Helix Producer
Helix Producer is a program distributed by Real Networks. Used
in conjunction with any of the playback devices described in the
Encoding Station Hardware section, it can accomplish both the capture
and compression steps in creating digital media. It can also be
used to simply compress files that already exist in digital form,
such as .avi or .wav files.
Helix Producer is a good choice for campus web developers who want
to create audio and video files for several reasons. First, its
output format of Real media (.rm) files is highly compressed and
streamable via the BU Real Media server. This means that even if
you create very long video or audio segments, viewers accessing
them via a compatible player such as RealOne will not have to wait
for the entire file to download before playback.
Second, it can be used to produce multiple bandwidth versions of
your content within the same file. In other words, one file can
contain versions optimized for viewers at slow (such as 56K dialup)
or fast (such as the campus network) connections. This means a better
viewing experience for your audience and less work for you.
Helix Producer is available in two versions: Basic and Plus. Producer
Basic is a free download, and Plus must be purchased. In general,
Producer Basic is suitable for most campus web developers' production
needs. Compared to Producer Plus, it lacks three features:
- Ability to encode at more than three bandwidth rates
- Ability to encode many files at once (batch encode)
- Ability to provide a live stream of content (webcast)
Most AV developers begin by working with Producer Basic, and later
upgrade if they feel the need for these features.
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