DirectRT / MediaLab Online FAQ

[Trevor Newell]

Update by Adminstrator, October 29, 2010:
Re: Online Functionality

We’ve been working on this for a few years now and have run into a wall or two. For now, we are saying “no” -- that we are no longer planning on having “online” functionality any time soon. At least that’s our “on the record” answer. On the other hand, if we overcome the few remaining issues we may have this functionality in the software next year. For now, we are recommending though that users consider MediaLab and DirectRT to be software primarily used within the lab. Our apologies to those who have been so patient in waiting to test out this functionality.

I'm going to be closing this thread to further posts for now but will re-open it in the case that we find solutions to the outstanding issues we are facing.

Blair


-------------------------------------

Online functionality will not immediately be available within the release of our 2010 lineup; however users with a 2010 license will be able to upgrade to a version that does include this feature once we've finished beta testing its components. This system will become available within a public beta this Summer; however we are optionally allowing for users to try out the system within a private beta upon request.

Within this thread you will be able to find information regarding our online system as more details becomes available. If you have any questions regarding these components, please ask them here and we will do our best to respond.

In the posts below you will be able to find our current list of the system's most frequently asked questions. Once the system reaches a public beta, an official help manual will be available to provide further information on this new functionality.

[Trevor Newell]

[edited from support email]

How exactly does the system work?

[Trevor Newell]

Once you're satisfied with your experiment and are ready to begin the data collection process, you will be able to launch our 'Online Management' tool from within both DirectRT and MediaLab. From here, the application will allow for your experiment to be uploaded via FTP to either our servers or your own. Once your experiment has been hosted online, you will be able to begin sending out invites through email to the subject's of your choice. If you want a wide range of subject's to access your study, but you do not know each of their emails, you will optionally be able to provide your user's with a web URL that they can use to participate in your study with.

[Trevor Newell]

[edited from support email]

Will my experiments be delivered through a web browser?

[Trevor Newell]

No. In order to run your experiment the user will need to install our online media player to their machine and launch a file that you send to them through email or a specified web URL.

From here, your experiment will run and look exactly the same on the subject's machine as it would if the subject was seated in your lab. Nothing changes. Within our 2010 version of this system, we've chosen against delivering the experiment directly through a web browser, as we want to make sure that the software still has complete control over the subject's machine as they are participating in the data collection process.
With this interface, we plan to eliminate a large margin of possible compatibility and usability errors from taking place.

[Trevor Newell]

[edited from support email]

Ok. So what operating systems are compatible with this system?

[MikeRupp]

If we Choose our own server to host the study, what server-side languages are needed to run the study correctly? php, asp, mySQL etc...? or any other requirements needed?

Mike

[MikeRupp]

Which image and video formats will the 2010 version of Media Lab and Direct RT support? Jpg, gif etc...

[Trevor Newell]

In order to simplify the system as much as possible, only an FTP connection is needed - you will not be required to install any server-side languages.

Files stored on the FTP account are encrypted with a cryptographic signature that can only be decrypted with values specific to the machine that began hosting the experiment and the license information used for that copy of the software.

If using your own FTP, additional security information will be provided once the service is released to ensure that the creator of the experiment is the only one viewing the data it outputs.

[Trevor Newell]

The following image formats are usable within both MediaLab and DirectRT:
".bmp"; ".png"; ".jpg"; ".gif"; ".tga"

In regards to video files --
If it runs in Windows Media Player, it should work with either program.

[MikeRupp]

how much server space will be required other than the experiment folder to host the studies with the online medialab/direct rt?

thanks,

Mike

[MikeRupp]

Is there any updates as to when the online study functionality will be ready to start using?

Mike

[jarvis24]

We’ve been working on this for a few years now and have run into a wall or two. For now, we are saying “no” -- that we are no longer planning on having “online” functionality any time soon. At least that’s our “on the record” answer. On the other hand, if we overcome the few remaining issues we may have this functionality in the software next year. For now, we are recommending though that users consider MediaLab and DirectRT to be software primarily used within the lab. Our apologies to those who have been so patient in waiting to test out this functionality.

Blair