| Hands-On Guide to Streaming Media Basics introduces you to the technology of “streaming,” the process of sending audio and video over computer networks in real time. You will learn all you need to know to put music from your garage band, a recording of your child’s first words, and video of your CEO’s annual pep talk on the Internet or your internal corporate network. The book will teach you the basics of capturing sounds and moving images to a computer hard drive, converting them to files optimized for Internet transmission, and broadcasting them to whoever wants to listen or watch. Above all, the goal of this book is to get you excited about using this ground-breaking technology to broaden the impact of your communications.
Streaming media covers a broad range of options, software vendors, and networking technologies. This book will focus on the proprietary methods of four major manufacturers, which dominate 98% or more of the market. The leading vendors, followed by their major streaming brands, are:
• RealNetworks® (RealPlayer®/Helix™)
• Microsoft® (Windows Media® Services)
• Apple® Computer (QuickTime®)
• Adobe®/Macromedia® (Flash® 8 Professional)
The book will also detail some of the leading nonproprietary streaming technologies, notably the Motion Picture Experts Group ( MPEG) set of standards, including MPEG Layer III ( MP3) and MPEG-4. |
