What is streaming video?

[xinjingqiao]

I want to put some 3-5 minute video clips of my students on the web. So far I have figured out that I should use "streaming video" but I don't know anything more than that. Is streaming video a different kind of file type, i.e. avi wmv, etc? I have read the tutorials on this site but I am missing the big picture. Can someone help me see the forest, please?

Thanks

[lordsmurf]

You need a streaming server. I doubt you have that, seeing as you're unsure what that is. Streaming is the server feeds them video one piece at a time and they watch at the same time.

Just make something small they can download real quick, and then watch. A 3-5 min clip will be a tiny file.

You just need a compressed file, something small.
WMV, XVID, DIVX and MPEG1 are all fine.

I tend to prefer WMV or XVID for video clips online.

Students should right-click and save as to their computer, and then watch them once downloaded.

Your files are likely going to be 1MB per minute, done properly. Size depends on bitrate, and how good the image looks is based on how big the resolution is (bitrate allocation to the resolution).

A 320x240 video file would turn out fine. WMV, MPEG1, XVID.

[jameshgross]

Try this guide:
https://www.videohelp.com/guides.php?link=639