by Brent Harshbarger

Fasten your seatbelts--we are going to take a quick tour of the ancillary technologies of streaming media. We'll start the tour by stating that some say streaming media is arguably the media transmission technology of the future. It may even replace current media technologies. One fact remains, streaming media is a fast-growing technology and it will have an impact on worship and ministry now and in the future. Before we can discuss its impact on our worship and outreach ministries, we must define some terms in order to avoid confusion and to debunk some common misunderstandings.

There are three major areas that we will discuss: the first is networking media, followed by technologies used in the larger view of streaming and multimedia technologies. We will finish with a topic that might be new to many: asset management.

Streaming is often synonymous with "media over a network", or more specifically an IP (Internet Protocol) network. An IP network is a very specific and a very defined technology. In general terms, IP networks are not good for multimedia for several reasons. First, multimedia is by nature a real-time technology. Video runs at 30 frames per second, cartoons run at 12-15 frames per second, and film runs at 24 frames a second. Every second a number of frames has to be reliably presented and in a specific order, or you get a glitch or a blank screen. Therefore, we determine multimedia as being real-time. An IP network was designed to transport non-real-time information, or data if you prefer. As long as all the data is transported and arrives in a usable state, it really doesn't care how long it took or the method used to deliver it. This makes traditional data networks efficient for transporting large volumes of Word or Excel files, but is not efficient for real-time media.

However, IP technology is the key to streaming media's usefulness because it makes use of a large network to which nearly everyone has access: the internet. However, as discussed earlier, streaming media on via an IP is a non-real-time, networked-based delivery method for multimedia. In contrast, technologies like CobraNet are a networked-based, real-time delivery methods. So, you ask, if streaming media is not real-time how can I watch a video being streamed on my favorite web site? The answer is that streaming media buffers (stores up) a part or all of the video on your system in large enough chunks to make it look like you are getting real-time information. Even with webcasting, there is a significant delay (or latency) from the live image to the one you are viewing on your PC. The basic point is that currently the internet, and most IP-based technologies, cannot provide the ability to reliably deliver real-time media, which in networking circles is referred to as low Quality of Service or QoS. But there is significant work being done on many fronts to provide a high Quality of Service to IP-based networks.

The next issue is bandwidth. Digital multimedia involves large amounts of data, making them bandwidth-hungry. This is the reason DSL and cable modems are becoming very popular. You get more bandwidth, which makes browsing the internet seem like real-time. From this need for more bandwidth, technologies were created to reduce the required bandwidth or file size to the point that it could be easily transported across the web. This is the birth (or expansion depending on where you are orbiting in the technology universe) of media compression technologies and is the heart of streaming media today.

Compression is a math-intensive process to reduce the file size. It can compress a file in non-real-time using a PC or you can compress a live signal in real-time using DSP's (Digital Signal Processors). There are two major reasons for using compression. One is reducing the cost (and speed/time required) of transmission over a network, and the second is to reduce the cost of storage. If you make the file small, it takes less time to transmit the file across the network, and it also allows you to store more video for example on a hard drive. There are numerous compression technologies available today, but the technologies we are going to focus on are the ones developed by the Motion Picture Expert Group (MPEG).

The most popular work of MPEG is MPEG-1 Layer Three or better known as MP3. MP3 has become the de facto standard for audio. The next in popularity and the current standard for video is MPEG-2 for DBS and DVD applications as an example. MPEG-2 provides video and multiple channels of audio (surround applications). There are three more MPEG standards in the works MPEG-4, MPEG-7 and MPEG-21. I would like to clarify here that the MPEG-4 standard has been accepted, but just now being introduced in commercial products.

It has been reported that MPEG-4 was developed as an internet standard. This is not quite correct. It provides higher compression so it lends itself to being more internet-friendly, but MPEG-4 is really scalable. The term "multimedia" which is often used in MPEG-4 discussions may also be confusing, leading one to believe that MPEG-4 is designed specifically for the internet. However, the MPEG-4 standards document states "MPEG-4 builds on the proven success of three fields: digital television; interactive graphics applications (synthetic content); interactive multimedia (world wide web, distribution of and access to content)".

