Streaming (Live) Video over Internet

[skullfullomagots]

Hi
Here is what I want to do in simple layman words. I have a movie (regardless of the format) and I would like another friend setting somewhere else in the world to watch it without having to download it first off me. I am not sure if this is called Streaming but if so, how can I stream video files over to other people?

Secondly, if there is a live event I would like broadcast over the net, how can I do that? Note that I would like to have a limited number of people to be veiwing the video.

And a suggestion to the admin guys, if they consider the topic worth it, then may be we should have a section dedicated to such activities.

Thanks

[fmctm1sw]

I looked into this a while back. I don't remember the details but I think you need someone to host the website and you have to buy X amount of bandwidth. I found this on google somehere...

[Rookie64]

'k...there are a few different ways to do this

You can convert the video/movie file into a compressed file for the web, such as Real Media (RM), MOV or WMV
Once you have the file into one of those formats, you can upload the file to either a free hosting web site or server (unless you prefer to pay for a site...which will allow you more space/bandwidth as well as more control over your content)

The file or files can then be downloaded from the site or server you upload it to.


You can also e-mail the file(s), depending on their size, directly to the people you wish to share with.
If size is an issue...you can use a file splitter to cut the file into several parts and send each part one at a time...then the person or however many you are sending to can restore the file once they have all the parts and view the file at any time.

Here is a tool you can use for splitting files -
http://www.dekabyte.com/filesplitter/


BTW, you can also do this with MPEG files - it all depends on the size of the file and how much time you're willing to spend on it.


Then there is pseudo-streaming and true streaming

pseudo-streaming is when you can have playback as soon as enough data has been downloaded to fill a playback buffer

with true streaming - the viewer software maintains a buffer of data, that it uses to playback without having to download the entire file


You can do pseudo-streaming with a plugin for Quicktime (if you want to use MOV files)

and true streaming can be done with Real Media

You can either use the basic producer (which is free) or buy the pay version if you want to do more with the files -
http://www.realnetworks.com/products/producer/

http://service.real.com/help/library/guides/helixproducer/Producer.htm

http://realhelix.uni-essen.de/documentation/HelixProducerUsersGuide.pdf


Vegas Video also renders to RM, MOV and WMV


You can upload your files to stream hosting server such as this -
http://www.avstream.com/



To do live broadcasts....look for sites that'll broadcast for you.

You can easily do live broadcasts with many webcam sites, such as www.webcamnow.com - which is free and easy to set up

As long as you have a working driver for either a video capture card or a webcam, and can pretty much broadcast anything - directly from a DVD player, VCR, Video camera, webcam, live TV, etc

Sites like those are public viewing though.

You can try broadcasting with Yahoo Messenger the same way, and at least be able to select your audience (providing each person you are broadcasting to has Yahoo Messenger set up on their own computer)

Those are just a few examples...there are other methods you can use as well.

[fmctm1sw]

'k...



Those are just a few examples...there are other methods you can use as well.

Yeah, what he said.....

[Suntan]

Don't forget VLC

-Suntan

[skullfullomagots]

Thanks a lot all of you people. Now it is time to get down and try it. I will revert after some trying out.

I got VLC,BTW but I have not tried it at all.

Cheers