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STREAMING MEDIA - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Urbancolo?
Urbancolo is a Colocation & Hosting media delivery services company that enables you to:
- deliver your audio & video over the Internet via streaming or download
- stream Powerpoint presentations
- stream live broadcasts globally across the Internet
- webcast corporate meetings via the internet or VPN
- deliver Flash animation, multi-media presentations and digital images
- serve Progressive Downloads
- stream ClipStream, a player-free java based format
What is a streaming media formats?
Video and/or audio that plays over the Internet without downloading to the end user's computer. Think of television and radio for your computer. Streaming is different from downloading in that playback starts immediately with just a mouse click for the viewer, and the large file is not saved to the viewer's computer. This provides a higher level of security for original content.
Microsoft's
Windows Media Player, Real
Networks' RealPlayer , Apple's
QuickTime , Nullsoft
MP3 Shoutcast , DivX , Macromedia
Flash, and Destiny Media Technologies
"Clipstream" are compression technologies or "formats"
designed to play or download media on to your computer. The players
can be downloaded free from the respective Web sites of each company.
Each format also offers a downloadable version of their encoding
software to help you convert your media to a streaming format.
I have audio & video. Now what?
- Each audio and/or video program is converted to a digital file
(digitization).
- This digital information is converted to a format designed for
streaming - a process called encoding.
- Media companies interested in distributing media online should
convert thier media into secure media files like MPE,
Liquid Audio, or Windows
Media DRM.
Files that begin as digital videos, for example, can easily be
downloaded to your computer and encoded by you. Other data (such
as non-digital video and audio tapes) might require additional equipment
for digitization. Or, Urbancolo can digitize and encode your media
for you.(Click here to get
a digitizing & encoding quote) If you would like to encode
you own media,and upload directly to your Urbancolo account, please
download one of the following media encoders below:
Click
here to download the Windows Media encoder
Click here to download
the Quicktime media encoder
Click here
to download the Destiny Media Clipstream encoder
Click here to download
the Real Media encoder
Click here to download
the Shoucast Streaming MP3 Encoder
Click here to download
the Div X Encoder
I only want to stream audio & video
live, what do I need?
A technique for transferring data such that it can be processed
as a steady and continuous stream. Streaming technologies are becoming
increasingly important with the growth of the Internet because most
users do not have fast enough access to download large multimedia
files quickly. With streaming, the client application or browser
plug-in can start displaying the data before the entire file has
been transmitted.
For streaming Live you need an encoder,and in someinstances studio
or production equiptment. Please find some of the streaming media
solution providers Urbancolo has identified with live broadcasting
software solutions below.
Live Streaming &
Production Tools:
Backbone Studio (Quicktime Radio Production
Application)
Whether you want to create a small station with hundreds of listeners--or
a large, multichannel station with hundreds of thousands of listeners,
Backbone Radio has the right product for you.
http://www.backbone.com
Emulive Studio
"Emulive's next generation solution for building interactive
web-sites. Server4 is real-time media broadcasting software that
works with Emulive producer software to create digital television-like
channels on the Internet. To web browsers, Server4 appears as a
standard web server. Visitors to a Server4 system can browse and
view available channels, chat with other users, remotely view and
control cameras, remotely control devices via X-10 hardware, create
user accounts, extend user accounts, purchase time and access controlled
subscriptions, purchase one-to-one exclusive conferences, tip channel
hosts, purchase additional time, and much more.
http://www.emulive.com/index-main.htm
Magix Entertainement
Magix is the leading entertainment software publisher of music,
video, and Internet streaming solutions for consumers. MAGIX pioneered
the technology of producing music and video on a home PC and created
a line of intuitive and affordable applications that allow consumers
to capture, record, create, edit, deliver and manage multimedia
content. In the Streaming product category MAGIX offers @udio &
video office - software to capture, record, edit, and encode both
audio and video content.
http://www.magix.com
Ligos Technology
Headquartered in San Francisco, Ligos Technology is a leading worldwide
provider of real-time software-only media stream management technology.
