Rev NS001b004 Windows Media Player and DirectShow Support
page 37
NetStream 2000TV supports the Windows Media Player and
DirectShow. The Windows Media Player application uses the
DirectShow API to play a variety of digital video, animation, and audio
files, including MPEG-1and MPEG-2 video. Windows Media Player can
run as a standalone application, or be embedded as an ActiveX control
within web pages or other Windows programs. Windows Media Player
can be configured to select and use NetStream 2000TV to play back
MPEG-1 and -2 files under DirectShow version 7 and earlier.
Windows Media Player and DirectShow work in all 32-bit versions of
Windows, including Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0 and 2000. For best results,
download and install the newest version of Windows Media Player from
the Microsoft website at www.microsoft.com.
Windows Media Player works with DirectShow and NetStream 2000TV
to support streaming video playback using various companies’ video
server products. Sigma Designs maintains a detailed compatibility list
online at www.sigmadesigns.com. To obtain streaming video server
software, contact the developers of those packages directly.
Numerous techniques, each with distinct advantages, can be used to
stream MPEG video over a network. Streaming video server
requirements vary greatly – a server for 10,000 simultaneous users is
very different from a video server for 50 users. Also, playing MPEG
over a network substantially drains network resources -- MPEG video
consumes 1 to 8 Mbits per second of sustained bandwidth, making it
easy to saturate a 100 Mbit/sec (100BaseT) network. Using high quality
network adapters and Ethernet switches is essential for quality streaming
video.
While NetStream 2000TV supports a variety of streaming techniques,
the streaming video client software must actually implement those
techniques to make them available to the end-user.
Multicasting, a streaming technique supported by NetStream 2000TV
eases network strain. During multicasting, instead of each person on the
network watching his or her own video stream, everyone watches the
same stream, much like a TV broadcast. This significantly reduces the
network strain, even with 5 or 10 channels available. Multicasting can be
used with stored video, live video, or a combination of stored and live
video in which the MPEG video can be watched live or paused and
Chapter 5: Windows Media Player
and DirectShow Support
Note 26.
Some versions of Windows, such as Windows 95 and NT 4.0, shipped
with an outdated Media Player. Always download and install the latest version
of Windows Media Player from the Microsoft site.
