# Streaming Video Questions (Real Player and other formats) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2004, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017 "2004-09-25T06:34:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/21 "2004-09-29T00:55:34Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > That basically _is_ streaming video. You put a link to the file in an \ or \ tag, the browser hands it off to a plugin, and the plugin streams the file from your web server. Just go ahead and rain on my parade šŸ˜‰ I seriously appreciate the help though. Well, I went to a favorite website of mine to test what you stated. I tried downloading an embedded WMV, and it did indeed steam it. However, when I tried downloading an embedded Quicktime file, it downloaded completley, allowing me to fast forward and rewind at will, with no delay, as a streaming video would have. It also would not allow me to save it by right-clicking, despite the option being there (it was unclickable). Is Quicktime the only video format that acts this way? Would this format work for what Iā€™m trying to achieve? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/22 "2004-09-29T01:02:18Z")
Macromedia Flash streams, but at really high quality and speed, and you donā€™t need a special streaming server. And you can embed it into your pages a lot easier than other methods. Of course, it does require the Flash plugin to view, which some may resent, but as itā€™s a standard pre-installed plugin in most browsers now, that may not be an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/23 "2004-09-29T01:07:03Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Macromedia Flash streams, but at really high quality and speed, and you donā€™t need a special streaming server. And you can embed it into your pages a lot easier than other Iā€™ve never heard of this method of delivering video? How do I convert, say an AVI, into the proper format? ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/24 "2004-09-29T01:24:57Z")
> [@Duderdude2](#): > > Well, I went to a favorite website of mine to test what you stated. I tried downloading an embedded WMV, and it did indeed steam it. However, when I tried downloading an embedded Quicktime file, it downloaded completley, allowing me to fast forward and rewind at will, with no delay, as a streaming video would have. I donā€™t know why that would happenā€¦ QT videos stream for me. The progress bar starts out empty and gradually fills up as the file streams in, and if you can download it faster than you can watch it, you can watch the whole file start to finish without waiting for it to download. > [@](#): > > It also would not allow me to save it by right-clicking, despite the option being there (it was unclickable). If you can find the link by viewing the page source, you can easily save the file. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/25 "2004-09-29T01:31:53Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > If you can find the link by viewing the page source, you can easily save the file. Right again, however, Iā€™ve read of methods to prevent (or make it difficult) to view the source code. Sure, if oneā€™s dedicated enough, theyā€™ll still be able to save the video, but as you stated, that applies to virtually any video format. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/26 "2004-09-29T01:34:12Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > I donā€™t know why that would happenā€¦ QT videos stream for me. The progress bar starts out empty and gradually fills up as the file streams in, and if you can download it faster than you can watch it, you can watch the whole file start to finish without waiting for it to download. That happens for me to, but I donā€™t consider that ā€œstreamingā€, at least in the RealPlayer sense. I mean, when the progress bar completely fills up, you now have a complete file in your internet files directory. Itā€™d be no different than if one were to have downloaded it to the hard drive. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/27 "2004-09-29T01:41:40Z")
> [@Duderdude2](#): > > Iā€™ve never heard of this method of delivering video? How do I convert, say an AVI, into the proper format? I admit I havenā€™t investigated this very thoroughly, so there may be more to it than meets the eye. [http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/flash/articles/video\_primer\_04.html](http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/flash/articles/video_primer_04.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/28 "2004-09-29T01:56:31Z")
> [@Duderdude2](#): > > Right again, however, Iā€™ve read of methods to prevent (or make it difficult) to view the source code. I think the best you can do is make the source code hard to read by removing line breaks and stuff like that. You canā€™t keep the user from looking at the code or finding the filename. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/29 "2004-09-29T02:03:32Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > I think the best you can do is make the source code hard to read by removing line breaks and stuff like that. You canā€™t keep the user from looking at the code or finding the filename. A quick search yielded this [http://forums.aspfree.com/archive/t-9843](http://forums.aspfree.com/archive/t-9843) ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/30 "2004-09-29T02:05:15Z")
