1.0 Introduction

Thank you for purchasing a Wildfire SchoolUK.Net Media server / service.

These instructions will take you step-by-step through the process of setting up and running your server.
Items marked in blue type are explanations.

2.0 Basic Operation

The default Wildfire user screen is the first that the user encounters.

It is shown in Figure One below.It has four basic components
i) the background, ii) the banner, iii) the video screen and iv) the schedule.
Each of these components may be changed to blend in with the scheme used on an existing site.

By default the video player will begin streaming within a few seconds of the page rendering.
The site has been designed to be intuitive in it's operation.

2.1 Page Components - Background.

The banner, video screen and schedule sit centrally on the background. The background may be a plain, solid colour
or image and may be modified to suit your existing site.

2.2 Page Components - Banner.

The top rectangle is the Banner. It can be customised to suit your existing site. Included in the banner are the Quick Menu,
RSS Feed and Channel Selector.

The Quick Menu is a string of single click links these will change with context e.g. Login changes to the viewers name following a successful log-in.

The RSS Feed allows viewers to see your feed and subscribe to your site. (See explanation later).

The Channel Selector is used to switch between the different channels (i.e. replace the schedule list).

2.3 Page Components Video Screen.

The focus of the page is the Video Screen. This can be switched to occupy the full screen. It may optionally contain a Dog - a Digital On-screen Graphic.

Content shown on the Video Screen is controlled by the Video Controller Bar. Here the program can played in a standard Stop | Pause | Play | SkipFwd | SkipBkd manner.
On the right hand end of the bar are the full screen button, the volume slider and when programmed the Link button.
When clicked this displays a related web page in a separate window.

2.4 Page Components - Schedule.

The Schedule is situated below the video screen. It presents the pre-prepared playlist of items that will be displayed sequentially in the video screen. The list can contain up to 300 separate items. Following the schedule is not mandatory. Clicking on any item in the list causes the video to jump and play the presentation from that point onwards. The Schedule Slider is used to scroll up and down the playlist.

Each item in the schedule may be associated with a small graphic badge that can act as an ‘aide memoir’ to content or source of the material.

3.0 Setting up your server.

There are certain tasks that only need to be completed once or are rarely changed. Two of these are:-

Ø Describing Your Site and

Ø Selecting a colour scheme/style

3.1 Accessing Site Administration.

All Control and Monitoring functions are provided via password protected web pages. To access these details i) click the Login link in the Quick Menu, and ii) enter your username and password. Correct details should reveal the Site Administration screen - as below:-

A well documented site will help viewers and search engines locate your content.

3.1 Describing Your Site.

The description you enter here will be displayed in search engine responses and RSS feed.

Click on Option a)

Complete the form and press the “Enter/Replace” button. None of the fields are mandatory but completion is advised. Do not put email addresses in the author field.

To see how these details contribute to the Internet examine the HTML taken from the BBC's website and how it maps to the entry in Google. (Note the title is also shown at the top of browser screens).

3.2 Selecting a colour scheme/style.

Control of your site’s ‘style sheets’ provides a simple method of integrating your media server into your existing site. Our selection/upload tool should make this design process relatively easy.

The Skin Edit screen appears, as below. This screen allows you to determine the background colour or background image. If an image is uploaded this will take precedence over a background colour. The process for uploading a background image, banner, badge and ‘dog’ is the same.

3.2.1 Setting a background colour or image.

The Skin Edit Page allows controls the look and feel of the site.

Press the Choose button for each option and select the appropriate file from you machine.

Background image - the background image is used for the background of the complete page. All standard image file formats may be used:- .gif .jpeg or .png. All background images are static (a watermark - does not scroll with the page). The ‘repeat’ tick box can be used for graduated backgrounds.

3.2.2 Banner Badges and Dogs.

The banner is the image used at the top of the page. It may be any standard format (.gif, .jpeg or .png) but should be 634*106 pixels.

The badge is the icon used to identify your media. Preferred formats are (.gif or .png) but should be * * * pixels.

The ‘dog’ is the digital on-screen graphic. It may be any standard format and preferably transparent. A good size is * * * pixels.

3.2.3 General colours.

Click in the small white boxes to enable the Colour Picker. Edit the colour code in the text box to refine your choice.

Press the Save button to preserve your changes or Reset to clear all selections.

With your site selections made it is time to upload some content.

4.0 Uploading Content

4.1 Meta data.

Media is normally uploaded as a single file – in the same manner as the site background and badges but to operate correctly the system has to ‘understand’ what the media is. This understanding comes from separate elements of information collectively known as “meta data”. Meta data, in this system, includes length of file, description of content, authorship, copyright details etc.

4.2 Uploading.

There are two methods of uploading media. The first has already been seen in the previous section and is the option shown at the top of the screen “Upload a small video”. It can be used for uploading small videos. ‘Small’ is a relative term and is related to the rate at which your system can send data to the server. For most systems ‘small’ should mean <100MBt. Use the Browse button to locate the file. Double click on the file name so that it appears in the File Name: box, then click the Open button. Once selected, click the Upload button to send the media. Although this is a quick method it does not provide the user with any feedback as to how long or how successful the uploading process is.

Improved performance is achieved using a separate program called WinSCP. Win SCP is a graphical interface that describes what is happening and also allows multiple files to be uploaded at one time. Further it re-commences the upload should the link become cut or congested.

WinSCP is free and may be downloaded from http://winscp.net.

4.3 WinSCP.

Once WinSCP has been installed start the program via the Start Menu or the shortcut icon.

You should be presented with the login screen:-

One the first occasion click on the New button to enter the connection details for your account.

