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Chapter 1: Quick Start

This chapter gives step-by-step instructions for getting RealServer started and running quickly.

Overview

In this chapter, you'll learn how to:

Prerequisites

Instructions in this chapter assume that you've already installed RealServer. You'll also need the following software and hardware, although it's not necessary that they reside on the same computer as RealServer:

Note that for playing sample clips, you'll need both a second computer with RealPlayer installed and the multimedia equipment referenced in the preceding list.

RealProducer Plus and RealPlayer are included with some RealServer packages, and they are also available in free download versions from the RealNetworks Web site at http://www.realnetworks.com.

Starting RealServer

The two most common methods for starting RealServer are described in the following two paragraphs. For details on these, and for other startup options, see Chapter 6, "Starting and Stopping RealServer". If you cannot get your RealServer to start, consult Chapter 21, "Troubleshooting".

Windows NT

When you install RealServer on Windows NT, by default it installs itself as a service and runs automatically. If it isn't running, click the Windows NT Start button, and then click Programs>Real>RealServer 8.

UNIX

From the main RealServer directory, type the following:


Bin/rmserver rmserver.cfg

Using RealSystem Administrator to Test Your RealServer

RealSystem Administrator is the Web-based system you'll use to manage RealServer. From RealSystem Administrator, you can customize RealServer, play sample clips, and monitor activity.

Note
After you install RealServer, RealSystem Administrator automatically appears. If RealSystem Administrator is currently running, you can skip this section.

If you cannot get your RealSystem Administrator to start, refer to Chapter 21, "Troubleshooting".

To use RealSystem Administrator:

  1. Start a Web browser from anywhere on your network.

  2. In the browser's address or location box, type the following URL, substituting your values for address and AdminPort: 
    
http://address:AdminPort/admin/index.html

    The setup program generates a random value for AdminPort if you didn't supply one. If you're not sure what number to use, refer to "How do I figure out which port number to use for RealSystem Administrator?".

  3. You're prompted for your user name and password. Use the same ones you created during setup.

    If you don't remember your user name or password, see "How do I look up my user name and password?".

  4. Click OK.

    RealSystem Administrator starts.

Playing Sample Files

In the left-hand frame in RealSystem Administrator, click Samples. A new frame appears on the right, with links to sample clips. Click any one of these to test RealServer. Note that the computer you're using needs a sound card and speakers so that you can hear the audio portion of the clips.

If the clip plays correctly, you're ready to begin streaming! If you encounter any difficulties, consult Chapter 21, "Troubleshooting".

You can also play any sample clip by typing its address in RealPlayer. Start RealPlayer, and click File>Open Location, and then type one of the following: 


where address in each case is your computer's IP address or Domain Name System (DNS) name. Click OK to play the presentation.

As you'll see later in this chapter, the format for URLs you type in RealPlayer is slightly different from the format used in the HTML code for Web pages. Examples of both formats are given in each chapter throughout this manual.

Creating and Streaming Your Own On-Demand Clips

This section explains how to create a very simple music file and then stream it from RealServer. To do this, you'll need a music CD and RealProducer Plus. Other versions of RealProducer Plus may involve slightly different steps than the ones shown in the following procedures; if you have a different version, use these steps as a general guide.

Step 1: Creating a Music Clip

In this example, you'll encode your music CD directly to a file and then move it to a location from which RealServer can stream it. There are many ways you can optimize the encoding to create the best possible listening experience; these instructions have been kept brief so that you can hear results quickly.

Additional Information
To learn more about options for encoding, refer to the RealProducer Plus User's Guide, which is available at http://service.real.com/help/library/index.html.

To create the music clip:

  1. Put a music CD in your computer's CD player, and then start playing it, using the CD player. (Don't use RealJukebox, as it won't initialize the audio device needed for encoding.)

  2. Start RealProducer Plus.

  3. Click File>New Session. The New Session dialog box appears.

  4. Under Input Source, select Media Device.

  5. Select the Capture Audio check box, and clear the Capture Video check box.

  6. Under Output, select RealMedia File.

  7. In the text box below the option button, type the file name ondemand.rm (always use the .rm extension).

  8. Click OK.

    The New Session dialog box closes, returning you to the RealProducer Plus main window.

  9. Verify that Multi-rate SureStream is selected.

  10. Under Target Audience, make sure that 28K Modem and 56K Modem check boxes are selected.

  11. Leave all other text boxes blank.

  12. Click Controls>Start.

    A message appears, asking whether you want to add clip information.

  13. Click No.

    RealProducer Plus begins recording your music CD. The word "Encoding" appears in the lower-left corner.

