9/13/02 - Windows Media 9 Series Beta: Technical Review

Early Impressions

Make no mistake – this is more than a simple version upgrade. This review doesn’t even begin to cover the new player features targeted at the consumer, of which there are many, or the new DRM technology bundled into this release. From a streaming media standpoint, the new codecs are impressive, the new encoder features thoughtful, and the new server functionality promising.

Interestingly enough, RealNetworks announced immediate support for Windows Media 9 Series. While there are a number of features that will not be supported, such as the Fast Streaming technologies, the fact that interoperability is becoming the norm instead of the exception is promising. Add to this the progress MPEG-4 is making as a format, and the streaming media landscape is looking better and better. We may actually be approaching the time when the platform wars are less important than the content we’re trying to deliver. Let’s hope so.

Steve Mack is the author of the Streaming Media Bible, available from your favorite local bookseller and the usual online merchants. He is also co-owner of Lux Media (www.LuxMedia.com), a streaming media consulting firm. He began his streaming media career at RealNetworks back in 1995, and has been involved in some of the earliest and most prestigious Internet broadcasts, most recently producing Yahoo Internet Life’s Web Cast of 2001, U2 live at Notre Dame. He can be reached at smack@luxmedia.com