Adding Players

Players determine the appearance of presentations when they users view them live or as on-demand or portable presentations. You can customize Players to reflect unique branding with custom images and banners or by adjusting the appearance and functionality to meet your organization’s needs. All Players support closed-captioning and customizable links for graphics and default Player slides and include playback speed controls for on-demand presentations.

Playback requirements

For the best experience when using Mediasite web applications, desktops, laptops, and mobile devices should meet the requirements below.

Remember to configure pop-up blockers to allow site pop-ups. Otherwise, presentations will not appear.

Computer or mobile device	Requirements
Microsoft Windows	• Windows 10 • Firefox, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge • Broadband Internet or Wi-Fi connection
Apple MacOS	• Apple MacOS Mojave (version 10.14) and higher • Apple Safari, Firefox, or Google Chrome • Broadband Internet or Wi-Fi connection
Apple iPadOS	• Apple iPadOS 13 and higher • Apple Mobile Safari • Wi-Fi or cellular data connection
Apple iOS	• Apple iOS 12 and higher • Apple Mobile Safari • Wi-Fi or cellular data connection
Google Android	• Android 9 or later • Chrome browser • Wi-Fi or cellular data connection

Embeddable players

Players created using the Mediasite—Picture-in-Picture and the Mediasite—Mini Player layouts are intended to be used as embedded Players.

Here are a few things to consider when using embedded Mediasite Players:

• Embedded Players always stretch to fit the size of the window.

• Embedded Players have a pop-out button that when clicked launches the presentation in a separate window using a full Player layout. Typically, embedded Players will occupy a small space on the web page where it is embedded, which affects the video’s clarity during playback, so being able to watch the presentation in a larger window is helpful.

• A presentation using an embedded Player layout should always be watched on the page where it is embedded or launched in another window using the pop-out button. We do not recommend using a direct link to launch this type of presentation because the Player will stretch to fit the window, which will significantly affect the playback experience.

• Mediasite security can be used with embedded Players. A login prompt is displayed for a secured presentation if a cookie is not found. The login prompt appears within the embedded frame in the web page overlaying the Player.

• The full Player layout launched using the pop-out button doesn't interact with the original player. For example, if you view a presentation to 1:10 in the embeddable player, the pop-out Player will start at that time (1:10). However, if you continue viewing the presentation to 3:00 in the pop-out player and then pause it and return to the original player, the original player will still be paused at 1:10. You must reload the original player to have it start at 3:00, which is the bookmark set by the pop-out player.

• By default, embedded Players do not start playing presentations automatically. When embedding presentations using these Players, you must explicitly pass the autostart=true command on the query string in the embed code to enable auto start.

• The share presentation button is not visible in embedded Players since direct links to presentations using them are not recommended.

• The embed code accepts Mediasite tickets obtained from EDAS (auth tickets and login tickets) on query string.

Embedded code examples

Below are some examples of code that can be used to embed a presentation using an embeddable Player layout in a web page:

Simple embedding (Embedding code generated using the Share button):

Embedding with autostart set to true:

<div style="text-align:center;"> <iframe src=" http:// <mediasite-root-URL>/Play/presentation_id?autostart=true" frameborder="0" width="400" scrolling="no" height="224"></iframe> </div>

Embedding with login ticket (assumes ticket is obtained through an EDAS call):

<div style="text-align:center;"> <iframe src=" http:// <mediasite-root-URL>/Play/presentation_id?IdentityTicket=ticket_id " frameborder="0" width="400" scrolling="no" height="224"></iframe> </div>

Embedding with auth ticket (assumes ticket is obtained through an EDAS call):

<div style="text-align:center;"> <iframe src=" http://<mediasite-root-URL>/Play/presentation_id?authTicket=ticket_id " frameborder="0" width="400" scrolling="no" height="224"></iframe> </div>

LTI Embed Link (Embedded code generated using the Share button when using Basic LTI)

https://<mediasite-root-URL>/Lti/Home/Launch?mediasiteId=presentation_id

You can modify the width and height settings to whatever makes sense for the page where you are embedding the Player. Also, you must adjust the Mediasite Root URL to match the one for your server (https://FQDN or IP address of your server/EVP virtual directory), presentation id (presentation_id) and ticket id (ticket_id).

For more information on Player override strings, see KBA3851 available on the Customer Care Portal at: www.sonicfoundry.com/support.

