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As a leading video hosting and publishing solution, Streaming Media Hosting gives you everything you need to deliver professional quality video to audiences on every screen.
Companies Who Trusted SMH
- What is Streaming?
Streaming, unfortunately, is a term too often used incorrectly when describing the content delivery of video or mp3 music over the internet. There are actually two very different methods of delivery; HTTP or “Progressive Download” and RTMP which is true “Streaming”.
- How do I keep visitors from stealing my videos or MP3s?
With Progressive Download, video files are played only after the file has been downloaded and stored – or “Cached” — in the viewer’s computer browser. Once a file is cached, a user can fish it out of the browser, save it and send it to their friends, if they want. With “Streaming”, the video is broken up into small packets with only small parts of the file ever actually in the browser so the file is NOT cached or ever able to be saved. Most people don’t want their content to be saved by viewers so they choose Streaming to protect their music and videos.
- I’ve heard that with Progressive Download (HTTP) the download doesn’t end when you hit Stop. Is that true?
Yes, with Progressive Download, by default the entire file will continue to download into the browser cache, even if the viewer clicks away. The only way to stop it is to actually ‘close’ the browser. If your files are very long and if visitors to your site do much clicking around, well, do the math — your data transfer can increase pretty quickly, potentially costing you money for video that’s not even being viewed. With ‘Streaming’, when a viewer clicks away, your data transfer stops and includes only that portion watched.
Yes, Streaming is better. In fact, RTMP delivery over a CDN (Content Delivery Network) is the method preferred by most movie studios and broadcast networks.
Yes – even all the way to the end, if you want. With Streaming, because you’re actually only playing small packets of content, you can ‘scrub to’ and instantly play any portion of the video at any time. With Progressive or HTTP Download, the content must download in one long linear file which means you can’t scrub forward past what’s downloaded. So if it’s a long video, you’re stuck waiting.
- How does a Video’s Encoded Bitrate effect Bandwidth?
The Encoded Bitrate of a video – also called data rate — is a measure of the required data (Kilobits) to be transferred over a unit of time (one second) for proper playback. Videos can be encoded at any bitrate. The question is, will the viewer have an internet connection with sufficient available bandwidth to playback the video. A video encoded at a bitrate of, say 350 Kilobits per second, will require at least the same amount of Bandwidth to be viewed without appearing “jerky”.
One perfect encoding rate!? – if only there was one.
The available download Bandwidth of viewers can, unfortunately, vary dramatically. And while 350Kbps is often suggested, for a growing number, this is way too low – while for some, it’s still too high. The answer is to offer “Variable Bitrates”; content encoded at multiple encoding rates. Like, say, 300, 500 and 700Kbps — even higher if you want, like HD! But this option is only available with Streaming as the RTMP server can actually detect available bandwidth of the viewer then determine and deliver the video best suited to their available bandwidth. HTTP can’t do that.
High Definition over the internet.
As broadband cable connections dramatically gain wide spread acceptance, HD is rapidly becoming not only an affordable high-quality format for both consumers and video publishers – it is also quickly becoming an expected option. HD offers dramatically higher resolution for a sharper picture with fuller, richer colors and typically is presented in a 16 by 9 aspect ratio for that full theatrical “wide-screen” feel. Encoding rates for HD over the internet vary but typically range anywhere from 1000 Kilo-bits per second to over 4000. That’s a lot of data transfer, so you definitely want to ‘Stream’ HD.
What Our Customers are Saying
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- BET President Barack Obama Inaugration“ Thank you very much Streaming Media Hosting. I really appreciate how your team pulled together to help us broadcast Obama’s inauguration. We appreciate all of your patience and professionalism ”
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- Learn 360“ Thanks for all your help. It is un believable how fast videos start playing off your network. I have tried it on wireless, from home, from the office and it still starts instantly, very impressive… ”
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- The McGraw-Hill Companies“ Nice work on this! Our sales reps are really pumped up about this opportunity. ”
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- Cornell University“ We rely on Streaming Media Hosting to deliver CornellCast’s growing library of lectures, podcasts and performances. Students and teachers alike regularly view the site and we are delighted with the results. It’s been a pleasure working with them. ”
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- CJ Advertising“ Let me just give you some positive feedback: I’ve contacted a ton of streaming providers today (including Akamai and Mirror Image among others) and you’re the only one who seems interested in earning my business by getting back to me. You have definitely sold me due to your attention to customer service. ”
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- TV One“ I am very happy with the services we are receiving from Streaming Media Hosting. I really appreciate how reliable, timely and smart the SMH folks are and they really give you the sense that everyone has a stake in the company’s performance. Additionally, our relationship has been excellent in several key areas. First, they are competitive with their pricing and have been willing to negotiate rates at any time. Second, when you have an immediate need and prefer to speak directly with the person that will resolve your issues – they get you who and what you need in a timely manner.”