Like I said though, itā€™s not perfect. But anyone whoā€™s that determined is likely to save a stream as well. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/31 "2004-09-29T02:26:05Z")
> [@Duderdude2](#): > > A quick search yielded this > > [http://forums.aspfree.com/archive/t-9843](http://forums.aspfree.com/archive/t-9843) You can defeat that by turning off JavaScript: 5 clicks in Firefox. And even without doing that, you can still look at the source from the View menu, and view a frameā€™s source by pasting in the frameā€™s address, which is explained on the page you linked. It may foil the casual (or stupid) user. Problem is, the casual, stupid users arenā€™t the ones who share stuff on P2P networks anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/32 "2004-09-29T02:33:14Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > You can defeat that by turning off JavaScript: 5 clicks in Firefox. And even without doing that, you can still look at the source from the View menu, and view a frameā€™s source by pasting in the frameā€™s address, which is explained on the page you linked. > > It may foil the casual (or stupid) user. Problem is, the casual, stupid users arenā€™t the ones who share stuff on P2P networks anyway. So what do you suggest? ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/33 "2004-09-29T03:41:27Z")
Iā€™d say just use a regular video streaming setup, and try not to worry too much about people saving the streams. (If youā€™re still worried, look into Windows Media DRM and hope your customers wonā€™t mind.) If your prices are reasonable and your content is worth it, people wonā€™t mind paying for it. Put your web siteā€™s address in the video, so if it does show up on a P2P service, anyone who downloads it will know where it came from and where to find more like it. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/34 "2004-09-29T03:54:44Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > Iā€™d say just use a regular video streaming setup, and try not to worry too much about people saving the streams. (If youā€™re still worried, look into Windows Media DRM and hope your customers wonā€™t mind.) If your prices are reasonable and your content is worth it, people wonā€™t mind paying for it. Put your web siteā€™s address in the video, so if it does show up on a P2P service, anyone who downloads it will know where it came from and where to find more like it. Good ideas, thanks for all the feedback. So I should stick with .wmv then? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/35 "2004-09-29T03:57:12Z")
The people who are downloading stuff from P2P are not the people who would join your site anyway. Technically youā€™re not losing out, theyā€™re just getting some limited stuff for free. It sucks, but there it is. But itā€™s also advertising for your site, especially if you plaster your brand and website address all over the video as a watermark. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/36 "2004-09-30T01:18:44Z")
Ok, one more question and hopefully I can wrap this thread up. My movies are going to have to be fairly detailed. I visited a few random websites to see how their streaming videos look, and I was surprised at what I found. Hereā€™s an example: [http://www.gamespot.com/live/streamer\_new2.html?title=Burnout+3:+Takedown+Video+Preview&path=burnout3\_vpreview.asx&pid=919651&ppath=xbox/driving/burnout3&ksubmoid=01037462-2c3c-a016-afb1-93cd5fbbb146&urdate=1094540400](http://www.gamespot.com/live/streamer_new2.html?title=Burnout+3:+Takedown+Video+Preview&path=burnout3_vpreview.asx&pid=919651&ppath=xbox/driving/burnout3&ksubmoid=01037462-2c3c-a016-afb1-93cd5fbbb146&urdate=1094540400) Is that about the quality I should be expecting my cable/dsl users see? If so, thatā€™s going to be a problem. The videoā€™s too broken up to really make out any minute details. If this is the maximum quality a stream can be viewed at, what other options do I have? Thanks (again). ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017/37 "2004-09-30T02:06:42Z")
> [@Duderdude2](#): > > Is that about the quality I should be expecting my cable/dsl users see? If so, thatā€™s going to be a problem. The videoā€™s too broken up to really make out any minute details. If this is the maximum quality a stream can be viewed at, what other options do I have? Thanks (again). Those streams use pretty conservative bitratesā€¦ looks like 150 kbps for ā€œDSL/cableā€ and 300 for ā€œT1ā€. Most DSL/cable users probably have at least 384 kbps downstream (my cable modem does 3000 kbps down), and a T1 is defined as 1540 kbps, so you have some room to crank up the bitrate while still letting your users stream the video. The quality at any given bitrate also depends on the nature of your video. Smooth, natural gradients of color and long scenes with low motion will look better than sharp edges, fast motion, and a lot of scene changes (like a game or music video). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/streaming-video-questions-real-player-and-other-formats/266017.md?page=1)