| This information is designed to introduce you to | | | | Can we mix in our own graphics? |
| the web broadcasting & Streaming services | | | | Yes. PowerPoint graphics can be vision mixed into |
| we provide. If you are thinking of using this | | | | the live Webcast or video to be streamed. We |
| dynamic service, we recommend you also hand a | | | | recommend, where possible, that the PowerPoint |
| copy to your IT manager or venue’s | | | | presentation is looked at by our web team first |
| technical team. | | | | to advise if any of the slides may not |
| Commonly asked questions: | | | | communicate well on a webcast display. |
| What is video webcasting / broadcasting & | | | | Remember, webcasts & streamed video |
| Streaming? | | | | may be viewed by some viewers in a small |
| A video webcast is an alternative way to | | | | window (viewers can control how big or small the |
| transmit a TV-like programme to viewers over | | | | picture appears on their computer screen) so tiny |
| the Internet as it happens. Streaming is playing | | | | writing and busy slides do not usually work. |
| the programme over the internet after the event | | | | Can you overlay titles and theme music, similar to |
| First Sight Media offer: | | | | television programmes? |
| - A complete Live webcasting solution to clients | | | | Yes. We can supply equipment to put up live titles |
| wanting to deliver a local, National or Global | | | | – either at the base of the screen or half |
| message on the internet. | | | | or full page graphic overlays – which can |
| - An 'Almost Live' solution whereby your event is | | | | be customised to say what you want to your |
| recorded, uploaded and streamed online on the | | | | audience. This can be very useful to help identify |
| same day via the internet. This option is | | | | section breaks, names of personnel appearing and |
| considerably more cost effective as a webcasting | | | | ‘what’s still to come’ |
| technician and equipment is not required. | | | | messages to the Internet audience watching. |
| Both the above options require only a simple link | | | | How big is a webcast or streamed picture on a |
| from your web site to our servers, or you may | | | | computer? |
| wish to host the file yourself. | | | | You can make a picture as big or as small as you |
| What’s involved in a Webcast? | | | | like. However there are limitations that can affect |
| In simple terms, for a live webcast, we bring | | | | the size. We recommend transmitting at 384 x |
| cameras, sound and webcasting transmission | | | | 288 pixels. In reality, on modern PC displays |
| equipment to a venue where you are hosting an | | | | running at 1024 x 768, this means the webcast |
| event, function or meeting that you want to | | | | or streamed video is about 1/6th of the display |
| transmit to an audience over the internet. We | | | | size. However, the on-screen player that is |
| connect the equipment into that venue’s | | | | displaying the picture to the viewer can be |
| Internet connection. You publicise the webcast to | | | | switched into 2 x or full screen mode, meaning |
| your Intended audience in advance of the live | | | | the webcast or streaming can be made to fill the |
| broadcast. | | | | entire computer screen. Then the viewer can sit |
| After transmission you can choose to have the | | | | back, away from the computer desk, and watch |
| webcast left on the Internet for a length of time | | | | the monitor as they would a television. We often |
| so that people who were unable to view it live | | | | find this is a better experience than sitting at a |
| can watch it at their leisure. | | | | desk. You can even put a programme into a |
| How long can the webcast or streamed video be? | | | | projector and project it onto a large screen in a |
| As long as you like! However bear in mind that | | | | hall or large room if you have lots of viewers. |
| people watching online tend to favour shorter | | | | How much space online will the programme take |
| length video compared to sitting in front of a TV | | | | up? |
| or Cinema screen. We recommend a webcast or | | | | First Sight Media offer the service of storing the |
| streamed video should last approx 1 hour, but | | | | 'watch on demand' file on the Internet for you so |
| many equally work well at 30 minutes. | | | | that you don't have to do anything yourself once |
| Where a daylong conference or exhibition is being | | | | the live filming ends. |
| webcast we would recommend webcasting | | | | The size of this file is a simple calculation of the |
| selected chunks of the day and making these | | | | quality rating x length of transmission. Taking our |
| available as a collection of short run webcasts | | | | recommended quality settings of 350kbps, for a |
| – allowing viewers to watch the bits they | | | | webcast lasting one hour, the file would occupy |
| wish rather than having to work through a long | | | | approximately 200Mbytes of space. We |
| single webcast. These are only recommendations. | | | | recommend that the file be stored on a dedicated |
| If you wanted to broadcast a solid day’s | | | | server, although some webcasts will work fine on |
| event, this is perfectly feasible. | | | | a regular web server, if you prefer. |