Video Tutorial: What is Web 2.0?

Here is the nice and informative streaming video about "What is Web 2.0?".

Watch Video | Visit BLOGGE

Streaming Video Over The Network

We all have been downloading and playing back high quality audio and video files from the Internet. Though this process is very easy and you can store the data file for later use, it can be exasperating experience at times because the time taken to download a file can be unusually long. Nowadays, streaming video over the network is gaining popularity as an alternate to downloading. Be it an informational, educational or entertainment program, streaming video is becoming a popular mode of transmitting the data.

As broadband connectivity has grown, websites have increased their use of video clips. The term ‘Streaming video’ refers to the method of one-way transmission of a video in the compressed format through the Internet. Its advantage is that the video is transmitted as a continuous stream, enabling the viewer to play it within a few seconds of requesting it. The data is not saved permanently on the computer and hence does not utilize the precious hard disk space. The viewer would require a player that can uncompress the data and play it through the monitor and the speakers.

Some of the well-known players available in the market are MacroMedia's Streaming Shockwave, Progressive Network's RealVideo, Xing Technology's StreamWorks, VDONet's VDOLive, Vosaic, Vxtreme, Vivoactive and Microsoft's NetShow. Streaming video is normally sent from prerecorded video files. However, it can also be distributed as part of a live broadcast "feed."

In the case of a live broadcast, the video signal is converted into a compressed digital signal and transmitted from a server that has a capability of multicasting i.e. sending the same file to multiple users at the same time. If the streaming video is broadcast live, then it is termed as "real-time video." However, there is a built-in delay in streaming video due to buffering of the feed.

With the advancement in technology, it is nowadays possible to capture streaming video and store it in the hard disk. One can save live streaming video, streaming news video, streaming movies, streaming music videos etc with the help of a software ‘Stream Recorder’. Use of streaming video for videoconferencing is the latest application that is gaining ground. Videoconferencing is more challenging on the network than streaming video. This is because it requires real-time, two-way transmission with enough bandwidth for video coming in and going out at the same time without buffering.

The biggest hurdle that still needs to be overcome is to provide broadband access to all the users. Many users still do not have enough bandwidth to receive streaming video in an acceptable quality.

Top 10 Reasons to Create Streaming Videos

1. Videos are fun to create. Expressing your creativity gives you a sense of accomplishment. When you create something, your mind is focused away from your daily stressors. Call it an escape from reality if you will. It is good for you.

2. Videos are easy to create. You don’t need any fancy equipment. They can be as simple as a slideshow of photos with narration or clips from your cell phone or digital camera that you already own. Import your clips or photos into Microsoft’s free Windows Movie Maker and compile them into a video.

3. Create Memories. Photos are great, but videos are more personalized with narration and containing a series of photos opposed to single pictures in one file. You can upload them to video sharing web sites or email them to your friends and family. Sharing videos is a great way to stay in touch and share your life with your loved ones from afar.

4. Get paid for your videos. Submit them to Associated Content for upfront payment, and collect residual payment every time someone views your videos.

5. Online article writers can get paid even more. Based on my own experience, videos often generate higher offers for your content at AC and you can link your articles to your videos for increased page views. Creating videos also gives you a break from writing to have some fun and refresh your creativity.

6. Create a vlog, a blog with videos instead of articles. Set up a blogger account and add a video to each page. You can then place Ad Sense ads around your videos. Your visitors will watch your videos then hopefully click on your Ad Sense ads when they are finished watching, creating an income stream for you.

7. Generate traffic. If you have a web site, blog or Squidoo lens that could use some traffic, videos are the way to go. You can SEO your video title just like you would for your articles and submit them to social bookmarking sites. Increased traffic coming from two different directions gives your site greater exposure.

8. Use your videos as a teaching tool. People love to learn new things. One of the greatest ways to get people to watch your videos is to share something new with them. Teach them how to do something. Give them the pleasure of learning a new way to do something and they will come back for more.

