NetShow Player

Use NetShow Player to request .asf files and live ASF streams. .Asf files refer to stored ActiveX streaming format files. These files can be played locally, from NetShow Server, or from an HTTP server. Live ASF streams refer to ASF information streamed from a Net Show Channel Manager. Similar to your television set or to a radio, NetShow Player can “grabs” the live ASF stream as the information moves across the network and renders the audio and/or video.

Click part of the NetShow Player diagram below to learn the name and other information about that part.


File Menu

The File menu provides controls to:

•	Open an .asf or .asx file.

•	Type the path to an .asf file or a live ASF stream

•	Open the Properties dialog box which contains many of the player’s settings including how many times to play an .asf file, what UDP port to use, and whether to receive multicasting.

•	Exit the application.


Go Menu

Use the Go menu to open your browser and access the newest information on the NetShow Web page. The Go menu also has a NetShow Software Updates option that takes you to the NetShow Web page where you can download the latest version of NetShow Player.


View Menu

The View menu enables you to set NetShow Player so that it always stays on top. The View menu also contains options to view Statistics of the .asf file or live Asf stream, Play Settings for NetShow Player, and Markers if you are watching an .asf file.


Help Menu

Use the Help menu to open the Troubleshooting Guide, the contents of this help file, or to find NetShow Player version information.


Title Bar

The title bar contains the title or alias of the streaming information that NetShow Player is receiving. Titles correspond to .asf files. A stream alias corresponds to live ASF streaming. The title bar makes it easy to identify streaming information even if NetShow Player is paused, stopped, or at an unrecognizable point.


Current Time/Total Time Indicator

The Current Time/Total Time indicator displays how far along in the .asf file you are and the complete playing time for the .asf file. Both of these time indications are measured to the tenth of a second.


Play/Pause Button

The Play/Pause button toggles between Play and Pause. When the .asf files begins rendering, the Pause button is active because the .asf file is playing. If you pause or stop the .asf file, the Play button becomes active.


Stop Button

Click the Stop button to stop playing an .asf file. When you do, the slider returns to the beginning of the .asf file. Stopping the .asf file does not break communication with the server. You can click the NetShow Player Play button to begin playing the .asf file again.


Previous Marker Button

Markers are a feature of streaming .asf files. Click the Previous Marker button to go back to the last marker in the .asf file. The Previous Marker button is active only if the .asf file contains markers and after you have passed a marker.


Multicasting

Multicasting is how NetShow Channel Manager streams ASF information so that multiple NetShow players can receive the information without creating separate streams for each player. Multicasting always refers to a live broadcast of streaming ASF information.


Unicasting

Unicasting is the term used to describe how NetShow Server streams an .asf file to a NetShow player because for every player that request an .asf file, a distinct connection is made between NetShow Server and NetShow Player. Unicasting has nothing to do with live ASF streaming and NetShow Channel Managers do not unicast.


Rewind Button

The rewind functionality for an .asf file is available only if you are streaming the .asf file from NetShow Server and the .asf file was created from video using VidToAsf. If the Rewind button is not active, you cannot rewind the .asf file.


Fast Forward Button

The fast-forward functionality is available only if you are streaming the .asf file from NetShow Server and the .asf file was created from video using VidToAsf. If the Fast Forward button is not active, you cannot fast forward through the .asf file.


Next Marker Button

Markers are a feature of .asf files that are analogous to tracks on a compact disc. Click Next Marker to move to the next marker in the .asf file. The Next Marker button is active only if you are streaming an .asf file from NetShow Server and the .asf file contains markers. Because markers must be created when the .asf file is being built, not every .asf file will contain markers.


Marker Indicators

The vertical lines under the slider indicate the location of markers. Markers are a feature of streaming .asf files from NetShow Server. If you place the mouse on an marker, the name of the marker and the time that it marks appears. Markers do not appear in an .asf file streamed from a HTTP server.


Slider

The slider indicates the current time in the .asf file. You can use the slider to move forward or backward in the .asf file. This is the same as using the Previous Marker and Next Marker buttons; that is, you must be streaming the .asf file from NetShow Server in order to move forward or backward in the .asf file.