Player layout settings

You can create your own custom Players by choosing a layout (size or availability of media elements (video streams and slides), selecting the options available, and updating the graphics used by that layout. The player layout settings vary by player type and layout. The following tables contain some of the settings you may find when updating your Player.

Mediasite MultiView Player general and layout settings

Setting	Description
Allow pop-out	By default, users will have the option to pop-out the Player whenever it is embedded in a web page. The options are: When embedded, Never, or Always.
Show header banner	Clear this check box if you don’t want a banner image displayed across the top of the player.
Primary content side	Select where the larger media element will be located.
Content spacing	Select how you want the content spaced out in the player, that is, how close the media elements are to each other and the edge of the player. For example, when None is selected, all media elements touch and go to the edge of the player.
Force balanced content layout	Select this check box to have the player automatically adjust the heights and widths of the media elements so that they match and balance the layout.

MultiViewPlayer_Layout

Mediasite MultiView Player (General and Content Layout Settings)

Mediasite Player general layout settings

Setting	Description
Theme	Select the Player’s default colors: black background, white text or White background, dark blue text.
Show header banner	Clear this check box if you don’t want a banner image displayed across the top of the player.
Show Mediasite branding	Clear this check box if you don’t want any Mediasite logos displayed in the player.
Pop-out player	Select which player is displayed and its behavior when the pop-out button is clicked in a Mini or PiP player: • Full Experience Layout (default): Use the Full Experience player when the player is launched in a separate browser window using the pop-out button. • Automatic: Use the player selected for the presentation when the player is launched in a separate browser window using the pop-out button. • Disabled: Disable the pop-out player feature.
Show title information bar	Clear this check box to hide the title in the PiP player.
Show Title Logo image	Clear this check box to hide the logo image that appears in the title information bar.
Show Top Banner for Pop-Out Player	Clear this check box to hide the top out banner when using the Full Experience layout for the pop-out player.

Mediasite Player—PiP (General Layout Settings)

Mediasite Player content layout settings

Setting	Description
Primary Content	Select which content will be in the larger window: Slide or Video.
Initial Content Layout	Choose the layout users will see when they first open a presentation using the “Mediasite—Full Experience” layout: Side by Side, Full Frame, or PiP.
Video Position	Select the default position of the video window from the drop-down list: Right or Left.
Picture in Picture (PiP) Size	Select the size of the PiP window: Small or Standard.
Side by Side Secondary Content Size	Select the size of the secondary content window relative to the primary content window: small, medium, large, or equal height.
Video Aspect Ratio	Select the ratio of the video frame’s width to its height: 4:3 or 16:9.
Slide Aspect Ratio	Select the ratio of the slide image’s width to its height: 4:3 or 16:9. Once you update the slide aspect ratio, make sure to update the default graphic images provided to ensure they display properly.
Slide Carousel Size	Select the size of the slide navigation window: Small, Medium, or Large.
PiP Position	Choose the PiP window’s position: Bottom Right, Bottom Left, Top Left, Top Right, or Hidden.
Slide Navigation	Clear if you don’t want to allow users to navigate presentations in the Player using the slides. The slide carousel (navigation window) will not be available in the player. This feature requires video seeking be enabled.
Layout Controls	Clear if you don’t want to display controls (Swap video and slides, change layout style) that allow users to change the Player layout (position of windows) while viewing presentations.

Mediasite Player—Full Experience (Content Layout Settings)

External Player general settings

Setting	Description
External Player URI	Enter the URI of the external player page. This will direct users to the location of an external page outside of the Mediasite server. Example player page URI: https://mysite.com/player/$$PRESENTATIONID$$ Allowed tokens at the end of the URI include: $$PresentationId$$, $$Title$$, and $$SiteRoot$$.
Proxy Player Page	When this option is selected, the external player page will load in an iframe on the Mediasite server. If unchecked, users will be redirected to the URL of the external player page. Checking this option ensures users will remain on Mediasite, rather than be redirected to an external website.

Setting

Description

External Player URI

Enter the URI of the external player page. This will direct users to the location of an external page outside of the Mediasite server.

Example player page URI: https://mysite.com/player/$$PRESENTATIONID$$

Allowed tokens at the end of the URI include: $$PresentationId$$, $$Title$$, and $$SiteRoot$$.