9. Market your business. Do you have your own or an affiliate product to market? Do it in video. Consumers more readily purchase something they can see opposed to just reading about it. Give them a demo of what it does and how it will benefit them. Show your potential buyers examples of how your product can improve their lives and you’ve got a sale.

10. Don’t get left behind. Videos are infiltrating the web at an alarming rate. Our culture demands high-speed information. We are accustomed to visual media. Our younger generations especially, prefer to watch rather than read or skim an article. Bandwidth is becoming less of an issue with increased usage of high-speed internet access. Video is predicted to become the status quo of internet content in the days ahead as the internet continues to evolve. Do yourself a favor and learn how to create videos today.

Video In A Flash

A recent look at Yahoo!, shows a home page with video links front and center. One of the emerging technologies allowing low cost streaming is Flash FLV. It is a format that is designed for web playback, offering high rates of compression. Flash Player, the embedded plugin that is in 98% of all internet browsers, allows playback of Flash FLV using SWF files. It is a preferred method because there is no need for a 3rd party download. FLV is a "Flash Live Video" file.

Not many people know it, but Macromedia (Adobe) has developed a sophisticated media delivery platform, that is emerging as a sleeping giant.

Flash is the world's most pervasive software platform, used by over 1 million programming professionals and reaching 98% of Internet-enabled desktops worldwide as well as a wide range of devices.. You might be shocked to hear that using Flash for your Video Media Delivery can save you a bundle of cash!

The Flash Player browser plugin can play an FLV, but that FLV, must be either embedded in or linked to a SWF. That is, you can't just put the actual FLV on an HTML page. You can however reference the FLV file using action script and SWF (the player controls), which now opens up the door to brand your player, add colors and logos, skins, and links to further information. Customization is now only limited to your imagination and Flash Skills. 4 hour movies can be streamed instantly with no buffer wait or download lag time.

Highlights of the Flash Communications Server include the ability to provide your end users with the best possible experience via a seamlessly integrated client that lets you brand your broadcast the way you want to, with any devices containing the Flash Player being capable of delivering movies when connected to the MX Communications server.

A Fantastic File Format

The file format used in this process is Flash FLV or Flash Live Video, and it plays in a Flash Player. While traditional methods of media delivery include some kind of download to the user's computer, either in a pre-loader or through temporary Internet files, Flash MX Communications server and a Flash FLV Player connect in a completely different manner. Simply put, it's a new connection to the file each time the user uses the controls in the player. This means that in the background it's a "start here" � "stop here" � "start again here" style of play, with no downloads or caching.

Here's The Top Ten Reasons to Stream Video Using Flash

1. FLV format file sizes after conversion are up to 60% smaller, saving server storage costs.
2. FLV's start - stop connection style saves on bandwidth perhaps as much as 60% less per month.
3. FLV format has no local player in operating systems, so file sharing is nullified.
4. FLV format plays directly in more browsers than Windows Media, Real Player or QuickTime.
5. FLV server can authenticate clients, and control users as you wish.
6. FLV players can be completely customized for logos, branding and embedded links.
7. FLV players can play files from a programmable database, and simple administration area.
8. FLV players can be programmed to integrate with databases for free previews, time, users.
9. FLV encoding can include user information for content tracking, misuse, or DRM.
10. Flash Communications servers are easier to maintain than others, and less prone to security hacks.

Who is using Flash Communication Servers? Google, MTV, Yahoo, IBM, Sony, Universal Studios, the list is growing.

Flash is suitable for various applications, including live, on-demand, audio and video streaming, 24 x 7 live radio broadcasting, pay-per-view, with digital rights management, delivery to mobile devices, including phones, product demonstrations, commercials and movie trailers, employee and partner training, corporate communications � the list goes on and on...

Streaming Media Advertising, Streaming Video Advertisements

Streaming media advertising promotion agencies say that this new-age technology enables the real time or on demand distribution of audio, video and multimedia over the Internet and it is the simultaneous transfer of digital media of all three kinds; namely, video, voice and data. The streaming media advertising therefore, is such that it is received as a continuous real-time stream and has a greater impact on the web viewer than any form of static advertising.

