Hi Jane

To add to all the excellent advice so-far on online videos, as an example I
wondered if you'd seen the Onfilm section of the National Archives' Learning
Curve site: http://www.learningcurve.pro.gov.uk/onfilm/default.htm

It's a good example of a simple interface offering users different formats
to choose from to suit their needs. However I'm sure the NA won't mind me
suggesting that the accessibility of the videos could be improved - in fact
I'm doing an access audit for them at the moment and have made some specific
recommendations on how they can better reach:

(i) Users who can't access the audio (because they are deaf, or accessing
the clip in a quiet environment such as a library, or accessing the clip in
a noisy environment such as a classroom etc).
(ii) Users who can't access the video images (because they are blind, or
accessing the clip from a public terminal without video playing software
etc).

An effective way of 'releasing' the information inherent in the video and
audio streams is to provide a link to a transcript of the action in the
video and the audio commentary - without this, some users will miss out on
some of the information. A more sophisticated solution would be to add
captions to the video. There are various authoring tools available to do
this - some free to use.

Let me know if you'd like any more information on this and I'd be happy to
forward it to you.

Best wishes


Shelley Boden
Web Access Consultant
Enable (UK) Ltd
www.enableuk.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0)1273 227627
Mob: +44 (0)7813 796393
Email: [log in to unmask]





> Are there access issues/solutions we should be aware of? Does anyone ha=
ve
> up-to-date info on the extent of broadband use at home or school? Have =
you
> used specialist hosts for video-streaming or run it from your own
> servers -
> if so were there bandwidth issues?
>
> Many thanks,
>



----- Original Message -----
From: "Automatic digest processor" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Recipients of MCG digests" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2003 12:01 AM
Subject: MCG Digest - 5 Aug 2003 to 6 Aug 2003 (#2003-110)


