Streaming media is usually sent with UDP packets, which are not acknowledged, so although there's an initial TCP handshake, the stream itself is essentially one-way. The choppiness you are hearing is probably a bottleneck at your ISP.
Although I used to work with the inventors of multicasting and the MBone, I don't know much about widely it is supported today by ISPs. For it to work, it has to be supported in every router between you and the source. Since I switched to a fairly awesome ISP (conxion.com), I experience virtually no problems with streaming data -- and I almost always have something playing while I work. See http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/techresources/streaming/multiwp.asp for a decent overview. Nick > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On > Behalf Of Kevin Tarr > Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2002 9:03 AM > To: Brin-L > Subject: New irregulars computer question > > > This is more a discussion point, not a question I expect anyone to > solidly answer. I listen to streaming audio at home with cable modem and > work with T1. It used to be solid but lately the stream is very choppy. > I listen to different sources so I don't think it's because of the > supplier. (Though when Excite when out it did make some sources > disappear.) > > Anyway from what I understand the streaming audio is still a 'handshake' > between your computer and the streaming site. I know how information is > sent, packets et al. Is anyone thinking of a different way for audio and > video to be broadcast? I know a site can't just be 'leaking' packets > onto the internet like an antenna sends it's signals, but there should > be some way for user to get the packets without any load on the sender. > Is anyone working on this? > > Kevin T. > (I got blistering e-mail from brother who is mad about Art Bell charging > $25USD for six month subscription. Another unnamed radio source said it > costs them one million to stream the audio, so they were ending the > service. This same company had close to 250 million profit.) >
