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An Inside Look TECHNICAL FAQS |
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TECHNICAL
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q: What Is "Streaming Video"? There are three ways of getting video files (which are usually very large) to the end user: 1. Download - Download the entire file over the Internet, save it to the user's machine, and then play it from the hard disk. 2. Progressive Download - Download part of the file, and start playing the file as the last part of it downloads. The file is saved locally, as if it were downloaded, but playback begins before the download finishes. 3. Streaming - Play the file directly from the network as it gets to the machine. This method does not save the file to the local hard disk. Q: How Do Live Streams Work? The information is not saved anywhere. The server that you connect to transmits the data upon request. Since you can never have an existing file for a live event, streaming is the only delivery method for live material. Q: What Is Buffering? When a file is streamed, it is played entirely over the network. No network is 100% reliable or consistent, so the player software stores some of the stream, 10 seconds for example, before playing it. That way, it always has 10 seconds worth of material to play if there’s a network problem, so the connection can be fussy for up to 8 or 9 seconds, and the viewer will never see a problem because the player just plays the buffered material while it waits for more of the stream over the network. Q: What is a Firewall? A firewall protects a computer network from unauthorized access. Firewalls may be hardware devices, software programs, or a combination of the two. A firewall typically guards an internal network against malicious access from the outside; however, firewalls may also be configured to limit access to the outside from internal users. Q: Common Problems- I cannot play the video! (Firewall) If you cannot get your media player to play the video from inside of your office or school, it is most likely because there is a firewall security system blocking the video stream. You will need to contact your Technology Director and let them know. If you are still having problems viewing videos through your Windows Media Player, or QuickTime player, we suggest you consult the technical support pages for those players: QuickTime Player: QuickTime Support Windows Media Player: Windows Media Player FAQ |
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