Streaming Media Systems

Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a provider. Streaming video is a a video/audio data transfer technique to allow steady and continuous processing by a client. Live streaming is the delivery of Internet content in real-time much as live television broadcasts content over the airwaves via a television signal. In order to play video immediately as it is downloaded from the Internet special servers and clients are needed.

Communications Protocol

Common protocols include MPEG-DASH, HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), Smooth Streaming, and HDS. Communications protocols are rules governing how data is communicated, defining elements like the syntax of file headers and data, authentication, and error handling.

- HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol

- Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP)

- Universal Datagram Protocol (UDP)

- Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP)

- Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

Streaming Protocols

As streaming media increased in importance, several streaming protocols were created to address these issues, including the aforementioned RTSP, Microsoft Media Services (MMS) and Macromedia’s Real Time Messaging protocol (RTMP). MPEG-DASH, like the other protocols here, uses standard HTTP web servers. HLS streaming protocol is an alternative protocol developed by Apple.

Today, HLS is the most widely used streaming protocol on the internet. Like MPEG-DASH, HLS is an adaptive bit-rate protocol and also uses HTTP servers. HDS evolved from Adobe’s original standard for streaming Flash video, RTMP. Each streaming protocol has an upside and a downside, depending on the specifics of your situation.

Streaming media systems 

1- BlindSideNetworks

2- Ampache: Free opensource Web-based Audio file manager.

3- ePresence

4- QuickTime Streaming Server (QTSS)

5- Unreal Media Server

6- atmosph3re – Responsive web-based streaming audio server for personal music collection.

7- HelixCommunity

8- IIS Media Services

9- Logitech Media Server

10- Open Broadcaster Software

Bandwidth and storage

Bandwidth is the amount of data in GB that is streamed from our servers to your viewers when they watch or download your videos. Streamed content needs to be encoded. Encoding your content is done with a small program, called a codec, the video and audio data processed over a period of time is called bit rate. The bit rate is the bottom line that determines how much data your broadcast will consume.

A broadband speed of 2 Mbit/s or more is recommended for streaming standard definition. Assuming 30 frames per second, here are common recommendations for bit rates for various video resolutions:

Stream Resolution Streaming Bit Rate

4K Resolution - (13 – 34) Mbps

1080p Resolution - ( 3 – 6) Mbps

720p Resolution - ( 1.5 – 4) Mbps

420p Resolution - ( 0.5 – 2) Mbps

360p Resolution - ( 0.4 – 1) Mbps