by Gary Welz
Integrated Streaming Technologies
Since I wrote about streaming audio in this column last April 17, there has been a dramatic movement toward the merging of streaming media technologies.Two weeks ago, I wrote about the RTSP, or Real-Time Streaming Protocol, proposed by Progressive Networks, Netscape, and a large collection of partners.
During the past few weeks, Progressive Networks (PN) and Macromedia, Inc., and Xing Technologies have all announced the development of new tools and partnerships that concern the streaming of mutiple media types.
On October 10, 1996, Progressive Networks announced the RealMedia Architecture (RMA), a next-generation platform for streaming audio, video, MIDI, data, animation, presentations, and images over the Internet. The RMA open platform enables software vendors to, according to PN, "support applications which combine multiple datatypes in a seamless way to create rich and compelling new applications."
The RealMedia Architecture is described in the Progressive Network's press release as "a framework of client and server API's for the development of streaming multimedia applications. It is an extension of the existing RealAudio client-server system whereby third-parties can build or adapt their software to be streamed from servers and played by clients that support the RMA. In addition, the RealMedia Platform will support the integration and delivery of third-party audio and video codecs."
"Building on our base of 10 million installed RealAudio Players and thousands of servers and encoders, the RMA creates a marketplace and distribution channel for third party software developers to sell and distribute streaming media applications," stated Rob Glaser, chairman and CEO of Progressive Networks.
A key feature of the RealMedia Architectur is that one server platform enables application and content developers to have the tools and flexibility to incorporate any degree of multimedia richness into their applications, and the ability to create plug-ins that are compatible with a host of other architectures.
The RealMedia Architecture has three major components:
- Players that allow users to play multiple datatypes: MIDI, audio, video, animation, streaming data, 3D, and presentations supported by third-party plug-ins.
- Servers that stream third-party datatypes by using a file converter that converts the datatypes to RealMedia file format and a license that enables live and on-demand streaming of third-party datatypes.
- A RealMedia SDK that gives third-party streaming media developers the tools to develop applications supported by RealMedia, including information on:
- client plug-ins
- license plug-ins
- live events
- audio and video codecs
Clients supporting the RealMedia Architecture are, or will be, available on Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, Macintosh, and UNIX platforms. Servers will be available on Windows NT, Macintosh, and popular UNIX variants, including: SunOS, Sun Solaris, SGI/IRIX, HP/UX, AIX, Linux, FreeBSD, and BSDI.
Progressive Networks' partners include: Iterated Systems for video, Narrative Communications for interactive animation, FutureWave for vector animations, OLiVR for 3-D images, and NetControls, and INstant Sports for streaming data and text.
Macromedia, Inc. a provider of cross-platform software tools for Web publishing, multimedia, and graphics--most notably Shockwave the tool that enables Director movies to be viewed on the Web--has partnered with Telos Systems and recently announced that Shockwave is now supported by Telos' Audioactive, "the highest quality live audio on the Web."
More than 12 million Shockwave players have been downloaded, which Macromedia describes as being "the lowest cost and highest quality shipping solution for the creation of multimedia and prerecorded streaming audio on the Web." Now users will be able to tune into a live concert while flipping through multimedia program notes, hear their favorite local radio station anywhere in the world, or listen to live business presentations while reviewing corporate materials.
In another development in the same vein, Xing Technology recently announced that its audio/video distribution solution, StreamWorks, has been chosen by NetRadio Network to exclusively deliver their radio and video broadcasts. According to Xing, "StreamWorks will enable NetRadio to transmit high quality real-time audio, as well as broadcast live audio and video events, according to user-specified preferences."
The first offering of this new partnership is the NetCompanion personalized content broadcast. It is the only proprietary technology that delivers personalized audio/video content. Audiences can customize their NetRadio Network Web page to "stream" only the broadcasts that fit the individual's particular taste, whether it's Rock n' Roll, the weather, or breaking news.
NetRadio Network is the world's first 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-a-week radio network on the Internet. Since its debut on November 1, 1995, the NetRadio Web site attracts more than 75,000 registered listeners from over 90 countries.
Yes, this is a trend. Last year vendors pursued a single media-type niche--their one part of the pie. Now everyone is trying to get hold of the whole pie. Nescape and Microsoft are after it, too, trying to provide an integrated multimedia solution tailored to the strengths and weaknesses of the Internet.
All the competitors are attempting to leverage their installed base of users, and use that levearage to extend their influence into all types of media. Integration is good. No one likes having to gather all those plug-ins and helper apps. The issue now is, once again, who will win--who can form the most, all-embracing partnerships and survive the next round of competition.
