TABLE OF CONTENTS Streaming media is primarily an application for the desktop or laptop computer. Most people at present access and view streams from these devices. But the technology isn't limited to the desktop. Microsoft, among other companies, is moving streaming technology to other platforms, namely high-definition television (HDTV) and portable devices, such as cell phones. And the proliferation of these devices, as well as continued growth in desktop use, has made copyright protections ever more important. This chapter surveys some of the most important technological developments in these areas. You'll learn about:
Advances in streaming high-definition video
The potential for streaming on portable devices
Protecting your intellectual property with encryption
The greatest advance in television technology for almost half a century occurred with the advent of high-definition television (HDTV) in the 1980s. Though adoption by broadcasters and producers was relatively slow, more and more consumers are enjoying video with larger images and sharper pictures produced and broadcast in HDTV format.
Inevitably, streaming media developers, particularly Microsoft, jumped on the HDTV bandwagon, creating tools and technologies for taking advantage of high-definition video on computer displays. The Windows Media Series 9 Encoder features codecs specifically designed for encoding high-definition video into Windows Media files.
Typical high-definition (HD) video differs from standard video in three main ways, insofar as streaming is concerned.
16:9 aspect ratio (standard video has a 4:3 aspect ratio)
720p and 1,080i resolutions (standard video is 480p)
Multichannel or surround sound...
