Live Smooth Streaming, an IIS Media Services 3.0 extension, enables adaptive
streaming of live events to Smooth Streaming clients, such as Microsoft Silverlight 3. Using HTTP to deliver live
events takes advantage of the scale of existing HTTP networks and keeps content
close to the end user and makes true HD (720p+) a realistic option for live Web
broadcasts. The additional advantage of using HTTP-based delivery for live
events is that the existing HTTP infrastructure also drastically increases live
event availability.
For the most popular live Web broadcasts, CDNs and content providers have to
worry about how much capacity they can dedicate on their much more resource
constrained streaming network. By using HTTP, they can take advantage of all the
resources of their network and do not have to worry about maxing out network
capacity and shutting out users from live events.
Extend Engagement Times
Live Smooth Streaming offers consumers the best possible media viewing
experience. Today, content owners largely target video quality for the lowest
common denominator of their audience, even though many of their viewers have
high-quality, high-speed connections. For example, video bit rates of 300 Kbps
will play back consistently well across a variety of last-mile connection
speeds, but higher quality 1.5 Mbps rate video may not play back well on a
connection constrained to receive 500 kbps.
Smooth Streaming dynamically adapts stream quality based on a users momentary
connection speed - so consumers with high bandwidth connections can experience
near HD or true HD quality (720p+) streaming (e.g., from 1.5Mbps to 3Mbps and
beyond). Others with lower bandwidth speeds receive the highest possible bit
rate based on their current connection speed and hardware capabilities.
Live Video. Your Way.
Live Smooth Streaming enables Silverlight players to support typical PVR
(personal video recorder)-style interaction. Join events in progress and quickly
seek to the beginning to catch up. Rewind the highlights and enjoy the
Silverlight experience in your own way.
To see Smooth Streaming in action, check out the
Experience Smooth Streaming page,
where you can simulate different bandwidths and see how Smooth Streaming responds. To learn more,
download Smooth Streaming from the links at the top right of this page, and read the
Smooth Streaming Technical Overview.