354 Chapter 20 – Video on the WebStreaming Video Technologies
Web Design in a Nutshell, eMatter Editioninformation on how the system works, pricing structures, and the required soft-
ware components.RealVideo (RealNetworks)
RealNetworks (which used to be Progressive Networks) launched its streaming
video capabilities in version 3.0 of its RealMedia line of products (of which
RealAudio is the star component). As of this writing, RealNetworks’ acquisition of
VivoActive, a leader in streaming video technology, affirms their commitment to
video delivery.
RealVideo can be optimized to stream over 14.4, 28.8, 56, and 112 kbps (ISDN or
T1 connection). It uses the same RealServer software as RealAudio, and is capable
of distributing live video broadcasts.
The RealVideoEncoder (available for Win 95/NT and Mac) has many predefined
templates that make it easy to optimize video files appropriately for your
purposes. It can process a new signal or convert an existing.avior.mov(Quick-
Time) movie.
The wide distribution of its player and a proven track record have made RealNet-
works’ products thede facto standard for adding streaming media to a web site.
For more information, visit the RealNetworks site athttp://www.real.com/.NetShow (Microsoft)
NetShow is Microsoft’s ambitious effort to develop a streaming technology solu-
tion capable of delivering video, audio, and “illustrated audio” (audio
synchronized with images, like a slide show presentation). It is based on the
Advanced Streaming Format (.asf), which Microsoft is pushing as the new multi-
media standard to succeed the current AVI standard.
As of this writing, the NetShowTools, a collection of conversion and video-editing
tools, was only available for Windows 95 and NT platforms. However, if NetShow
is adopted as a standard, expect to see the.asfformat appear as an option in
many multimedia tools available on both platforms.
NetShow delivery requires the NetShow Server, which is free via download, and
runs only on the Windows NT 4.0 platform. Microsoft recently announced
“NetShow with RealAudio and RealVideo,” which provides full compatibility for
creating, serving, and playing RealAudio/RealVideo content with the NetShow
package.
Microsoft also offers the NetShow Theater Server (a commercial product), aimed at
providing streaming multimedia presentations over dedicated high-bandwidth
networks such as intranets. It is aimed at the training and educational market.
For general information, see Microsoft’s NetShow siteat http://www.microsoft.com/
netshow/. For practical how-to information on developing streaming media for
NetShow, seehttp://www.microsoft.com/workshop/author/streaming/.