Entertainment Everywhere:Streaming Technologies

By Travis Carlston

This is for those who get swamped at work and need a break and also for those who get done with the work and then have to sit around watching the time go by.

• Streaming technology allows you to transmit audio, video and other multimedia over the Internet.  Streaming media devices deliver audio and video without making the viewer wait tediously to download files.  As your computer plays the media file, it continues to download and buffer additional content from the streaming server.  Playing and downloading happen at the same time.  This process is almost invisible to the viewer except for a short period of initial buffering.

What Programs/Software are offered?

For streaming media there is both the route where you pay money for the service or device and service then there are the programs that you can find that provide the service for free but just don’t give you the features that you would get with the other service or device.

Sling Media SlingBox

• The Slingbox turns any Internet-connected PC or laptop, Mac, or smartphone into your home television. That means you can watch TV virtually anywhere in the world.

• Prices range from $79.99 to $229.99

Typical Slingbox Layout

Produced by Sony it is very similar to the service offered by sling media but it is easily compatible with Sony products such as the PSP

Joost is a completely free service that allows users to stream on-demand television shows to their PC. It is supported almost entirely by advertising and was originally developed by Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström, the founders of Skype and KaZaA.

• It's video – more than 15,000 shows, with more added daily.

• It's online – all you need is a broadband internet connection.

The words "free" and "legal" don't usually jibe when music is involved. But Ruckus has brought the two together. It offers a service to students with valid college email accounts. Not only do the subscribers get access to tons of free music but also streaming videos which include pretty much B-rated movies, some of which you may have heard of and also tons of Web Shows. All the site asks is that when you graduate you continue your loyalty by then paying a monthly fee.

SopCast is P2P (peer to peer) streaming television software. The entire network gets its money from advertisements or as they call it “impressions” that run while your video is loading. The quality of the video varies depending on its source and the features and functions are not to the level that Joost’s are but none the less it’s a program that you can use for watching a show if you are not near a television.

Limitations to all these Programs• Must have a home network to stream media

using SlingBox or Location Free• You have to have a good internet connection for

all of them.• Joost is still considered in its beta stages so they

are always working on the software which = Downtime

• Sopcast you loose picture quality and the channels change numbers.

• Ruckus mainly for music. Better video is on its way though.