Panopto Support & Guidance
This activity contains support and guidance regarding the use of Panopto, including how to record and/or upload video and audio, and subsequently embed the recording in your learning log.
What is Panopto?
Panopto is the OCA’s video recording and storage platform. You can use it for uploading video media, which can then be embedded into other websites including OCA Learn. It can also be used for recording presentations, lectures or webinars and can be found at http://media.oca.ac.uk
Recording Video Media
Upon accessing Panopto, begin by selecting the red ‘Create’ option, located in the upper left. From the dropdown menu, you will then have the option of downloading the Panopto recording software, available for both Mac and Windows, by selecting the ‘Panopto for [OS]’ option. Alternatively and recommended by the TEL Team, students can also select the ‘Panopto Capture’ option, whereby you’ll be able to record video and/or audio using your browser.
As recommended by the TEL Team, the following guidance is only applicable to students who use the ‘Panopto Capture’ option, however, the following Panopto Support page provide guidance for students who choose to download the dedicated Panopto software; How to Record with Panopto for Windows and How to Record with Panopto for Mac.
Panopto Capture
Panopto Capture is a web browser-based recording tool available through the Panopto platform, and can be used for the recording of screen-capture or webcam-based video without requiring to to first download and install the Panopto desktop application.
Accessing the Panopto Capture interface, you’ll then find three green ‘Audio’, ‘Video’ and ‘Screen & Apps’ options which can be used to select, add or remove the various desired inputs as outlined below; Audio: Used to record audio and allows users to select, add or remove an audio input such as your microphone.
Video: Used to record a video feed and allows users to select, add or remove a video input such as your webcam.
Screen & Apps: Used to record your device interface and allows users to select, add or remove an interface such as your desktop, a specific application or browser.
The three aforementioned inputs can be combined in any desired combination, for instance, to solely record audio – such as an instrument or voice narration – or to simultaneously record your browser interface and audio narration – such as to create an image flipbook, potentially created using Google Slides, and audio narration. Prior to starting your recording, you can also select the ‘Settings’ (Cog) icon, located in the bottom right, and amend additional settings, such as the quality or stream output.
Upload Media
To upload existing media, such as video or audio recordings, first access Panopto and select the red ‘Create’ option, located in the upper left, followed by ‘Upload Media’. Upon selecting the ‘Upload Media’ option, you’ll then be prompted to select the files you’d like to upload. Once uploaded, the video or audio recording will be available via the ‘My Folder’ option.
Edit Media
Minor edits can be made to audio and/or video, both uploaded and recorded using Panopto, these include; • Deleting a portion(s) of audio and/or video
• Adding a preexisting video or audio input
• Deleting a video or audio input
• Adding presentation slides
• Normalising the audio
• Adding chapters
To begin making any of the aforementioned changes, first locate the video via the ‘My Folder’ option, located in the upper left of the Panopto homepage, and select the ‘Edit’ (pencil) option.
Deleting a portion(s) of audio and/or video
Having accessed the editor interface, first use the playback and timeline tools to locate the point at which you’d like to cut the video, before selecting the appropriate timeline and dragging to the right, thus creating a greyed out portion. The greyed out portion of the video now indicates the cut, and can be adjusted by clicking and dragging either side of the cut. Additionally, selecting and deselecting the ‘Preview cuts during playback ‘ option will allow you to watch the video with and without the cut.
With a cut now created, you can select the ‘Cuts’ option, located in the upper left corner, where you’ll find a list of existing cuts and can further edit and fine tune them by selecting the ‘Kebab’ (three dots) alongside the appropriate cut.
With the changes now made, you can finish by selecting the red ‘Apply’ option, located in the upper right. Any changes made following the above process are not permanent and can later be reverted if necessary, but the portions removed from the video will not be accessible during playback.
“Cuts” are defined as portions of the video which have been temporarily removed from the video and/or audio.
Adding or deleting a preexisting video or audio input
Having accessed the editor interface, select the ‘Streams’ option, located in the upper left, followed by ‘Add Stream’. Upon selecting this option, you’ll be prompted to upload a video and/or audio file, or a presentation file.
Once uploaded, subsequent changes can be made as standard and the video and/or audio start and end point can also be adjusted by the ‘Streams’ option, and selecting the ‘Kebab’ (three dots) icon. With the video and/or audio input now added, you can finish by selecting the red ‘Apply’ option, located in the upper right.
Please note that, unlike original Panopto recordings, files that contain both video and audio cannot be edited separately.
Deleting a video or audio input
Having accessed the editor interface, select the ‘Streams’ option, located in the upper left, followed by the ‘Kebab’ (three dots) option and select ‘Delete’.
With the video and/or audio input removed now made, you can finish by selecting the red ‘Apply’ option, located in the upper right. Please note that deleting an input is a permanent change that cannot be undone.
Adding presentation slides
Please note that prior to uploading your presentation, the presentation must be available in PowerPoint (.pptx) file format.