> There are 7 messages totalling 685 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
>   1. ERPANET Announces ErpaEPRINTS at IFLA2003 Berlin
>   2. use of video in websites (6)
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date:    Wed, 6 Aug 2003 10:00:42 +0100
> From:    British Editor <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: ERPANET Announces ErpaEPRINTS at IFLA2003 Berlin
>
> ERPANET Announces ErpaEPRINTS at IFLA2003 Berlin
>
> In their 1999 report on Digital Archaeology: Rescuing Neglected and
Damaged
> Data Resources Ross and Gow used 199 online references.
> Today, only 32% of these resources remain accessible.  This lack of
> persistence remains a continuing cause for concern.  ERPANET, in
> collaboration with Project Daedalus, announced on Wednesday 6 August at
> IFLA 2003 (Berlin) an ePrints Service for the Digital
> Preservation sphere to provide a platform to address this problem.
> ErpaEPRINTS allows authors and creators to make their works
> available at a central access point.  The service can be found at
> http://eprints.erpanet.org
>
> Key to ERPANET=92s rationale is the focus on the dissemination of
knowledge.=
>
> To date, workshops and seminars, conferences, case
> studies, and an online advisory service have all contributed to widening
> and expanding the knowledge-base in the this sphere. Now
> ePrints, with it=92s sister product erpaAssessments, is offering further
> support and knowledge to the community. ErpaAssessments was
> launched in late 2002, and provides high quality commentaries on key
> literature and projects in digital preservation. Now with the
> addition of erpaEPrints, ERPANET is offering not only value added
> commentaries of literature, but helping to make accessible and
> preserve the cutting edge primary literature. This service is free of
> charge to authors and users.
>
> At the outset of its project ERPANET established a long term preservation
> strategy to ensure documents created by or accumulated by
> the project would be available in the future.  Materials deposited in the
> ErpaEPRINTS Archive will benefit from these arrangements.
>
> Seamus Ross, Principal Director of ERPANET, reported =91ERPANET is
extremely=
>
> grateful to the DAEDALUS project for enabling us to
> produce a new service that provides the digital preservation community
with
> the opportunity to build a digital library of eprints
> and ensure their long term accessibility.=92
>
> Notes:
> ERPANET (Electronic Resource Preservation and Network) (IST-2001-32706) is
> a Fifth Framework European Union Funded activity to
> enhance the preservation of cultural heritage and scientific digital
> objects. It is making viable and visible information, best
> practice, and skills development in the area of digital preservation of
> cultural heritage and scientific objects.  ERPANET partners
> include Schweizerisches Bundesarchiv, ISTBAL at the Universit=E0 di
Urbino,
> Nationaal Archief Nederland, Den Haag, and HATII, at the
> University of Glasgow.  For more information about ERPANET events and
> services see http://www.erpanet.org
>
> DAEDALUS is a three year (2002-2005) JISC funded project under the FAIR
> programme to build a range of freely accessible
> institutional repositories at the University of Glasgow.  These
> repositories include published and peer-reviewed papers, working
> papers, grey literature, and theses. For more information about the
> DAEDALUS Project see http://www.gla.ac.uk/daedalus
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
=
>
>
> Joy Davidson
> ERPANET British Editor
> Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute (HATII).
> George Service House, 11 University Gardens,
> University of Glasgow
> Glasgow G12 8QJ
> Scotland
> Tel: +44(0)141 330 8521
> Fax: +44(0)141 330 3788
> http://www.erpanet.org
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Wed, 6 Aug 2003 12:15:16 +0100
> From:    "Sarre, Jane" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: use of video in websites
>
> Dear all,
>
> I'm hoping to include some short video clips in a forthcoming website. Can
> anyone offer any useful advice or experience?
>
> Are there access issues/solutions we should be aware of? Does anyone have
> up-to-date info on the extent of broadband use at home or school? Have you
> used specialist hosts for video-streaming or run it from your own
servers -
> if so were there bandwidth issues?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Jane
> _____________________________________
> Interpretation Officer
>
> Access and Learning Department
> Museum of London
> London Wall
> London EC2Y 5HN
>
> tel: 020 7814 5772
> fax: 020 7600 1058
>
> e: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> w: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning
> <http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning>
>
> New exhibition coming soon:
> 1920s: the decade that changed London.
> Opens 17 October 2003
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Wed, 6 Aug 2003 13:06:40 +0100
> From:    Tom Goskar <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: use of video in websites
>
> Wessex Archaeology currently have one short video clip on our website, and
> are planning more.
>
> We chose a 3 minute clip, which we transferred from VHS to a PC using a
> standard TV card. We also have a small USB devide for capturing analogue
> video called a Dazzle DVC80.
>
> There are a great number of issues when it comes to putting video on a
> website, and here are a few of them:
>
> 1) Streaming vs. Downloadable file: Streaming video is expensive, to put
it
> bluntly. The sheer cost of it made us look at alternatives - files that
play
> as they are downloaded, and thus appear to the end user as if they were
> streamed. Apple's Quicktime (.mov) and Windows Media Video (.wmv) both do
> this - so you can embed a video in your web pages, and they will begin
> playing immediately. The downside is that the file can be downloaded
instead
> of just played. Streaming video prevents you from downloading the video
file
> (unless you're really cunning), so is good if you do not want people to
