Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

TCP provides the service of exchanging data directly between two network hosts. In particular, TCP provides reliable, ordered delivery of a stream of bytes from a program on one computer to another program on another computer.

TCP is the protocol that major Internet applications rely on, such as; the World Wide Web, e-mail, and file transfers. Other applications, which do not require reliable data stream service, may use the User Datagram Protocol which provides a service that emphasizes reduced latency over reliability.

User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

With UDP, computer applications can send datagrams (packets) to other hosts on an IP network without requiring prior communications to set up special transmission channels or data paths.

UDP does not require implicit communication dialogues that normally insure reliability, ordering, or data integrity. Thus, UDP provides an unreliable service and datagrams may arrive out of order, appear duplicated, or go missing without notice. UDP assumes that error checking and correction is either not necessary or performed in the application, avoiding the overhead of such processing at the network interface level.

Time-sensitive applications, like Live Streaming Video, often use UDP because dropping packets is preferable to waiting for delayed packets, which may not be an option in a real-time system. Using UDP in streaming applications makes sense because small packet loss is preferable to buffering when the data-loss is most likely invisible to the naked eye anyway.

UDP treats each request as an independent event that is unrelated to any previous request which also makes it able to be broadcasted or multicasted (link to blog post about this) instead of a linear transmission like a TCP.

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For more information about streaming Live video, please contact Alex Inman via email @ alex.inman@eyepartner.com or by calling our corporate headquarters @ 305-289-4557

CineChat, available only with TikiLIVE Broadcasting software, allows the audience to join your live or recorded event in a life-like movie theatre.  To enter you choose an avatar, choose a seat, and then enjoy the show.  If you would like to chat, it is perfectly acceptable! You can see a list of everyone in the room, and you can change seats to sit next to them.  They will instantly find your username by scrolling over your avatar. If you would like, you can meet in the lobby, for a private one-on-one chat session.

Features in the Cinema hall where movies are played:

• Main viewing area where movie is displayed in a high-quality Wide Screen format.
• Seats that show all online users and their position inside the room.
• Change Seat: allow the user to change his seat to another empty seat.
• User List: shows all users that are online watching in the same room.
• Chat: able to chat with all users that are in the same room
• One-to-one private chat session available in a separate pop-up window

To see a demo, click the link below:

http://www.tikilive.com/popup_cina/show/HD+Demo+Trailers

For more information about how TikiLIVE can improve your broadcasting and viewing experience, please contact Alex Inman via email @ alex.inman@eyepartner.com or by calling our office @ 305-289-4557

TikiLIVE allows users to record their own videos through our customized web portals. Additionally, TikiLIVE lets users embed their content in a variety of websites, including Facebook and MySpace. Broadcasters may record their Live Event using the revolutionary TikiLIVE Broadcaster and save it as Video on Demand by clicking the RECORD button in the Tiki Broadcaster.

Once the video is recorded you can then transcode it into multiple formats, making it accessible to Windows, Mac and Linux users across a variety of video playing platforms. The content can be stored and archived and you can set a pay-per-view price for this pre-recorded content.  This allows you to generate a continuous revenue stream in the same way that TV producers have long made money with off-network syndication.

For more information about how to easily encode your video files please access this link: www.monsterencoder.com

Other features available:

• Upload pre-recorded content
• Edit your live video and save it as a VOD
• Embed video players into other websites
• Tag the video and provide a description for SEO purposes
• Video encoding to all common formats
• 24/7 video gallery

For more information visit www.TikiLIVE.com or please contact:

Alex Inman by email @ alex.inman@eyepartner.com or by calling our Office: 305-289-4557

Ads Module

TikiLIVE allows the site owner to monetize their network by inserting both video and pop-up ads directly into their video players. Site administrators can set up broadcaster specific campaigns or distribute an ad to the entire network. Capping impressions also allows the site administrator to sell a pre-determined number of impressions for a particular campaign.

Features:

• Create Individual Ad Campaigns – Target the market you want
• Load Multiple Video and Pop-Up Banners within a Campaign
• Designate the priority level and distribution of a Banner
• Set the date which a particular Campaign will run
• Link Banner ads to destination URL’s
• Advance Analytics tracking impressions
• Compatible with OpenX – a FREE Ad Server

If you would like to find out how to set up your own Live Streaming Broadcast, or start monetizing an existing broadcast contact:

Alex Inman – alex.inman@eyepartner.com – O: (305)-289-4557

The TikiLIVE Channel Manager allows users to publish video and audio into playlists – complete with integrated advertisements – by seamlessly dragging and dropping content into the channel lineup. The Channel Manager makes it easy for anyone to manage an unlimited number of Standard or High Definition channels and playlists that can be transcoded to be delivered over various device players such as HTTP, Flash, Silverlight, iPTV Set top boxes, iPhone/iPads as well as other popular mobile devices.

