SERVICES

Running head: Streaming Protocols

 

 

 

 

 

Streaming Protocols

Michael DiDiego

DSN 6010 Streaming Media

Wilmington University

February 11, 2008

 

---

Table of Contents

List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………...3

List of Figures……………………………………………………………………………..4

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….5

Reference Model………………………………………………………………………….5

RTSP Protocol Components………………………………………………………………8

Streaming Process………………………………………………………………………....9

Streaming Types………………………………………………………………………….10

Bandwidth and Encoding……………………………………………………………….....11

Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………….12

References………………………………………………………………………………...14

Appendix: Path of Web…………………………………………………………………....15

---

List of Tables

Table: Suitability for Streaming………………………………………………………….13

---

List of Figures

Figure 1: Layers…………………………………………………………………………7

Figure 2: How Streaming Audio & Video Work…………………………………………8

Figure 3: Streaming Media Differences………………………………………………….11

---

Introduction

            This paper addresses streaming protocols.  According to White (2007), a protocol is “a set of hardware and/or software procedures that allows communications to take place within a computer or through a computer network” (p. 497).  Mack (2002) defines protocol as “a set of rules that determine how programs exchange data over a network” (p. 897).  Steinmetz and Nahrstedt (2004) reinforce these concepts by noting: “Basically, a protocol is an agreement between parties on how communication is to proceed” (p. 183). 

To understand the relevance of streaming protocols the roots of the internet protocols, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) will also be reviewed.  Subsequent developed protocols that make possible streaming over the internet will be explored.

Streaming offers a whole new approach to media on the Internet.  Instead of waiting for the whole file to download to a user’s computer before playback begins, streaming media playback occurs as the file is being transferred.  The data travels across the Internet is played back and then discarded.  Streaming media also offers the user control over the stream during playback, something not possible with a Web server.  (Mack, 2002, p. 30)