Once your film, TVC or corporate production is complete, AUS-TV can create an internet based presence for your presentation as a Webcast or Streamed media accessible throughout the world on the Internet.

What is Streaming?

There are two ways to listen to or watch audio and video files on the internet. The first is to download the file to your computer's hard drive and watch the file after it resides there.

The other way is to start a progressive download of the file, where the file isn't downloaded to your computer in a lasting way. This is called Streaming.

For example, if you listen to a radio station online, you will be "streaming" the music, as you're listening live and couldn't download all the songs that they play. Instead, your computer connects to the radio station and receives an ongoing audio feed, or stream, with the radio station's programming. When you stream a file, you get to listen to or watch it, but won't have the file on your computer to do things with later. Some websites offer streaming as a way to make their content available, but not let people have it without buying it.

So How does Webcasting work?

To view a webcast or other video/audio files you need a multi-media PC with Internet access via a fast broadband connection, an Internet Explorer or Firefox browser, and the appropriate software

Video and audio content from your server is transferred to "streaming media" software running on a PC equipped with capture cards. The content is encoded, and then sent to a specialised server. This server distributes the webcast onto the Internet - either as a live broadcast, or as "on demand" content" stored for later access. For viewing and listening, a software program such as RealPlayer stored on the viewer's computer then converts the data stream from the webcast server.

What is the difference between webcasting and streaming?

In general, the terms are used inter-changeably. Technically, "Webcasting" covers all the steps in producing an online broadcast - from capture and coding of content through to delivery, whereas "Streaming" refers to the software that actually delivers the webcast to the viewer's desktop player program over the web. The word comes from the way it works: webcast data is viewed, but not actually downloaded in full and stored on the user's computer - it just "streams" through in real time, piece by piece.

What do you need on a PC to experience a webcast?

The vast majority of late-model PC's come equipped with everything you need: at least a fast processor, a sound card, and a player program which can be downloaded for free from the Internet. For the recommended system configuration, please see your PC's System Requirements for Streaming Video and Audio.

Email us about webcasting at austv@tvaustralia.com.