Re: [cobalt-users] Realvideo [raq3/4]

[Brent Sims <bs@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 4 Sep 2001, Jamie Martino wrote:

} Are you sure of that..  Without RealServer, the file is just downloaded like
} normal and then plays once complete.  Streaming means playing while
} downloading, which as far as I know you need RealServer..  Ummm, someone
} correct me if I am wrong..

Hi Jamie,

	I'm sure. Most of our clients are entertainers. We stream a
a little bit of video and audio - the vast majority of which we rip
and install for our clients. While we do indeed have Real Server
installed, along with a few others, our experience is that httpd
streams are just as good as Real Servers are. By not using the
server you loose the ability to quickly track through the stream,
run multirate SureStreams, and RealServer is much better at managing
things on heavily used streams. However, for the average user whose
stream probably is not going to be listened too by more than a
couple of people at a time, httpd streaming does the job quite
nicely. You can stream Real, Windows Media, MP3s, and while I
haven't yet tried, I've heard you can now stream QuickTime over
httpd.

	The trick is using a meta file. If you point a browser at a
raw rm file, for example, the browser will try to download it. If,
on the other hand, you point a browser at a meta file which then
calls the stream the browser will load the player and the stream
willl stream.

	We do it all the time. We've got streams setup as I just
explained running on the official site for a well-known TV and radio
personality and both he and his fans are quite happy with them.

	Fact is, the most problematic streams we run here are those
where we try to use the multirate streaming capabilities of Real's
server. We've never been able to approach the quality we get when
running single rate streams. We just put up a 12 minute video for a
client that insisted on a multirate rate source. We went so far as
to outsource the creation of the stream to an outfit that
specializes in riping them, and paid them big bucks for doing just
that. The quality is so poor that we're not in the process of
switching to multiple single rate streams at the clients request.

	For what it's worth, that's our experience and we average
riping about 100mb of new streaming content each and every week.
100mb ain't squat in the major scheme of things but we've been doing
this amount every week for about a year and half so it ain't like
I'm blowing smoke here. Along the way we've tried lots of ripers,
servers and what have you... single rate httpd streams are our
streams of choice expect on high traffic sites.

	Peace be with you,

	Brent Sims, Customer Service Manager
	WebOkay Internet Services, LLC
	http://www.WebOkay.net
	mailto: Brent@xxxxxxxxxxx
	(719) 595-1427 (Voice/Fax)