On Tuesday, 14 March 2006, Service Delivery Manager gave a demonstration to the Australian National University of the prototype network personal video recorder (netPVR) that we are developing. The ANU has contributed funds and resources to the project. We demonstrated how the system could take requests over the web, schedule recordings, record, transcode and prepare programs for streaming, and email the requester the final product (just a pointer to the program stored on a server really, but fairly impressive when the program plays in the recipients email program). He also went through the work flow for an academic to show how the system could be used to take sections of recorded programs, combine them and deliver them through a Learning Management System (like WebCT).
Response to the demonstration was critical acclaim: the audience of about 25 engaged with us on a number of issues (copyright, metadata, program guides and so on).
In a related development, after months of mystery trying to work out why the streaming video programs would work fine off campus on broadband services if stored on an ANU server, but not when stored on the UC server, Network Services at UC unblocked UDP services for the UC server on Friday, 17 March 2006. Programs recorded and transcoded on the UC system can now be viewed (with proper authorisation) on broadband connections off-campus. Try the tests at home (broadband connection required) at http://uctv.canberra.edu.au/tv-tests.