> covertly redistribute / reuse your video files. Many people use Real Video
> for streaming video.
>
> 2) Narrowband/Broadband: We provided the end user a choice of a low
> resolution postage stamp video for standard modem users, and a bigger
> version with better sound for broadband users, since we did not have any
> reliable statistics as to availability of broadband. I made the broadband
> version of the Amebsury Archer clip a 2Mb file, at a rate of 95kbs (22Khz
> sound), and a modem version at 1.18Mb (52kbs video, 8Khz sound). We tested
> both scenarios and they worked well.
>
> 3) Software: There's lots of video editing software out there which will
> encode to Windows Media and Quicktime. I really would recommend Quicktime,
> especially the Quicktime Pro suite, which allows better quality
compression
> and smaller file sizes. We used Pinnacle Studio 8 to encode and edit the
> Windows Media files on our site, but hopefully I will re-encode them with
> Quicktime Pro soon. Pure Motion's EditStudio software allows conversion to
> Quicktime, with just the free plugin, but the quality isn't as good as the
> Quicktime Pro codec (which you obviously have to buy).
>
> 4) Codecs: If you encode video using a codec which you have on your
computer
> (a codec is the bit that encodes/decodes the actual video and sound) you
> have to make sure your destination audience also have the same codec. Thus
> our choice of using the Windows Media format, since it is free, and
> available on most people's computers, and is available to Mac users. If
the
> user has an old version of the Windows Media codec, Media Player will
> download an update.
>
> 5) Bandwidth: Our hosting company gives us unlimited bandwidth, so this
> isn't an issue for us. Hundreds of people downloading 2Mb files can soon
> mount up if you have to watch (and pay for) the megabytes.
>
> The URI for the clips on our site is:
> http://www.wessexarch.co.uk/projects/amesbury/video.html
>
> Sorry if this info is a little hazy - we have no air conditioning here and
> I'm slowly boiling!
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Tom
> --------------------
> Thomas A Goskar MSc
> Archaeological Multimedia Developer
> Wessex Archaeology
> Portway House, Old Sarum Park, Salisbury, Wilts. SP4 6EB
> Direct Line: +44 (0)1722 343432
> Switchboard: +44 (0)1722 326867
> Fax: +44 (0)1722 337562
> Website: http://www.wessexarch.co.uk/
>
> The Trust for Wessex Archaeology is a company with limited liability
> registered in England No 1712772, a registered Charity No. 287786 and is
> registered as an archaeological organisation with the Institute of Field
> Archaeologists.
>
> This email is only for the use of the addressee. It may contain
information
> which is legally privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure. If
you
> are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute or
disseminate
> this email or any enclosures to anyone other than the addressee. If you
> receive this communication in error, please advise us by telephone
> immediately.
> ---------------------------
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Sarre, Jane [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: 06 August 2003 12:15
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: use of video in websites
> >
> >
> > Dear all,
> >
> > I'm hoping to include some short video clips in a forthcoming
> > website. Can
> > anyone offer any useful advice or experience?
> >
> > Are there access issues/solutions we should be aware of? Does
> > anyone have
> > up-to-date info on the extent of broadband use at home or
> > school? Have you
> > used specialist hosts for video-streaming or run it from your
> > own servers -
> > if so were there bandwidth issues?
> >
> > Many thanks,
> >
> > Jane
> > _____________________________________
> > Interpretation Officer
> >
> > Access and Learning Department
> > Museum of London
> > London Wall
> > London EC2Y 5HN
> >
> > tel: 020 7814 5772
> > fax: 020 7600 1058
> >
> > e: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> > w: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning
> > <http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning>
> >
> > New exhibition coming soon:
> > 1920s: the decade that changed London.
> > Opens 17 October 2003
> >
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Wed, 6 Aug 2003 13:02:06 +0100
> From:    David Dawson <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: use of video in websites
>
> Jane
>
> Broadband in the home has passed the 2 million household level and some =
> 50% of schools have broadband - with the target of 100% by 2006.
>
> Of course, 97% of public libraries are on broadband!
>
> David
>
> David Dawson
> Senior ICT Adviser
> Resource: The Council for Museums, Libraries and Archives
>
> www.resource.gov.uk             www.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk
>
> Join the resourcenews email list at =
> www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/resourcenews.html
> Join the Peoples Network email list at =
> www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/peoplesnetwork.html
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sarre, Jane [mailto:[log in to unmask]]=20
> Sent: 06 August 2003 12:15
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: use of video in websites
>
>
> Dear all,
>
> I'm hoping to include some short video clips in a forthcoming website. =
> Can anyone offer any useful advice or experience?
>
> Are there access issues/solutions we should be aware of? Does anyone =
> have up-to-date info on the extent of broadband use at home or school? =
> Have you used specialist hosts for video-streaming or run it from your =
> own servers - if so were there bandwidth issues?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Jane
> _____________________________________
> Interpretation Officer
>
> Access and Learning Department
> Museum of London
> London Wall
> London EC2Y 5HN
>
> tel: 020 7814 5772
> fax: 020 7600 1058
>
> e: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> w: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning
> <http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning>
>
