The inequity between Http Progressive Download and True Streaming

The inequity between Http Progressive Download and True Streaming

The online video delivery experience

When delivering online videos there are ordinarily two inescapable ways to do it. Http Progressive Download or Streaming. You may assume that all videos are streaming, but you'll be surprised to know that most aren't.

So what are these two methods? How do they differ? What are the advantages and disadvantages of both? Why would I want to use one recipe over another?

Progressive Download

All web servers are capable of progressive download. This is merely the recipe of a video file being delivered via Http to a browser. This is similar to person downloading a file from your website. In fact the video is delivered in the same manner that an image, a Css, a Js, Pdf, or any other file on your web site is.

The real divergence is that media players can begin to show the video while it's downloading. For example, a Flv file being delivered via Http Progressive download will begin to play in your Flash Player as soon as a limited bit of data is received by the browser. The same is true for Windows Media files. Quick Time will wait until the entire file is downloaded before it plays, unless the QuickTime player on the Pc/Mac is set for progressive play. So be rigorous when posting QuickTime videos.

It's quite inescapable when a video is being delivered via Http Progressive Download. You will typically see the limited status bar grow as the video downloads. You won't be able to move the scrubber button past the whole that has downloaded already. This makes it impossible to jump to the end of the video before that measure has downloaded. If you have a slow web server or limited bandwidth or the end user is on a slow Internet connection, then it's inherent for the end user to observation buffering.

Buffering occurs when the download can't stay ahead of video. The video will stop while it downloads more. If you pause the video and it allow to download a large portion, then you can watch the video uninterrupted. In either case, this is a poor end user experience, this is when you would reconsider using a Cdn.

There is a technology called Psuedo or Seek streaming. This recipe utilized Tcp/Ip Range Requests to allow the user to jump to any measure of the video and the player will make a range request of the file to download that portion. This recipe is commonly only for Flv videos and requires special services, or servers and convention Flash players to function.

When a video is delivered via Http, it is admittedly downloaded to the end users computer. This is good and bad. It's good because if the person watches the video again, it's already cached on their computer. It's bad because it makes it extremely easy for person to steal your content.

Finally, if person only watches the first limited of your video but doesn't stop the download, the browser will download the whole file and you will pay for the delivery of the file even though the person didn't watch the whole thing.

Streaming Video

Streaming video requires entrance to a streaming media server. Some servers are Flash Media Server, Wowza Media Server, Windows Media Server, Darwin Media Server (QuickTime), Real Media Server. These servers commonly require licensing and may cost several thousands of dollars.

Some well known streaming protocols are Rtmp, Rtsp, and Mms.

When a video streams, it is being sent via Udp protocol to a player on the end users compter. The user will have the quality to fast transmit or rewind the video. The video isn't being downloaded to the end users computer so it is less likely that the content will be stolen. Also if the user only watches 5 minutes of a 30 limited video, then you only pay for the delivery of 5 minutes, not the whole video.

The biggest disadvantage of streaming over progressive download is if the user watches the same video over and over you will pay for the delivery of it each time.  Videos are also streamed at what ever bit rate they are encoded at.  Keep this in mind when creating Hd quality video.  8Mbps video may sound and look great, but most homes can't support an 8Mbps connection.  If you have admittedly high bit rate video, reconsider delivering via Http.

Most web hosting providers or content Delivery Networks (Cdn) will have streaming media servers ready to use. Historically, Flash video was more expensive to deliver than other forms. Recently prices have compressed and you will find that it costs about the same to deliver Flash or Windows Media files. In the past I would have said if your video is more than 10 minutes in distance deliver it via Stream and less do progressive. Since prices have come down, I would reconsider streaming for any distance video since streaming typically begins to play faster than progressive.

If you are finding at using a aid such as a Cdn or Cloud Computing and they say you can stream your videos, confirm with their tech support that they are utilizing a streaming server and not just contribution bandwidth.

If you are delivering Flash videos, then you should be delivering via Rtmp or Rtmpe protocol for streaming and http for progressive. Windows Media uses either Mms or Rtsp. Quicktime and Real Media use Rtsp.

I hope you find this record of interest? This is a good guide to help you straight through deciding to use streaming delivery of videos or Http Progressive Download.

Top content Delivery Networks which support Streaming

* Limelight Networks
* EdgeCast Networks
* Cdnetworks
* Level3
* Akamai

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How to Download an Audio Book From Your Hard Disk to Your Non-iPod Media Player

How to Download an Audio Book From Your Hard Disk to Your Non-iPod Media Player

This report describes how to download an audio book file to most coarse brands of movable media player eg, Digital River, Creative, Sandisk etc. It is not applicable to Apple's iPod or some other digital players that want proprietary download software provided with the devices. (If you have an iPod, see my other report "How to Download Your Audio Books to an iPod" also at EzineArticles.)

