Hands-On Guide to Streaming Media

an Introduction to Delivering On-Demand Media

Joe Follansbee

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2006
• eBook ISBN: 9781136033698
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Communication Studies
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

This book describes the steps for creating an on-demand and live streaming video in an all-in-one refernce guide for new users and companies that need introduced to the technology. After reading this book, you will understand: - How the Internet works in relation to streaming media - Client/server technology, specifically related to streaming media - Strengths and limits of streaming media, including best uses for the technology - Choices of streaming media content creation tools

CHAPTER 1

Quick Start: Your First Streaming Media File

You’ve chosen this book to get up to speed quickly on streaming media and you’re anxious to accomplish something right away. Perhaps you’re on a deadline or just naturally impatient. This chapter gives you a taste of streaming, starting with the most basic procedure in streaming media: encoding.

As you’ll learn later in the book, there are several streaming technologies to choose from. This chapter focuses on just one: Microsoft^® Windows Media^®. That’s because most streaming technologies, including Windows Media, share several basic tools and procedures, such as encoding. And it’s likely you already have Windows^® Media Player^®, the software that plays Windows Media files, on your computer.

In the following sections, you’ll:

• Get a quick overview of streaming media

• Download and install a Windows Media^® Encoder™

• Encode audio and video files into the Windows Media format

In order to get you going quickly, this chapter assumes that you have a source audio or video file in a “raw” format, such as .wav or .avi. If you’re not sure about whether you have a raw audio and video file, don’t worry. This chapter also helps you find files to encode.

Author’s Tip

Encoding is discussed in more depth in Chapter 5, Encoding Audio and Video.

A Quick Streaming Media Overview

The size of audio and video files blows every other type of file out of the water. A one-minute video file can be several megabytes (that’s millions of bytes) in size, whereas a one-page letter might be only 20 or 30 kilobytes (that’s thousands of bytes) in size. Trying to send enormous audio or video files across an average Internet connection, even a high-bandwidth connection such as cable or DSL (digital subscriber line), is like trying to pour Niagara Falls through a garden hose. You can do it, but it’s going to take some time.

Streaming media engineers have solved this problem with a piece of software called an encoder. An encoder reduces the file size of the original file while maintaining as much of the aural and visual integrity of the original file as possible. Encoders can shrink the original file by as much as 80%. The resultant files can be transmitted much more efficiently and reliably. Plus, if you encode your files well, you should barely be able to tell any difference from the original file.

Installing a Windows Media Encoder

This section shows you how to download and install a Windows Media Encoder if you don’t already have one. But before you do so, make sure you’ve got the right equipment.

Hardware Recommendations

Although encoding can be done on virtually any computer, it’s best to have as much processing power, memory, and storage as possible when encoding streaming media files. For best results, Microsoft recommends the following:

• 500-MHz processor or higher, such as a Pentium III or AMD Athlon

• 128 MB of RAM

• Windows 2000 or XP

• 20 GB free hard drive space

ALERT

Note that the hard disk recommendation is the absolute minimum. Even encoded files can be large, so build as much disk storage as you can.

The Installation Process

To install a Windows Media Encoder, follow these simple steps:

1. Point your browser to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/encoder/default.aspx.

2. Click the Windows Media Encoder 9 Series “Download Now” button, as shown in Figure 1-1.

Figure 1-1
Click the Windows Media Encoder 9 Series “Download Now” button to begin installation.

ALERT

You may see a link to the “x64” version of the Windows Media Encoder. This is an advanced version designed to take advantage of features in the next version of Microsoft’s Windows operating system. Don’t bother downloading this version of the encoder.

3. On the next page, click the “Download” button.

ALERT

You may be asked to validate your version of Windows as part of this download process. Microsoft is concerned about piracy of its software, so you’ll need to follow these instructions, which include installation of an ActiveX control.

4. You may get a security warning. Click Run to continue.

5. If another security warning appears, click Run to continue.

6. On the encoder installer’s Welcome screen, click Next.

7. Accept the agreement on the license agreement screen and click Next, as shown in Figure 1-2.

Figure 1-2
Accept the End User License Agreement for Windows Media Encoder.

8. On the “Installation Folder” screen, review the default installation folder, as shown in Figure 1-3, and click Next.

9. Click Install to begin the installation.

10. Click Finish when installation is complete.

Figure 1-3
Review the folder where Windows Media Encoder will be installed.

To start the encoder, click Start → Programs → Windows Media → Windows Media Encoder. Note that a wizard dialog box appears by default. Click OK, then Cancel to see the main interface. (Normally, you’d use the wizard, but for the purposes of this tutorial, you’ll close the wizard box to view the main interface.) The running program is shown in Figure 1-4. To see the main interface, click OK on the New Session dialog box.

Figure 1-4
Windows Media Encoder at startup.

Encoding Audio and...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgments
• About the Author
• About the Series Editor
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Quick Start: Your First Streaming Media File
• Chapter 2: The Building Blocks of Streaming Media
• Chapter 3: Audio and Video Production Tools
• Chapter 4: Production and Post-Production Techniques
• Chapter 5: Encoding Audio and Video
• Chapter 6: Working with Streaming Media Files
• Chapter 7: Streaming Media Distribution
• Chapter 8: Streaming Media and Metafiles
• Chapter 9: Embedding Streams in Your Web Pages
• Chapter 10: Alternative Systems and Methods
• Chapter 11: Advanced Topics
• Appendix A: Case Studies
• Appendix B: Resources
• Glossary
• Index