Video On Demand

Essay by Joseph NewcomerB+, January 1996

download word file, 17 pages 3.6

SCOPE

Video on demand has evolved as a major implementation problem for network integrators. Clients want the ability to retrieve and view stored video files asynchronously at near broadcast quality, on a local host. Some problems integrators face to achieve this goal include: video content preparation, server storage, network throughput, latency, client interfaces, quality of service, and cost. This paper addresses the design considerations for a private video on demand implementation.

INTRODUCTION

The Initiative for Worldwide Multimedia Teleconferencing and Video Server Standards

The market for multipoint multimedia teleconferencing and video server equipment is poised for explosive growth. The technology for this necessary and much-anticipated business tool has been in development for years. By the turn of the century, teleconferences that include any combination of video, audio, data, and graphics will be standard business practice.

Compliance with teleconferencing standards will create compatible solutions from competing manufacturers, feeding the market with a variety of products that work together as smoothly as standard telephone products do today.

Specifically, with the adoption of International Telecommunications Union (ITU) recommendations T.120, H.320 and H261, multimedia teleconferencing equipment manufacturers, developers, and service providers will have a basic established connectivity protocol upon which they can build products, applications, and services that will change the face of business communications.

New Business Imperatives

Voice on Demand systems are starting to be required by commercial, industrial, governmental and military associations to retrieve past information in order to prepare and anticipate future events. This preparation and anticipation can be crucial to the survival of these industries because of the key roll of the individuals or groups being monitored. It is this monitoring and collection of data that allows these organizations to make informed decisions and to take the appropriate action to current events.

Multipoint multimedia teleconferencing and video servers offer the required...