If you have a connection to the Internet and you want to find streaming video and audio files, you shouldn't have to look far. Sound and video have become a common part of sites all over the Web, and the process of using these files is pretty intuitive. You find something you want to watch or hear -- you click it, and it plays. Unless you're watching a live feed or a webcast, you can often pause, back up and move forward through the file, just like you could if you were watching a DVD or listening to a CD.
But if you've never used streaming media, your computer may need a little help to decode and play the file. You'll need a plugin for your Web browser or a stand-alone player. Most of the time, the Web page you've visited points you in the right direction. It prompts you to download a specific player or shows you a list of choices.
These players decode and display data, and they usually retrieve information a little faster than they play it. This extra information stays in a buffer in case the stream falls behind. There are four primary players, and each one supports specific streaming file formats:
* QuickTime, from Apple, plays files that end in .mov.
* RealNetworks RealMedia plays .rm files.
* Microsoft Windows Media can play a few streaming file types: Windows Media Audio (.wma), Windows Media Video (.wmv) and Advanced Streaming Format (.asf).
* The Adobe Flash player plays .flv files. It can also play .swf animation files.
For the most part, these players can't decode one another's file formats. For this reason, some sites use lots of different file types. These sites will ask you to choose your preferred player or pick one for you automatically.
The QuickTime, RealMedia and Windows Media players can work as stand-alone players with their own menu bars and controls. They can also work as browser plugins, which are like miniature versions of the full-scale player. In plugin mode, these players can look like an integrated part of a Web page or pop-up window.
Flash video is a little different. It usually requires a Flash applet, which is a program designed to decode and play streaming Flash files. Programmers can write their own Flash applets and customize them to fit the needs of a specific Web page. Flash is becoming a more popular option for playing streaming video. It's what YouTube, Google Video and the New York Times all use to display videos on their sites.
The Basic streaming video process between Computer and serversIn this article, we'll explore what it takes to create this stream of ones and zeros as well as how it differs from the data in a typical download. We'll also take a look at how to make good streaming media files.
Creating Good Streaming Videos
Making a good streaming video starts with recording, not compression. With a few basic steps, you can significantly reduce the amount of data required to create the images that make up your video:
* Use a steady, unobtrusive background. If you have a green screen, use it -- you can add a different background during editing.
* Keep the camera still.
* If you're filming people, make sure they wear solid colors rather than patterns.
Keep it simple -- the more complexity you put into your shot, the more detail the computer will have to render later.
Step-by-step Streaming
Using streaming media files is as easy as browsing the Web, but there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make the process possible:
1. Using your Web browser, you find a site that features streaming video or audio.
2. You find the file you want to access, and you click the image, link or embedded player with your mouse.
3. The Web server hosting the Web page requests the file from the streaming server.
4. The software on the streaming server breaks the file into pieces and sends them to your computer using real-time protocols.
5. The browser plugin, standalone player or Flash application on your computer decodes and displays the data as it arrives.
6. Your computer discards the data.