The Channel Manager is a server-based H.264 streaming solution that requires absolutely no proprietary hardware. The software was designed to manage content timelines easily on the fly, and in real time, allowing the content producer to ingest LIVE breaking news or sponsored media spots at any moment.

The Channel Manager automates the following distribution of content:

1. Upload and play-out your Video On Demand content as a linear “TV like” schedule from a VOD server

• Drag And Drop Interface Picture
• Easy to Use Drag and Drop Interface
• On the Fly Live Data Integration
• Touch Screen Supported
• Advertising Integration and Tracking
• Expand and Contract your Timeline to View Complete Playlist
• Loop a single Playlist on a channel to keep the same content looping or publish multiple playlists to keep the content fresh
• Playlist can be as short as a few minutes or as long as a full day

2. Utilize Entire Media Gallery, Even 3rd Party Content such as YouTube in your Channel

• Insert both Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) Ready Content
• Pull in Content from other Websites such as Youtube
• Swap out content before going live or do so on-the-fly to keep your content fresh
• Insert Static Images or line up alternative Audio for direct commentary on the content

3. Playout your Media Playlist

• Pseudo-Live content appears like a Live Streaming Television Channel
• Embed your players to external sites and stream your channel lineup across multiple domains
• Line up multiple playlists or loop a single playlist to keep your content running 24 hours a day – 7 days a week.

4. Ingest Commercials to Monetize your Playlists!

• On the Fly Video Advertisement Insertion and Updates
• Detailed Analytics tracking Impressions and Click-Through Rate
• Combine with Mid-Roll popup advertisements to dynamically serve Ad spots

What is HDMI?

High-Definition Multimedia Interface, or HDMI, is an audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It’s like a fire hose for transmitting media. It is a digital alternative to other options like:

• radio frequency (RF)
• coaxial cable – the type you screw on to the TV for cable
• composite video – yellow = video, red/white = left/right audio
• component video – Red, Green, Blue with separate left/right audio.
• S-Video – often used to connect a PC to a TV
• VGA – now mostly obsolete

HDMI connects digital audio/video sources to compatible digital audio devices such as computer monitors, and digital televisions.  This includes set-top boxes for use with iPTV, upconvert DVD players, HD DVD players, Blu-ray Disc players, AVCHD camcorders, PCs, video game consoles such as the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360

On a single cable, HDMI supports any uncompressed (also known as raw data) format, including standard (480p), enhanced (720p), and high-definition (1080i/p) video AND up to 8 channels of digital audio; and remote control capabilities.

Because it transmits uncompressed data, which has no visual distortion or color loss, it is an ideal choice for use in connecting a High-Definition Video camera and a PC for use in broadcasting Live Streaming High Definition Videos over the internet using the TikiLIVE platform.

For more information, please contact Alex Inman or check out www.Eyepartner.com

alex.inman@eyepartner.com

O: 305-289-4557

What does it take to run video on a network? Can I run video on my network?

If you want to run video on your network, the first thing you need to do is to make sure that the application that will be running video supports multicasting. Next, make sure that the network switch is set up to handle video.  Be aware because video support is not turned on by default! And finally make sure your port speeds match up. This means that everyone on your network is running at the same speed.  These special precautions should be taken because the data being transferred is very time sensitive. If you would rather not worry about any of this, let Eyepartner handle your hosting.  That way, it’s just plug-and-play!

How fast does my network have to be to run video?

When setting up a network for video it’s not so much the speed of your network, but the ratio between your speed and the speed you allow viewers to watch it.  Your uplinks between switches and the uplinks between switches and servers should be 10x what your clients are running at.  If you allow users access at 100Mbit/s then you should run at 1Gbit/s.  For more information about setting up a network, please email Alex Inman or reach me by phone at the Corporate Headquarters: 305-289-4557.

What is RTMP?

Real Time Messaging Protocol (or RTMP) is a protocol developed by Macromedia for streaming audio, video and data over the Internet, between a Flash player and a server.  Macromedia is now owned by Adobe, which has released the specification of the protocol for public use.

There are 3 variations of the RTMP protocol:

1)      The “plain” protocol which works on top of a Transmission Control Protocol and uses port number 1935 by default.

2)      RTMPT which is part of HTTP acts as the password to gain access through firewalls.

3)      what RTMPT does for firewalls, RTMPS does for secure socket licenses, or SSLs (necessary when dealing with credit card info) One of TikiLIVE’s many features is a Pay per View function using an RTMPT.

What is FLV? Why do we stream this way primarily?

A Flash Video, or FLV, is a file format used to deliver video over the Internet using Adobe Flash Player. Flash Video content may also be embedded within ShockWave Flash (SWF) files. There are two different video file formats known as Flash Video: FLV and F4V. F4V file format is newer and supported by Flash Player 9 update 3.

