Not Web TV but TV on the Web

I don't have one of those high-powered video cards with TV processing capablities. Nope. All I have is a fast modem connection and a really cool piece of software called RealPlayer.

RealPlayer has been around for quite a while, and you have probably heard of it, even if it's not installed on your system. It's been something of a work in progress, with surges of improvements coming over the past few years. As those improvements have come along, along with with faster connection speeds, more powerful computers and upgraded video processing equipment, the number of sites offering streaming audio and video have skyrocketed. 

But I'm surprised at the number of web surfers who haven't picked up on "streaming" technology. To "stream" video is to have a video player on the user's PC continually request video data from a server, so that the user does not have to wait for the entire file to download before viewing. I first tried it out about two years ago, and gave up on it after blurring my eyes with fuzzy pictures and tinny sound. Things have progressed somewhat, but streaming over the Internet still has a ways to go before reaching its full potential, in terms of quality of signal.

Over intranets, however, the quality is reported as more than adequate for corporate demos, broadcasting company seminars, etc. (Before you big business types rush out to pick up a broadcast system, however, keep in mind that the price tag for intranet servers runs at about $5,000). 

There are a variety of streaming technologies out there, but RealPlayer seems to be about the most popular. The price is right, at least for the user. You can download the basic RealPlayer G2 free from the RealNetworks site at (http://www.real.com). For $29.99, you can also download the RealPlayer Plus G2, which includes a number of enhancements, including improved video and audio quality.

So what's out there to play? Well, last night I started to listen to Clive Barker's History of the Devil after, of course, taking in some of the antics at Comedy Central. Then I tuned to some radio stations broadcasting from Australia, the UK, and a bunch of other places I would probably have to look up on an atlas. Then I took a quick trip to the Screening Room take catch a look at some trailers of upcoming movies.

So, if there's nothing on TV tonight, why not give RealPlayer a try?