  14. Wait at least one minute, and then click Stop.

    A message appears, asking whether you want to stop encoding.

  15. Click Yes.

  16. Click Close.

  17. Click Yes.

    RealProducer Plus halts the recording and creates a file named ondemand.rm in the RealProducer Plus directory.

Step 2: Putting the Music Clip in the Content Directory

Copy the ondemand.rm clip you created in the preceding section, from its current location in the main RealProducer directory to the RealServer Content directory.

On Windows NT, the path is C:\Program Files\Real\RealServer\Content.

On UNIX, the path is /usr/local/RealServer/Content.

Step 3: Creating a Link (Optional)

Create a link for the clip in a Web page. (The Web page can be local; it doesn't have to be on a remote Web server.)

In a Web page, type the following link and save the page (substitute your RealServer's computer name or IP address for address):


<a href="http://address:8080/ramgen/ondemand.rm">Click here to listen to my CD</a>

The word "ramgen" tells RealServer to instruct the Web browser to start RealPlayer. The Ramgen feature is described in "Ram Files and Ramgen".

Step 4: Playing the Sample Clip

If you added the link to the Web page in Step 3, use a Web browser to view the page. Click the link that says "Click here to listen to my CD". When RealPlayer starts, you'll hear the clip you created.

To play this in RealPlayer without using a Web page, start RealPlayer and then click File>Open Location. Type the following URL:


rtsp://address:554/ondemand.rm

and then click OK.

Creating and Broadcasting Live Events

In this section, you'll encode your music CD directly to RealServer and broadcast it while it encodes. You'll listen to it from a second computer.

Follow the instructions in this section to create a demonstration audio clip, using a music CD and RealProducer Plus. Other versions of RealProducer Plus may involve slightly different steps than the ones shown in the following procedures; if you have a different version, use these steps as a general guide.

Step 1: Encoding an Event

There are many ways you can optimize encoding to produce the best possible listening experience; these instructions have been kept brief so that you can hear results quickly.

Additional Information
To learn more about options for encoding, see the RealProducer Plus User's Guide, which is available at http://service.real.com/help/library/index.html

To create a live clip:

  1. Put a music CD in your computer's CD player, and then start playing it, using the CD player. (Don't use RealJukebox, as it won't initialize the audio device needed for encoding.)

  2. Start RealProducer Plus.

  3. Click File>New Session. The New Session dialog box appears.

  4. Under Input Source, select Media Device.

  5. Select the Capture Audio check box, and clear the Capture Video check box.

  6. Under Output, select Live Broadcast.

    1. In the RealServer box, type the IP address of the computer on which you installed RealServer.

    2. In the Server Port box, leave the default setting 4040.

    3. In the Filename box, type live.rm (always use the .rm extension).

    4. In the Username box, type the same user name you use for logging in to RealSystem Administrator.

    5. In the Password box, type the password you use for RealSystem Administrator.

  7. Click OK.

    The New Session dialog box closes, returning you to the RealProducer Plus main window.

  8. Verify that Multi-rate SureStream is selected.

  9. Under Target Audience, make sure that the 28K Modem and 56K Modem check boxes are selected.

  10. Leave all other text boxes blank.

  11. Click Controls>Start.

    A message appears, asking whether you want to add clip information.

  12. Click No.

    RealProducer Plus begins encoding your music CD.

Step 2: Creating a Link (Optional)

Create a link for the live broadcast in a Web page. (The Web page can be local; it doesn't have to be on a remote Web server.)

In an existing Web page, type the following link and save the page (substitute your RealServer name or IP address for address):


<a href="http://address:8080/ramgen/encoder/live.rm">Click here to listen to my CD</a>

Step 3: Playing the Clip

Go to a different computer that has a sound card, speakers, and RealPlayer installed. Using a Web browser, view the page that you just edited. Click the link that says "Click here to listen to my CD". RealPlayer starts, and you'll join the music broadcast in progress.

To play this in RealPlayer without using a Web page, start RealPlayer and then click File>Open Location. Type the following URL: 


rtsp://address:554/encoder/live.rm

and then click OK.

The word "encoder" tells RealServer to look for live input from RealProducer Plus or other encoding software.

Notice that there are a few seconds of delay on your computer. Encoding isn't instantaneous, also the music must travel over the network to the second computer. This delay ensures reliability and cannot be eliminated.

When you've finished with this demonstration, click Stop in RealProducer Plus to halt the live encoding.

Copyright © 2000 RealNetworks
For information on RealNetworks' technical support, click here.
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This file last updated on 11/28/00 at 17:34:41.
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