Frequently Asked Questions about video streaming.
(For academic staff.)
What is video streaming?
The University holds an ERA Licence (Educational Recording Agency). The ERA Licensing
Scheme permits us to record, for non-commercial educational purposes, programmes from
terrestrial TV channels. The Library records programmes under the terms of the Licence
that can be used by staff and students. These were recorded straight onto VHS, now onto
DVD, and kept in the media collection in the Kimberlin Library. Video streaming allows us to
record the programme straight onto a central server. The programme can then be viewed
online by accessing it via the library catalogue.
How do I know what programmes are coming up?
In the Library we use the Radio Times, this is accessible online: http://www.radiotimes.com/.
Alternatively, look on each broadcaster’s website e.g. http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/guide/
How do I make a request?
The Subject Librarians scan the Radio Times to identify programmes to record that they
think would be useful for your courses. However, if you know that a programme is coming up
that you would like to use in your teaching you can make a request for the programme to be
recorded.
Fill in the request form accessible at:
http://www.library.dmu.ac.uk/Users/Staff/index.php?page=392
You will need your Staff ID number and your Library PIN number to log in. (If you have
forgotten your Library PIN number simply email: justask@dmu.ac.uk for a reminder.)
How much notice do you need?
We need as much notice as possible, but as a minimum at least 24 hours.
How do I know when my recording is ready?
Your recording should be ready approximately 5 days after it has been broadcast so you can
check the library catalogue after this period of time.
Alternatively we have a page that lists all new (streamed) off-air recordings:
https://www.library.dmu.ac.uk/Home/Librarynews/index.php?page=416&id=3468
Subscribe to the RSS feed - this will inform you when your recording is available (it's a list of
all the latest recordings that have been catalogued, yours should show up here).
Here is the direct link to the feed (paste this in your reader):
http://www.library.dmu.ac.uk/XML/RSS/streamed.xml
How do I search the library catalogue to see what is available?
If you use the Advanced search option to look for the Classification ‘Streamed Video’ you will
be able to browse through a list of all the recordings ever made that are streamed.
A more effective approach would be to use the keyword search (on the catalogue search
page) to look for a topic of interest, for example ‘election’ and restrict the results to those
form the ‘Electronic Resources’ catalogue.
OK, I’ve found a programme I want to watch. How do I view it?
You can stream the programme from within any browser that plays recent versions of flash
(only available within the university).
The ‘Link: Click to view!’ takes you to the streaming page - so any resource that states ‘Link:
Click to view!’ is available for streaming.
Click on ‘Link: Click to View!’ A new page opens giving details of the programme.
You have several options now to view at full or compromised quality. The programme will
open in a new screen.
Can students view the recordings off-campus?
No. The terms of the ERA license state: ‘Digital recordings stored on-site, e.g. on an
establishment central server, may only be accessed from on-site terminals.’ Therefore the
recordings cannot be streaming off-campus.
So I can’t download a recording and place it on Blackboard for the students to
access?
No, digital recordings stored on-site, for example on an establishment’s central server, may
only be accessed from on-site terminals. However, you can make a link on Blackboard to
the appropriate pages on the library website and the students will then simply have to select
‘view’, to access the programme. If they are off-campus the programme will not play.
I only want to show a clip of a programme. Is there any way of getting straight to the
part of the programme I want?
The simplest thing to do is to use the slider at the bottom of the player window to quickly get
to any point in the programme.
Here you will
find the
volume
control and
can open the
window to full
screen.
If there is more than one clip from a programme you want to use in a lecture you can use
editing software to extract the appropriate parts of the programme you want to show.
However, programme material must be used as it has been broadcast, it must not be altered
in anyway.
How long are the programmes kept for?
Indefinitely - we are not deleting any programmes at the moment (although this may
change).
Can we convert an existing DVD into a streamed file?
We are currently unable to offer this service.
If I have missed a programme how can I check if anyone else has recorded it?
Search the library catalogue (see above).