A one-way audio transmission over a data network. It is widely used on the Web as well as company networks to play audio clips and Internet radio. Computers in home networks stream audio (mostly music) to digital media hubs connected to home theaters. Unlike sound files that are played after the entire file has been downloaded and stored, streaming audio begins playing after only a small amount is received, and the audio data is not stored permanently in the destination computer. See digital media hub.
If the streaming audio is broadcast live, then it may be called "real time audio." However, technically, real time means no delays, and there is a built-in delay in streaming audio (see real time audio).
It's Already in the Buffer
Listening to momentary blips in music or a conversation is annoying, and the only way to compensate for that over an erratic network such as the Internet is to get some of the audio data into the computer before you start listening to it. In streaming audio, both the client and server cooperate for uninterrupted sound. The client side stores a few seconds of sound in a buffer before it starts sending it to the speakers. Throughout the session, it continues to receive audio data ahead of time.
VoIP Is More Demanding
Voice over IP (VoIP) is more taxing on the network than streaming audio. It requires real time, two-way transmission with sufficient bandwidth for audio coming in and going out at the same time without being able to buffer any of it. See streaming video, VoIP and Windows Media.
If the streaming audio is broadcast live, then it may be called "real time audio." However, technically, real time means no delays, and there is a built-in delay in streaming audio (see real time audio).
It's Already in the Buffer
Listening to momentary blips in music or a conversation is annoying, and the only way to compensate for that over an erratic network such as the Internet is to get some of the audio data into the computer before you start listening to it. In streaming audio, both the client and server cooperate for uninterrupted sound. The client side stores a few seconds of sound in a buffer before it starts sending it to the speakers. Throughout the session, it continues to receive audio data ahead of time.
VoIP Is More Demanding
Voice over IP (VoIP) is more taxing on the network than streaming audio. It requires real time, two-way transmission with sufficient bandwidth for audio coming in and going out at the same time without being able to buffer any of it. See streaming video, VoIP and Windows Media.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2008 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Rumor Mill: September event, iTunes streaming
- It's Friday, which means that it's time to round up the current crop of Apple rumors making the rounds. September iBook MacBook Updates – Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster published a research note speculating that Apple will hold a special event in early September to announce new...
- Blog posts 2008-08-08
- Rejaw launches, but seems a little Twittery
- If Twitter is a busted old '66 El Camino, then Rejaw is a Toyota Prius. The new kid on the block claims to be better, but it's more fun to ride around with your friends in a classic car with the windows down and the breaks squeaking. ...
- Blog posts 2008-08-07
- Will the Olympics melt the Internet?
- Okay, sky-is-falling fans and network neutrality proponents: We're about to find out whether the Internet can – or will – break down under the strain of mass consumption of streaming video. At least that's the opinion of Brick Eksten, the president and CEO...
- Blog posts 2008-08-07
- SopCastBundle (zip)
- SopCast is a simple, free way to broadcast video and audio or watch the video and listen to radio on the Internet. Adopting P2P (Peer-to-Peer) technology, It is very efficient and easy to use. Let anyone become a broadcaster without the costs of a powerful server and vast bandwidth. Using...
- Software downloads 2008-08-07
- States use GPS-enabled devices to enhance social worker safety
- States use GPS-enabled devices to enhance social worker safetySocial worker safetyMississippi has issued GPS-equipped cell phones to 450 field workers. The phones can also be used to take photos of children and their home environments and record audio field notes that can be uploaded to the state's caseworker database.-----------smithsandtitle
- Discussion threads 2008-08-06
- 3Q Video to Audio (exe)
- 3Q Video to Audio is an extremely easy-to-use tool to extract audio from AVI, WMV, ASF, MPG and MPEG files to MP3, WAV, WMA and OGG format. You can extract audio from your video files to MP3s so you can listen them with your mp3 player. No quality is lost....
- Software downloads 2008-08-06
- Free DVD Ripper by Topviewsoft (exe)
- Free DVD Ripper by Topviewsoft is a DVD ripping tool to convert your favorite DVD movies to popular DIVX/XVID AVI files, H.264 MP4 files, and even iPod MP4 video files with fast DVD ripping speed and excellent quality. With Free DVD Ripper by Topviewsoft, you can choose which titles and...
- Software downloads 2008-08-06
- Catholic Screensaver (exe)
- We have created a Catholic Screensaver for PCs running the Windows operating system. It contains high-definition HD religious Catholic images of the Holy Bible, Churches and Christ. The software comes with an installer/uninstaller, effects option and you can also set in your own audio files if you want. Version 1...