Proxy Player Page

When this option is selected, the external player page will load in an iframe on the Mediasite server. If unchecked, users will be redirected to the URL of the external player page. Checking this option ensures users will remain on Mediasite, rather than be redirected to an external website.

External Player (General settings and Layout Options)

You will use the External Player to embed custom players created using the Mediasite SDK. For more information, see the SDK documentation or visit the Customer Care Portal at: www.sonicfoundry.com/support.

Player features

You can customize the features, which vary by layout, available in Mediasite players. By default, all features are enabled so you will clear the check box to disable a feature.

The following lists contain some of the settings you may find when updating your Player.

Playback controls

Setting	Description
Control bar/Control bar and buttons	Clear check box if you want to hide all buttons (play, pause, stop, navigation controls, polls, questions, etc.), on the bottom of the player.
Play/Pause/Stop	Clear check box to hide the play, pause, and stop buttons. The presentation will start automatically when a user launches it in the player.
Video seeking	Clear check box to disable users’ ability to navigate through the presentation using the controls. All the controls used to skip around in the presentation are disabled (timeline cursor) or hidden (skip back, search slides/captions).
Skip back (quick review)	Clear check box to hide the skip back button that allows users to go back in the presentation in 2 second intervals.
Speed control	Clear check box to hide the Adjust Playback Rate button that allows users to increase or decrease the playback speed of the presentation.
Volume control	Clear check box to hide the Volume control button.

PlaybackControls

Mediasite Player—Full Experience (Playback controls settings)

Interactivity settings and presentation information

Setting	Description
Show presentation status	Clear check box if you don’t want the presentation’s status shown in the Mini Player.
Video quality indicator	This feature is enabled by default. Clear check box if you don’t want to display bar graph that shows which video streams are being used. This feature is only available for presentations with smooth streaming content.
Presentation Info	Clear check box to hide the Presentation Information button that allows users to view the presentation’s date and time along with its title, description, presenter, and length in the Player’s Info tab.
Presentation publish date and time	Clear check box if you don’t want to include information listing when a presentation was first published to Mediasite.
Search	Clear check box to hide the buttons (search slides, search captions) that allow users to search for word phrases in the presentations slides (OCR) and added closed captions.
Closed captions	Clear check box to hide the Closed Captions button that allows users to display and hide closed captions added to an on-demand presentation.
Polls	Clear check box to hide the Polls button that users can use to answer polls that have been added to a presentation.
Ask a question	Clear check box to hide the Ask button that users can use to ask the presenter questions.
Share presentation	Clear check box to hide the Share button that allows users to share the presentation’s link with others.
Links	Clear check box to hide the Link button that users can use to view added links to supplementary materials.
Chapters	Clear check box to hide the Chapters button that allows users to search through a presentation with chapters added.
Downloads	Select check box to allow users to download audio and video podcasts if they are available for presentation. This feature is only available in the MultiView Player.
Help	Clear check box to hide the Help button that users can use to view the bundled help included with the Player.

Mediasite MultiView Player (Interactivity and presentation information)

Add a new player

To add a player:

1. Click Content and navigate to the folder where you want to add the presentation.

2. Right-click folder and select Add New > Player and specify the details:

Setting	Description
Name	Enter a name for the Player that will distinguish it from existing ones.
Alternate Name	Give the player a user-friendly name, which is useful if you want to provide your users with links to the same presentation using different players without creating a shortcut. For example, if you create a player with the alternate name, "myplayer," you would append the URL for the original presentation with ?player=myplayer so users can view the presentation using this player.
Presentation Info	Clear check box to hide the Presentation Information button that allows users to view the presentation’s date and time along with its title, description, presenter, and length in the Player’s Info tab.
Description	Enter a short description of the Player.
Layout	Click to select one of the pre-defined layouts.

NewPlayer

Add player, general details

3. Adjust the layout, functionality, graphics, and security settings as needed. The settings available will vary by layout.

For a detailed description of the layout and functionality settings, see Player layout settings and Player features.

4. To update an image, click Select and locate the file with the image you want to use. The new image must use the same dimensions as the original graphic to display correctly in the Player. To link the image to a web address, enter a URL. When a user clicks on the banner image in the Player, the specified web address will load in another browser window. Click Save.

Graphics: Mediasite—Full Experience

CAUTION: You will lose your images if you change the layout after customizing your banners.