WHY DO I WANT TO STREAM?

Because, according to Arbitron/Edison Media Research, seven out of ten Internet users in the U.S. say Web sites would be more enjoyable if audio and video were included more often.
Enterprises are reaping the benefits of streaming now.

More than one in every four is already a “Streamie” (someone who has listened to streaming audio or watched streaming video online).

Offering numerous case studies on their Web site, Microsoft shows that enterprisecustomers such as Aetna, Fujitsu, and Hewlett Packard are already gaining remarkableROI (return on investment) for their streaming initiatives.

The Aberdeen Group, an independent consultancy that prepared the Hewlett Packard case study, reports...
“[HP] was able to streamline product introductions, increase the effectiveness andreach of its communications, and significantly reduce the costs of key communications.The cost savings—derived primarily from reducing the use of multi-city road-shows,audio bridges, and satellite links—were approximately $1.2 million in the first yearand generated an ROI of over 1800% and a one-month payback.

Therefore, Aberdeen concludes that the business benefits are sufficiently compelling that enterprises should seriously investigate deploying streaming media technology.”

The three most common ways enterprises use streaming are for corporate communications, electronic learning, and sales & marketing.

Enterprise customers should consider using streaming technology to:

• Send e-broadcasts across their corporations
• Give remote presentations to employees, customers, and partners
• Deliver end-to-end training to the sales force or retail locations
• Enhance professional development and communicate HR policies
• Conduct pre-sales demos
• Provide customer service

Streaming media attracts high-value e-consumers.

The power of streaming is also becoming apparent for B2C (business-to-consumer)e-commerce entrepreneurs. According to a study conducted in the U.S., called “TheBuying Power of ‘Streamies,’ " and published by The Arbitron Company and EdisonMedia Research, “Streamies, those people who watch or listen to Internet audio andvideo… represent 43% of Web users and 24% of all Americans.

These are the most experienced Web users, spending 46% more time online than the average person. Streamies, are twice as likely to click on Web ads and make online purchases, spend lots of money online and plan to spend even more.”

The study concludes that when web sites integrate streaming media into their content, they will attract more of these potentially high value customers.

In an even more recent study, “Startling New Insights about the Internet and Streaming,” published in September 2000, Arbitron/Edison Media Research tell us that 56% of Streamies have made an online purchase, spending a mean amount of $768 per year online, as opposed to 33% of non-Streamies making online purchases with mean online spending at $596 per year.

The advantages of streaming far outweigh its shortcomings...

Quality concerns will continue to challenge media streamed over the public Internet,until broadband is ubiquitous.

Even now, however, streaming offers distinct advantages that other methods of media delivery do not provide:

• No waiting for complete downloads—well, not “much” waiting, anyway.
• Streamed files are not written to disk—they are processed and played as they arereceived, then discarded, leaving no residual copy of the content on the receivingdevice, and thereby alleviating copyright concerns.
• Streaming is capable of conveying live events around the globe in near real time.
• Supports interactivity, allowing content to be experienced in a non-linear manner. Video-on-demand, for example, can be chapterized, allowing users to jump to desired portions.
  

Streaming media content is an excellent way to enhance otherwise dull and static Websites.

A Streaming Factoid

Web server vs. streaming server—what’s the difference?

Earlier in this primer, we distinguished between a Web server and a streaming server. Publishing your streaming media fi les on a Web server is possible, but it results in pseudo-streaming (aka progressive download, aka HTTP streaming, aka fast start streaming in the QuickTime architecture).

For true streaming (aka hinted streaming in the QuickTime architecture), streaming media files must be posted to a true streaming server.