RealNetwork's Helix Server

More Than You Ever Cared to Know

1. What is the Same

• Uses RTSP streaming protocol to deliver content
• Proprietary codec and file type for RealMedia content (RealMedia 9)
• RealMedia Helix Server and RealOne Player is backwardly compatable with previously created RealMedia content

2. What is Different

• RealMedia support for streaming Quicktime content is more robust (it now works)
• RealMedia server can stream properly encoded Windows Media content
• New Content Creation Tool (more on this later)
• Open source code for core server, content creation and playback technology.

3. NCSU's ITD RealMedia Services

Two Servers, the current RealMedia production server, and RealTest, using Helix Server

(Description of Services/Infrastructure by Earl)

4. RealMedia's Open Source Direction

• Basic Helix Server support for RTSP, similar to Apple's Quicktime Streaming Server
• Neither Open Source Player or Encoder includes RealMedia Codecs as source code, just binaries
• Source code allows developers to add encoder and playback support to their applications
• Open Source can extend extend player and encoder support with open source codecs such as Ogg-Vorbis, Divx, On2, h263

5. Content Creation: Quick Tour of Helix Producer

• Free Version does not create RealMedia 8 content, only RealMedia 9
• Helix Producer only available for Windows and Linux (command line only) currently
• Uses a new Job Oriented framework
• Supports Batch Encoding
• RealMedia Editor for Helix only available with "Pro" Version
• Helix Producer Plug-in for Adobe Premiere shipping for Windows and Mac OS 9

6. Delivery: Sample Code and Playback

• RealMedia Streaming -- works the same as before
  http://realaudio.ncsu.edu:7070/ramgen/unity/lockers/project/mediasource/video/carshowaudio.rm
• Quicktime Streaming
  
  
• Windows Media Streaming
  http://realaudio.ncsu.edu:80/asxgen/unity/lockers/project/mediasource/video/carshowaudio.wmv.asx

Links of Importance:

RealNetworks Free/Trial Products Page

http://www.realnetworks.com/products/free_trial.html

Real's Documentation on Streaming Quicktime (skip to page 7 for the good stuff)

http://docs.real.com/docs/techblueprint/datatype.pdf

Get a copy of Apple's MakeRefMovie (and other tools for PC's and Mac's)

http://developer.apple.com/quicktime/quicktimeintro/tools/

More Info on Launching Media Players (including Windows Media)

http://service.real.com/help/library/guides/helixuniversalserver/realsrvr.htm?page=htmfiles/links.htm%23launch

Overview of New Features In Helix Server

http://www.realnetworks.com/resources/contentdelivery/server/features.html