Podcasting & SMIL Adrian Stevenson Learning Technology Services University of Manchester Some slides in this presentation are based on original presentations produced by the JISC-funded QA Focus project provided by UKOLN and AHDS

Adrian Stevenson

Learning Technology Services

University of Manchester

Some slides in this presentation are based on original presentations produced by the JISC-funded QA Focus project provided by UKOLN and AHDS

RSS What is RSS? Wikipedia – RSS is family of ‘web feed’ formats Web feed is a data format used for serving users' frequently updated content. Content distributors syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to subscribe to it. What does RSS stand for? Several different views: Netscape called it Rich Site Summary (v 0.92) W3C felt it should be based on RDF/XML to provide extensibility and called it RDF Site Summary (v 1.0) Dave Winer (& others) valued its simplicity and developed an alternative called Really Simple Syndication (v 2.0)

What is RSS?

Wikipedia – RSS is family of ‘web feed’ formats

Web feed is a data format used for serving users' frequently updated content.

Content distributors syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to subscribe to it.

What does RSS stand for?

Several different views:

Netscape called it Rich Site Summary (v 0.92)

W3C felt it should be based on RDF/XML to provide extensibility and called it RDF Site Summary (v 1.0)

Dave Winer (& others) valued its simplicity and developed an alternative called Really Simple Syndication (v 2.0)

RSS Viewers Ways of accessing RSS feeds: Web pages Bookmark interfaces –Mozilla Firefox ‘live’ bookmarks Browser plug-ins - Sage Email clients - Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird Blog – eg. bloglines Mobile Phone

Ways of accessing RSS feeds:

Web pages

Bookmark interfaces –Mozilla Firefox ‘live’ bookmarks

Browser plug-ins - Sage

Email clients - Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird

Blog – eg. bloglines

Mobile Phone

Podcasting - What is it? RSS and Podcasting: Podcasting is an application of RSS 2.0: It is simply the syndication of audio, typically mp3 files, instead of text (RSS news feeds) You can schedule the download of the mp3 files and listen to them offline e.g. on a portable mp3 player such as an Apple iPod Very easy for the end user and relatively easy for the publisher Can be difficult to do well –it helps to have some sound recording skills Many Podcast directories http://www.podcastalley.com/ , BBC

RSS and Podcasting:

Podcasting is an application of RSS 2.0:

It is simply the syndication of audio, typically mp3 files, instead of text (RSS news feeds)

You can schedule the download of the mp3 files and listen to them offline e.g. on a portable mp3 player such as an Apple iPod

Very easy for the end user and relatively easy for the publisher

Can be difficult to do well –it helps to have some sound recording skills

Many Podcast directories http://www.podcastalley.com/ , BBC

Accessing a Podcast To access a Podcast: Install Podcast software e.g. iTunes, Juice, Jager, Blogmatrix, … Add the URL of RSS file to the podcast software BBC Film reviews ALT-C Workshop IWMW 2006 Various configuration options are usually available Scheduling for downloads The download location of mp3 file Transfer files to portable mp3 player such as an iPod (using e.g. iTunes)

To access a Podcast:

Install Podcast software e.g. iTunes, Juice, Jager, Blogmatrix, …

Add the URL of RSS file to the podcast software

BBC Film reviews

ALT-C Workshop

IWMW 2006

Various configuration options are usually available

Scheduling for downloads

The download location of mp3 file

Transfer files to portable mp3 player such as an iPod (using e.g. iTunes)

Podcasting and [e-]Learning The University of Bath provides a highly-regarded e-learning Blog, Auricle http://www.bath.ac.uk/dacs/cdntl/pMachine/morriblog.php Auricle has now added some Podcasts: Skype interviews Stanford ITunes very successful However, Podcasting still fairly new to HE sector

The University of Bath provides a highly-regarded e-learning Blog, Auricle

http://www.bath.ac.uk/dacs/cdntl/pMachine/morriblog.php

Auricle has now added some Podcasts:

Skype interviews

Stanford ITunes very successful

However, Podcasting still fairly new to HE sector

Creating a Podcast Make the recording: Eg. Using audio recording software e.g. Audacity Best to use good quality microphone and a PC Recording usually delivered as mp3 file Upload the recording to a web server and create an RSS file for the recording Possible problems Speaker moves about High level of background noise Interference

Make the recording:

Eg. Using audio recording software e.g. Audacity

Best to use good quality microphone and a PC

Recording usually delivered as mp3 file

Upload the recording to a web server and create an RSS file for the recording

Possible problems

Speaker moves about

High level of background noise

Interference

Audio Processing Editing – pauses, coughs Equalisation Amplification - normalisation Pitch change Volume Compression Filtering Noise reduction (Steinberg Cleanup) File Compression (typically to mp3)

Editing – pauses, coughs

Equalisation

Amplification - normalisation

Pitch change

Volume Compression

Filtering

Noise reduction (Steinberg Cleanup)

File Compression (typically to mp3)

