Streaming Video Basics
kHz and data rates between 8000 and 320000 bits/sec are supported to allow transmission over a wide variety of media ranging from low-speed Internet delivery to high-speed LANs.
WM
Microsoft Windows Media is a ubiquitous technology that makes it easier for VBrick customers to deploy video for one-way video delivery to millions of PCs and multimedia- equipped devices worldwide. "Windows Media" describes Microsoft's multimedia product technologies for Windows. It includes (1) Windows Media Format tools for encoding and decoding audio and video, (2) Window Media Services for publishing streaming audio and video on a server, and (3) Windows Media Player, which is the client program that plays Windows Media and other multimedia formats. The Windows Media Player is typically installed with the operating system on most desktop PCs so no player-side installation is necessary, eliminating a common IT concern when deploying a streaming audio/video solution. VBrick licensed Windows Media encoding and server technology from Microsoft and created the VBrick WM Appliance to interoperate with other Windows Media compatible products including all versions of Windows Media Player and all versions of Windows Media Server.
Getting the Best Video
Video quality is a subjective concept that depends on a variety of factors. VBrick's philosophy is to make our network appliances as flexible as possible so they can be used effectively in different applications on a wide variety of networks. This means you can configure an appliance for maximum performance but you can also configure it in such a way that it will only work well in a very limited environment. Video quality is also relative. What is acceptable quality for a surveillance application on a low-bandwidth network is most likely unacceptable for a corporate presentation or a two-way video conference on a high-speed LAN. Much depends on your network, the bandwidth you have available, and the audience you are trying to reach.
VBrick tries to anticipate as many obstacles and limitations as possible and provides custom- designed MPEG-4 and WM (Windows Media) templates for a variety of applications. These templates are designed to provide the highest quality audio and video—using bit rate, frame rate and resolution settings that are tailored for a variety of common network environments. We encourage you to override specific template settings in order to meet the unique requirements of your own site, but in doing so, be aware that you can also degrade the quality and/or performance of the audio and video you are trying to deliver.
For best results, start with a pre-built template and then adjust the bit rate, frame rate, resolution, and other parameters with care. Experiment with different settings to see the trade-offs in quality and performance. You can track your changes by periodically saving the configuration file using the Read/Write option on the Maintenance: Read/Write Configuration page in IWS. If the audio and video quality is still less than you would expect, re-apply one of the standard templates and try again. Keep in mind that the VBrick is stable, reliable and flexible. In most cases a small amount of experimentation will help you find the configuration settings that will deliver the best audio and video your network can support. For more information, or help configuring your appliance, contact VBrick Support Services.
