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NetEncoder installation guide:

This document describes how to install and configure the required software components.

NetEncoder is a software tool that speeds video compression using Microsoft's Windows Media Encoder by dividing and distributing the encoding task among multiple networked computers.

NetEncoder requires a complete and working installation of the Microsoft's Windows Media Encoder 9 software. Please visit Microsoft's web site  Windows Media Encoder 9 , download and install the Media Encoder 9 engine on the computer(s) you plan to include in your NetEncoder setup. It is recommended that you become familiar with the basic operation of the Windows Media Encoder 9 and test its functionality by encoding a typical source file. Repeat this step for each computer you plan to add to the encoding network. 
 
In its simplest form, NetEncoder can work by itself on a single non-networked computer to quickly and easily convert AVI media files into compressed Windows Media Video format known as WMV. If you plan to use NetEncoder in a single-computer configuration, you can skip the next sections and proceed to installing and using NetEncoder.

Setting up a NetEncoder network:

To take advantage of NetEncoder's client/server architecture you will need at least two Windows XP/2000 computers connected to a hub which form a simple Windows compatible local area network. NetEncoder currently supports one server and up to two clients.

Make sure your basic Windows XP compatible network is working properly. Run the Network Setup Wizard in the Control Panel if you have not done so already and go to the Start menu and select My Network Places and make sure all the connected computers are listed and working properly. It is probably a good idea to copy one or two files back and forth across all the networked computers to make sure you have a good, working local-area-network.

Specifying DCOM Security Settings:

This is probably the most challenging part of installing and configuring a NetEncoder network. Although this is not a trivial task, we believe that anyone with a basic knowledge of Windows networking can setup a working configuration by following the step-by-step instruction given here.

NetEncoder performs remote encoding operations by communicating to Windows Media Encoder and Windows Media Encoder Agent which are software components called DCOM (Distributed Component Object Module). Because these objects can be launched from a remote computer, you must use the DCOM Config utility to specify the security settings in the registry. If these components are not configured correctly, you will likely experience "Access Denied" error messages when running NetEncoder.

Following is the instructions provided by Microsoft for Specifying DCOM Security Settings.

To set DCOM security on Windows XP

1. On the Start menu, point to Control Panel, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Component Services.
2. In the console tree, locate the Component Services\Computers\My Computer\DCOM Config folder, right-click Windows Media Encoder Agent and click Properties.
3. In the Windows Media Encoder Agent Properties dialog box, click the Security tab.
4. Under Launch Permissions, click Customize, and then click Edit to specify the users who can administer Windows Media Encoder applications.
5. Under Access Permissions, click Customize, and then click Edit to specify the users who can administer Windows Media Encoder applications.
6. Under Configuration Permissions, click Customize, and then click Edit to specify the users who can administer Windows Media Encoder applications.
7. On the Identity tab, select This user, and then type the name and password of the user account that you want to use for administration.
8. In the DCOM Config folder, right-click Windows Media Encoder, and click Properties.
9. Repeat steps 4-7.

To set DCOM security on Windows NT and Windows 2000

You must use the DCOMCnfg utility to configure the registry so that Windows Media Encoder can be controlled from a remote computer.

1. Click Start, click Run, and type DCOMCnfg.
2. In the Distributed COM Configuration Properties dialog box, click the Applications tab.
3. Click Windows Media Encoder Agent, and then click Properties.
4. Click the Security tab.
5. Click Use custom access permissions, and then click Edit. Add the users you want to allow to administer Windows Media Encoder applications on this computer.
6. Click Use custom launch permissions, and then click Edit. Add the users you want to allow to administer Windows Media Encoder applications on this computer.
7. Click Use custom configuration permissions, and then click Edit. Add the users you want to allow to administer Windows Media Encoder applications on this computer.
8. Click the Identity tab. Click This user, and then type the name and password of the user account that you want to use for administration.
9. Click the Applications tab, click Windows Media Encoder, and then click Properties.
10. Repeat steps 4 through 8.

The following screenshots are provided to help configure your DCOM security setting.

Full-size screenshot

The above screenshot shows the DCOM security settings for the Windows Media Encoder. Be sure to Allow Local Launch, Remote Launch, Local Activation, Remote Activation for all 4 user names shown in the above screen (Administrator, INTERACTIVE, NETWORK, SYSTEM). Repeat the same steps for Access Permissions and Configuration Permissions.

Then continue on to set the same security settings for the Windows Media Encoder Agent component.

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