Encode

You're now ready to begin encoding.

1. Cue up the media device to a few seconds before where you want the clip to begin, press the Play button on the media device, and click the Start button on Helix Producer. (Note: the RealMedia file is editable, but it's a tedious process. Try to get the timing so the encoding starts where you want the file to start.)

2. Keep an eye on the Input and Output windows and the Audio Level indicator while the encoding is in progress. It is a good idea to do a practice run by encoding a large chunk of the source to get a sense of what the level is, how it's going to look and whether there are any unusual sections or points where the volume changes drastically.

3. The audio input level, as shown in the Audio Level indicator, should remain near the top. If the level indicator shows all the red bars, or the round peak light above the level indicator comes on, the audio source is too loud. (Note: Once the peak light has come on, it will stay on--even if the volume is no longer too high.) Likewise, if the Audio Level indicator shows only a few dark green bars, your audio input level is far too low. If you don't have any audio, or need to adjust the audio input level, follow the instructions in the Troubleshooting Tips section below.

4. Click Stop encoding and click Yes, when prompted, to confirm you have finished. RealProducer will display the Processing Complete window. You can view information about your file (such as frame rates for different modem speeds) at this point by clicking View Statistics. To finish and return to the session window, click Close. You can then click Play to view the file you have encoded. If you're not satisfied with your results, you can click Start to repeat the encoding process, or start a new session by selecting File | New Session..