There is not a huge difference between these two delivery methods ( Streaming and fast-start ). Each method has advantages and it really depends on what you are trying to achieve that will determine the best method to use.
With Fast-Start the file is downloaded to the users machine. This can be a problem if the videos are large and you have a number of them. However with Streaming, no local copy is created.
Another advantage of streaming is its random access ability. If you want to play a 1 minute segment out of a 20 minute video file, you can create a pointer that just plays that segment with no need to download the whole file. This segment plays immediately. Having said that you can achieve the same thing with fast-start movies by cutting them up into smaller segments but multiple files will exist.
Bandwidth consumption is different with streaming. Using streaming, a 20 minute movie will download to the user in 20 minutes, balancing out the server bandwidth. Fast-start will download as quickly as the bandwidth will allow and will have a greater demand on the server bandwidth initially.
Fast-Start has an advantage if you have a very slow dial up connection, because the video might take 2 days to download but it will play! Streaming via a slow dial up will never play if the connection speed is lower than movie data rate.
Other downsides of streaming are that it require a streaming server whereas Fast-starts can just be download via a web server.
As you mentioned, if you are into live broadcasts, then streaming is the only method.
Which one to choose? Ideally - both?
Hope this helps.
Regards Bryan
Bryan Wills
Network Systems Manager
London's Transport Museum
Covent Garden Piazza
London WC2E 7BB
T: 020 7565 7288
F: 020 7565 7254
www.ltmuseum.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Martin Bazley
Sent: 20 June 2005 15:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: costs of video-streaming?
Hi Jane, Bryan
I am curious: what is the advantage of actual streaming over, say,
delivering video clips via a Flash-based player (as in e.g.
www.VictorianLearningJourney.org.uk) ?
The user can view before the file has downloaded, and can pause/restart at
any point, so it is a bit like streaming, but I guess there must be
disadvantages: total size of clip able to be delivered?
Or are you looking at live transmission of e.g. videoconferencing?
Incidentally Jane my experience of video editing is that it
- is not difficult to do yourself (try Adobe Premiere Elements editing
software) but
- takes ages, especially if you are not used to it, and
- gettting a really good result is probably only achievable by experienced
video productoin people... which is probably where you came in anyway! I
know you can pay £1000 or more per day for professional production, but you
should be able to find someone (esp based out of London, e.g. I know
someone in Kent) to do a reasonable job for £200-250 a day.
Hope some of that is useful - and hope one of you can explain why real
streaming is needed..
See you
Martin
At 14:54 20/06/2005 +0100, you wrote:
>Hi Sarah
>
>Not sure if it answers many of your questions, but we are looking into
>web streaming here at the LTM, partly for our own collections and partly
>for the 20th century London project.
>
>We are travelling down the QuickTime route, and using the free QuickTime
>Darwin Streaming server. We have investigated Windows media server and
>looked at the Real-time Helix server, However Darwin seemed to come out
>on top for us.
>
>One of the things I am very keen to do is investigate a London Hub
>streaming server, where we can all put our videos on, and point to them
>via our own web sites and the 20C London site. ( This could,
>potentially, expand out further if successful )
>
>The big issue with streaming is bandwidth and storage. Bandwidth is the
>major cost. At the moment I am investigating cost options and whether we
>can get the hub to part fund as part of the London Hub ICT Strategy, or
>else each institution pay a small cost if they want to participate.
>
>This might solve your hosting issues, however, the actual video
>production itself is another matter and again costly. We have the
>capacity to capture in real time existing videos but not to create new
>productions. Hopefully someone else can help with that point.
>
>
>Feel free to give me a ring
>
>Bryan
>
>Bryan Wills
>Network Systems Manager
>London's Transport Museum
>Covent Garden Piazza
>London WC2E 7BB
>T: 020 7565 7288
>F: 020 7565 7254
>www.ltmuseum.co.uk
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
>Sarre, Jane
>Sent: 20 June 2005 14:23
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: costs of video-streaming?
>
>
>Hi,
>
>We're thinking about developing a set of video presentations that can be
>streamed over the web for viewers. Do you have any experience of this?
>If so, any thoughts on the following would be appreciated:
>
>1
>general advice/experiences/lessons learned
>
>2
>costs of video production
>
>3
>costs of streaming
>
>4
>recommendations of companies to work with
>
>5
>other resource implications?
>
>Many thanks,
>
>Jane
>
>
>Jane Sarre
>Access & Learning Officer, Access & Learning
>Museum of London
>150 London Wall
>London. EC2Y 5HN
>Tel: 020 7814 5772
>Fax: 020 7600 1058
>Email: [log in to unmask]
>www.museumoflondon.org.uk
>
>The London Look: Fashion from street to catwalk. Extended until 10 July
>2005
>Special web feature: www.museumoflondon.org.uk/londonlook
>
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Martin Bazley
ICT4Learning
15 Margin Drive
Wimbledon
SW19 5HA
07803 580 727
www.ICT4Learning.com
________________________________________________________________________
This e-mail has been scanned for all viruses by Star Internet. The
service is powered by MessageLabs. For more information on a proactive
anti-virus service working around the clock, around the globe, visit:
http://www.star.net.uk
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
This email and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the use of the addressee. If you have received this in error please notify [log in to unmask] and delete immediately. Any use, disclosure, forwarding, printing or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. London's Transport Museum (LTM) hereby excludes any warranty and any liability as to the quality or accuracy of the contents of this email and any attached transmitted files.
LTM may monitor all email communications through its internal and external networks.
LTM is a division of Transport Trading Limited, part of Transport for London (TFL), Windsor House, 42-50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL
Registered in England and Wales
Company number 3914810
VAT 756 2770 08
Copyright in this email and attachments belongs to TFL.
This email and attachments have been swept for the presence of computer viruses and LTM accepts no responsibility for any virus imported with this document.
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