There are two ways to view media such as video or audio on the Internet and that downloading and video streaming.
Download
When you download a file, the entire file on the hard drive of your computer, which then open and save in your spare time. This is a great advantage with faster access to different parts of the file after download, but it has a big disadvantage that you wait for the whole file completely downloaded before being displayed. If the file is just so not small, too much of a problem for you, but for large files, you can tax your patience.
The easiest way to use video files are downloaded, just a hyperlink to the file on your website or server. A slightly more advanced method is to include a file on a Web page on your site using special HTML code.
Making video files will be accessible in this way as HTTP streaming or HTTP delivery known. HTTP means Hyper Text Transfer Protocol and is the same protocol used to deliver Web pages. Therefore, it is easy to setup and use on almost any site without additional software or special hosting plans.
Stream
Video streaming works a little differently, you or your visitors will be able to monitor end users run the file almost as fast as it starts the download. In the dossier is sent to the user in a steady stream, ideally, the user sees and how it happens. The main advantage of this method is that there is no waiting period, depending on the speed of downloading your service. Streaming media must live events such as additional benefits transfer, sometimes referred to as broadcast or netcast.
True streaming video must be delivered by a specialized streaming server.
Progressive Download
There is also a hybrid method known as progressive download. In this method, the video file is downloaded but begins playing as soon as part of the file is received. This simulates true streaming, but not all benefits.
HTTP Streaming Video
This is the easiest and cheapest way to stream video from a website. Small and medium-sized websites using this method than the more expensive streaming server.
For this method does not require a special type of Web site or host only one host server, the common types of video files recognized (most standard hosting) account to do so. Remember that you can not stream live video because HTTP method only works with complete files stored on the server. This method is very popular and is used on this site and sites like YouTube video syndication.
Creating a streaming video file
There are many streaming video formats, and are the major, most likely already know. The most popular are Macromedia Flash, Real Media, Windows Media, QuickTime and MPEG.
Each format has its pros and cons and people have their own preferences. Ideally, you should have files in all formats, but this is far from practical, and it is best to choose one or two at most. Flash is the recommended format of this page and the Flash Player is found most commonly associated with Internet computers.