| Brian Lesser 2005-12-17, 5:45 pm |
| Hi Stefan,
Yes, you're right and thanks for starting a very useful conversation on
the advanced streaming list. It was much appreciated. However, multicast
is a big win in two places. One is on large campus or corporate networks
that are multicast enabled. At Ryerson we multicast with Windows media
all the time. It works very well and has no impact on our core network.
The other is on research networks such as Internet 2 in the US and
CANET4 here in Canada. Research networks are multicast enabled and we do
make use of that feature - mostly via MBone and Access Grid. Also, for
large oranizations an Edge server capable of multicasting within a large
corporate campus might make sense.
However, in the wider and much more important context of the public
Internet you are completely correct. The lack of multicast is no doubt a
contributing factor to the drive toward P2P solutions. Skype for example
is trying to establish itself as THE audio, video, and data P2P network.
In some respects P2P networks represent an economic challenge to FMS for
which I can't think of a simple answer. I am extremely cautious about
the Flash player becoming P2P enabled but am curious about FMS
connecting to P2P networks and what implications that might have. A
network of FMS servers is an interesting idea to consider.
I think there is another issue lurking here. Up to now FMS has been
talking to Flash via TCP. I do wonder what latency and other performance
improvements might be available if UDP were introduced. That would open
the door for multicast down the road.
At any rate, I think you are right on about where Adobe's priorities
should be. Multibitrate or something similar is a big deal as is screen
sharing. Another one on my list is better control of in-memory buffering
within the player.
Yours truly,
-Brian
Stefan Richter wrote:
>I have learned that multicast over the internet does not work. Not with any
>server, on any platform. So unless your audience is intranet/LAN based then
>I fail to see how multicasting will help.
>
>I personally would like to see multi-bitrate (if that's the right term for
>it) support and screensharing implemented first.
>
>Of course multicast support would be nice to have on the feature list too.
>
>Stefan
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>=-----------------------------------------------------------
>Supported by Fig Leaf Software - http://www.figleaf.com
>=-----------------------------------------------------------
>
>To change your subscription options or search the archive:
>http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcomm
>
>
--
________________________________________
______________________________
Brian Lesser
Assistant Director, Teaching and Technology Support
Computing and Communications Services
Ryerson University
350 Victoria St.
Toronto, Ontario Phone: (416) 979-5000 ext. 6835
M5B 2K3 Fax: (416) 979-5220
Office: AB48D E-mail: blesser-6s6ziW1YCwCw5LPnMra/2Q@public.gmane.org
(Enter through LB66) Web: http://www.ryerson.ca/~blesser
________________________________________
______________________________
=-----------------------------------------------------------
Supported by Fig Leaf Software - http://www.figleaf.com
=-----------------------------------------------------------
To change your subscription options or search the archive:
http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcomm
|