Streaming Stored Audio

 By Raul Bernardino

Introduction:

Nowadays, the audio and video streaming becomes one of the popular interactive web sites to be visited and streamed the videos and audios. For instance is a video or an audio streaming in the youtube web site and etc. The streaming are one of the process to play a file (audio or video) while it is still in the process of downloading. There are two typical problems as follows:

• The audio or video may or may not be in the compressing mode. The compressing mode audio file will be less lost tolerant in compare to the uncompressing audio file which is loss file or missing part of the audio or either video files
• The time is sensitive for storing of the audio or video file is less than that of the real-time audio where the client application can cache part of the streaming that is yet to play and for this reason have some tolerance

The streaming stored audio advantages over UDP Transport protocol as follows:

• It has better quality and have no overhead connection management like TCP does
• It can communicate with multiple ports and the speeds are faster
• The streaming stored audio disadvantage over UDP transport protocol as follows:
• It needs control protocol whereas either over UDP port or TCP connection
• If the streaming stored file is compressed it may loss or reduce the quality to below entrance
• It cannot smooth moving over firewalls, Network Address Translations (NAT), and several routers

The streaming stored audio advantages over TCP transport protocol as follows:

• It cans guarantee minimum level of the sound quality
• It cans easily moving over firewalls and NAT configuration
• It does not need control protocol like UDP does because TCP has it on control channel

The streaming stored audio disadvantage over TCP transport protocol as follows:

• The data through put may be lower or slower than UDP because every time packets delivery has to ACK or NACK
• It is not practical in the multiple connection

The RealNetworks: The RealNetworks is a company that provides internet media software services which is based in the USA. This company has created several products such as Realvideo, RealAudio, RealPlayer, and ReadDownloader. It is also including Unifi a could media services for personal, Rinse which is a digital cleap tool for the music library, and Helix which is a technology of moving digital data or media to user end (PC, mobiles, and other devices).

The Realaudio is an audio software application whereas in the compressing format. The RealVideo is a video software application whereas in the compression format. The RealPlayer is a software media where to play the audio or video. While, the RealDownloader is a software application for the downloading manager. The RealNetworks is also providing entertainment and messaging services to the mobile operators.

The Microsoft: The Microsoft media streaming protocol has two differentiate protocols as follows:

• The Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP)
•  Microsoft Media Services (MMS) protocol

The RSTP is one of the application protocol layers that created with the specific task where to control the moving of real time data namely data that contains video or audio. The RTSP is also use streaming video or audio contains in the client PC where it use window media player version 9 or later series. This RTSP is working the RTP (real-time transport protocol) either it uses UDP or TCP.

The MMS is a proprietary of the application protocol layer whereas it developed for windows media services earlier version.

References list:

1. Kurose J.F., Ross K.W., 2010: Computer Networking; A Top-Down Approach: 5^th Edition’; Boston, Addison-Wesley
2. Lecture notes, CPCOMM_week3_lecture
3.  DNS- Domain Name System, [on-line]. Available from: http://www.akber.com/streaming-stored-audio   (Accessed date: August 19, 2011)
4. Real Time Streaming Protocol, [on-line]. Available from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Time_Streaming_Protocol    (Accessed date: August 19, 2011)
5.  Firewall Information for Windows Media Services 9 Series, [on-line]. Available from:   http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/serve/firewall.aspx (Accessed date: August 19, 2011)
6. RealNetworks, [on-line]. Available from:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RealNetworks (Accessed date: August 19, 2011)