UnReal Video Hosting

STREAM TODAY. SUCCEED TODAY.

What Do You Get?

• Easy to understand packages that fit your company's needs and budget
• Dedicated streaming video servers located on the East and West Coast with direct connections to almost every major internet backbone
• Intelligent routing which dynamically adjusts to fluctuations in internet traffic, avoiding congested exchange points and dramatically enhancing performance
• Signup in as little as 5 minutes
• Stream your videos directly after signup is complete
• Begin creating the pages you want today, right now!

Streaming Media Hosting

UnReal Video Hosting can encode video in Windows Media, QuickTime, REAL, MPEG MP3 formats to play on the web.

Product Demos - Showcase actual video of your products features and benefits instead of an image. With video, the possibilities are endless.

Customer Support - Answer FAQ with an archive of video samples. With video, you can show your customers step by step how to accomplish their problem face to face without having to deal with explaining something you can't explain over the phone or email.

E-Learning - If you have a product or service that needs training, this is the key. Video is perfect for Company Training, Schools, Colleges and more!

Conferences - Save money by web casting your next big event on the web. Cut costs by not having flight expenditures, hotels and food. Just send out a link, and hundreds of viewers can witness your event at the same time without having to leave their computer.

Video Terms & Definitions

ASF - An audio or video file encoded for use with Windows Media Player.

ASX - A metafile that points to a Windows Media audio/video presentation.

Artifacts - Distortion that occurs when audio or video is compressed to a low bit rate, also called noise.

AVI (audio/video interleave) - A Microsoft file format for files containing multiple streams of different types of data, such as audio, video, or MIDI. Video and sound elements are stored in alternate interleaved chunks in the file.

Backbone - A segment of a network that is higher speed than the rest of the network and connects other segments together.

Bandwidth - In digital terms, the capacity of a connection to transmit data, expressed as data speed in bits per second (bps) or thousands of bits per second (Kbps).

Bit - Describes the smallest unit of storage in a computer. It has a value of 0 or 1. Eight bits make up 1 byte which can store one letter, number or symbol.

Bit Rate - The speed at which binary content is streamed on a network, measured in kilobits per second (kbps). It takes 8 bits to make up 1 byte which is the size of one letter, number or symbol.

Byte - Describes a unit of storage which can contain one letter, number or symbol. Consists of 8 bits.

Broadband - Describes a high-speed network connection (T-1, DSL, cable modem) as opposed to a dial-up connection.

Buffering - Buffering is similar to the concept of "pre-filling". The stream of data begins before the media file actually plays. This data goes to local storage so that the incoming data always stays ahead of the actual data being viewed. Occasionally, if there is significant network congestion, a media file may stop playing momentarily so that the buffer can be refilled.

Cache - A place to store something temporarily so that it can be accessed quickly. Web pages that are viewed are generally stored temporarily on the user's hard drive, for quick access on return visits. Caching can also refer to distributing Internet content to multiple servers that are periodically refreshed.

Capture - The process of changing or transferring digital or analog audio or video files to binary files which can then be edited and encoded.

Co-location - A company can place their servers on the physical premises of an ISP in order to utilize the ISP's high-speed connection and safety/backup features.

DSL - Digital subscriber line. DSL utilizes unused portions of a phone line's bandwidth for transmitting data at high speed.

Digitize - See capture

CODEC - Stands for Compress/Decompress. A media file is encoded or compressed using an algorithm or formula and then decoded and decompressed as the user views or listens to the file.

Compression - It is desirable to compress media files to reduce file size and speed up the transmission time. This can be done using hardware, software or a combination of both. Compressed media files are then decompressed on the user's end.

Frames Per Second (FPS) - The number of video frames displayed each second. The higher the number, the smoother and sharper the images appear.

Hosting - Storing media files on servers specifically designed for streaming over the Internet.

Lossy Compression - Data compression by eliminating perceptually insignificant information. However, since lossy compression introduces inaccuracies, it should only be used with graphics, audio, and video. Data files and executable programs can only be compressed with a lossless algorithm (i.e., a zip file).

Metadata - Additional, related information that can be stored as part of the compressed file or kept in a separate database. Examples include CD cover art, movie one-sheet images, or text-based information, such as author, title, etc.

NTSC - Input signal formats used in North America and Japan. Has 525 lines total with 480 lines visible per frame.

Net Congestion - Traffic on the network that slows the transmission of data.

Noise Reduction - A variety of processes applied to audio or video signals to lower the amount of noise in the given signal.

PAL - Input signal format used in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Has 625 lines total, 576 lines visible.

Packet Loss - Data is transmitted in small units known as packets. Occasionally, packets are lost or delayed due to network congestion, resulting in dropped frames.

Pixel - One unit of screen information. A video image is composed of individual colored dots, referred to as pixels. Depending on how a monitor is set, a pixel can take up 8 bits/1 byte (256 colors), 16 bits/2 bytes (high color), or 24 bits/3 bytes (true color).

Secam - Input signal format used in France and a few other countries. Has 625 lines total, 576 lines visible.

Streaming Media - Streaming media allows the user to watch or listen to a media file without downloading it. The file is simultaneously "streamed" to the user as he or she is watching or listening to it. The user needs a player to view or listen to the files - files must be decompressed by a media player that is compatible with the format of the file.

Transcoding - The conversion of one digital file format to another digital file format (i.e., MP3 to Windows Media). The ideal method for encoding to multiple streaming media formats is to use the original, uncompressed source material and encode it into the new formats, avoiding transcoding completely.

Webcasting (also known as Internet Broadcasting) - Capturing, encoding, and hosting a live event, such as a concert, award show, meeting, or conference, usually from a remote location, for Internet broadcast on a one-time or limited basis. Live events usually require establishing an internet connection and/or satellite uplinks for streaming over the Internet. Live events can also be archived for viewing on demand.

VOD (Video on Demand) - Video that can be accessed at any time by the user.