Creating a Podcast (2) Early adopters approach – copy & edit an existing RSS file <item> <title>Podcast 1 For IWMW 2006</title> <link>http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/…podcasts/podcast-iwmw-2006-01.mp3</link> <guid>http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/…/ podcasts/#podcast-01</guid> <description>This introductory Podcast describes what a Podcast is and …. ( 2.5 minute long MP3 recording, ~1.6 MB).</description> <enclosure url=&quot;http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/ …/podcasts/podcast-iwmw-2005-01.mp3&quot; length=&quot;1575770&quot; type=&quot;audio/mpeg&quot;/> <pubDate>Sun, 12 Jun 2006 ...</pubDate> </item> <channel> <title>IWMW 2006 Podcasts</title> <link>http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/podcasts/podcasts.xml </link> <description>Podcasts About IWMW 2006</description> <language>en-gb</language> <copyright>Creative Commons - Attribution and Share-alike</copyright> <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jun 2006 10:00:00 GMT</pubDate>

Early adopters approach – copy & edit an existing RSS file

Creating a Podcast (3) Some software now available

Some software now available

Podcasting Usage Scenarios Podcasting is not a replacement for the ‘real thing’ – the live lecture theatre experience But it means you can … access lectures, conference presentations etc. after the event – Stanford ITunes. Some examples now in the UK. Provide some support in case of problems (e.g. couldn't attend talk), conflicts (parallel sessions), … Provide a 'taster', helps in marketing, addresses additional areas (e.g. social activities), … Keep informed of developments elsewhere

Podcasting is not a replacement for the ‘real thing’ – the live lecture theatre experience

But it means you can …

access lectures, conference presentations etc. after the event – Stanford ITunes. Some examples now in the UK.

Provide some support in case of problems (e.g. couldn't attend talk), conflicts (parallel sessions), …

Provide a 'taster', helps in marketing, addresses additional areas (e.g. social activities), …

Keep informed of developments elsewhere

SMIL W3C Specification ‘ Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language’ SMIL presentations can integrate audio and video with images, text or other media type Syntax and structure similar to HTML SMIL 2.1 released Dec 05 SMIL 1.0 released 1998 Examples Customers, Suppliers and the Need for Partnerships – Stephen Emmott State of the Web 2005 – Molly Holzschlag

W3C Specification

‘ Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language’

SMIL presentations can integrate audio and video with images, text or other media type

Syntax and structure similar to HTML

SMIL 2.1 released Dec 05

SMIL 1.0 released 1998

Examples

Customers, Suppliers and the Need for Partnerships – Stephen Emmott

State of the Web 2005 – Molly Holzschlag

Creating a SMIL presentation Record and process audio Create the image files Assuming based on a Powerpoint presentation Write SMIL code Make SMIL code accessible Add other optional features

Record and process audio

Create the image files

Assuming based on a Powerpoint presentation

Write SMIL code

Make SMIL code accessible

Add other optional features

Process Powerpoint slides Export from Powerpoint ‘ Save as’ PNG – every slide Can look a bit messy: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/trieste-2005/talk-2a/ Process image files in graphics program such as Macromedia Fireworks

Export from Powerpoint

‘ Save as’ PNG – every slide

Can look a bit messy:

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/trieste-2005/talk-2a/

Process image files in graphics program such as Macromedia Fireworks

SMIL code <smil xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/2001/SMIL20/Language&quot; xml:lang=&quot;en&quot;> <head> <layout> <root-layout height=&quot;450&quot; width=&quot;750&quot; background-color=&quot;white&quot;/> <region id=&quot;main&quot; title=&quot;Main&quot; width=&quot;600&quot; height=&quot;450&quot; fit=&quot;fill&quot;/> <region id=&quot;nav&quot; title=&quot;Navigation&quot; width=&quot;150&quot; height=&quot;450&quot; left=&quot;600&quot;/> </layout> </head> <body> <par> <audio src=&quot;emmott.mp3&quot; /> <img id=&quot;image_1&quot; src=&quot;Slide1.jpg&quot; region=&quot;main&quot; begin=&quot;0&quot;/> <img id=&quot;image_2&quot; src=&quot;Slide2.jpg&quot; region=&quot;main&quot; begin=&quot;1:25&quot; /> <img id=&quot;image_3&quot; src=&quot;Slide3.jpg&quot; region=&quot;main&quot; begin=&quot;2:06&quot; /> <textstream src=&quot;nav.rt&quot; region=&quot;nav&quot; begin=&quot;0s&quot; /> </par> </body> </smil> Example Demo

<smil xmlns=&quot;http://www.w3.org/2001/SMIL20/Language&quot; xml:lang=&quot;en&quot;>

<head>

<layout>

<root-layout height=&quot;450&quot; width=&quot;750&quot; background-color=&quot;white&quot;/>

<region id=&quot;main&quot; title=&quot;Main&quot; width=&quot;600&quot; height=&quot;450&quot; fit=&quot;fill&quot;/>

<region id=&quot;nav&quot; title=&quot;Navigation&quot; width=&quot;150&quot; height=&quot;450&quot; left=&quot;600&quot;/>

</layout>

</head>

<body>

<par>

<audio src=&quot;emmott.mp3&quot; />

<img id=&quot;image_1&quot; src=&quot;Slide1.jpg&quot; region=&quot;main&quot; begin=&quot;0&quot;/>

