Video Distribution Systems

Introduction

In the recent past there has been increased transfer of graphics and data which has enabled the distribution of video over the internet.  This has become useful especial in corporate training, a launch of a new product or in the general data transfer process. It has also become useful to the media world which transit videos. Window has developed the most recent technology that has enabled the transfer of videos from the source to the receiver through transfer and encoding process.

Microsoft media services

Windows Media Service is one of the many component products in the Window 2000 server family.  It is a streamlining protocol that is used in transferring data in windows media service by using UDP or TCP. Through the windows media service, one is able to deliver content including videos over the intranet or over the internet.  Through streaming one can reduce the wait time and requirement for storage. This also enhances presentation of unlimited length including live broadcast which is mostly used by the media services. (Microsoft Media Services, 2008)

The common set up that is used by the Television and newspaper companies usually includes a server component which is used to transmit the video to the window media player or the client component. Therefore the basic set up involves a server from the TV station and a receiver which is the window media player which decodes the video on the side of the client.

Difference between Unicast and Multicast

Unicast describes the condition in which information is usually sent form one point to other while multicast describes a condition where information is usually delivered from many points to other many points.

Therefore multicast describes the delivery of data from a group of destinations in the simultaneous manner delivering the information to each of the points once and making copies in case the destination is split. Unicast on the other hand has one destination which receives data from one source host. An example of Unicast includes all the TCP connections. Multicast is usually used when we are referring to the IP multicast or it can also be used to describe ATM point to the multipoint VCs

How does window encoder enable streaming of media over a network?

Streaming is an important process in the transmission of the video content using the Window Medial Service. Streaming reduces the time that one has to wait to receive the data and it also reduced the requirement for storage. Window encoder assist in the streaming of the data by ensuring that the client can actually render the data the way it is received without having to download it first. This ensures that is continuous flow of data which enables live broadcasts. The encoder achieves this by converting the source material into the format which is the same as the receiving device. For example it may make the picture appear smaller or reduce the frames received per second. Windows (Media Services 2008)

Conclusion

Microsoft Media Service has made it easy to share data from one source to anther. It has in particular become useful to the media station like Television whey they are broadcasting live.  Through the encoding processing, they are able to transmit video from their servers to the client receptors. The Unicast process describes the process where data is transferred from on source to another sources while the multicast process described the situation were data is sent from multiple sources to multiple destinations.

Reference:

Microsoft Media Services, (2008): White Paper, Webcast, and downloads. Retrieved from http://search.techrepublic.com.com/search/microsoft+media+services.html on 30^th July 2008

Windows Media Services 2008, Retrieved from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/serve/prodinfo2008.aspx on 30^th July 2008