Having accessed the editor interface, select the ‘Slides’ option, located in the upper left, followed by ‘Add a presentation’, where you’ll then be prompted to upload your presentation. Once uploaded, you can then change or create a slide start point by selecting ‘Slides’ followed by the ‘Kebab’ (three dots) icon, available to the right of each slide, and ‘Edit’. In the pop-up window, you can then set a start point for each slide using the following format, [hh:mm:ss:ms].
A slide will continue to be available throughout the remaining duration of the video until superseded by the start point of another slide.
With the slide(s) now inserted, you can finish by selecting the red ‘Apply’ option, located in the upper right.
Normalising the audio
Normalising the audio may help reduce any audio issues such as microphone or audio peaking. Having accessed the editor interface, select the ‘Normalise the Audio’ option, located in the centre of the page, whereby the audio will then be automatically normalised, creating a consistent audio volume. With the option now selected, you can finish by selecting the red ‘Apply’ option, located in the upper right.
Adding chapters
Adding chapters to a video and/or audio recording will help viewers navigate to a specific section or portion of the video, similar to using headers to separate text for instance.
Having accessed the editor interface, select the ‘Contents’ option, located in the upper left, where you’ll be able to enter a chapter title and start point. An unlimited number of chapters can be created. With the chapter(s) now in place, you can finish by selecting the red ‘Apply’ option, located in the upper right.
Share Media
By default, any uploaded or recorded media will only be accessible to yourself. To make media accessible to others, first locate the video via the ‘My Folders’ option, located in the upper left of the Panopto homepage, and select ‘Share’.
Within the pop-up interface, you can then share the media with a specific individual(s) using the ‘Add people or groups’ option. Alternatively, you can select the blue ‘Change’ option, to make broader accessibility changes. Selecting the ‘Change’ option, the available options are as follows;
Your Organisation (Unlisted): Allows anyone within OCA to access your video when provided with a link or via an embedded module. ‘Unlisted’ prevents the video from being found using the search feature, available on Panopto.
Your Organisation: Allows anyone within OCA to access your video when provided with a link, via an embedded module or using the search feature available on Panopto.
Public (Unlisted): Allows anyone to access your video when provided with a link or via an embedded module. ‘Unlisted’ prevents the video from being found using the search feature, available on Panopto. Public: Allows anyone to access your video when provided with a link, via an embedded module or using the search feature available on Panopto.
Please note that users outside of OCA cannot access and use the search feature available on Panopto.
Embed Media
Please note that embedding video on OCA Spaces requires you to use the Gutenberg Editor. Alternatively, using either editor, students can also link media.
In OCA Learn, there is a green Panopto Media icon available in the text editor wherever it appears, e.g. in assignment submissions or Forums. This icon can be used to either directly record, or otherwise select and share video that has already been created and/or stored on the Panopto platform.
With the video and/or audio available on Panopto, access and locate the media via the ‘My Folder’ option, available in the upper left of the Panopto homepage, and select ‘Share’.
Located beneath the ‘Who can access this video’ heading, select the ‘Embed’ option, before selecting any appropriate options or settings, and finally ‘Copy Embed Code’.
With the embed code now copied, navigate to your learning log and access or create a new blog post using the Gutenberg editor, before inserting a ‘Custom HTML’ block, whereby you can paste the embed code. With the video and/or audio now accessible via your learning log, you’ll need to amend the video privacy settings, as outlined in the Share Media chapter.
Linking Media
With the video and/or audio available on Panopto, access and locate the media via the ‘My Folder’ option, available in the upper left of the Panopto homepage, and select ‘Share’.
Located beneath the ‘Who can access this video’ heading, select the ‘Link’ option, followed by ‘Copy Link’. With the link now copied, navigate to your learning log and access or create a new blog post using either the Gutenberg or frontend editor, before highlighting the desired text and selecting the ‘Link’ (chain) icon. In the pop-up window, paste the link copied earlier.
Download Media
The following information and guidance is particularly applicable to students who may have completed their unit and/or degree, or wish to include your recording(s) elsewhere, such as in a Google Slides presentation, and would therefore like to download their recording(s).
To download a recording, first access Panopto followed by the video you’d like to download. Please note that as an OCA student, you cannot download videos which are included in course materials or have not been created by yourself.
Upon accessing the video, select the ‘Download Podcast’ (South facing arrow icon) option, located in the upper right corner, where you’ll then be prompted to download the recording. If this option is not available or visible, then you do not have the required permission to download the video as mentioned above. Please also note that this process must be completed on an individual basis, and you cannot for instance, download multiple recordings at once.
By default, your recording will automatically be downloaded and saved as an .mp4 file format, which is intended to include both video and audio, and in the instance you only require the audio from the recording, please add “.mp3” to the end of the file name; this latter process may be particularly applicable to students who’ve used Panopto to record audio narration intended to be included in a Google Slides presentation, for example.
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