<img id=&quot;image_2&quot; src=&quot;Slide2.jpg&quot; region=&quot;main&quot; begin=&quot;1:25&quot; />

<img id=&quot;image_3&quot; src=&quot;Slide3.jpg&quot; region=&quot;main&quot; begin=&quot;2:06&quot; />

<textstream src=&quot;nav.rt&quot; region=&quot;nav&quot; begin=&quot;0s&quot; />

</par>

</body>

</smil>

Accessibility ‘ alt’ and ‘longdesc’ text attributes <body> <par> <audio src=&quot;emmott/emmott.mp3&quot; alt=“recording of a talk by Stephen Emmott called Customers, Suppliers, and the Need for Partnerships&quot; longdesc=&quot;emmott/emmott.txt&quot;/> <img id=&quot;image_1&quot; src=&quot;emmott/Slide1.jpg&quot; region=&quot;main&quot; begin=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;Customers, Suppliers, and the Need for Partnerships title slide&quot;/> <img id=&quot;image_2&quot; src=&quot;emmott/Slide2.jpg&quot; region=&quot;main&quot; begin=&quot;1:25&quot; alt=&quot;Copyright and credits slide&quot;/> … .

‘ alt’ and ‘longdesc’ text attributes

<body>

<par>

<audio src=&quot;emmott/emmott.mp3&quot; alt=“recording of a talk by Stephen Emmott called Customers, Suppliers, and the Need for Partnerships&quot; longdesc=&quot;emmott/emmott.txt&quot;/>

<img id=&quot;image_1&quot; src=&quot;emmott/Slide1.jpg&quot; region=&quot;main&quot; begin=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;Customers, Suppliers, and the Need for Partnerships title slide&quot;/>

<img id=&quot;image_2&quot; src=&quot;emmott/Slide2.jpg&quot; region=&quot;main&quot; begin=&quot;1:25&quot; alt=&quot;Copyright and credits slide&quot;/>

… .

Accessibility Captioning Makes SMIL accessible to those with difficulty or who are unable to hear SMIL audio track improves accessibility for those with visual impairments Requires a transcription of the spoken content (plus any important non-spoken sound), and associated a timestamp Add a textstream to the SMIL code: <textstream src=&quot;emmott/transcript.rt&quot; region=&quot;text&quot; begin=&quot;0s&quot;/> Example

Captioning

Makes SMIL accessible to those with difficulty or who are unable to hear

SMIL audio track improves accessibility for those with visual impairments

Requires a transcription of the spoken content (plus any important non-spoken sound), and associated a timestamp

Add a textstream to the SMIL code:

<textstream src=&quot;emmott/transcript.rt&quot; region=&quot;text&quot; begin=&quot;0s&quot;/>

Example

Issues Technical Issues Not many SMIL editors Audio recording quality Users have different SMIL players (or no SMIL player) Mixed media problem Difficult to capture complex elements of a presentation No control over a users audio and video settings Large files sizes (can be solved by streaming) Non-Technical Issues Time consuming – Flash and Quicktime easier? IPR

Technical Issues

Not many SMIL editors

Audio recording quality

Users have different SMIL players (or no SMIL player)

Mixed media problem

Difficult to capture complex elements of a presentation

No control over a users audio and video settings

Large files sizes (can be solved by streaming)

Non-Technical Issues

Time consuming – Flash and Quicktime easier?

IPR

SMIL Usage Scenarios A SMIL presentation is not a replacement for the ‘real thing’ – the live lecture theatre experience But it means you can … access lectures, conference presentations etc. after the event – eg. This presentation today. Provide some support in case of problems (e.g. couldn't attend talk), conflicts (parallel sessions), … Provide a 'taster', helps in marketing, addresses additional areas (e.g. social activities), …

A SMIL presentation is not a replacement for the ‘real thing’ – the live lecture theatre experience

But it means you can …

access lectures, conference presentations etc. after the event – eg. This presentation today.

Provide some support in case of problems (e.g. couldn't attend talk), conflicts (parallel sessions), …

Provide a 'taster', helps in marketing, addresses additional areas (e.g. social activities), …

Some references W3C SMIL Page http://www.w3.org/AudioVideo/ W3C Accessibility Features of SMIL http://www.w3.org/TR/SMIL-access/ Synchronized Multimedia On The Web - Larry Bouthillier http://www.webtechniques.com/archives/1998/09/bouthillier/ SMIL Scripting for Quicktime http://developer.apple.com/documentation/quicktime/Conceptual/QTScripting_SMIL/index.html SMIL del.icio.us http://del.icio.us/bias/SMIL

W3C SMIL Page http://www.w3.org/AudioVideo/

W3C Accessibility Features of SMIL http://www.w3.org/TR/SMIL-access/

Synchronized Multimedia On The Web - Larry Bouthillier http://www.webtechniques.com/archives/1998/09/bouthillier/

SMIL Scripting for Quicktime http://developer.apple.com/documentation/quicktime/Conceptual/QTScripting_SMIL/index.html

SMIL del.icio.us http://del.icio.us/bias/SMIL