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> ABOUT
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What are UC Berkeley course/event webcasts?
Every semester, UC Berkeley webcasts select courses and events for live viewing and on-demand replay over the Internet.
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Who is responsible for this service?
Educational Technology Services takes care of audio and video capture services. Information Systems and Technology manages the webcast database and streaming media serving/hosting infrastructure. The webcast capture and archive technology is based on the Berkeley Internet Broadcasting System (BIBS), developed by the Berkeley Multimedia Research Center.
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What happened to BIBS (Berkeley Internet Broadcasting System)?
The BIBS webcasting service originally developed by the Berkeley Multimedia Research Center (BMRC) is now a production service run by ETS and IS&T. BMRC still runs BIBS, distinguished from the ETS/IS&T's webcast.berkeley service, and focus their research on continued experimentation with internet broadcasting and distributed collaboration for select courses.
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What courses/events are chosen to be webcast?
The webcast-selection criteria include video capture capability in the classroom, demand, and quality of technical production. Courses that have historically embraced webcast technology and integrated it into their coursework are also favored. A committee, composed largely of faculty, reviews candidates on a case-by-case basis. If you would like your course or event to be considered for webcast, please email us at: webcast@media.berkeley.edu.
> HOW IT WORKS
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What kind of software do I need?
Besides a common Internet browser such as Netscape or Explorer, you will need the free RealPlayer plug-in.
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How fast should my Internet connection be?
Broadband connections such as DSL or cable modems are necessary for optimal viewing. The minimum Internet connection is a 56k modem, though at this rate your image-quality may be poor.
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Where can I watch webcasts?
Berkeley users often view webcasts from home or on-campus computer labs. The largest amount of viewers watch from their Cal dorm rooms. Check the Residential Computing website for a list of computing facilities at Cal or for more information on getting connected in the dorms.
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Can people outside of Berkeley receive webcasts?
Yes. Course webcasts are currently not restricted to the UC Berkeley domain.
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How do I watch a webcast?
If you wish to view a live webcast, simply go to the webcast schedule for the specific webcasts and click the large "Real" icon at the appropriate day and time. The schedule pages list archived webcasts. Click the small "Real" icon to the right of the specific archive to view.
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When will the webcast archive be available?
We try to post archives on the same day as live webcasts. If there is a problem with live capture we must manually encode from videotape. In such a case please allow up to 3 days turnaround.
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How long will the webcast archive be available?
Our current plan is to keep archives available for one year. After that, we will most likely keep the most recent archive of a given course. Our long-term archive plan is to store archives on tape or other compact removable storage.
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Can I download a webcast archive to my harddrive or obtain a CD-ROM?
Copyright issues prevent us from supporting unauthorized copying of webcasts.
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Can I interact with webcasts in real-time?
Our current webcast technology does not support real-time webcast interactivity. We are investigating streaming and course-management tools for interactivity. Some previous users of the webcast technology supplement it with simultaneous chat software that runs externally.
> SERVICES
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Do you webcast other events besides scheduled courses?
Depending on the point of origin, ETS may be able to webcast anything from specific points of origin on campus. Specifically, 1 Pimentel, Wheeler Auditorium, 203 McLaghlin, and 2050 VLSB. There are also a number of classrooms that send a signal to the ETS master control. ETS plans to experiment with a mobile webcasting unit in the near future. If the event doesn't need to be webcast live, ETS has the capability to post-encode from videotape for on-demand viewing.
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Can you help me produce a webcast media project?
ETS services cover audio/video capture, webcasting, website development, hosting, training, and consulting. Feel free to contact us with questions at: webcast@media.berkeley.edu.
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