FAQ

Send us your questions (c.weigner@ist.eduhi.at) related to streaming and education

Why should I use streaming in class?
Is it expensive to use streaming technology?
Why are streaming videos often so small?
What are the advantages of streaming over downloading?
If streaming has so many advantages, why would one ever want to use downloadable media files?

Why should I use streaming in class?
The use of images has a long history in education. Film, Television, video are being used for a long time to add authenticity and reality to the learning context. The multiple educational values of image in education were however always limited by production costs and delivery difficulties. This is were streaming technology adds its value. With the development and growth of the internet, media delivery has been revolutionised. Not only the delivery of media has changed, also its use changed drastically. While using image is typically associated with a ‘passive’ illustration method it can now be integrated and made interactive, fi in Virtual Learning Environments.

Is it expensive to use streaming technology?
Viewing streaming media is often free. Players can be downloaded for free in their basic version and lots of web sites offer streaming videos without asking for a fee. Some content providers offer media on demand at a certain cost. Producing streaming videos or offering streaming videos is more expensive. Production costs and server costs need to be taken into account then.

Why are streaming videos often so small?
The size of streamed media depends on the compression rate that was used and your connection to the internet. Streaming media providers often offer the same video for different modem connection capacity in order to optimise the stream.

What are the advantages of streaming over downloading?
There are several:

• Media files, which tend to be large, are not saved to your hard drive where they would take up disk space.
• You don't have to wait long for the files to start playing.
• Long programs, such as an entire class session, can be delivered over the web.
• Audio and video programs can be delivered live and archived simultaneously.

If streaming has so many advantages, why would one ever want to use downloadable media files?

• Since a downloaded file is saved to your hard drive, it's available for later use, independent of the server.
• Downloadable media can provide higher image quality. Streamed files are highly compressed so that they can be delivered efficiently. With compression comes loss of image detail.
• A downloaded media file can be stepped frame-by-frame. One can quickly jump to any part of the audio or video track that one wants.

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