The real-time streaming is one important feature that websites should consider. In fact, the possibility of publishing live events using media versions ensures that the users are online and therefore the conversion rate will be increased. This feature is achieved by using some techniques based on some specific protocols and dedicated modules. The reality is, the real-time streaming may have some advantages, besides marketing success. It may also have some downsides which may implicate advanced measures. In our context, the most important is how to achieve real-time streaming and which are the available options to make the process as effective as possible.
The streaming services in brief:
The term streaming refers to the fact of reading the file while being downloaded. In other words, the file is read and the content is displayed to the user during the downloading process. The module that reads the file is set to read every received portion of the desired file.
The term is, commonly, reserved for the media files. The servers can deny the download operation- you can’t save a copy on your hard drive- but they allow reading and displaying the content of the media files-streaming the file.
Achieving the streaming services:
The streaming services are achieved by gathering three main elements:
- The source.
- The file.
- The player.
Between the several elements, there will be specific protocols that will handle the process of retrieving the file from the source and make it available for the player. The most common protocols are destined to turn the file into fragments or packets, send these fragments to the player. The player has to run the packets in a way to reconstitute the initial content of the file.
The real-time streaming:
The real-time streaming differs from the regular streaming service that it doesn’t deal with a saved copy of the file but it deals with not yet saved copy. In other words, real streaming resembles a combination of two tasks:
- Stream the file.
- Save a copy of the file.
The requirements to achieve real-time streaming:
This situation implies resorting to protocols that can create a file which is sent to different locations. The first location is the media player; the second location is the storage unit. The protocol called Real Time Streaming Protocol, which is a combination of a Real-time Transport Protocol and a Real-time Control protocol.
Besides, the storage unit is not definitely the hard drive. The players are adapted to buffer the received content. In this case, the streaming control will hand the storage (temporary storage which creates the temporary files). This concept is the core definition of the uni-cast protocol. On the other hand, the developers can opt for the new-made protocol. However, the protocols are based on the basic protocols.
Conclusion:
The live streaming services are in constant development. The works intend to reduce streaming errors and streaming gaps. At that point, considering the bandwidth and internet speed are critical. The making of protocols that allow streaming the media in small and light version will solve part of the issues.