streaming video library in Greenstone


 * For collection based on audio/video media files including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MPA, WMV, WMA, ASF, MP3, QuickTime etc.
 * This documentation gives brief instructions for developing a Media Streaming Video Library in Greenstone. For media streaming Unreal Media Server is required at the server end and Streaming Media Player is required to be installed at enduser's desktops. TCP protocol is used for communication between client and server. This protocol may not work satisfactorily if a firewall is installed on server. For more information about such and another aspects of Unreal Media Server and Steaming Media Player please visit website of Unreal Media Server at http://www.umediaserver.net
 * Please note that this documentation works for Windows platform.

Prerequisites at server end
1. Unreal Media Server Downloaded from http://www.umediaserver.net/umediaserver/download.html

Downloaded file: UmediaServer.zip

2. Streaming media player Downloaded from http://www.umediaserver.net/umediaserver/download.html

Downloaded file: StreamingMediaPlayer.zip

3. Sample audio/video media files in MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MPA, WMV, WMA, ASF, MP3, QuickTime format.

4. A simple collection in Greenstone based on HTML documents.

Installation process
1.0 Setting up Unreal Media Server 2.0 Installing Unreal Http Proxy IIS extension Version 4.0 2.1 Installing uhttpproxy.dll file (Please read above instruction before proceeding)' http://www.umediaserver.net/faq.html)
 * Extract the downloaded UmediaServer.zip file. Following two files will be extracted
 * a. UmediaServer.msi
 * b. UhttpProxy.msi
 * 1.1 Installing Unreal Media Server Version 4.0
 * Double click UmediaServer.msi
 * Follow default installation procedure. (If using Windows 2000 or later, install it for everyone)
 * Where to store video files?
 * Create a folder on a drive of your computer e.g E:\videofiles
 * Open Media Server Configurator (To do this, Click Start > Programms > Unreal Streaming )
 * Right click File Resources to create a virtual folder. Give folder name as videofiles.
 * Browse for folder location i.e E:\videofiles and enter videofiles in description field.
 * Double click UhttpProxy.msi
 * Follow default installation procedure.
 * This installation should make a virtual directory uhttpproxy in Default Website Menu of Microsoft IIS (web server).
 * Important: Verify c:\inetpub\wwwroot\uhttpproxy directory for uhttpproxy.dll file. If it doesnot exist there, then follow below mentioned uhttpproxy.dll file installation procedure.
 * Download uhttpproxy.dll file from http://www.umediaserver.net/umediaserver/download.html and copy it to c:\inetpub\wwwroot\uhttpproxy directory. (The necessity of this file is discussed at

3.0 Installing Streaming Media Player Version 4.0
 * Extract the downloaded StreamingMediaPlayer.zip. Following file will be extracted StreamingMediaPlayer.msi
 * Double click StreamingMediaPlayer.msi and follow the default installation procedure.
 * NB: Streaming Media Player will be required at client end.

Creating Greenstone collection

 * This collection will be based on simple HTML documents
 * Copy the downloaded and extracted StreamingMediaPlayer.msi file in E:\videofiles folder so that users can download Streaming Media Player on their desktops.
 * Create a separate HTML web page for every available video file. Create a link to the video and files and Streaming Media Player. An example of this follows:

http://ip_address/videofiles/hrdvideo.mpg


 * Create a link for downloading the Streaming Media Player i.e.

http://ip_address/videofiles/StreamingMediaPlayer.msi
 * A outline of such HTML page is given below.
 * Note, you will need to use proper IP addresses in the links, don't just copy 'localhost'.
 * Include this file in collect/collection_name/import directory
 * Build the newly created collection
 * If the links don't work, try adding -no_links to HTMLPlugin and rebuilding.

Testing phase

 * Browse for the newly created collection
 * Select the desired title from the collection by performing search or browse. Click the desired links such as link for download Streaming Media Player or displaying the video file. Before viewing please ensure that Streaming Media Player is installed on the desktop.

Example collection
http://iimk.ac.in/gsdl/cgi-bin/library?site=localhost&a=p&p=about&c=avideo&ct=0&l=en&w=utf-8
 * For viewing an example collection built on the above approach, you can visit the Digital Library at IIMK http://iimk.ac.in/gsdl/cgi-bin/library and take a look at the 'Videos' collection
 * Note : This collection is strategically built as a bibliography collection, keeping the Digital Library server relieved of the intensive server-loads in dealing with the hefty audio/video files.

All trademarks are acknowledged.
 * Hope this documentation works for you.