Website Hosting: Streaming Media with Real Server

Digital Media with Helix Universal Server

The following diagram illustrates how these RealNetworks products work together.

 

 

There is a one-time $30 setup fee for Helix Universal Server.

• Allows you to deliver 100 concurrent media streams.
• Includes 500MB disk space ($0.05/MB/Month used above this)
• Includes 1GB transfer ($.20/GB/Month used above this). Transfer is inclusive of streamed content as well as FTP traffic when uploading files to your account.

The default hostname used for streaming content is: stream.websitesource.net

How to Get Started with Streaming Media:

• Order a web hosting account online. All plans include the option of adding multimedia.
• Shared hosting customers click the "Real" icon in your hosting account's control panel.
• All other Hosting Customers: Please email support @ websitesource.com to request the installation. The Customer Service department will setup Helix Server within 2-3 business days upon receiving your request.

What is Streaming Media?

Streaming media is also known as RealMedia, or separately as RealAudio® or RealVideo®. Before the advent of streaming media, your audience had to wait for your media file to download from the Internet or a network server in order to experience it. With streaming media, your audience can see and hear your media almost instantly.

A streaming clip consists of small packets of information that are sent over a network connection. The user receives these information packets in a "stream" and, using a player, experiences your media piece by piece. Thus, the streaming is almost invisible to the user. The process is similar to viewing a film; each frame of a filmstrip is like each data packet. When they are pieced together by a projector, you see the film as one continuous piece.

Help: Real System Overview
Help: Streaming Media Basics
Help: Content Production and Authoring Documentation
FAQ: How to write links to on-demand clips.

Advantages of Helix Universal Server:

• Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP)
• Progressive Networks Audio (PNA)
• Microsoft Media Services (MMS) - QuickTime extension/fomat .mov supported
• HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
• On-Demand Streaming
• Helix Universal Server requires no configuration to stream clips on-demand. You can simply place your clips in the main content directory, and link to them from a Web page.
• The following example shows how you can link to your streaming files: http://domainname:8080/streamingdir/filename.wma