Experiencing Multimedia

Some documents in IEEE Xplore contain supplemental electronic material, also called multimedia, to illustrate the concepts described by the author. Access to full text includes access to multimedia. Some common questions about experiencing multimedia follow.

1. How is supplemental electronic material made available in IEEE Xplore?

2. Why do I have a problem viewing an AVI file while using Microsoft Internet Explorer?

3. What are the suggested viewers for supplemental electronic material?

4. How do I view linked AVI files?

5. How should RealPlayer be set up?

6. How should QuickTime be set up?

7. Are there other alternatives to viewing AVI files?

1. How is supplemental electronic material made available in IEEE Xplore?

Supplemental electronic material (multimedia) is accessible via two paths, or methods, in IEEE Xplore. In Method 1, the material is stored in a single ZIP file and is available for download through on a search results or table of contents page, or through on an abstract page.

In Method 2, the material is linked directly from the PDF file. If the appropriate viewer is installed (see next question), the file will be played or displayed when the link is clicked. In addition, in Method 2, all links in the PDF are Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), which means that the multimedia file link is a persistent URL that can stand alone, outside of the IEEE Xplore environment.

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2. Why do I have a problem viewing an AVI file while using Microsoft Internet Explorer?

A known issue with multimedia in IEEE Xplore is access of AVI files directly from the embedded link in the PDF file while using Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE). The problem is caused by the file viewer that MSIE uses by default, which is Microsoft Windows Media Player. If you change the default viewer to RealPlayer for this type of files, the links will work. Firefox and Safari do not experience the same problem with AVI files.

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3. What are the suggested viewers for supplemental electronic material?

For Windows:

• Windows Media Player for wma, asf, mp3, wav, midi, aiff, au files (www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/default.aspx.

• RealPlayer for ra and avi files (www.real.com/).

• QuickTime for aiff, animated GIF, avi, jpeg, midi, mpeg, mov, wav files (http://quicktime-download.info/).

For Mac:

• Real Player for ra files (www.real.com/).

• QuickTime for aiff, animated GIF, avi, jpeg, midi, mpeg, mov, and wav files (http://quicktime-download.info/).

• VLC media player for asf and wma files (www.videolan.org/vlc/).

For Unix/Linux:

• VLC media player for mov, mp3, ask, wma, gif, mpeg, mov files (www.videolan.org/vlc/).

• RealOne for ra, gif, and jpg files (www.real.com/linux or from the Helix community player.helixcommunity.org/2005/downloads/).

• au files are native to Unix/Linux formats so no player is required.

• Java Media Player (v2.12 on Solaris 10) for aiff and midi.

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4. How do I view linked AVI files?

You may view linked AVI files using either RealPlayer (http://www.real.com/) or QuickTime (http://quicktime-download.info/). As noted above, because viewing linked AVI files is problematic using Microsoft Internet Explorer, use Firefox or Safari instead.

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5. How should RealPlayer be set up?

First, install RealPlayer. Next, deactivate the current association for AVI files and then activate the association in RealPlayer. For example, if you are using Windows Media Player, do the following:

1. Choose Tools->Options.

2. Click on the File Types tab.

3. Uncheck Windows video file (avi).

4. Click OK and then Exit.

Next, start RealPlayer:

1. Choose Tools->Preference.

2. On the right side, select the Category Content->Media Types.

3. In the middle, select the radio button Manually configure media for RealPlayer and then click Select.

4. Scroll down to AVI Video (avi) and check this option.

5. Click OK and then Exit.

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6. How should QuickTime be set up?

First, install QuickTime. Next, deactivate the current association for AVI files and then activate the association in QuickTime. For example, if you are using Windows Media Player, do the following:

1. Choose Tools->Options.

2. Click on the File Types tab.

3. Uncheck Windows video file (avi).

4. Click OK and then Exit.

Next, start QuickTime:

1. Choose Edit->Preferences->QuickTime Preferences.

2. Click on the File Types tab.

3. Expand Video-Video only and video with audio file formats.

4. Check Video For Windows (AVI).

5. Click OK and then Exit.

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7. Are there other alternatives for viewing AVI files?

Yes. You may view all supplemental electronic media files by clicking on an IEEE Xplore search results or table of contents page, or by clicking on an abstract page. You may use Firefox (http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html) or, on the Mac, Safari (http://www.apple.com/safari/); both browsers support linked AVI files.

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