What is JumboCast?
JumboCast is an organization created to present audio
and video broadcasts of Tufts athletics events over the internet (a process
known as webcasting), and a web site where these broadcasts are streamed
live and then kept in an archive for subsequent viewing.
Why webcasting?
In short, a solid, dedicated webcasting infrastructure
allows us to broadcast more Tufts athletic events — live or at a user's
convenience — to more Tufts students, parents, alumni/ae, and people
interested in Tufts sports.
The delivery of media via the Internet is becoming increasingly viable,
with the advent of broadband-speed access and improved media streaming software.
With wireless Internet on the horizon, the ability of a webcast to achieve
the same flexibility of delivery as radio may not be far off. In addition,
webcasting can also include delivery of video, a media by which JumboCast
has begun to deliver content in 2002-03. The other distinct advantage of
a webcasting structure is that programming can be archived, and re-streamed
to a user at a time of their choosing. Tufts' Information Technology Services
has built a webcasting infrastructure, based on technology from RealNetworks,
that JumboCast is pleased to be able to use.
How do I access the live broadcasts?
Once you've determined that you have a player capable
of playing RealMedia files installed and working on your computer (see the
setup page), go to the schedule
page. The description of the event will turn into a link about five minutes
before air time. Click on the link. Put your feet up (optional). Enjoy.
What if I want to listen to a game after it's ended?
Once you've determined that you have a player capable
of playing RealMedia files installed and working on your computer (see the
setup page), go to the archive
page. Find the game you want. Click on the link. Lean back in your chair
(optional). Enjoy.
Will there be other games in the archive?
Hopefully. Our collaboration with WMFO Sports gives us
access to many of the game tapes of 'MFO broadcasts from 1990 to the present.
One of our goals is to digitize some of these broadcasts, and make them
available via the archive. Keep checking.
Hey! Why did I lose my connection?
I don't know. Not to be too obvious about it, but the
problem is either on your end or on our end. (For the purposes of this generalization,
I'm including you losing your connection to the internet — generally
your internet service provider's "fault" — to be a problem on your
end.) Try accessing other web sites; hit 'refresh' a few times. Can you
get to other web sites? If you can, is it painfully slow? These may indicate
problems on your end.
On the other hand, if everything's working fine where you are, we may have
screwed something up. (Bear with us while we continue to learn.) If we accidentally
did something to terminate the broadcast, we will try to get it back up
as quickly as possible. You should just be able to click the 'play' button
on your RealPlayer or RealOne player, and when we're streaming again, you'll
get reconnected. Sorry about that.
Who are the people involved in JumboCast?
The founder of JumboCast is Steve Clay (Tufts 1990), who
has been involved in Tufts sports journalism since 1985 — as an award-winning
sportswriter for The Tufts Daily, and, since 1990, as the sports
director and play-by-play voice of Jumbo sports on WMFO. In addition, several
Tufts students and members of the community are participating in this organization.
See our staff page for more info.
Will Tufts sports broadcasts still be available
on WMFO?
JumboCast will make each one of its broadcasts available
to WMFO for simulcast, if and when WMFO wishes. The frequency with which
WMFO will simulcast JumboCast broadcasts is unknown at this time.
What about donations/ads/underwriting/subscriptions?
As we build our not-insignificant technical infrastructure,
JumboCast is actively looking for donations or advertising/underwriting
arrangements. Please see our donations and ad pages for more info.
The possibility of migrating JumboCast to a subscription model in a few
years remains a possibility.
Is JumboCast looking for students, alumni/ae, or
community members with interest or experience in sportscasting, audio/video
engineering, the Real Networks suite of webcasting tools, or web site design?
You betcha. See here for more
info.
Where'd that helmet come from?
Here.
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