This format has quickly established itself as the format of choice for embedded video on the web because it is compatible with almost all operating systems. Notable users of the Flash Video format include TikiLIVE, YouTube, Hulu, Google Video, Yahoo! Video, and many other news providers. The most recent public releases of Flash Player also support H.264 video.

What is H.264?

H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 or AVC (Advanced Video Coding) is a standard for video compression. The intent of H.264/AVC was to create a standard capable of providing good video quality at substantially lower bit rates than previous standards (e.g. half or less the bit rate of MPEG-2, H.263, or MPEG-4 Part 2), without increasing the complexity of the design so much that it would be impractical or excessively expensive to implement.

An additional goal was to provide enough flexibility to allow the standard to be applied to a wide variety of applications on a wide variety of networks and systems, including low and high bit rates and low and high resolution video.  H.264 is used in Blu-ray Players, videos from YouTube and the iTunes Store as well as web software such as the Adobe Flash Player and Microsoft Silverlight. It even is used for direct-broadcast satellite television, cable television, and real-time videoconferencing – like Eyepartner’s StreamingBase.

What is HTML5 and why is this an important media format?

HTML5 is in a perpetual state of development, as the next major revision of the HTML standard.  Its new features are slowly rolling out and then it’s up to web browsers to support these new features.  For a cool graphic look at which browsers support which features of HTML5 take a look at this.  Like its immediate predecessors (HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.1) HTML5 is a standard for structuring and presenting content on the World Wide Web. The new standard incorporates features like video playback and drag-and-drop that have been previously dependent on third-party browser plug-ins such as Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight.  With TikiLIVE’s Channel Manager, you can drag and drop your pre-recorded videos to make a continuously running channel – just like a TV Station!

What is Transcoding?

Transcoding is the direct digital-to-digital conversion of one encoding to another. This is often done in cases where the target device does not support the format, has limited storage capacity, or to convert incompatible or obsolete data to a more modern format. Transcoding is commonly a lossy process which introduces generation loss.  This means that part of the data does not come along in an effort to save space and reduce bandwidth. It’s like your Pog collection or your pet rocks when you move – they aren’t necessary and you’ll probably never miss them.  However, transcoding can be lossless if the input is already losslessly compressed at which point the output can also be losslessly compressed or remain uncompressed. The process of lossy to lossy conversion introduces varying degrees of generation loss – it’s like trying to pass a handful of sand from person to person. In other cases, the transcoding of lossy to lossless is technically a lossless conversion because no information is lost when the conversion takes place, however the process is irreversible and is more suitably known as destructive.

What does Multi core Multi Processing have to do with Encoding?

When a video has to be encoded on the fly (meaning real-time during a Live Event) in order to ensure Fidelity of the video, a multi-core processor is encouraged, if not absolutely necessary.  The multi-core processor breaks the feed into as many streams as there are cores. For example: with a quad-core processor, the feed is broken up into 4 streams which are all encoded at the same time. This reduces the chance of your video lagging, buffering or dropping frames even when broadcasting in High Definition. Check to see if your computer can broadcast in HD here: http://thehdwave.com/hardware-specs/

What is Multicasting and Unicasting?

The term unicast is formed as an analogy to the term broadcast which means transmitting the same data to all possible destinations. This is how a TV station sends its signal through the air, cable or satellite for anybody and everybody to view, if they choose.  When Multicasting, you have one feed leave the capture device (such as a camera) which goes to the server, which then goes out to the users who want (and have access ) to view it.  Multicasting saves bandwidth by specifying the customers interested in viewing your particular content.  This also allows you to employ real-time Viewer Analytics, available with a TikiLIVE portal of your own.

What is DRM and why is that important to streaming media?

Digital Rights Management, or DRM, is a generic term for access control technologies that can be used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals to limit the usage of digital content and devices. The term is used to describe any technology that inhibits uses of digital content not desired or intended by the content provider. DRM technologies attempt to control use of digital media by preventing access and copying or conversion to other formats by end users. This concept has been around for over a century starting with player pianos early in the 20th century.

The advent of digital media and analog/digital conversion technologies has vastly increased the concerns of copyright-dependent individuals and organizations, especially within entertainment industries, because they are dependent on the revenue generated from such works. While analog media inevitably loses quality each time it is copied, digital media files may be duplicated an unlimited number of times with no degradation in the quality of subsequent copies.

The advent of personal computers as household appliances has made it convenient for consumers to convert media originally in a physical/analog form or a broadcast form into a universal, digital form (this process is called ripping) for storage or timeshifting (to be viewed at a later time). This, combined with the Internet and popular file sharing tools and websites, has made unauthorized distribution of copyrighted media much easier.  It is a constant battle between developers and hackers to make content secure from such unauthorized distributions.

