The increasing prevalence of e-learning and blended learning schemes led to a growing demand for modern electronics-based educational materials. In addition to student and instructor needs the Council of the European Union[1] also expressed its expectations for the renewal of the training profiles and efforts of higher education institutions. Consequently, in order to promote the efficiency of the training process[2], e-learning and blended learning educational schemes, in optimal cases built upon sound and modern pedagogical methodology and systematically integrating the latest achievements of information science and telecommunication, had been introduced. The e-presentation system elaborated at the Eszterházy Károly College can be a useful tool in achieving this objective as well.

The preparation of electronics-based educational materials with a special emphasis on motion-picture supported electronic instruction schemes has a more than two decade history at the College. Since the late 1980s analogous linear VHS technologies became prevalent to be superseded by digital, primarily DV video systems in the mid 1990s. Although the definition capability of these systems facilitated the recording of four times the information, as that of the VHS, the lack of an appropriate bandwidth prevented the on-line publication of the respective recorded materials. The first real breakthrough occurred shortly after the Millennium as the increasing computing capacity of general purpose personal computers coincided with an improved bandwidth and the affordability of DVD materials and authorial systems.

The first generation of motion-picture based educational materials either in analogue or digital linear format was prepared by the use of a camera in the classroom. The presence of the camera and the operator not only interfered with the educational process but frustrated both students and teachers as well. The need for developing a methodology eliminating class room interference emerged shortly. Although responding to the necessity for eliminating intrusion in the educational process web cameras have been introduced, they were not able to match the recording quality of their digital counterparts. Nevertheless, the respective presentation was suitable for synchronous on-line broadcasts, and the recorded materials provided an ideal basis for the elaboration of asynchronous educational materials as well.

Following the growing popularity and wide-spread use of various presentation schemes, primarily the MS PowerPoint, the on-line synchronous broadcast and asynchronous recording of the respective presentation complementing the video version became imperative. The subsequent shift from oral lectures to electronic presentations further underlined the crucial importance of recording and broadcasting (publishing) technologies.