The slider does not move if you are receiving a live ASF stream.


NetShow Player Window

When playing an .asf file or receiving a live ASF stream, the images or video appear in the player window (provided that there are visuals in the stream). When the mouse icon is a hand, clicking in the window has the same effect as clicking the Play/Pause button.


Opening an Asf File
Opening an .asf File

NetShow Player has two ways that you can play .asf files. Use Open File to open the .asf file or .asx file by browsing servers and directories, or use Open Location to type the direct path to an .asf or .asx file. If you open an .asf file locally, you will not be streaming the file; you will be playing the file from your computer’s cache. If you open an .asx file, you will be streaming the .asf file. If you enter an .asf file’s URL, you can stream the file from NetShow Server or  HTTP Server.

See Also:

 Browsing to Open an .asf File

 Entering the Path to an .asf File

 Entering the Path to a Live ASF Stream


Using the Open File Command
Browsing to Open an .asf File

Use Open File to find an .asf file when you aren’t sure of the exact path to the file, but you are sure that you have access to it.

1	On the File menu, click Open File.

2	In the Open dialog box, browse to the directory that contains the .asf file.

3	To begin playing the .asf file, double-click it.

NetShow Player appears, buffers some of the .asf file, and then begins playing it.

See Also:

 Opening an .asf File

 Entering the Path to an .asf File


Using the Open Location Command
Entering the URL for an .asf File

Use Open Location when you know the exact location of an .asf file.

1	On the File menu, click Open Location.

2	In the Open Location dialog box, type the path to the .asf file.

You can use either the HTTP or MMS protocol.

3	To begin playing the .asf file, click OK.

NetShow Player appears, creates a buffer for the .asf file, and then begins playing it.

See Also:

 Opening an ASF File

 Entering the Path to a Live ASF Stream

 Browsing to Open an ASF File


Entering the Path to a Live ASF Stream

Use Open Location when you know the path to a live ASF stream.

1	On the File menu, click Open Location.

2	In the Open Location dialog box, use the MSB protocol and type the path to the Channel Manager.

3	To receive the live ASF stream, click OK.

NetShow Player appears, buffers a bit of ASF stream and then begins rendering it.

See Also:

 Opening an ASF File

 Entering the Path to a Live ASF Stream


The Microsoft NetShow Player Properties Dialog
Microsoft NetShow Player Properties Dialog Box

The Microsoft NetShow Properties dialog box is the main source of information within NetShow Player. The Properties dialog box contains six pages of information, or seven if the .asf file contains markers. Each property page presents specific information about NetShow Player, the .asf file, or the live ASF stream. Click on the page below to learn more about its properties.

See Also:

 General property page

 Details property page

 Settings property page

 Statistics property page

 Advanced property page

 Channel property page

 Codecs property page

 Markers property page


Viewing General Information about the .asf File
Viewing General Information

Data contained in the General property page comes from the creator of the .asf file or live ASF stream. This information is added during creation and can provide details about the content. Not all .asf files or live ASF streams contain general information.

 To view the General property page

•	On the File menu, click Properties.

The General property page opens.

See Also:

 General property page


General Information Tab
General Information Property Page

The General property page exposes any Title, Author, Copyright, Rating, and/or Description information that the author included with the .asf file or live ASF stream.

See Also:

 Properties dialog box

 Viewing the General property page

 Details property page

 Statistics property page

 Advanced property page

 Codecs property page

 Channel property page

 Settings property page

 Markers property page


Channel Tab
Channel Property Page

The Channel property page offers information about the Channel Manager that is streaming the live ASF stream such as the name, its location, a phone number to call, email address, and description of the channel. This information is contingent on the system adminstrator making it available.

See Also:

 General property page

 Details property page

 Advanced property page

 Codecs property page

 Markers property page

 Settings property page

 Statistics property page


Viewing the Codecs Used in the .asf File
Viewing the Codecs Used

You can view the codecs that were used in the .asf file or live ASF stream with the Codecs property page. This page identifies the codecs associated with the various image, audio, and video files and whether or not the codec is installed on your computer. Understanding which codecs were used in building the .asf file and whether or not your computer has those codecs installed will help you track potential rendering problems.

