Streaming applications


side type of connection ID QuickTime
UCL
LIVE.COM
Real
ICAST
IP/TV
NetShow
StreamWorks
*
 *
*
*
 *
 
 *
 
encode video unicast  S
vic
vic 

UTG client
vic 

multikit
RealProducer
I-Caster
IP/TV  Server
 NetShow 
Encoder
MPEGLive! Encoder
view video unicast R1/R2
QuickTime Player
vic 

UTG Client
vic 

multikit
RealPlayer
I-Viewer & Guide
IP/TV Content Server IP/TV Viewer
Media Player
XingMPEG Player
view video multicast
P/Q
QuickTime Player
vic 

sdr
vic 

multikit
RealPlayer
I-Viewer & Guide
IP/TV Content Server IP/TV Viewer
Media Player
XingMPEG Player
gateway/server multicast and unicast G1/G2
Darwin/QT
Streaming Server
UCL Server
liveGate
RealServer
I-Relay
IP/TV SmallCast
 NetShow Server
StreamWorks Server
 * tested
 

Results tested applications

 
Application stack QuickTime 'Mbone' tools web camera Microsoft Media Player RealNetworks FVC.COM UCL/UTG
Viewer
QuickTime Player vic / rat / multikit / UTG client Netscape Media Player RealPlayer I Viewer and Guide -
Version 4 v2.8ucl1 / v3.0.25s1 / 1.0a50 / 1.2 4.5 6.4.05.0809 6.0.7.380 3.312 -
File size [MByte] 3.3 1.6 /0.7/2.0/3.3 0 3.5 2.4 4.7 -
OS1 Windows/Mac Windows/Unix Windows/Unix Windows Windows/Unix Windows -
IP networking unicast/multicast multicast unicast unicast/multicast unicast/multicast multicast -
PAT/NAT possible8 yes yes/yes/yes/no yes yes yes yes -
Dynamic IP address yes yes/yes/no10/no11 yes yes yes ??? -
bugs/features5 - autoexec.bat3 -4 - - invalid user13 -
audio/video sync. no - yes yes -
stability of use6 ??? good good good good good -
delay [sec] up to 10 up to 30 up to 50 up to 25 -
price $30/PD PD/PD/PD/PD PD PD $20/PD PD -
'video quality'
(56) 
(28.8)
 -
'audio quality' GSM like N.A. GSM like good (56) 
GSM like (28.8)		 -
installed base medium small large medium large medium -
Encoder
IP/TV Server vic/rat ISpy Media Encoder RealProducer
Plus G2		 I-Caster -
Version 2.0.0.408 v2.8ucl1 / v3.0.25s1 2.00 4.0.0.3845 6.1.0.153 3.02 build 1051 -
OS1 Windows Window/Unix Windows Windows Windows Windows -
average CPU-load2 20%12 30% 7.5% 100% 75%(56) 
65%(28.8)		 97% -
IP networking unicast/multicast unicast/multicast unicast unicast unicast unicast/multicast -
PAT/NAT
possible8		 ??? yes/yes yes yes no ??? -
Dynamic IP address yes yes/yes yes no yes ???
stand-alone yes no yes yes yes no -
bugs/features5 - minor/minor  - minor minor minor -
stability of use6 good bad/good good good good N.A.7 -
prices ??? PD $50/PD PD $150 N.A.7 -
Gateway
Darwin/QT Streamer Server liveGate WebServer NetShow Streaming Media Services RealServer G2 I-Relay UTG server
Version 2.0.4 1.2 many 3.0.0.2700 6.0.3.353 - 1.2a
OS1 Unix/Mac OSX WindowsNT/Unix Windows/Unix WindowsNT Windows/Unix - Unix
IP networking towards Gateway multicast/unicast multicast unicast unicast unicast mulitcats multicast
IP networking towards Viewer unicast unicast (multicast) unicast unicast/multicast unicast/multicast unicast unicast
bugs/features5 only tested Unix - - it keeps the ISDN open with polling - - PAT?
stability of use6 good good good good good good good
price PD $200/PD N.A. PD $685/PD N.A.7 PD
statistic of users no no yes yes yes ??? no
access list no yes no yes9 yes ??? no
max. # users > 1000 unlimited unlimited unlimited/unlimited 100/unlimited ??? unlimited
Remarks:
  1. 'Windows' means: Windows95 and Windows NT4.0 service pack 3
  2. CPU load on a Pentium II, 200 MHz, Windows95, picture size of 320x240 pixels or QCIF (see examples), GSM type audio and 28.8 kbit/s modem capacity.
  3. Remember to add in the autoexec.bat file the set for the Mbone tools:

    4. SET HOMEDIR=C:\Program Files\Mbone (in case you used the default directory for them)
  4. Netscape Navigator 4.0.* does not recognize when pulling a web page with changed elements (like pictures). A javascript is incorporated for this.
  5. More info on bug/features of tested software you can find here.
  6. stability of use has two levels:
  7. I-Caster and I-Relay is not available as just software, it is part of a whole system providing hard- and software for encoding and recording (called or I-Caster or I-Studio). In this test it was only used as seperate software, so the performance could change if it was on the 'intended' box.
  8. PAT (Port Address Translation) or NAT (Network Address Translation) can be used when a LAN is connected to an ISP that only supports single hosts to be connected to its network.
  9. You can't do this per stream, one has to do this within the NT-registry.
  10. Dynamic addresses can be handled by multikit, but only reasonable if the viewer is in a small network (<=/24)
  11. UTG client can work with dynimic addresses, but you first have to configure it with the current IP address (use e.g. winipcfg).
  12. H.261 compresssion 1 fps and 80 kbit/s
  13. Error Invalid user if not logged in Microsoft  Network

Last major content related changes: Jan. 22th, 2000