HD Viewing Soon to Arrive Online
High definition viewing on PCs is set to become a reality in the near future thanks to a joint venture by Microsoft and Akamai Technologies Inc.
In a recent announcement, Microsoft stated that it is going to release a Web server technology called Smooth Streaming which aims to get rid of start-up times and disposing of the much-hated buffering altogether. It sounds too good to be true, but in the near future you will not be able to believe just what you used to put up with when viewing online.
Smooth Steaming will work by adapting the quality levels of the stream according to changes in the connectivity speed. This means that average viewing times are likely to be extended, allowing companies to boost their ad revenues and capitalize on brand awareness.
Scott Guthrie, corporate vice president of .NET Developer Division at Microsoft, said: “Our objective has always been to provide a platform that enables next-generation media experiences on the Web. Together with Akamai, we will take that a step further by offering a consistently superior adaptive streaming experience on a global scale,” and that Smooth Streaming was an “evolution” of Silverlight technology.
Akamai’s input comes from its AdaptiveEdge Streaming for Silverlight, which will be deployed across the company’s global network. Early 2009 will see the beta service launched, and it will support ISS Smooth Streaming which will be featured in the ISS7 Media Pack. This will also include features such as bit-rate throttling and playlists, and will be enhanced by the interactive applications that the Silverlight player enables.
The demand for HD content online has been growing recently. Tim Napoleon, Chief Strategist of Digital Media at Akamai, highlights the challenge that “capabilities in the online world vary greatly for each user”. However, because “adaptive streaming allows the video to adjust to the audience” the user’s experience will be magnified.
In an increasingly demanding consumer market, where quality is essential for viewing pleasure online, HD quality brings some huge benefits. We are entering an exciting new era in online viewing, and there will be lots of eager consumers out there waiting to get their hands on the new technology as soon as they can.