So why is MPEG-4 so important? Much of the MPEG-4 work is based around object technology, meaning all of the multimedia elements (text, graphics, video, audio) of the file are identified as individual objects. Another benefit is that an MPEG-4 file will simultaneously support multiple distribution methods of those separate objects of elements. For example, if you have a video program with closed-caption information, the entire video can be streamed to cable television outlets and the web, while just the closed caption portion can be relayed as text on a pager.

Finally, MPEG-4 is the first of the MPEG standards to start to support metadata. Metadata is term used to define information about data. For example, if you have a graphic, the metadata will describe the graphic and the author of the graphic. MPEG-7 expands on this topic and utilizes XML technology, while MPEG-21 expands on this even further.

Why is metadata important? Before we answer this question let's define some other technologies that make metadata relevant. First is content. A web developer in the 90's stated, "content is king." What is content? Content is a picture, a video, text, a graphic, an animation or any other medium that people have interest. It is not the element itself but what is represented in the element. Content is also another word for intellectual property. From a traditional TV broadcasting standpoint, a sitcom or a movie is the content of the station or network. It is what attracts and keeps viewers. Advertising, can also be considered content because it has intellectual property associated with it, not to mention if the ad doesn't get played, the broadcaster doesn't get paid. Therefore, because these digital items are intellectual property, and since property is considered an asset, we need a way to manage our digital assets. Metadata is the means to manage these assets.

How does this relate to the church, worship and outreach ministry? First, it is important because the amount of digital content that the church is going to create and use will require that these technologies have the right support structure. The support structure includes a creation method, a storage method, and a distribution method (network). Second, it requires a system to manage the volume of content (or assets) created or licensed.

Asset management is a technology in and of itself. This technology includes database management, cataloging/librarian, and retrieval technologies. For example, if you have several people creating graphics to support the morning worship, you will want an accurate database of the content you have available, and have it be accessible to all. The method in which the data is cataloged will insure that all of the graphic creators are looking in the correct location for the data. For example, you may already have a map graphic of the Holy Land in-house that was purchased for $35 from a stock photo house. But the others one your church's technical team don't know it is available. Therefore, each content creator downloads the same map for an additional $35 charge per download. Because you didn't have an adequate asset management system in place you spent more money than was necessary.

In the future, all the information and content elements you require for morning worship will come from content delivery networks (CDN) and/or servers. CDN's and content servers will be linked to an account or subscription to a publishing company or other content provider. Therefore, the intellectual property rights, and other compliances with copyright laws will be managed by a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system. When that time comes, you will no longer have to purchase CD's, accompaniment tracks, or videos. You will access this content via streaming or related technologies. The DRM will automatically update when you use access or use the content.

As mentioned earlier, content is the key to attracting and keeping viewers coming to a broadcast channel or web site. Content needs to be entertaining and/or informative, and it must be interesting. It can enhance the spoken word with supportive text, graphics or video.

The key to content is to know the audience, and focus on creating content specifically for them.

I often get asked, "How can we stream our services?" My follow up question is "Why do you want to stream it?" My recommendation is to develop specific content that will interest the intended audience using the given medium. Don't use valuable bandwidth with content that attracts only a dozen or so viewers. If you really want an outreach ministry, have the youth create a Flash movie or a Shockwave video game to attract other kids.

Streaming media or other digital content can be used in Sunday School, children's church and youth ministry with the proper infrastructure to support it. It can be used in the classroom, across the web, or stored on CD/DVD. Text, graphics, video, and/or animations can be used to support key points in a sermon. Using all of these media elements live is an art where the content must be relevant to the topic and the audience while being presented with acute timing and delivery. This requires teamwork long before Sunday between the Pastor, Worship Leader, Content Creators and Technical staff. The uses of digital content for internal applications and outreach are endless, but be creative and have a purpose for using it before you engage in it.