by Ehtisham & Omer
1. INTRODUCTION:
1.1 What is streaming?
On the Internet, there are two ways to listen to or watch audio and video files. The first way is to download the file to computer and watch the file after it resides there. The other way to do it is to start a progressive download of the file, where the file isn't down-loaded to computer in a lasting way. This is called streaming. For instance, if we listen to a radio station online, we will stream the music, since we are listening live and couldn't download all the songs that they play. Instead, our computer connects to the radio sta-tion and receives an ongoing audio feed, or stream, with the radio station's programming.
1.2 Streaming Process:
Most streaming media system operations are based on client/server model. A client requests data from a server on a computer network and the server delivers the data to the client which interprets the data in simplest terms the streaming media process consists of four steps which are:
1) Audio /video is digitized and stored in a computer file.
2) The audio /video file is encoded into a format that can be streamed by an encoder.
3) The encoded file is placed on a streaming media server.
4) A client referred to as a media player or just player requests the encoded file and renders the data back into audio/video.
1.3 Streaming Methods: Web Server vs. Streaming Media Server:
There are two major methods of delivering streaming audio and video content over the Web. The first method uses a standard Web server to deliver the audio and video data to a media player. The second method uses a separate streaming media server specialized to the audio/video streaming task.
2. ADVANTAGES OF MEDIA STREAMING:
2.1 Advantages of Media streaming server over Web server.
Streaming with a Web Server: the Advantages:
There is really only one major advantage to streaming with a Web server rather than with a streaming media server—utilizing existing infrastructure. Because the Web server approach uses only the standard Web server—that presumably already exists in the organization—no new software infrastructure need be installed or managed. The Windows Media server ap-proach, on the other hand, requires the content producer and/or the systems administration staff to install and manage additional serv-er software. This can result in incremental training and staffing costs to learn and manage the more complex, but also more powerful, Windows Media server environment.
It is important to note that the increased load that Web server-based streaming puts on existing Web server infrastructure often results in the need for additional Web server hardware to service the client requests. Choosing Web server streaming over a dedicated streaming media server based on hardware cost alone usually does not result in any financial savings.
Streaming with a Windows Media Server: the Advantages
Designed specifically for the task of delivering live or on-demand streaming media rather than many small HTML and image files, a Windows Media server offers many advantages over standard Web servers.
o Better Audio and Video Quality to the User.
o Support for Advanced Features.
o Cost Effective Scalability to Large Number of Users.
o Multicast Support.
o Protection of Content Copyright.
o Multiple Delivery Options.
2.2 In Business:
In business promotion it is very helpful, you can setup your server and can broadcast your live events and functions.
2.3 Entertainment:
Entertainment is one of the core advantages of media streaming server. By having a media streaming server a person doesn’t have to wait for long time before the video runs, it runs simultaneously as you are downloading, this gives a major advantage in
Entertainment.
3. SETTING UP A MEDIA STREAMING SERVER:
In this section, It is explained how to setup your own media streaming server with few minutes, and is written in such a way that even an amateur will be able to setup his/her media streaming server.
3.1 MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Given below are the minimum and recommended requirements if anyone wants to setup his/her own media streaming server. The bandwidth if the internet connection determines how many
Users can connect to the server at a specific bit rate.
3.2Video explaining setting up the server process
REFERENCES:
1) The Technology of Video and Audio Streaming By David Austerberry
2 )Hands-on Guide to Streaming Media by Joe Follansbee
3) Streaming Media by Gregory C. Demetriades
4) Streaming Media Demystified By Michael Topi
5)101 Ways to Promote Your Web Site By Susan Sweeney
6) Streaming Media Bible by Steve Mack
7) Streaming Media Handbook by Eyal Menin
9) The Technology of Video and Audio Streaming By David Austerberry