 To view the Codecs property page

1	On the File menu, click Properties.

The General property page opens.

2	Click the Codecs property page.

See Also:

 Codecs property page


Codecs Property Page

The Codecs property page identifies the codecs used in the .asf file and whether or not those codecs are installed on your computer. The Codecs property page also provides the URL to the NetShow codecs web page. Please see this URL if you want more information about the codec.

See Also:

 Viewing the Codecs Property page

 Properties dialog box

 General property page

 Settings property page

 Details Property Page

 Statistics property page

 Markers property page

 Channel property page

 Advanced property page


Viewing Details of the .asf File
Viewing the Details of the .asf File

Whereas the General property page shows any additional information that may have been added to the .asf file or live ASF stream, the Details property page provides specific information about the .asf file such as length, date of creation, and so on.

 To view the Details property page

1	On the File menu, click Properties.

The General property page opens.

2	Click the Details property page.

The Details property page opens.

See Also:

 Details page


The Details Tab
Details Property Page

The Details property page provides information (in addition to the General property page) that is useful for understanding how the .asf streams across the network. This information is part of the .asf file, but is not placed there by the author. NetShow Player picks up this information from the .asf file or live ASF stream. The Details property page includes:

•	Source Link   Path to the streaming .asf file. This will say Multicast if the source is a live ASF stream.

•	Creation Date   Date when the .asf file or live ASF stream was created.

•	Duration   Length of the .asf file. This will be blank for a live ASF stream.

•	Bandwidth   Bandwidth that the .asf file or live ASF stream was designed for. The content author determines the bandwidth during the build process.

•	Error Correction   Describes the error correction used (if any).

•	Image Width   Width of the widest image in the .asf file or width of the NetShow Player screen for a live ASF stream.

•	Image Height   Height of the tallest image in the .asf file or the NetShow Player screen for a live ASF stream.

See Also:

 Properties dialog box

 Viewing the General property page

 General property page

 Settings property page

 Statistics property page

 Advanced property page

 Codecs property page

 Channel property page

 Markers property page


The Statistics Tab
Statistics Property Page

Use the Statistics property page to monitor how well NetShow Player is receiving ASF data. This ASF information can be either from an .asf file or a live ASF stream. The Statistics property page contains a three-color pie chart that interprets the number of packets of ASF data that were received, recovered, and/or lost. There is also a progress bar along the bottom of the Statistics property page that displays the reception quality over the last 30 seconds.

See Also:

 Properties dialog box

 General property page

 Settings property page

 Details property page

 Advanced property page

 Codecs property page

 Channel property page

 Markers property page


The Settings Tab
Settings Property Page

The Settings property page enables you to choose how many times to play an .asf file. You can also choose the size of the NetShow Player window and the type of controls available on NetShow Player.

See Also:

 Properties dialog box

 General property page

 Details property page

 Advanced property page

 Codecs property page

 Channel property page

 Markers property page


Markers Property Page

The Markers property page displays the times and a description of all markers in the .asf file. The Markers property page appears only if the .asf file contains markers.

See Also:

 Using Markers

 Properties dialog box

 General property page

 Settings property page

 Details property page

 Advanced property page

 Codecs property page


Advanced Property Page

The Advanced property page enables you to:

•	Adjust the .asf file’s buffering time.

•	Select a UDP port

•	Name a proxy server and port for HTTP streaming

•	Choose if you want to use TCP

•	Turn off multicasting

See Also:

 Properties dialog box

 General property page

 Settings property page

 Details property page

 Channel property page

 Codecs property page

 Markers property page


Playing the .asf File Multiple Times
Adjusting the Number of Times an .asf File Will Play

You can set NetShow Player to play an .asf file a fixed number of times, or continuously.

 To set the number of times an .asf file will play

1	On the View menu, click Settings.

The Settings property page opens.

2	On the Settings property page, select Play Count and then specify the number of times you want to play the .asf file.

—Or—

 To play the .asf file continuously

1	On the View menu, click Settings.

The Settings property page opens.

