Thomas' Work Space

1. European parliament video clips are quite big and it would be easier not to have to pass them around. But how to communicate to somebody else which video clip to watch if the clip selected is not reflected in the browser address bar? The flash application unfortunately forces you to provide the “bibliographic” information in pieces (start url, date, possibly video format, debate title, speaker name). But in the end you get a direct link which you can pass on to save others from having to jump through the same hoops: If you just need the direct link, skip to step 7. Otherwise: Start with the calendar interface: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/wps-europarl-internet/frd/vod/research-by-date?language=en, find your (1) date, e.g. “Wednesday 14 January 2009”,
2. The window with the recording of that date will come up; now you CAN (2) change the video format  – wmv (should work on most Windows PCs, free upgrade for MACs here:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/wmcomponents.mspx) or mp4 -, an option that will show in the browser address bar. If you must, change format this first, as it seems to rewind the video to the beginning of the session.
3. Click on your (3) debate, e.g. “Situation in the Middle East/Gaza Strip (debate) 14-01-2009”.
4. Click on your (4) speaker, e.g. “ 15:16:50 Benita Ferrero-Waldner 00:13:12 15:30:02”
5. Instead of watching online (e.g. if you find the stream quality lacking), you can (5) download the video (in the format you have chosen, either wmv or mp4). UPDATE: The web site added a disclaimer that you have to 1.read, 2.check before you can 3. download, as illustrated below:
6. Note: you can (6) change the b-language (for relay interpreting) when streaming. Plus, when you download the video, all the b-languages are downloaded together with the a-language. See here how to select the desired b-language when playing the downloaded file.
7. Easier than providing all bibliographical information (calendar URL, date, debate and speaker) is the direct URL of the download clip. Right click on “Download this Speech”, select (7) “Copy shortcut” from the context menu. Then paste this, e.g. http://vod.europarl.europa.eu/nasvod01/vod0301/2009/wm/VODUnit_20090114_15165000_15300200.wmv or if you chose mp4 format: http://vod.europarl.europa.eu/nasvod02/vod0301/2009/isma/VODUnit_20090114_15165000_15300200.mp4, into the calendar event for the exam – completes your checklist for the exam, and at the beginning of the exam, you can download the link from here onto the students’ computer. Or, for assigning materials to students or passing them to external examiners, email this direct link.
8. Unfortunately, it appears that the transcripts, unlike the audio channels, do not include the relay languages and have to be accessed from a different (calendar-)interface here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/plenary/cre/calendar.do?language=EN: “The verbatim report of proceedings of each sitting (often referred to by its French abbreviation, CRE) is published (Rule 173 of the Rules of Procedure) and contains the speeches made in plenary, in the original language.”

Appendix: The file size of these videos is about 10MB per minute. If you feel you need to save the videos locally, use an appropriate location (where you have sufficient space, the file will not be erased, only appropriate users have access – consider this before using a public network share, personal drive). Not really more “local” is saving the video clip on the http://hale-interpreting.groups.live.com Skydrive which can also hold clips larger than 50MB if you pre-process them like described in the zipping instruction.

Watch a 5-minute narrated video-clip that demonstrates the above steps.

• interpreting mock conference speech videos are now available in an improved format
  • small file size -> portable: videos compressed to the equivalent of 360mb/hr, which makes them easily accessible
    • wherever you can access the local network (classrooms, your office, library: I uploaded all 6 videos in 2 minutes)
    • or copy to a USB stick to take home (or, in the future, go into an Weblearn e-repository)
  • widely compatible:
    • no DVD-player required,
    • on a standard PC (or MS also supports their windows media video codec on the MAC, for download see “How to use language services digital videos”; problems? x4444)
  • searchable teaching material repository (poor man’s version):
    • filename of video contains date, speaker, language
    • catalogue of videos in the spreadsheet online_resources.xls
      • students can read,
      • instructors [if you do not have access, request it from ictservicesdesk for \\lgu.ac.uk\lgu$\multimedia%20student) can write (in green cells, to provide "metadata" to students for searching: topic, exercise types, difficulty rating), or else request write permission  from x4444
      • catalogue layout is subject to review. 17/04/2009: I updated, the metadata columns, following the example of SIMON, the “Shared Interpreting Materials Online” Database that ETI is developing:
      • title
        speaker
        date
        venue
        modality
        language( combination)
        (progression) level
        (particular) skill (trained)
  • have your students access the videos through the blog link here.
• we could also collect recorded satellite tv in this form (see Spanish video sample from TVE in spreadsheet online_resources.xls – and probably should, especially if you want flexibility in adapting the materials pedagogically and reusing them -, both
  • videos suitable for interpreting exercises from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Parliamentary_broadcasters and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Legislature_broadcasters or similar channels etc
  • as well as movies and documentaries for  screen translation exercises – possibly with digital subtitle text

If mapping failed, from desktop, run , then click button   

In the interpreting suite, students can click , click , paste “\\lgu.ac.uk\lgu$\multimedia student\mmedia\mmedia1\language_services\software\trprecord.exe”, click . More help.

Go the group’s web address (not from your londonmet email client’s browser) and click “Sign in”.   

If you have a windows live account (hotmail or msn qualify),  click “sign in”, otherwise click “sign up”.

Go through an account creation process (you only have to do this once):

Afterwards, you will be automatically signed in (you may have to answer an email first at the  address you have given during sign-up) and redirected to the invitation page for the group, click on  “Ask to join”.

  Now you are done:

Don’t forget to write down your user name and password.