Once you have downloaded your audio book to a hard disk or other storage expedient you must open the first file of the audio from your computer if digital proprietary management(Drm) licensing is in effect. Drm processes usually place a file on your hard disk drive with licensing data indicating that you are the rightful owner of the content you have downloaded. This means you can then way the audio files without any problems.

When you click on the audio file to open it, a dialogue box appears asking you for your username and password. After entering them, you can continue to work with the digital files whether by listening to them on your computer or copying them to your movable media player.

Most coarse brands of movable media players have the capacity to cope Drm licensed files.

Don't use your Internet Explorer program to copy files from your hard disk to your media player. It will copy them, but you will not be able to play them because Internet Explorer isn't capable of handling the Drm licensing process. Instead, use Windows Media Player (Wmp or anything software was provided by the constructor of your media player).

If you use Windows Media Player (make sure you have the newest version), you simply load Wmp, locate your audio files so they are listed in the Title window, highlight the files and drag them to the right into the Sync List column. When you see the message "Ready to Synchronise" appear in the screen to the right of your digital audio file names in the Sync List, click the Start Synch button at the lowest of the screen. This will start the transfer of your files to your media player.

As soon as the files have been transferred, you can unplug your media player and listen to the files in any place you wish.

I suggest you zip (compress the audio files) remaining on your hard disk drive and copy them to a Cd as backup copies. That way you won't unnecessarily add to the clutter on your hard disk and if a disaster occurs, you'll still have the audio files you paid for.

Copyright Robin Henry 2007 - Published March 07

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Unlimited Movie Download Sites - Best Sites For Downloading Hd potential Movies To Your Computer

Unlimited Movie Download Sites - Best Sites For Downloading Hd potential Movies To Your Computer

Are you looking for some source from where you can easily download unlimited movies to your computer and that too at a very inexpensive price ? Then you are at the right place. In this article, we will study assorted sites on the internet which provides unlimited movies that you can download on your computer at pretty good speed. We will collate these sites based on their popularity, range of movies, money back guarantee, price, convenience of use, etc. The good thing about all these websites is - they offer unlimited movie downloads life time membership aid at just one time fee.

1. Net Movie Downloads -

Net Movie Downloads has been ranked 1 considering its popularity, great service, low price, delight guarantee and many other factors. This site is very old and is also number 1 in popularity. They offer movies from a range of over 100 Million movies. Their range is too vast and you can find almost any movie that you want. Beside movies, they also offer some of the very favorite games, music, videos etc. Net Movie Downloads also contribute you with the software to burn each movie to Cd or Dvd. Lifetime membership is also available. Their download speed is very decent. While download is in progress, you can start watching the movie.

2. Shared Movies -

Shared Movies is one of the oldest and very well established site on the internet for downloading unlimited movies on your computer. The capability of aid and ease of use of this site is very close to Net Movie Downloads. This site has been rated at number 2 position because its range is 80 Million
in disagreement to Net Movie Downloads. The photograph and sound capability is awesome! Shared Movies also gives a great value to security. All your downloads are free of spywares and malwares. It is extremely secured.

3. Movie industrialized -

Movie industrialized is a new player in market. But in a short duration of time, it has gained significantly high popularity. They keep updating their movie database very frequently. This site offers a large range of Dvd capability movies and full episodes of Tv shows. They also offer very broad tutorials for helping you in downloading and playing movie files on your Tv, computer or home theatre system. You should prefer this site if you want instant way to unlimited movie downloads.

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Download Music To Zune

Download Music To Zune

Just got your Zune player and wondered how to download music to Zune. Well, it is literally pretty easy particularly if you already own other types of mp3 players such as the iPod.

To download music to Zune is pretty similar to the iPod. Any way instead of using itunes software, we use the windows media player. If you want to rip Cd and download music to your Zune, all you need to do is place your Cd into your computer. Open windows media player. take Your Cd and a list of songs should appear.

Select the songs you want and click on the Rip button or you can right-click and the selection should appear. The ripped songs should appear in your windows media player library. Next, plug in your Zune via the Usb cable. By default settings, the Zune player will automatically synchronize with the media library and download all songs to the Zune player.

If it does not synchronize properly, you may need to manually copy the music files to the Zune player. It will show up usually as a detachable drive on your computer. usually it is E drive but will depend on your computer configuration.

Do note that the Zune player only plays windows media player supported formats such as Wma, Wmv, Mp3, Mp4 and Mov. It will not support Rm (Realmedia) or Divx format so make sure you take the precise music format when ripping Cd.

The other way to download music to your Zune player is to purchase it from a web store. Examples are itunes and Napster. Microsoft has also set a Zune marketplace where there are more than 2 million soundtracks you can purchase and download. The prices ranges from .99 to .49 each.

There is another selection if you plan to download music to Zune which is to join a paid Zune membership site. These websites have millions of soundtracks for you to download all for a one time fee or a one year period. It is surely more cost productive and cheaper in the long run.

As you can see, it is not difficult to download music to your Zune player. All you need to do is click a few buttons and synchronize and it's done.

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