VSW encodes and streams live and on-demand audio and video. It combines the streaming media with applications like Microsoft's PowerPoint to deliver an interactive presentation with live question-and-answer sessions and reader polls.
VSM also lets you register, notify and authenticate participants. I tested these capabilities at Network Computing's Real-World Labs® at Syracuse University using a Hewlett-Packard Co. Kayak workstation with a Pentium III (667-MHz) processor, 384 MB of RAM and all the necessary VSM components, including Virage SmartEncode and a Virage Solution Server (VSS).
X-Files
The SmartEncode process takes standard analog (NTSC, PAL, SECAM) or digital video (DV, SDI) and transforms it into a proprietary VDF (Variable Definition File) format for Webcasting through the VideoLogger application. The VideoLogger logs and indexes audio and video, and controls the encoding process for third-party products from the likes of Microsoft and RealNetworks. In an enterprise implementation, the VideoLogger would reside on its own Windows PC (minimum 500-MHz Pentium processor with 512 MB of RAM).
The HP Kayak came equipped with two Osprey 100 video-capture cards--one to capture the video exported from a Panasonic Digital Video Camcorder (PV-DV952) and one to capture a PowerPoint presentation. The VideoLogger, a multithreaded application that generates HTML pages based on queries to the VDF index file, includes a plug-in to receive data from a PowerPoint presentation via a MediaSync application.
Discover the benefits of scalable backbone and network services for application and cloud providers.
Network automation is gaining momentum. Here's how you can drive this powerful technology to its full potential.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