Founded in 1997, Ligos developed the GoMotion codec, which has the
ability to compress high-quality MPEG-2 video in real-time, using
software only, on a Pentium-based PC. GoMotion offers Ligos customers
the distinct advantages of speed and affordability, when compared
to more expensive hardware-based MPEG solutions.
http://www.ligos.com
Sync4Media
A browser- based studio for synchronized multimedia authoring.
Used to create rich webcasts and presentations that integrate audio,
video, graphics, text, flash, and web pages. Allows you to add interactivity,
search and navigation to clips. You may use Sync4Media to customize
an embeded player to your website and much more.
http://www.sync4media.com
QuickEncoder
Anyone can create web presentations and broadband voice/video content
in 3 easy steps.
1. Immediate. Press one button and create broadband content.
2. Instant . Press Preview, see & hear your streaming media
immediately.
3. Automated. Upload to ISP or streaming server. All media and links
created automatically and instantly.
QuickEncoder: web video production will never get easier.
Version 4.0 (release due Jan 2003) now supports WindowsMedia Series
9 with bulk & single encoding features
http://www.quickencoder.com/
Point Cloud Inc.
Point Cloud provides 3D imaging services to e-commerce companies.
Our 3D technology does not require a plug-in like many other 3D
companies.
http://www.pointcloud.com/
Does Urbancolo charge a set-up fee?
No. We're interested in building a lasting relationship with you,
not making money up front. You can also upgrade or downgrade your
account as often as you wish, without any set-up fees.Urbancolo
is dedicated to bringing streaming media to the masses.
Does Urbancolo require long-term contracts?
Standard accounts are month-to-month and can be canceled at any time, with 30-days written notice. We pro-rate (daily) back to you any unused portion of the accounts during an upgrade or downgrade. Live 24x7 packages and Warehouse Packages have an initial three month commitment, and then move to month-to-month.
Can I just send you my material and let you take care of the rest?
Yes, Urbancolo can capture and convert your media for you for a
nominal fee. (Click here for
price quote.Or, if you prefer to do this yourself, but think
you'll need help, you can contact our tech support team and they
will walk you through the process of uploading your media, if necessary.
Our goal is to empower you to manage your own content so you can
upload, delete and modify your account as often as you need. If
you have any questions, feel free to contact
us.
What if I don't have a Web site?
Urbancolo offers low cost hosting solutions.We can have your website
set up and streaming in less that 5 Business days in most cases.
For graphic design, we recommend contacting Digiplates
Software.
What formats does Urbancolo support?
Urbancolo enables you to use all the major streaming formats (Real, Windows Media, QuickTime, MP3 and ClipStream) from a single account. It is not necessary to purchase a separate account for each format.
Will I need to send different media types to different servers?
No. All media files are placed in your directory on our system
and are available to you 24x7 to manage. There are many ways to
move files in and out of your account. You may use any standard
FTP client, you can move media files in and out of your Urbancolo
account with simple "drag & drop" ease.
What happens if I go over my data transfer limit?
For standard accounts, Urbancolo will offer you the option to pay $0.01 (ONE CENT) per megabyte, or bump up to the next package size. Customers can login to their Urbancolo account to view their current disk space and data transfer usage.
Can I stream across a firewall?
Yes. For Real and Windows Media there is no special configuration
necessary. However, for QuickTime you will need to go into your
streaming transport settings and set them to Port 80. If you need
help doing this, feel free to contact
us.
What is the difference between "progressive download" and "streaming"?
Urbancolo allows you to do both. With a progressive download your computer actually downloads the file and saves it to disk. The file begins to play before it has completely downloaded. If the file is a lengthy video, the viewer will need to have ample disk space to save the file. Streaming servers allow the user to fast forward and can perform bit rate adjustment during playback. Additionally, because streaming media is not downloaded to disk, you have greater control over your copyrighted materials.
