What is Streaming Media?

Streaming media is a method of making audio, video and other multimedia available in real-time, with no download wait, over the Internet or corporate Intranets. Streaming media consists of specially encoded video hosted on a streaming media server being viewed by a web audience through a streaming media player.

 

Benefits of Streaming Media
Adding streaming media to your web site provides these competitive advantages:

• Entertains while it informs and motivates
  
• Demonstrates products and services in action
• Keeps people at your site longer attracting advertising
  
• Breaks through the clutter of text based web sites
  
• Enhances branding by reinforcing image created in other media
  
• Appeals to heavy web users who purchase products on-line

Types of Streaming Media
The three most popular types of streaming media are RealMedia, WindowsMedia and QuickTime. Each type has advantages and disadvantages depending on the application and audience. See the demos to learn more.

Broadband
Broadband refers to Internet connections that are faster than the common 56 kbps consumer modem connections. Many workplaces and schools have broadband network access to the Internet. Now, a growing number of consumers are establishing broadband connections to the Internet at home using a cable modem or DSL. These connections can be 5 to 30 times faster than a 56k modem. Faster connections significantly improve the quality of listening to audio and watching video over the Internet.

US Broadband Users as a % of Total Internet Users
1999-2003 (Millions)

Year	Broadband Users	Total Internet Users	Broadband Users as a % of Total
1999	2.50	58.00	4%
2000	5.51	75.75	7%
2001	10.98	90.00	12%
2002	17.77	103.88	17%
2003	25.09	118.25	21%

Source: eMarketer, 2000