2	On the Settings property page, select Play Forever.

See Also:

 Properties dialog box

 General Information

 Details

 Using Markers

 Statistics


Viewing Statistics of the Streaming .asf File

If the .asf file you are watching seems “choppy” or the file stops playing while NetShow buffers .asf data, you can check how much information you are receiving. The Statistics property page displays several types of information.

 To view the Statistics property page

•	On the View menu, click Statistics.

The Statistics property page appears.

See Also:

 Statistics Page


Adjusting the Size of NetShow On-Demand Player Window
Adjusting the Window Size

Unless specified otherwise, the NetShow Player window sizes to the height and width of the .asf file. If you want, you can resize the player window based on the original size of the .asf file.

 To resize the NetShow Player window

1	On the View menu, click Play Settings.

The Settings property page opens.

2	From the Window Size menu, select a size.

Default Size is the original .asf file size. Half Size is half of the original .asf file size. Double Size is two times the original .asf file size.

3	Click Apply and then click OK.


Hiding and Displaying Controls

You can set NetShow Player to three possible control views—No Controls, Simple Controls, or Full Controls. No Controls means that none of the player controls are visible. The Simple Controls option displays all controls except the Previous Marker, Next Marker, Fast Forward, and Rewind buttons. Full Controls displays all player controls.

 To adjust NetShow Player controls

1	On the View menu, click Play Settings.

The Settings property page opens.

2	On the Controls menu, select a controls view.

3	Click Apply and then click OK.


Markers

A marker is a pointer to a specific point in an .asf file. Use markers to jump forward or backward in an .asf file. Markers exist in an .asf file only if the author creates them. If an .asf file contains markers, there will be vertical dashes under the slider. Place the pointer on a dash to see the name and time of the marker.


The Markers Tab
Using Markers

You can access markers in an .asf file either by clicking the Previous Marker or Next Marker button, or by choosing a marker in the Markers property page.

 To use the Markers property page

1	On the View menu, click Markers.

The Markers property page opens.

2	In the list of markers, select the marker you want to go to and then click the Go To Marker button.

NetShow Player finds the marker, but the Microsoft NetShow Properties dialog box remains.

3	To return to NetShow Player, click OK.

NetShow Player buffers the .asf information and then plays the .asf file from that marker.

— Or —

 To use the Next Marker or Previous Marker button

•	Click Next Marker or Previous Marker to move forward or backward one marker.

The slider moves one marker for each time you click Next Marker or Previous Marker. After the slider moves to the marker, NetShow Player buffers the .asf information and then plays the .asf file from that marker.

See Also:

 Properties dialog box

 Markers property page


Setting a Proxy Server for HTTP Streaming

If you want to stream .asf files from HTTP Server through a firewall, you probably will need to set a proxy server.

 To set a proxy server

1	On the File menu, click Properties.

The General property page appears.

2	Click the Advanced property page.

3	On the Advanced property page, select the Use proxy for HTTP streaming check box.

4	In the Server box, specify the name of an HTTP proxy server.

5	In the Port box, specify the number of the port that the server will use.

Port 80 is the usual port number to specify.


Using a UDP Port
Using a UDP Port to Receive an .asf File

If you require a specific UDP port to receive streaming information through a firewall, you can set the port using NetShow Player.

 To set a UDP port

1	On the File menu, click Properties.

The General property page appears.

2	Click the Advanced property page.

3	On the Advanced property page, select the Use the following UDP port check box.

4	Enter the number of the UDP port.


Adjusting an .asf File's Buffer Time
Adjusting an .asf File’s Buffer Time

You can adjust the amount of information that NetShow Player uses for buffering during playback. By minimizing the amount of information that is buffered, you will decrease the time it takes for an .asf file to start rendering; however, you may experience interrupts or delays, especially when receiving streaming information over the Internet.

By maximizing the buffer information, you will increase the time it takes for an .asf file to start rendering, but you will decrease the number of interrupts or delays.

Note  Any changes made in the buffering time will not take effect until the next .asf file is streamed.

 To adjust the buffering time

1	On the File menu, click Properties.

The General property page appears.

2	Click the Advanced property page.

3	On the Advanced property page, adjust the Buffering Time slider.

When you first open the Advanced property page, the slider appears in its default position.


Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting information will come in the post-Beta release.

Return to overview.


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