Setting up the Windows Media Services for VHS-to-ASF Conversion

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April 7, 1998

Here's how you can get your Windows Media Services ready to stream television clips when a user requests them:

1. Make sure that your server meets the Windows Media Services system requirements .
2. Make sure that you have Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or higher on your Windows Media Services. Service Packs are available from the Microsoft downloads site .
3. Download the Windows Media Services software and install it (be sure you're logged on as the administrator). Once the Windows Media Services is installed, unicast services are automatically started unless you go in and configure the service to start manually. You can confirm that the Windows Media Services unicast services are running by going into Control Panel (Start, Settings, Control Panel), double-clicking on Services, and verifying that the Windows Media Services Unicast Manager service is Started.
4. Verify that the Windows Media Services can stream. During the installation, a file called Sample.ASF is already placed in the ASFROOT (c:/ntserver/netshow/asfroot) on the server. This is the publishing point for ASF files, and when you place ASF files there it makes them available to be streamed. To test the server, go to another workstation on the network, open up the Windows Media Player, select File, then Open Location, and type mms://servername/sample.asf (where servername is the name of your Windows Media Services). The ASF file should play without problems. If you have problems, check the preceding steps, and if it still doesn't work, consult the Windows Media Services online documentation.
5. Place ASF files in ASFROOT. To make your files available to be streamed, just copy the ASF files in the ASFROOT directory on your Windows Media Services (default is c:/ntserver/netshow/asfroot).
6. (Optional) Create publishing point. This allows you to place ASF files in a directory or subdirectory other than ASFROOT, or to be able to refer to it with an alias name instead of an absolute path. First, go to your Windows Media Services, and open the Windows Media Services Administrator (Start, Programs, Microsoft Windows Media Services, Windows Media Services Administrator). Under Unicast, select Set Publishing Points.
   • Add a publishing point by selecting the Add button, and then Set up a publishing point to a directory of Active Streaming Format (ASF) files. Press the Next button.
   • If you want to change the location of the home for the ASFROOT, select Create new publishing point as home, and if you don't want it to be the home, select Create new publishing point with an alias. Select the Next button.
   • If you selected to add an alias (see above), enter the alias name, and then select Next.
   • Enter or browse to the path you want to be the publishing point. Select Next.
   • Click the OK button.
   • Click the Go! button. This will present a list of all of the publishing points you have set up.
7. Now you're ready to stream. Go ahead and test your files as above.