What is the background to these video clips?
What software do I need to view the clips?
What internet connection do I need to view the video clips?
Why are the clips jerky? How can I view the video clips?
What is the background to these video clips?
As one of the entry criteria for the 2007 Building Awards Competition Library Authorities had to submit video clips of the libraries they wanted to enter for the awards. The video clips were often very large in terms of file size - some over 240mb - which meant they would not be viewable over the internet.
For the 16 longlisted libraries in the Delegates Choice category the videos were recoded for presentation on the web from the original video clips submitted to the Building Awards competition. The content of the video in the recoded version is the same as in the original clip submitted. The video clips are around 4 minutes in length.
In making your choice for the delegates choice category, judge the entries not on the quality of the video clip or the photos but on their content.
What software do I need to view the clips?
The video files are encoded in MPEG1 format and this should be viewable with any recent version of ‘windows media player’.
What internet connection do I need to view the video clips?
The recoded clips have been compressed down to a bit rate of 340K bits per second. This was chosen to allow viewing over a broadband connection of 512K bits per second or greater.
Nearly all network connections are shared either between users at a place of work or in a residential setting between users with the same Internet Service Provider (ISP). So even if a 512K connection is available, it may not always be capable of supporting a sustained bit rate of 340K for the duration of the clip. Overall network usage will vary from time to time, with peaks of business usage at 9:00a.m.in the morning and peaks of domestic usage around lunchtime and during the evening.
Why are the clips jerky? How can I view the video clips?
The files can be viewed in either of two ways, if network usage/availability allows, the clips can be downloaded and displayed at the same time. However if the available network bandwidth drops below 340K (see question above) then the video picture or sound may become jerky and disjointed. To try and download and play at the same time, just click on the link to the video clip and ‘windows media player’ should automatically open and start to play the clip.
If this method fails or is too ‘jerky’ then the files can be downloaded to the hard drive on your PC and viewed separately. To do this right click on the link to the video clip and select ‘Save target As’ and save the clip to a folder on your PC. It can then be played once the download is complete by ‘double clicking’ on the file on your hard drive. This second method can be used if you only have access to a ‘narrow band’ or dial-up connection, however the files will take a considerable time to download.