Staff please note = issue with Windows Media Video Files

Dear All,

I am contacting you specifically in relation to the use of Windows Media Video files in Blackboard.

As you may know we are in the process of upgrading the server that runs the VLE. Part of this upgrade is a move to using clustered servers to increase the speed and durability of the application and dramatically increase the number of concurrent users it can handle.

Unfortunately we have discovered that, due to what we *suspect* is a bug in Blackboard, it will also disable Windows Media files. The files will launch the Windows Media Player but it will then return an error message.

The final step in moving to the new servers will take place next Tuesday evening during the announced downtime.

We are reluctant to delay the upgrade as the increased capacity on the server is something we need during this busy period.

So we have taken the action of entering course areas, downloading wmv files, converting them to mp4′s and uploading the new file into Blackboard. This is not something we would normally do – changing the content of course areas on Blackboard – and I have directly emailed the staff who uploaded the files.

We have decided that the upgrade and the students still being able to access the videos (albeit in a different format) is a higher priority than other considerations.

Please note that in future we do have to ask to stop using this file format.

This is an action we may have taken in the coming year anyway. Although Windows Media is a convenient format as it can be produced using Windows Movie Maker which is pre-installed on most PC’s, we do not recommend it for use. It has a variety of issues that are entirely separate from Blackboard. We do provide facilities and training to use other, more appropriate, formats.

If you have questions or concerns at all, please do get in touch here http://www.esd.qmul.ac.uk/vle/forms/vlequery/

Best regards,

Eoin McDonnell

For our FAQ’s and to submit a query to our support team about the VLE please access the IT Services Web Help Desk at https://helpdesk.its.qmul.ac.uk/helpdesk/.  See also our support pages with online guides at http://www.learninginstitute.qmul.ac.uk/elearning/support/vle/