From the industry reports from big time players in the streaming media advertising industry, like Dassnagar, India based streaming media advertising company, it is apparent that streamed data is transmitted by a server application and thereafter it is received and displayed in real-time by client applications for the purpose of promotion, marketing or plain information of a company product or service. These online client applications can start displaying video or playing back audio as soon as enough data has been received and stored in the receiving station’s buffer; which in turn enables for greater and faster interactive medium of communication between the web user and the company’s advertisement spokesperson.

At times, this kind of streaming media advertising can be based on Java-streaming for advertisement insertions that will allow for these to be input into all streaming programming. The success of this factor can be judged by the fact that way back in 2000, when streaming media advertising was in its fledgling state, it had only 5 percent of streaming programming that allowed insertions, but towards the end of 2004, this percentage had risen by 70 and generated millions (almost $770 million) in revenue to prop the importance of streaming media advertising. While video production agencies involved in online video advertising and streaming media advertising need to focus beyond the pre-roll segment that compels a web user to view the initial part of an advert before gaining access to the main message, they also need to divert attention towards actualizing the full potential of streaming media advertising. This means that online video production agencies that are keen to gain a stronger threshold in the mainstream streaming media advertising world need to shift core-focus on the target web audiences and thus begin by strategically incorporating the use of streaming programming into their daily media routines.

Among the best examples of the scope and benefits of streaming media advertising and its total reach is the highly-tuned-in-to web cast of Madonna in London, which garnered rave reviews as do the NBA Finals and Olympics reports and related ad capsules; these increase user awareness of the web’s streaming capacity and are evidence of the contact capacity of the Internet.

Any experienced hand at corrective, coercive or informational yet entertaining streaming media advertising will know the effect of a tightly knit and creatively well-managed organization on the success it can spell for its clients. Ensure that streaming media advertising solutions that your agency provides are in tune with your company’s image and message-communication; it should be personalized and customer communication and unmatched knowledge-sharing.

Streaming Media - What exactly is it anyway?

A brief description of streaming video and how it works.

Streaming media is multimedia such as video (which is probably the most recognizable) that is continuously received by, and normally displayed to, the end-user while it is being delivered by the provider.

In other words, unlike a video that you download first to your hard drive on your computer and THEN open to view on your screen, You can usually start viewing or listening to your content as it is being delivered. (ie it is "streamed" to you from a server on the web). Hence the term "streaming media".

Live streaming media takes this one step further and allows the viewer to see content the moment it is created and is the online equivalent of live via satellite TV transmission.

For a more comprehensive "in depth" look at streaming media visit the links section located after the next article.

I personally have developed an interest in streaming media because of my background in music and more recently in film (and how I could promote what I do on the web in a tangible way, rather than just text).

For me, streaming media has been a brilliant way to share my message in a creative form that gets noticed.

Adding Streaming Video to Your Website

Adding streaming video to your site can be a great way of making it a lot more interesting for users, but it can also be a bit difficult for the beginner to make the right choices. This article will explore some of the things you will have to consider before adding streaming video to your website.

How many users?

Is your site very popular? Is your streaming video going to be viewed by many people at the same time? You need to ask yourself if you need to have your website hosted on a special streaming server. This kind of server can handle a lot more traffic than a normal server. A streaming server also offers the abbility to make live broadcasts (or webcasts), which is virtually impossible on a normal server.

Progressive download

If you don't have the need to make live webcasts you should consider using progressive download instead of actual streaming. Progressive download means that a user will download a bit of the video file before playback is started. This bit of the file will then serve as a buffer that will ensure unbroken playback even if the strain on the server's bandwidth peaks for a while.
It's not real streaming and you can't make live webcasts this way, but most webmasters will find that progressive downloading is adequate for their needs.

What format?

You need to think about what format you want to use. Should it be Windows Media, Quicktime or RealMedia - or maybe something else? What do your users use? You could consider making a poll to find out what format the majority of your users prefer. Some people refuse to use any other player than their favorite, so you should be sure to include as many of your users by your choice of streaming format.