Not saying Real doesn't perform better at higher bandwidths, RTev.
Saying Real format originated as a low-bandwidth solution, and its adaptive nature is now somewhat haunting. If it were designed today exclusively for broadband, it could be a better product.
To prove this to yourself, compare a RealAudio stream at any bandwidth to a SHOUTcast (Nullsoft) MP3 stream at say, 56k. In terms of fidelity, there is no comparison. Now, streaming MP3 currently suffers from limitations of scalability; the way Nullsoft implemented streaming, MP3 can't support lots of users cost-effectively. Hopefully, these problems can be overcome in future derivatives. But the current incarnation of Real's compression format won't get much better, because the resolution's just not there to begin with. Working on more information for the group on this issue.
Unicast vs. multicast, caching, and other "Net lag" issues are in addition to the question of how *complete* the file is to begin with. Providing a streaming, *hi-res* solution to millions of simultaneous users is multimedia's "Holy Grail."
Comments?
BAM
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