What are the benefits of placing my media files on a streaming server rather than a Web server?
The easiest way to explain this is to compare it to a car with an automatic transmission versus a manual transmission. Streaming servers are able to change data-transfer rates to the end user automatically during playback (except for QuickTime streaming, which auto-senses the user's selected connection speed and delivers the best media clip designed for that user's connection speed).
Thus, if network congestion arises during playback, streaming servers will
accommodate this change in environment and "downshift"
the data transfer rate to prevent the media from "rebuffering;"
a term used to describe the pausing of player to collect more data
before resuming playback. Should the network environment improve,
the servers will shift the data transfer rate upward to improve
playback quality.
With Web servers, the end user must select a "bit-rate"
best suited for that end user and remain at that setting throughout
playback. Streaming servers provide streaming in UDP Protocol and
HTTP Protocol when the end user is unable to accept UDP Protocol
streaming. Web servers can only playback using HTTP Protocol.
Sound like a lot of gibberish or impossible-to-interpret jargon? It's really quite simple. UDP is all about "keeping the show going." If a packet of data is lost on the Internet, UDP says "So what? Let's keep the movie playing!" Thus, a pixel of blue sky or a pixel of brown dirt may be missing in one of the frames, but the movie will play regardless. (Note: film plays at 24 frames per second.)
HTTP is all about accounting. HTTP Protocol says "Whoa! Stop the show, we're missing a pixel of blue sky! Let's re-request it and wait for it." Thus, using HTTP to send a credit card number over the Internet makes sense (you need all those pixels), but using HTTP protocol for streaming media is a real show stopper - literally.
What is SMIL?
SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia Integrated Language) is used to mix different media types, such as images, scrolling text, audio, animation and video, into a dynamic presentation which can playback in the player or be embedded into a Web page.
SMIL technology allows the media designer to specify multiple regions in a streaming presentation and allocate "bandwidth" to each region. For example, the media designer would allocate low bandwidth (i.e.: about 10% of end user's available bandwidth) for streaming images while allocating more bandwidth to the audio and/or video that was playing in the same presentation at the same team.
Web servers are unable to manage SMIL content.
How much disk space will I need for my media?
Streaming media is measured in kilobits per second (Kbps). You may be accustomed to seeing the amount of disk space used on your computer in kilogbytes (KB). If you would like to know the math behind it, here's what you need to know:
- There are 8 bits in a byte.
- Take the kilobits per second and divide by 8. (This will give the kilobytes per second.)
- Multiply this number by 60 so that you will have the kilobytes per minute.
- Multiply the kilobytes per minute by the length of your media in minutes. This number will probably be at least four digits.
- To translate into megabytes (MB), divide by 1024.
- Did you know that QuickTime displays data transfer in KiloBytes per second, not kilobits per second? Thus a QuickTime clip stream at 3 KBps is going at the same rate as a Real or Windows Media clip at 24 kbps. (3KB x 8 bits per byte = 24 kbps)
How do I stream audio Emails?
Pick up the phone and stream by email...
Clipstream™ AudioMail is a Simple yet Powerful way to communicate
via email with YOUR OWN VOICE talking!! That's right, you talk right
in the email. A quick audio message to your business partners in
London.a stockbroker's urgent message to his client list. A Presidents'
announcement to the corporate staff. It doesn't matter what the
message is, an AudioMail™ Personal Subscription allows you
to deliver a streaming audio message right to their inbox…instantly.
This is the quickest, easiest and most affordable way to personalize
your email. Sign up now!
An AudioMail™ subscription is a simple "pay as you go"
service. If you don't need your own dedicated AudioMail™ Server,
this is the way to go. You can get started with AudioMail™
for FREE and you'll join the many satisfied customers using AudioMail™
in their everyday communications. When recording a message you decide
how many times it can be listened to, from several to thousands.
You can choose to cancel a message at any time and all unused credits
are placed back in your account. It's so easy!
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