[thelist] darwin streaming server

genghis at members.evolt.org genghis at members.evolt.org
Mon Mar 19 12:42:15 CST 2001


> -----Original Message-----
> From: thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org
> [mailto:thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org]On Behalf Of Jake Stetser
> Sent: 19 March 2001 17:32
> To: 'thelist at lists.evolt.org'
> Subject: RE: [thelist] darwin streaming server
> 
> >Quicktime does have these very serious disadvantages, though:
> 
> >*  It can't really handle broadband
> What do you mean? For one, how does a media format 'handle' 
> broadband? Two,
> I refer you to Apple's quicktime previews of movies - those look 
> really good
> on a cable connection! 

Progressive downloads, every time.

> >*  It still doesn't so much stream as do a progressive download
> >   which leaves a copy of the movie in tact in your cache
> This is true if you don't STREAM the movie. 

...coming to that...

> >*  It SUCKS at live broadcasting - and there's only one
> >   live encoder on earth, and it only runs on Macs.
> Yeah, those keynotes are just awful quality 

So are movies which you can stream on demand.  The codecs
for streaming (which need to be adaptive to an extent, and
can't not degrade under certain circumstances) just
aren't up to the job - no matter how fat your pipe is
at home (oo-er missus) it'll look as bad as those keynotes,
or nearly as bad.

I've been keeping an eye on it anyway - there's an outfit
in LA called Static.com who've been developing freeware codecs
and broadcast apps which don't come from Apple's chosen
monopoly supplier, Sorenson.  [clickety click]

Site's a bit sparse but I definitely have an alpha
broadcast app around here for Win32. [clickety click]
Oh, it's expired. :-(

The only remaining hint I'd have is that Apple's
Quicktime people are completely and utterly not fscking 
interested in you if you're not using a Mac: "Why would
we want to help someone develop a live encoder for another
operating system?"  was one question I got from Team
Navelgazing (TM).  I tried to explain it to him but 
received actual verbal abuse in response (copy available
on request, if I'm in a bad mood later in the week.).

If you're got a budget, there's another Darwin server
from a company called Entera, which has been out for
a lot longer and has much nicer people behind it. They
ported Darwin to Linux about 2 years ago, before
Apple bothered to try.

------------------------------------------
John Handelaar

T +44 20 7209 4117       M +44 7930 681789
F +44 870 169 7657   E john at userfrenzy.com
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