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Webcasting
Software
Tools for the Job
Webcasting
software is used to develop and present programs over the Internet.
These software programs are used to manipulate the video and audio data
that will be used in a multimedia presentation.
Once the multimedia
presentation is finalized, the data is then compressed for transmission
over the Internet to users.
Software for webcasting can be divided into two different
categories: systems
software and
application
software.
- Systems software interacts with the computer at
low levels. These systems software include operating systems,
compliers, utilities, and resources.
- Applications software includes
databases, word processors, webcasting software, streaming video
software, and streaming audio software.
When
deciding which webcasting software to download for free or purchase you
should verify the formats that the webcast software supports. Then you
will need to verify the formats that the webcast server will support to
make sure that they are compatible.
This is important if you intend to
use a basic web server, streaming
web servers can handle all of these
software formats. The typical webcasting
formats are in application
software for
webcasts include:
- MP3 – Motion Picture Experts Group Audio Layer 3
- MPEG4 – Motion Picture Experts Group audio and
video
- OGG – video and audio
- NetShow
– streaming multimedia
- WMA –
Windows Media Audio
- Real Audio
– audio files
- Real Video –
video files
- HE AAC – High
Efficiency lousy data compression
- ASF – Advanced Streaming Format
- SWF – Shock Wave Flash
- FLV –
Flash Video
- VoIP – Voice over
Internet Protocol
- Real Media –
multimedia files
- Quick Time –
video, audio, multimedia files
- DivX – compresses lengthy video segments
- WMV – Windows Media Video
- 3GP
– mobile phones
- AVI – Audio
Video Interleaved
- WAV –
Windows Audio Video
Most people have the
computer and hardware necessary to listen to and watch webcasts. The
software needed to watch webcasts can be downloaded free from the
internet.
For the webcasting software applications to run smoothly on
the computer being used to by the end user, the following
are needed:
- Computer with at least a 166MHz processor
- Internet connection of at least 28.8 K for
audio or 56K for audio and
video
- Web browser
- Media player – Real Player, QuickTime, Windows
Media Player, et.
- Sound card
- Video card
- External speakers
For those that intend to
create a webcast, they will need
the following equipment and software:
- Multimedia computer
- High
bandwidth connection to server via Internet
- Streaming server
- Video capture
program
- Audio capture program
- Encoder software
Some of these are fine,
while others are very basic. The best thing to do is research which one
of these webcasting software programs meets your needs.
The
following are leading webcasts on the Internet and you can check to see
how software applications work (these change periodically, so you may
need to check other webcasts).
To get a feel for how webcasts work and
the functions of webcasting software programs available on the Internet
for free downloading,
you should view these sites:
- BackWeb – developer’s kit includes and intranet
to create own channels,
flash, screensaver, scrolling ticker, launch from user, pop up window
- Castanet – encourages channel development by
websites, separate
application or an application that is launched from web browser
- Headliner – hundreds of channels, will merge
with BackWeb, scrolling
ticker, screen saver, easy turn on and off
For
additional video
webcasting
issues, such as the webcasting
software section here, please check out the
related topics: webcast
services, live
webcasting, webcasting
formats, streaming
media webcast and webcast
company.
If
you are looking for a little more
hands-on
type information, take a peek at the online video sharing,
video
streaming
information, media
streaming, video
teleconference and how
to stream video.
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