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Events: Review

Streaming Media East '99, New York, NY
July 7, 1999 Issue 2.13

East Coast reporting by Catherine Aveni.

In issue 2.12, ITVT reviewed the Stellar One IBS Summit and the Broadband Developer's Conference. Below you'll find information about Streaming Media East '99 and the Ziff Davis Broadband Content Applications Conference held at Chelsea Piers also in NY. Below are a few facts about Streaming Media East '99:

- Sold out for the 2nd year in a row
- Second year of the conference but first year the show open to the public
- 3000 attendees present
- 130 speakers - 60 focused sessions - 55 exhibitors

Walking the show floor, I experienced lots of the same video streaming business models we have been hearing about for years. I had to walk out of the conference when speaker after speaker said things like "The global Internet audience is growing faster than the US audience" or "The biggest video streaming user group is 16-34 net generation who own a good computer and who is skilled enough to install a real player plugin" I knew that already, didn't you?

So, I moved over to "Developing and composing interactive multimedia aps" and heard the tail end of the presentation. After what appeared to be some self-promotion speeches, The moderator Mr. Iri Nathan, president, Pixelwave- asked each panelist to leave us with their favorite source or tidbit of streaming media info. Specifically, Camille Alcasid, VP, Sales & Business Development, Ultimate TV- was the most observant when she said that: "The biggest thing people forget to budget for is the hosting costs". She pointed out that along with the costs of producing, encoding and digitizing a good chunk of her dollar goes to the hosting.

So to provide you with a little more meat in this review, I thought I may highlight two companies that seemed to have something that would interest us "enhanced video enthusiasts"

1) Digital Bitcasting Corporation (a product Ultimate TV raves about).

Why are they cool?- Because they offer MPEG for RealSystem G2 that enables content providers to stream high quality MPEG-1 multimedia at bitrates from 300 kbps to 5 Mbps, and frame-rates from 1fps to 30 fps.

Integrates with RealServer G2.
Same server software supports MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-1 Layer 3 Audio (MP3).
Transmits MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 in native format (no file wrapper).

Why Use MPEG by Bitcasting with RealSystem G2? Enables RealNetworks RealSystem G2 users to create, distribute and playback standard MPEG-1 & MPEG-2 streams. MPEG-1 streams can be encoded in real-time, distributed and played back for live and VoD applications at data rates from 300Kbps-15Mbps, 1-30fps, SIF & QSIF resolution. MPEG-2 streams can be encoded in real-time, distributed and played back for live and VoD applications at data rates from 1Mbps-15Mbps, 24 or 30fps, SIF resolution. MPEG can be distributed via corporate intranet, cable modem, set-top box and satellite. Applications include Entertainment, Distance Learning, Corporate Communications and Telemedicine.

Why use MPEG-1?

One of the most important advantages of MPEG-1 is the fact that it is an ISO standard. This means that MPEG is cross platform, i.e., it can be played back across different components and systems from different manufacturers or service providers. MPEG-1 can be played back by software decoders like RealNetworks G2 Player, set-top boxes that connect to TV monitors, video-CD players, CD-i players, CD-ROM drives and PCs. Thus it is the best digital video format for the home and business environment. MPEG is to digital video what VHS is to analog video: the standard That symbolizes broad industry, acceptance, high quality and interoperability.

Are there any different variations of MPEG-1 files?

MPEG-1 has 4 basic file types.

MPEG-1 System Streams are elementary audio and video streams multiplexed into a single stream. They are identified as ".mpg".
MPEG-1 Elementary Layer 2 audio streams are basic audio. They are identified as .mp2, or .mpa.
MPEG elementary video streams are basic video streams. They are identified as .mpv
MPEG elementary Layer 3 audio streams are optimized

MPEG audio based on an addition to the MPEG audio specification V2.5. They are identified as ".mp3". Any of these MPEG-1 file sub types can be played in the Real System G2 Player with the MPEG plugin. All MPEG-1 files can be identified as .mpg. The other extensions clarify their specific subtype for data management purposes. There are some other variations of these extensions but they are much less common.

1) On2.Com

A broadband Internet network being developed by The Duck Corporation, a developer of video compression solution, TrueMotion VP-3. On2.com will offer video content channels such as on2movies, on2 music, On2games, designed for the broadband enabled consumer.

On2.com's first high-bandwidth offering, On2Movies, is scheduled to launch in Q4 1999. This site, as well as those to follow, plan to serve as a comprehensive resource and entertainment destination showcasing full-motion, TV-quality video-on-demand enhanced with hypertext links and hotspots. The On2.com Broadband Network will feature original video programming as well as programming produced in partnership with brand-name content partners. On2.com will also provide the other services and information including news, interviews, games, shopping, ticketing, databases and chat. "The On2.com Broadband Network appears to deliver what the movie industry and movie fans have been waiting for since the inception of the Internet - full screen, high quality video on the Web," says Brian Dickman, Miramax Films senior vice president, New Media. "It holds exciting potential to be a quantum leap forward in the delivery and presentation of video content on the Internet."