- Software downloads 2008-08-06
- Learning Mobile Author (exe)
- Learning Mobile Author allows you to design, author, test and publish mobile content for delivery to mobile phones and PDAs. Download LMA below from the related files library. Author/Publish Online for mobile phones, cell phones, smart phones, podcasting, wireless devices, desktop machines, or any internet device.Author/Publish Stand Alone for J2ME...
- Software downloads 2008-08-06
- DVDZip Pro (exe)
- DVDZip is simple and extremely fast piece of software solution for DVD (Vob, Ifo) files converting. It supports conversion: DVD to AVI, DVD to MPEG 1/ MPEG 2, DVD to VCD2.0, DVD to SVCD1.0, DVD to DIVX, Xvid, DVD to RealVideo, DVD to WMV, DVD to ASF. DVD Audio to...
- Software downloads 2008-08-06
- Sonos Charging Cradle CC100
- The Sonos CC100 is a charging cradle for the Sonos CR100. (The CR100 is also available as part of the Sonos BU150 bundle.) The CC100 is a more attractive and functional version of the default Sonos power adapter that's included with the CR100 and BU150.
- Product reviews 2008-08-05
- Sonos ZoneBridge BR100 - wireless bridge
- The Sonos ZoneBridge BR100 is a wireless bridge for the Sonos Digital Music System. The $100 unit doesn't have any audio outputs; instead, it's just designed to pass wireless signals between Sonos ZonePlayer base stations. In that regard, it can be used to fill in "dead spaces" in a home's...
- Product reviews 2008-08-05
- Vizio VP322
- Mostly on the strength of aggressive pricing, Vizio in the last several years has taken the flat-panel HDTV market--both LCD and plasma--by storm, rocketing past better-known brands and becoming one of the best-selling names in the country. The company has also introduced some unique products, among them the VP322, which...
- Product reviews 2008-08-05
- Sonos ZonePlayer ZP120
- The Sonos ZonePlayer ZP120 is the amplified base station portion of the Sonos Digital Music System. One ZP120 is included with the Sonos Bundle 150 (BU150), but additional units, for expanding the wireless music network into more rooms, can be purchased for $500 each. Because it has a built-in amplifier...
- Product reviews 2008-08-05
- Sonos ZonePlayer ZP80
- Editors' note: As of August 2008, this product has been replaced by the Sonos ZonePlayer ZP90. That upgraded model adds faster wireless access, but is otherwise the same as the older ZP80 listed here.
- Product reviews 2008-08-05
- Sony BDP-S350
- Sony has been the public face of Blu-ray since the format's inception, and while most of the focus during the bitter Blu-ray vs. HD DVD format war was on the company's PlayStation 3, Sony has been making standalone Blu-ray players from the start, beginning with the $1,000 BDP-S1. Unfortunately, that...
- Product reviews 2008-08-05
- Sonos ZonePlayer ZP90
- The Sonos ZonePlayer ZP90 is the non-amplified base station portion of the Sonos Digital Music System. One ZP90 is included with the Sonos Bundle 150 (BU150), but additional units for expanding the wireless music network into more rooms can be purchased for $350 each. (As of August 2008, the ZP90...
- Product reviews 2008-08-05
- Sonos Digital Music System BU150
- Sonos has been around since 2005, when the small company introduced its first multiroom digital music system to glowing reviews (including a CNET.com Editors' Choice Award). The product was comprised of two base stations and a unique for the time remote with a full-color screen that allowed you to wirelessly...
- Product reviews 2008-08-05
- Microsoft sending mixed messages about Windows futures with 'Fiji'?
- Microsoft sending mixed messages about Windows futures with 'Fiji'?This isn't even strictly a Beta Tester issueMicrosoft realised that MCE systems just weren't flying out the door and then correctly perceived that it makes more sense to bundle it with Vista so that OEMs can either make a "home entertainment center"...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-05
- Cerf's call for simple pricing: Net Neutrality all over again
- Cerf's call for simple pricing: Net Neutrality all over againCerf's call for simple pricing: Net Neutrality all over again[i]Rather than a volume cap, I suggest the introduction of transmission rate caps, which would allow users to purchase access to the Internet at a given minimum data rate and be free...
- Discussion threads 2008-08-05
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
-
-
Tasty Baking’s new LEED factory
0:57
Tasty Baking CIO: Brendan O’Malley
-
Balancing act: innovation vs. reliability
1:28
Facebook VP of technical operations: Jonathan Heiliger
-
Securing data at E-Loan
1:47
E-Loan CIO: Jay Shah
-
When crops are scarce
1:47
Del Monte Foods CIO: Marc Brown
- View all CIO Vision Series Videos »
