How Is Streamed Video Better Than Traditional Media - Oracle Video server Manual

What Is Streamed Digital Video?

How Is Streamed Video Better than Traditional Media?

Streamed video can present several advantages over such traditional media as film
and videotape: like the video on a laser disc, streamed digital video does not
degrade or "wear out" from repeated usage. It remains in original condition until it
is explicitly deleted, modified, or overwritten.
Streaming video over a network also affords a high degree of portability. Unlike the
laser disc, streamed digital video does not require that you physically move the
storage medium with the display mechanism. The client machine need only have
network access to the server machine where the videos are stored.
Digital video is also available as downloaded files, but these files present many of
the same disadvantages as traditional storage media:
More than this, though, streamed digital video is scalable. Many people can view
the same video—not just multiple copies of the same movie title—at very nearly
the same time. The difference in these delivery mechanisms is illustrated in
Figure
1-2 Introducing Oracle Video Server
You must download the entire file before you can view any of the file. In
contrast, you can begin viewing streamed video as soon as the beginning of the
stream reaches the client machine.
The local machine must provide enough storage space to contain the entire
downloaded video file. Streamed video requires that the client machine
provide only enough capacity to store and display the video portion being
delivered and viewed (and perhaps a small buffer to provide error-recovery
capability).
1–1.