[Zope] best streaming practice??

Jason Cunliffe jasonic@nomadicsltd.com
Fri, 4 May 2001 14:08:56 -0400


Good question.

I am also researching Audio+Video streaming Zope tools.

A couple of immediate suggestions :

1. Radio Free Pete
Free, uses GPL tools, crass platform playback, authoring Win32 + Linux
http://www.zope.org/Members/pgautier/rfp/ZRFP/



<quote>
Radio Free Pete is an mp3 jukebox. With it you can:
Index your mp3 files
Control your icecast server
Stream mp3s to icecast
Create multiple streams
Manage playlists
Rate, request, and skip songs
In short, you can use for anything from a personal mp3 organizer and jukebox
to a global Internet radio station.
</quote>

Radio Free Pete uses Icecast
www.icecast.org


2. Flix
www.wildform.com
$99
Video Streaming via Flash
Authoring on Win23 uses Quicktime and Windows Media running
Cross-platform playback wherever Flash player is installed

This is a very strange rather amazing new tool. Flash does not really 'do'
video.
But flash has streaming. So Flix converts video using Quicktime or windows
media tools into .swf files. The clever thing is one has good control over
the interface which no other Video web solution offers. They all force one
into using their ugly pop-up separate ad-laden players. With Flix you can
create your own interface, including overlays, titling, navigation,
metadata, whatever ..

Flix scales to bandwidth very nicely. It is very fast, has small footprint
and is effective.
The application is a starighforward easy-to-use tool. It has lower visual
quality in general than other video streaming, depending upon settings and
your audiences needs, so this may rule it out.  I will be surprised if Flix
does not get a lot of use by porn industry. They are always first to exploit
[ahem]  adopt fast, cheap, working, _understandable_ plug'n'play technology.

Check the online samples at Wildform, download a demo and make some tests of
your own source at different settings. I did & promptly bought a copy:-) I
am working to have ZopeFlashVideo site up soon

The distinct advantages are control of interface and speed. For example, it
makes a great video catalog/server interface using Zope. Flash integrates
very well with Zope for several reasons:

- Similar container context object paradigm
- Uses ActionScript [JavaScript EcmasScript variant] which makes for easy
trnaslations to/from Python programming
- inteface to Zope and pass data via getURL() and loadVariables() functions
- includes XML handling for fast data passing and better asbtraction

3. Comments
Flix can also be used for the Audio only. I need to test this altertative.
Flash also does audio streaming so you can go that route too. But
RadioFreePete/Icecast seems a better path for pure audio. The icecast sites
I have been listening to recently are pretty good.
http://yp.icecast.org/index.html?search=all


hth
& please do keep me posted of any ideas/tools/work


./Jason
___________________________________________________________
Jason CUNLIFFE = NOMADICS['Interactive Art and Technology']

----- Original Message -----
From: "zope-mailinglist" <zope-mailinglist@mopa.at>
To: <zope@zope.org>
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 12:35 PM
Subject: [Zope] best streaming practice??


> hello
>
> is there anybody who has experience with streaming audio and video files
> from zope?
>
> does anybody no a good solution, maybe for use in a python product ?