How to Produce Streaming Video

As the prevalence of broadband web access grows, the importance of both audio and video files is paramount for many websites. There is no doubt that most user experiences are enhanced by those media, which is why it’s a good idea to understand how the process works.

File Formats

While many different file formats are used to create streaming video, five have emerged as the most popular — and therefore the most widely used. They are (in no particular order):

- Adobe Flash
- Quicktime
- Windows Media
- RealMedia
- MPEG (particulary MPEG-4)

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, and in fact much of the decision to use one or the other depends on the video producer’s preference. However, you should be aware that users have their own preferences, as well. In in ideal world, you’d make your content available in all formats, but this is not usually very practical. Generally, your website will offer, at most, one or two different options.

Streaming Methods

There are two principal methods of streaming video on the Internet: HTTP Streaming, and Streaming Servers (true streaming). It is good to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each before deciding which to use.

Downloading

When a user “downloads” a file, the entire thing is delivered to and saved on their computer (often in a Temporary Internet folder). Only after the entire file has finished downloading can the user open it up and view it. For small files, it may not cause a noticeable delay for the user; large files, however, will take a while to download — an experience which most users find frustrating.

The advantages for the user are the ability to get to different parts of the video more quickly, as well as having the file available for playing even when they are not connected to the Internet. The advantages for the video producer are the fact that this is quite easy to do: just upload the file to your web server, and link to it on your site.

Known as HTTP Delivery or HTTP Streaming, this is the same way that web pages are delivered (HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, if you’re interested!). Actually, this is not really “streaming” at all, and for that reason is not as popular as true streaming.

Streaming

“True” streaming actually allows the viewer to begin viewing the file almost immediately after it begins downloading. The way this works is that the file is actually delivered to the user in basically a constant “stream,” which the user can view as it arrives to their computer.

The most obvious advantage? No waiting! But beyond that, it opens the possibility for broadcasting live events in real time — a method which is sometimes referred to as “netcasting” or “webcasting.”

Progressive Downloading

There is a third and less common method called “progressive downloading,” which is, in effect, a hybrid of downloading and streaming. While it can in some respect simulate the effect of true streaming, it doesn’t enjoy all of its advantages.

Which is Right for You?

Many website producers will opt for HTTP streaming, as it is the easier and cheaper choice. However, if you asked your viewers, they would almost exclusively prefer [true] streaming. Therefore, if you can, always opt for streaming when the viewer’s convenience is important to you.