Windows Media Technologies FAQs

Rick Dickinson
Microsoft

Posted April 14, 1999

What content authoring tools are included with Microsoft® Windows Media Technologies?

Windows Media Technologies offers a variety of authoring and encoding tools and plug-ins, which can be downloaded here. These tools give content authors the ability to create live and on-demand Advanced Streaming Format (ASF) content, convert existing media files to ASF, create streaming Microsoft PowerPoint® presentations, and perform post-production edits and enhancements of existing ASF files. For more information on the Windows Media Tools, click here.

What third-party tools are available to support Windows Media Technologies?

Many Windows Media Tools providers offer extensions and advanced functionality for creating ASF content. View the complete list of third-party tool providers on the Windows Media Technologies site.

How can I turn my PowerPoint slides into a Windows Media presentation?

Tools are available to create PowerPoint presentations from both PowerPoint 97 and PowerPoint 2000 slides.

Windows Media Publish to ASF is a PowerPoint 97 add-in tool that turns your PowerPoint presentation into an ASF for broadcast. First, use the Narration tool in PowerPoint to create an audio file. Then, use Windows Media Publish to ASF to save the PowerPoint slides as .jpg images and synchronize them to the audio track. For more detail, view the Windows Media Tools page.

Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 offers a new feature, Presentation Broadcasting, that integrates with Windows Media Technologies to enable you to broadcast presentations live over the intranet or Internet and optionally record the presentation for on-demand viewing. For more information on this feature, read "Presentation Broadcasting in PowerPoint 2000" on the MSDN Online Web Workshop site.

I'm giving a PowerPoint presentation. Can I stream it live?

Tools are available to stream live PowerPoint presentations with both PowerPoint 97 and PowerPoint 2000.

Windows Media Presenter is a powerful and easy-to-use tool that allows PowerPoint 97 slides to be synchronized in real-time with a live video or audio stream of the speaker, making it a cost-effective corporate communications solution. These presentations can easily be stored for on-demand playback. For more information, view the Windows Media Tools page.

Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 offers a new feature, Presentation Broadcasting, that integrates with Windows Media Technologies to enable you to broadcast presentations live over the Intranet or Internet. For more information on this feature, read "Presentation Broadcasting in PowerPoint 2000" on the MSDN Online Web Workshop site.

How do I achieve the highest quality encoding?

There are many techniques to improve encoding quality, depending on the type of content you are working with. Refer to the encoding documentation in the Windows Media Technologies area of MSDN Online Web Workshop for complete information about encoding techniques and recommended codecs. For other content authoring resources, consult the "Create It" page on the Windows Media Technologies site.

What codecs should I use when encoding video for Windows Media Services?

When encoding with the Windows Media Encoder, use the QuickStart wizard to choose the best codec for the type of video at the desired bandwidth. In the Details window of the QuickStart wizard, the recommended codec will be displayed. For more codec information, please refer to our codecs documentation.

What hardware should I use with the Windows Media Encoder?

Hardware requirements and recommendations can be found on the System Requirements page.

What video capture cards can I use with the Windows Media Encoder?

View the current list of recommended video cards on the System Requirements page.

Is it possible to automatically start the Windows Media Encoder when I start my computer?

Yes, you can create a batch file or shortcut and set it to start when you boot. Follow these steps:

Using Windows Media Encoder, create an ASD file. Open Windows Media Encoder, set all the parameters to your desired settings, and then click on the Save icon. Note what you named the file and where you saved it.
Using Notepad, create a BAT file with a single line of text using the following syntax: PathToEncoder\NSRex.exe /START PathToASD. Example:

"C:\Program Files\Windows Media Components\Tools\NSRex.exe" /START C:\ASD\Default.asd

Name the file ENCODE.BAT.
Place a copy of ENCODE.BAT in your Startup folder. (Microsoft Windows NT: C:\Winnt\Profiles\Default User\Start Menu\Programs; Windows 95 and Windows 98: C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.)

The next time you log in, Windows Media Encoder will start automatically.

For more information on Windows Media Encoder, please refer to the Windows Media Tools Documentation that comes with the Windows Media Tools download. Click Start, then go to Products, Windows Media, Windows Media Tools Documentation.

What is an ASX file?

ASX files are plain text files that use syntax similar to HTTP and act as links to ASFs. For details on ASX files, look in the Windows Media Services documentation. Click Start, then go to Programs, Windows Media, SDK. Do a search for "Using ASX Elements." Documentation is also available in the Windows Media Technologies area of MSDN Online Web Workshop.

Is there a discussion group or newsgroup for Windows Media Technologies users?

Yes. The following list server e-mail discussion group, offering peer-based support, can be subscribed to by sending e-mail to LISTSERV@DISCUSS.MICROSOFT.COM. Leave the subject line blank. In the body, type: subscribe WMTALK your name.

There are also three Windows Media Technologies newsgroups:

microsoft.public.windowsmedia.technologies
microsoft.public.windowsmedia.technologies.beta
microsoft.public.windowsmedia.technologies.rightsmanager.beta