Streaming Video Basics
Most consumers and producers of streaming video use VOD (Video On Demand) technology. This is the type of streaming video that is available from Google Video and YouTube.
One of the reasons that VOD is so popular is that it can be viewed any time (on demand). Unlike TV broadcasts, VOD can be watched at your convenience, and can be paused, rewound, and viewed as many times as desired.
There is another type of streaming video that more closely resembles broadcast TV - webcasts. Just like TV, webcasts are scheduled for a particular day and time and if you missed it, too bad (unless it was archived and made available as VOD).
Webcasts requires specialized equipment that is beyond the reach of the average webmaster, but VOD is relatively easy to setup and use.
VOD
In order for VOD to be accessible, the video files must be stored on a streaming video server. This is a specialized computer that waits for incoming requests for web pages and other web content. The streaming video server's function is to "listen" for requests and "serve" the required material.
Streaming video can be stored on a regular HTTP server (one designed for regular web page content) but only if the demand for the video is low. Streaming videos which receive a lot of simultaneous requests should be stored (hosted) on a specialized streaming video server. Besides being able to handle more traffic than HTTP servers, streaming video servers also have specialized functions such as detecting connection speeds. This allows different versions of the video to be delivered depending on whether the Internet connection is slow (dialup) or fast (broadband).
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