> New exhibition coming soon:
> 1920s: the decade that changed London.
> Opens 17 October 2003
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> This email has been scanned for all viruses by the MessageLabs Email =
> Security System. For more information on a proactive email security =
> service working around the clock, around the globe, visit =
> http://www.messagelabs.com =
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
>
The=20information=20contained=20in=20this=20e-mail=20and=20any=20attachmen=
>
ts=20is=20confidential.=20=20=20If=20you=20have=20received=20it=20in=20err=
>
or,=20you=20are=20on=20notice=20of=20its=20status.=20=20=20It=20is=20inten=
>
ded=20solely=20for=20the=20addressee.=20=20=20Any=20unauthorised=20use=20i=
>
s=20strictly=20prohibited.=20=20If=20you=20are=20not=20the=20intended=20re=
>
cipient=20please=20notify=20the=20sender=20immediately=20and=20delete=20th=
> e=20email=20and=20any=20attachments=20from=20the=20system.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Wed, 6 Aug 2003 13:03:06 +0100
> From:    "Sarre, Jane" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: use of video in websites
>
> Thanks David
>
> Exactly the sort of stats I was looking for, but the NGFL and Becta sites
> seem to have collapsed - or our server has gone mad(?)!
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Jane
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Dawson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 06 August 2003 13:02
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: use of video in websites
>
>
> Jane
>
> Broadband in the home has passed the 2 million household level and some
50%
> of schools have broadband - with the target of 100% by 2006.
>
> Of course, 97% of public libraries are on broadband!
>
> David
>
> David Dawson
> Senior ICT Adviser
> Resource: The Council for Museums, Libraries and Archives
>
> www.resource.gov.uk             www.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk
>
> Join the resourcenews email list at
> www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/resourcenews.html
> Join the Peoples Network email list at
> www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/peoplesnetwork.html
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sarre, Jane [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 06 August 2003 12:15
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: use of video in websites
>
>
> Dear all,
>
> I'm hoping to include some short video clips in a forthcoming website. Can
> anyone offer any useful advice or experience?
>
> Are there access issues/solutions we should be aware of? Does anyone have
> up-to-date info on the extent of broadband use at home or school? Have you
> used specialist hosts for video-streaming or run it from your own
servers -
> if so were there bandwidth issues?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Jane
> _____________________________________
> Interpretation Officer
>
> Access and Learning Department
> Museum of London
> London Wall
> London EC2Y 5HN
>
> tel: 020 7814 5772
> fax: 020 7600 1058
>
> e: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> w: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning
> <http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning>
>
> New exhibition coming soon:
> 1920s: the decade that changed London.
> Opens 17 October 2003
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> This email has been scanned for all viruses by the MessageLabs Email
> Security System. For more information on a proactive email security
service
> working around the clock, around the globe, visit
http://www.messagelabs.com
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments is
> confidential.   If you have received it in error, you are on notice of its
> status.   It is intended solely for the addressee.   Any unauthorised use
is
> strictly prohibited.  If you are not the intended recipient please notify
> the sender immediately and delete the email and any attachments from the
> system.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Wed, 6 Aug 2003 20:17:11 +0100
> From:    Tehmina Bhote <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: use of video in websites
>
> Dear Jane,
>
> The Sense of Place South East (SoPSE) consortium of New Opportunities Fun=
> d
> digi projects shared the cost of a Real audio/video streaming server.  So
> this has reduced the cost for each partner.  All our five sites are hoste=
> d
> by Hampshire County Council IT Services.
>
> However although the costs have been shared access is a real issue.  It m=
> ay
> well be that 97% of libraries have broadband access through the People's
> Network but this is no use if users are not able to access streamed audio
> and video because local authority policy dictates that this kind of conte=
> nt
> is barred because of fears over bandwidth usage.  Slowly, we expect a pol=
> icy
> change to take place so that users can access rich media content over the
> People's Network.  I would strongly advise that you consider this as part=
>  of
> your decision making if you intend that a significant number of your
> audience will access video content through the People's Network.  I am su=
> re
> this is not the case in many places, however: it would well be worth the
> effort finding out.
>
> We will also be offering users an alternative download (suitable for mode=
> m
> use) of mp3s and mpegs.  This non-proprietory alternative is helpful if
> users are readily able to access software or plug-ins to play them (this
> again may be a People's Network issue worth finding out).
>
> In the meantime, it may be a good idea to trial short clips in the manner
> that Tom Goskar has suggested and then build up to a larger archive and
> purchasing servers.
>
> Hope this is of some use to you and others who are thinking of the same.
>
> Tehmina Bhote
> ______________________________________________
> Ceux qui ne connaissent pas l'Histoire sont condamn=E9s =E0 la revivre.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
> > Sarre, Jane
> > Sent: 06 August 2003 13:03
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: use of video in websites