What is Adaptive Streaming?

This is a technique used to maximize the quality of a streaming video for each person viewing the Live Event.  It works by detecting a viewer’s bandwidth and CPU capacity in real time and adjusting the quality of a streaming video accordingly. It requires the use of an encoder, such as Eyepartner’s MonsterEncoder which can encode a video at multiple bit rates. The viewer then chooses the bit rate based on his or her available resources. This results in very little buffering, fast start time and a good experience for both high-end and low-end connections.

What is FMS load balancing?

A Flash Media Server, or FMS acts as a hub. Flash based applications connect to the hub using Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP, discussed earlier). The server can send and receive data to and from the connected users with FLV player installed. Load balancing is necessary when strain is put on the FMS because of high traffic.  Eyepartner’s Ehopii is a scalable load balancing application for streaming digital content and it is built to handle any amount of stream load which maximizes hardware resources.

Load balancers redirect load from the Master server to the Leaf (or Edge) servers as traffic loads increase. Ehopii, for example, guarantees that a streaming network honors real time requests for digital assets. With real-time reports of usage, it’s easier to forecast future equipment needs.

What is a CDN?

A Content Delivery Network, or CDN, is a system of servers employed to handle the additional bandwidth needed during an event that is unusually popular.  When too many people are trying to view a Live Event your servers become bogged down by the excess traffic.  When this happens a CDN becomes necessary to handle this bandwidth overload.  As an add-on module to the TikiLIVE platform, a CDN can be configured to be employed with as little as 20 minutes notice.  When an event’s popularity explodes, and you see it coming, we can react to make sure every possible customer is receiving the same high quality service.  Utilizing a CDN will save you money on your normal operation costs by reducing the necessary server bandwidth you maintain on a regular basis. It also helps with the quality of the Live Event by localizing the servers during the unusually high traffic periods using a network of computers around the world.

What are 5 key features of TikiLIVE?

1) Through the use of “white labeling” you can customize the TikiLIVE platform to fit your needs and brand connect with other aspects of your business already in place.

2) You can manage and monetize your content by using a Pay-Per-View of the Live Events and Videos-On-Demand. You can also promote your upcoming events, your sponsors, or products using overlays before, during or after the video. You can also create direct marketing content for niche markets and create audience buzz with viral marketing add-ons (like content uploads to facebook, twitter, MySpace, etc)

3) With the chat and blog features you can build your brand with an interactive network community. This allows you to directly interact with your audience during an event.

4) You have access to immediate view habits and click-thru statistics from every channel – You know what your audience is viewing at all times, and can follow the usage by the day, week or month.

5) Set up an unlimited number of custom channels to categorize your content by theme – broadcast live in HD or upload, store and manage your network of digital video inventory.

Explain a “Channel” and a “TikiLIVE Network” and why they are important to a business.
A channel on Tikilive.com is an introduction to live streaming video. Anyone can sign up and start broadcasting his or her own content for free at TikiLIVE.com. When a business gets serious about branding itself they can set up their own customized TikiLIVE Network by contacting us. With your own network, you can add unlimited High Quality or High Definition channels to your broadcasting portal. Your channels can be professionally produced or home grown reality shows and anything in between.

How might someone utilize TikiLIVE?

Whether you are an internet- based church looking to expand your following or an extreme athlete with a camera following you around, TikiLIVE can help you monetize your business and bring content your fans are willing to pay to see.  We will create a custom platform that allows you to deliver your content quickly and easily.

What is TikiLIVE’s value proposition?
TikiLIVE is the highest quality in HD live-stream video, is fully customizable and there is no need for expensive proprietary equipment to get you broadcasting. Just plug your device in, create a channel and start broadcasting. With hosting available, TikiLIVE is a one-stop-shop for your streaming video needs.

What are the (3) different broadcasters of TikiLIVE and how do they differ from one another?

Web Based – no download required, access TikiLIVE through our website

High Quality – Broadcast in High Quality Standard Definition – download the broadcaster, plug in your device, create a channel, and publish content.

The HD Wave – Broadcast your content in High Definition (up to 1080p) without needing any proprietary hardware. It was designed to easily broadcast all video or static content originating on the user’s hard drive, connected capture device, camera, video, audio mixers as well as other sources.

Why is it important to select the right Bit rates when broadcasting?  In your opinion what is the optimum bit rate to broadcast to a general audience?

If your bitrate is too high, your encoder may not be able to produce a constant stream resulting in buffering during playback within the player. In addition, if the network connection from the player to the streaming servers is poor, the users will experience buffering during playback. On the other hand, a low bitrate stream can result in excessive pixelation of images during playback. For this reason we recommend broadcasting between 350Kbytes to 900Kbytes, depending on your viewers needs.