Tips for broadcasting

Setting up a broadcast

• Check the Microsoft Windows Media Web site to review hardware requirements for streaming media before you begin setting up for a broadcast.
• For more technical information about setting up for large broadcasts, see the Microsoft Office 2003 Resource Kit Web site.
• If you want your broadcast to include live video and broadcast to more than 10 viewers at a time, you should use a Windows Media Server. Broadcasting video without one could place a great deal of strain on your computer's resources, and could further limit the number of people who are able to view your presentation.
• Because of the unique requirements of the Advanced Streaming Format (ASF), online broadcasting requires sound capability in the computer used to control your broadcast presentation.
• PowerPoint can't save online broadcasts to Web locations. Broadcast files can be saved only locally or to a file server on a network. To share the files, specify a shared folder using the Universal Naming Convention (UNC), or \\servername\sharename.

For a live broadcast

• Do a practice run, especially if this is your first broadcast. You can broadcast with the same settings and view it on a second computer. Or, you can first record and save your presentation and review it before you deliver the presentation live. If you have time, you should do the dry run at least two days before the scheduled broadcast so that you'll have time to fix any problems.
• For small meetings, you do not need a server; you can broadcast from your own computer and use the default settings provided by the Online Broadcast tool.
• If you are broadcasting without scheduling, make sure you are prepared with e-mail addresses and that you remember to invite everyone before you start the broadcast. Give everyone time to receive the invitation before starting the broadcast.
• If you schedule a live broadcast, set up early to allow time to fix any last-minute problems and still broadcast on time.

For a recorded broadcast

• If you have chosen to record the broadcast, send the shared folder location of the broadcast as an invitation for recipients to play the broadcast on demand.
• Make sure the location of the broadcast file is accessible to those trying to view it.
• If you need to move the recorded broadcast files to a different location (for example, a different server), remember to move the filename.htm that is in the My Broadcast folder, and the associated folder (the folder takes the same name as the file), to the new location.