> >
> >
> > Thanks David
> >
> > Exactly the sort of stats I was looking for, but the NGFL and Becta sit=
> es
> > seem to have collapsed - or our server has gone mad(?)!
> >
> > Many thanks,
> >
> > Jane
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: David Dawson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: 06 August 2003 13:02
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: use of video in websites
> >
> >
> > Jane
> >
> > Broadband in the home has passed the 2 million household level
> > and some 50%
> > of schools have broadband - with the target of 100% by 2006.
> >
> > Of course, 97% of public libraries are on broadband!
> >
> > David
> >
> > David Dawson
> > Senior ICT Adviser
> > Resource: The Council for Museums, Libraries and Archives
> >
> > www.resource.gov.uk             www.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk
> >
> > Join the resourcenews email list at
> > www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/resourcenews.html
> > Join the Peoples Network email list at
> > www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/peoplesnetwork.html
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Sarre, Jane [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: 06 August 2003 12:15
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: use of video in websites
> >
> >
> > Dear all,
> >
> > I'm hoping to include some short video clips in a forthcoming website. =
> Can
> > anyone offer any useful advice or experience?
> >
> > Are there access issues/solutions we should be aware of? Does anyone ha=
> ve
> > up-to-date info on the extent of broadband use at home or school? Have =
> you
> > used specialist hosts for video-streaming or run it from your own
> > servers -
> > if so were there bandwidth issues?
> >
> > Many thanks,
> >
> > Jane
> > _____________________________________
> > Interpretation Officer
> >
> > Access and Learning Department
> > Museum of London
> > London Wall
> > London EC2Y 5HN
> >
> > tel: 020 7814 5772
> > fax: 020 7600 1058
> >
> > e: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> > w: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning
> > <http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning>
> >
> > New exhibition coming soon:
> > 1920s: the decade that changed London.
> > Opens 17 October 2003
> >
> > _______________________________________________________________________=
> _
> > This email has been scanned for all viruses by the MessageLabs Email
> > Security System. For more information on a proactive email
> > security service
> > working around the clock, around the globe, visit
> http://www.messagelabs.com
> ________________________________________________________________________
>
> The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments is
> confidential.   If you have received it in error, you are on notice of it=
> s
> status.   It is intended solely for the addressee.   Any unauthorised use=
>  is
> strictly prohibited.  If you are not the intended recipient please notify
> the sender immediately and delete the email and any attachments from the
> system.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Wed, 6 Aug 2003 22:38:00 +0100
> From:    l LATIFF <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: use of video in websites
>
> Hi,
>
> Just a brief reply.
>
> As ever it all depends on what you are expecting to deliver. Streaming
> technologies can be expensive and complex. Things like Realplayer for
> example expect you to buy the software and then pay for a server that
> can use their streaming protocols.
>
> However it sounds like you just want to deliver clips. So rather than
> live delivery you want to just have clips saved that people can
> download. In this case I would say that QuickTime provides the
> cheapest solution (and really high quality delivery). It is very cheap
> ($50 or so) and once you have paid on-line they give you an access
> code that opens up the extra features of the free player. It is
> limited in terms of editing though and I am assuming that you will be
> putting the clips together somewhere else and just using it as a
> conversion format to deliver. One problem with QuickTime is the user
> base but as a freeplayer this should not cause too many headaches and
> a link can be put on the relevant page much like Flash pages do now.
> Clips like this can be held on your own server and can be treated in
> the same way as image files.
>
> As for bandwidth, etc. As far as I know (and I'd be interested if you
> hear differently) there is a relatively low penetration of bandwidth
> in the UK and Europe compared to places like the US. It is still
> definitely worth optimising clips for 56k and broadband (a feature
> that Quicktime, and most other digital video software, does have
> presets for).
>
> Leonard Latiff
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Sarre, Jane" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2003 12:15 PM
> Subject: use of video in websites
>
>
> > Dear all,
> >
> > I'm hoping to include some short video clips in a forthcoming
> website. Can
> > anyone offer any useful advice or experience?
> >
> > Are there access issues/solutions we should be aware of? Does anyone
> have
> > up-to-date info on the extent of broadband use at home or school?
> Have you
> > used specialist hosts for video-streaming or run it from your own
> servers -
> > if so were there bandwidth issues?
> >
> > Many thanks,
> >
> > Jane
> > _____________________________________
> > Interpretation Officer
> >
> > Access and Learning Department
> > Museum of London
> > London Wall
> > London EC2Y 5HN
> >
> > tel: 020 7814 5772
> > fax: 020 7600 1058
> >
> > e: [log in to unmask]
> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> > w: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning
> > <http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning>
> >
> > New exhibition coming soon:
> > 1920s: the decade that changed London.
> > Opens 17 October 2003
> >
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of MCG Digest - 5 Aug 2003 to 6 Aug 2003 (#2003-110)
> ********************************************************