Plug Ins are applications that allow Netscape to view special animated graphics, audio, video, and other effects.

A comprehensive guide for using plugins is given at

MICROSOFT MEDIA PLAYER http://www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer/default.asp

streaming media from the Internet or an intranet. Supported file types include NetShow ASF, MPEG, RealAudio, RealVideo, QuickTime, MIDI, .avi, .au, .snd, .mp3, and .wav. This new
version of Media Player can now seamlessly switch and play any of the supported media types without pausing between the files.

A Free highly rated Movie Viewer QUICKTIME http://www.apple.com/quicktime/ -makes video, sound, music, 3D and virtual reality come alive for Macintosh and Windows.

ADOBE ACROBAT READER at http://www.adobe.com will allow you to view any document, spreadsheet, etc. that has been saved as a .pdf file even if you don't have the software or fonts to view it. For example the New York Times crossword puzzle can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat reader

SHOCKWAVE by MACROMEDIA

Shockwave is used for delivering and experiencing quality interactive multimedia, graphics, and streaming audio. Companies like CNN, Capitol Records, Warner Brothers Records, Sony, Paramount, and Virgin
utilize Shockwave as an integral part of their Web sites. You can experiencestreaming high-resolution images and vector graphics that allow you to zoom and pan up to 25,000% without losing any image quality.

HYPERSTUDIO by ROGER WAGNER PUBLISHING

With the HyperStudio plug-in, anyone using Netscape Navigator can view HyperStudio
multimedia projects published over the Internet, complete with images captured digitally, tracks from audio CDs, sound, scrolling text in any font, animation, movies, visual transitions, and links to other Web pages or sites. Hyperstudio can be used either with its own Export WebPage function or in conjunction with HTML authoring packages such as Netscape Navigator Gold. The result is either a Hyperstudio window embedded in a Web page, or simply the complete HyperStudio-created display as the entire Internet document. Download the HyperStudio plug-in to view sample stacks.

REALPLAYER PLUS G2: http://www.real.com/products/playerplus/index.html

Better audio and video quality. Hi-fi audio display with graphic EQ. Control picture quality like a TV Preset and scan live audio and video

VDOLIVE PLAYER, http://www.clubvdo.net/store/products/vdonet/vdolive_player.asp

- a free, full-featured viewer, allows Internet users to see all VDO content, whether live or on-demand, from their web browsers. More VDOLive Players have been distributed than any other video viewer application, thus guaranteeing the largest audience for Internet video content. The VDOLive Player provides real-time playback over the Internet and Intranets at modem connection rates and higher. Web designers can create HTML pages to play VDOLive content using the Player as a helper application, as a Netscape Navigator Plug-In, or as an ActiveX control for Internet Explorer.

 Installing a Plugin

1. Decide which videos you wish to see
2. Determine which plug ins applications you need to download in order to see the clip
3. Go to the download or FTP site and click on the site - Since we are using Netscape, this site would be a good place to start http://home.netscape.com/plugins/index.html
4. Save to a download or zip directory on your hard drive, where you plan to download all of your files.
5. To set up the application program, click on the file downloaded if it is a self extracting file, or use a decompressing program such as Winzip to install the program into its own directory. Follow the instructions on the screen until setup is completed.
6. Then launch the video clip you wish to see and the plugin will then jump into action.

A teacher may preview the videos online in the Video preview Room http://www.learner.org/channel/previews/ , These can be seen using VDOlive, Realplayer, or Netshow. You need to download and install one of these viewers.

Then order them by mail or tape them when they are broadcast on Public Television.

You can subscribe to a weekly preview and schedule sent to you via e-mail on PBS http://www.pbs.org/

 PBS also has teacher lesson plans and resources at http://www.pbs.org/learn/

 
Getting, installing, and automatically launching helper applications

Download the program from an FTP site and install it. (such as the compression programs Winzip)

Check if it has been mapped to the proper file format:

Go to Edit ® Preferences in the Communicator screen ®  Navigator ® Applications ® Check to see if the helper application has already been mapped  to the proper file type ® you can edit the ones that are there ® if not go to New Type ® Description: The name or file type of the helper program® File extension: last 3 letters of files handled by this program such as xls ® MIME (multipurpose Internet Mail Extension): type/subtype, such as image/gif ® Application to use: directory path and filename such c:\winzip\winzip.exe. ® OK.

Homework:

Check out and bookmark Multimedia sites on P53 in your text. Choose the sites  you would like to use in your teaching portfolio

Read Chapter 5 and PP 140-163 on Search Engines - Select pages and information to bookmark for your portfolio.
Written Assignment: Due Monday September 28th. - Choose one of  the above sites as the most valuable resource in your teaching area. In point format, write a paragraph stating the name of the site, the URL, and the reasons why you would recommend this site to other teachers in your teaching area. Be prepared to demonstrate this on the computer to the class in a 2-5 minute demonstration on Monday. You can send this assignment to me via an e-mail attachment at rjmackin@stfx.ca