Getting in touch...Call the London Grid

for Learning on020 82 55 55 55

email: services@lgfl.net

Find out more at www.lgfl.net

Many schools have been using public sites such as YouTube to share videos and embed video clips within their Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and Managed Learning Environments (MLEs). However, sites like YouTube contain so much material that is at best distracting and at worst offensive, that schools often discourage or even block access for their users.

To meet the clear need for a safe video sharing solution, LGfL has created its own service which enables teachers from any London school to upload video files and share them with others. Because the site is maintained by LGfL, if any inappropriate material is uploaded then it can be quickly removed, and the person who posted it can be traced.

LGfL has for some time offered Windows and Real media streaming services to schools, but encoding and uploading videos has been cumbersome. The LGfL Video Central service simplifies the process greatly, with all management performed via a web interface and encoding handled automatically.

Once the encoding process is complete, the person who uploaded the file is notified by email that his/her video has been published. Users can then link directly to the video in order to stream and watch it, or Video Central can be used to generate the necessary “embed” HTML code which allows the video to be placed directly within any web page.

Video Central Service

• Video Central is an easy-to-use web-based solution which allows teachers in London to share video files with students, colleagues, and partner schools

• Video files are uploaded using a secure web interface then encoded automatically for fast, efficient web streaming

• Video Central can import many popular video file formats, and provides a choice of resolutions and qualities for the output file

• Video Central automatically generates the HTML code necessary to embed uploaded video files within your own web site or MLE page

What is Video Central?

A service for the London Grid for Learning community provided by:London Grid for Learning in association with Atomwide

Atomwide Ltd2 - 3 Ravensquay Business Centre,

Cray Avenue, Orpington, Kent. BR5 4BQTel: 01689 814700 Fax: 01689 814701

Email: sales@atomwide.com www.atomwide.com

What does the LGfL Video Central service offer?

The LGfL Video Central service provides all London teachers with an easy-to-use facility for uploading and encoding video files so that they can be streamed across the Internet. Streaming a video file is different to just making it available as a download: the video files which you upload will play inside a browser and download progressively, so users on slow connections will not have to wait for the entire video file to download before it starts to play. Another advantage of streaming video files is that it is much harder for end users to save or copy your video, so you retain greater control over its distribution.

Who can use the LGfL Video Central Service?

The LGfL Video Central upload and encoding service can be used by any teacher in London. Once uploaded to Video Central, video files can be played by anyone, anywhere on the Internet.

In order to upload and encode files via Video Central, an LGfL/Atomwide USO account is required, since the Video Central Service uses the same Shibboleth® authentication system as other LGfL content.

If you do not have an account, then contact your school’s IT manager or follow the instructions which can be found at https://support.lgfl.org.uk/public/usoreq.aspx

For further details please contact LGfL on: 020 82 55 55 55 and select option 3

Video Central Service

• Video Central is available free to every school connected to the London Grid for Learning, with upload and encoding facilities accessible to all staff

• Video files which you upload can be played inside a browser and will be ‘streamed’ (downloaded progressively)

• Users cannot easily download or copy your videos, so you retain control over their distribution

• Video Central uses the same Shibboleth® authentication system as services like the London MLE and the LGfL content site

Video Services for London

Issue No. 2, October 2011