Microsoft Windows Media Resource Kit (Pro-Resource Kit)

Overview

In chapter 1 you learned about the four phases of streaming: capturing, encoding, distributing, and playing back. This chapter and the two that follow will take the concepts introduced in chapter 1 and apply them to Microsoft Windows Media 9 Series, the latest streaming media platform from Microsoft.

Windows Media 9 Series is a set of technologies that enables you to deliver rich digital media across all types of networks and devices. The technologies include:

• Windows Media Encoder 9 Series. Used in conjunction with the Windows Media 9 Audio and Video codecs to compress content. Windows MediaEncoder and the codecs are explained in this chapter.

• Windows Media Services 9 Series. Used to distribute content over internal and external networks. Windows Media Services is explained in chapter 3.

• Windows Media Player 9 Series. Used to decode and render the content on personal computers and other consumer electronic devices. Windows Media Player is explained in chapter 4.

• Digital Rights Management (DRM). Used by content owners to set usage policies. DRM is introduced here in chapter 2.

• Windows Media 9 Series Software Development Kits. Used to build tailored applications and services.