<p>
Based
on peer-to-peer technology originally developed at Microsoft Laboratories in Cambridge in the UK, Livestation delivers remarkable
quality audio and video using a simple software application.
</p>
<p>
With
conventional streaming services, each stream is typically delivered from
central servers or using a special content distribution network. Every
additional user receives their own stream, which places enormous demands on the
distribution infrastructure and ultimately limits the number of users that can
be simultaneously supported.
</p>
<p>
In
some cases it is possible to use multicasting to deliver a single stream to
multiple addresses. Unfortunately, many networks do not currently support
multicasting.
</p>
<p>
A
peer network approach offers many of the benefits of multicasting, without
requiring a multicast network. Effectively, it enables an overlay network to be
created using the combined intelligence and network capacity of the computers
of its active users.
</p>
<p>
In
a peer network, each node functions as both a client and a server, sharing its
data with other users. This helps spread the load to the edge of the network,
so that capacity grows with demand.
</p>
<p>
Livestation
works by splitting a stream into multiple stripes, each of which can be shared
with other users. This allows users to share some of a stream with other users,
without having to relay the whole stream. This dramatically reduces the central
serving capacity required to deliver live audio and video to very large numbers
of users.
</p>
<p>
The
net result is actually more robust than receiving a single stream from a single
source. A level of resilience is built into the system making it more resistant
to general network traffic congestion.
</p>
<p>
As
with any broadband service, the quality is ultimately limited by the speed of
the connection of each end user. With faster networks, even high definition
television could be delivered in this way.
</p>
<h2>Register for the Livestation beta</h2>
<p>
Livestation is now in beta. Please register <a href="../../../account/signup">here</a>.
</p>
platform
9
5
platform
Scalable high-quality network
2008-07-15T10:15:50Z