The details are entered via the following screen:-

Host Name, User Name, and Password details for this screen will be sent to you when you open an account.

Ensure that the protocol option is set to SCP.

Once entered and saved your details will be shown in the login screen at the top of the screen.

Double clicking this entry will initiate the graphical screen. This is shown below:-

Once a connection has been made the WinSCP window displays two panes.

Your ‘local’ machines files are displayed in the left hand pane and the remote server files in the right.

Clicking on each file or group of files (using standard Ctrl and Shift buttons) with the left hand button selects files – right clicking displays options.

Alternatively use the buttons at the top of the screen of even make a selection and holding the left button down and “drag and drop” the files between panes to move files.

One advantage of WinSCP is that it displays the progress of the coping progress (almost unique in the Windows environment).

Once the media is uploaded it needs to be combined with its metadata.

Occasionally this data may need to be modified.

These two functions are covered in the next sections.

4.4 Combining meta data & media.

Below the upload section on the My Media page is a list of uploaded files that require description.

Click on the link for each file and complete the description. The file now becomes available for viewing.

4.5 Combining meta data & media.

The final section on this page allows meta data on existing videos to be modified.

Select the video from the Available Media list and press the small blue arrow to call across the metadata for that file into the editing area.

Modify the details as require and press the save button. Repeat until complete.

5.0 Channel Control

5.1 Rationale.

Channels were introduced as a simple method of dividing and categorising content. Any number of named channels may be created although the total number is probably limited by the acceptable number in a ‘pull-down’ list.

5.2 Adding, Modifying and Deleting Channels.

Click on Option d) from the administrators menu to reveal the Channel Edit menu:-

5.3 Adding a Channel.

Enter the new channel name and press the Save Changes button. Channels are displayed in numeric order. Select a number from the number ‘pull-down’ option and select an available channel number before pressing Save Changes button.

5.4 Modifying a Channel (name).

Re-enter the name of the channel in the Channel Name list. More than one channel can be renamed. Press the Save Changes button to confirm your modifications.

5.5 Deleting a Channel.

Click the Delete box for the channel(s) you wish to delete. Confirm your decision by pressing the Save Changes button. Deleting a channel only removes the schedule for that channel not the media content.

5.6 Next Step.

Once the content has been uploaded, meta data attached and the channels established it is time to combine it all into the ‘running order’ of each channel. This is known as scheduling and is the subject of the next section.

6.0 Schedule Editor

6.1 Scheduling.

The Schedule Editor controls the presentation order of media for each channel. The schedule is a suggested viewing list, users may still skip the order in which material is viewed.

Click on Option e) from the admin page to see the scheduler:-

A typical scheduling screen is shown above. The channel selector pull-down is used to select the channel to edit. See section 5 on how to modify the Channels list.

6.1 Populating a new Schedule.

A schedule is build by selecting the items from the Available Media list on the right. Left click the required item and press the small left hand arrow to copy across to the schedule. Items will normally be added to the bottom of the schedule. Press Save Schedule once the Current Schedule is complete.

6.2 Modifying a Schedule.

To insert an item into the current schedule click on the item in the right hand list and then the small hand pointer at the desired insertion point. Click the small left hand arrow between the lists to complete the insertion.

To remove an item from the current schedule click on the small right hand pointing arrow next to the item.

The up and down arrows next to each item in the current schedule moves the item up and down the schedule. The small arrows move the item up / down by one place. The large arrows move the item up / down five places.

6.3 Advanced Scheduling.

With the ‘select all sources’ option selected videos that all users of the system wish to share are included in the available media list. An additional column in this list displays the badge of the source.

6.4 More Scheduling.

With the ‘select favourites’ option selected videos that you have marked as favourites share are shown in the available media list. An additional column in this list displays the badge of the source.

Press Save Schedule to save each schedule you complete.

7.0 Really Simple Syndication

7.1 Explanation.

With the proliferation of rapidly changing content on the ‘web’ the task of tracking favourite sites becomes ever more arduous. One solution to this tracking problem that began in the ‘blogging community’ and is called Really Simple Syndication. RSS relies on the system administrator posting logging comments about changes to their site. Viewers who want to track your progress ‘subscribe’ to your RSS feed. This causes their system to monitor your site automatically and only alert them when a change is made. This alert is sent as a result of you adding a new item to your feed.

7.2 When to publish?

Although RSS feeds were used to describe rapidly changing data it may be wise to restrict the volume of items published; restricting new items to major updates.

7.3 Adding an item.

Each new piece of information in a feed is called an ‘item’. Items may be added at any time. An item consists of a title, a description a link and a category?

To add an item select Option f to see the page below:-

Enter the details and press the Save Button.

8.0 Monitoring Your Site

8.1 Site Monitoring.

Logging in and selecting Option g) produces statistical data on the use of your site.

9.0 Sharing

9.1 Cross School Sharing.

An advantage of your Wildfire Server is the ability to share part or all of your content with other schools in the system.

All shared material from all schools may be seen by clicking on the All link in the mini-menu bar. Items may also be included in the schedule by clicking on the Show All radio button on the Schedule Page. Note:- only items marked as unrestricted are shared. All of the original metadata is preserved on shared media.

10.0 Building Relationships

10.1 Registration.

One option in Wildfire server allows viewers to register with your site. The registration process produces a short questionnaire and confirms permission to use the personal details collected. The conditions state that the details will be protected and not passed on to third parties. They will be used solely for distribution of details about and on your site. (Removal from the list is achieved simply by clicking on a link in any distributed email).

The registration system will then send a confirmation email that must be confirmed before the request is shown in your system (for your approval). Part of the approval process involves placing the request into a group. In this way emails can just be addressed to :- parents, teachers, governors etc.