Multicasting Stored ASF Streams

Use the following steps when creating a program that multicasts ASF streams stored as files on your server.

The illustration shows NetShow Server and the HTTP server on separate computers. While all software can run on a single computer, if you plan to use NetShow Server's unicast HTTP streaming, you must run your HTTP server on a separate computer.

1. Store the ASF files you want to stream in the publishing point used for NetShow content files. NetShow uses this location when you add the files as streams to a program.

   For more information, see Creating a Publishing Point.

2. On NetShow Server, start NetShow Administrator, connect to the server you want to manage, and then use Configure Channels to create a channel for the stream.

   The channel includes the IP address and port on which the stream is multicast, the name of the stream format used on the channel, and the network location where clients can obtain the channel information. To specify the stream format, reference the .asd file used when the file was created through the Real-Time Encoder, or reference the .asf file itself in those cases where the file was created using other tools.

   For more information, see Creating a Channel.

3. Use Configure Channels to export the channel to a location on the network where clients can reach it, and to save it as a NetShow channel file (.nsc). For example, if you are multicasting over a LAN to clients running the stand-alone NetShow player, you can store the file in a public directory. If you are multicasting over an intranet or the Internet to clients running NetShow Player embedded in a Web page, export the file to a publishing point on the HTTP server.

   For more information, see Exporting a Channel.

4. In NetShow Administrator, using Manage Programs, create a program.

   Add the stream to the program by specifying the channel you created and the stream's source. To specify the source, use the MMS protocol and specify the name of the server, the alias for the publishing point, and the file name:
   mms://servername/pubpointalias/filename.asf

   For more information, see Creating a Program and Adding Active Streaming Media to a Program.

5. In NetShow Administrator, in Programs view, create an announcement for the program.

   Clients use the announcement to locate the .nsc file that supplies channel information for the program. Announcements are saved as .asx files. After you have created an announcement, you can distribute it in a variety of ways: store it on the HTTP server where clients using the embedded player or stand-alone player can access the file through a Web page; store it in a public directory on a LAN where clients using the stand-alone player can open it; or distribute it through e-mail to clients using the stand-alone player.

   For more information, see Creating a Program Announcement.

6. Use Manage Programs to start the program to begin the multicast.

   For more information, see Starting and Stopping a Program.

7. Clients can now listen to the multicast using either the stand-alone or embedded NetShow player. To receive the multicast using the stand-alone player, specify the .asx file. To set up the embedded player to receive the multicast, specify the .asx file in either the object information or the scripting code for the control.

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