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Video
Streaming Frequently Asked Questions 
What are the requirements
for video streaming?
Will this affect my school’s
network or bandwidth?
How much does it cost?
Do you offer any discounts
to audio streaming clients?
Are there any long-term contracts?
If we don’t already use
your unlimited audio package, can we still offer
a free audio link?
What about archives?
What media player is used?
How do I add events?
What happens when a fan clicks
“Watch"?
How is customer service handled?
Can I use multiple cameras?
What kind of personnel will
I need?
Do our play-by-play broadcasters
have to be adjacent to the streaming computer?
Can we use our radio broadcast
as the audio feed?
What
are the requirements for video streaming?
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A) A high-speed
Internet connection with at least 500 Kbps
upload speed (and preferably 600-700 Kbps or more).
Also, it is important that this Internet connection
is not shared unless you have higher connectivity
speeds. For example, if you share a DSL line
in your press box and a couple of photographers
begin transmitting photos, that could cause
buffering or network congestion with the video.
You can get a good idea of how fast your upload
connection is by plugging into the network
you’ll be using and visiting http://www.speedtest.net (make sure to look at the upload speed, NOT the download speed). Your IT department can also tell you if
your network meets these requirements (almost
all campus networks will suffice). You can
generally use wired OR wireless connections. In some cases, you can even use the wireless Internet cards available through various cellular providers.
B) A digital video camera, with
a firewire output (if your camera does NOT
have a firewire output, you can obtain converter units for approximately $250). You might even be able
to “piggyback” on the camera your
coaching staff uses for scouting purposes.
If you’re in the market for a new camera,
we can provide suggestions based on your budget.
C) A computer that meets basic minimum requirements (contact us for specs)
D) Streaming software, which can be downloaded
off the Internet
E ) An audio input source on your computer
(if there is no line-in jack, we can help
you acquire a USB sound card) |
Will
this affect my school’s network or bandwidth?
No. Keep in mind that the only bandwidth being used
is for the single stream that is sent to our servers.
From there, we relay the streams over OUR network.
So, your IT department can sleep peacefully!
How
much does it cost?
We will offer video streaming in two “flavors”:
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A)
Unlimited viewers! For a single-game fee,
you can pick up the cost and allow an unlimited
number of viewers to watch the event for free!
Please
contact us for pricing.
B) Pay-per-view: Fans will pay a nominal subscription
fee, which you can determine. Stretch Internet
charges a nominal administrative fee, but then shares the subscription revenue with your
school! We will also work with you to set
special pricing for multiple-event packages,
such as season passports. Please
contact us for pricing and details. |
You can also combine these two options (ie…pay-per-view
for soccer, school picks up the cost for basketball).
We're all about flexibility!
Do
you offer any discounts to audio streaming clients?
Yes! If you are signed up for our unlimited audio
streaming service, we kick back a greater percentage
of all pay-per view sales. Or, you can offer unlimited
viewership for 10% less than our standard pricing.
Are
there any long-term contracts?
Nope. Unlike other streaming companies, we don’t
require a signed contract or force you into a multi-year
contract to get the best pricing. You can stream
as few or as many games as you’d like, all
with our unbeatable pricing.
If
we don’t already use your unlimited audio
package, can we still offer a free audio link?
For a small additional fee, you can offer a free
audio link for any event. This extra cost is ONLY
for clients who do not use our unlimited audio package.
Please
contact us for pricing.
What
about archives?
For a small additional fee, we can make archives available of your video events. This process does require that you record the video through our software and upload it to our servers following the event.
What
media player is used?
As with our audio streaming, we use QuickTime Player,
which offers even more distinct advantages for video.
You might have noticed that every Hollywood movie
trailer is posted on-line in QuickTime format…and
this isn’t by chance. QuickTime is the only
media player that encodes natively in H.264 format,
which provides outstanding quality at exceptional
compression levels. This format is only compatible
with QuickTime 7, so we will also provide your viewers
with the option of viewing an MPEG-4 stream, which
is compatible with ALL versions of QuickTime.
How
do I add events?
You can easily add broadcasts on our secure, intuitive
web calendar. The corresponding “Listen”
or “Watch” links will automatically
appear on your site after you embed some simple
HTML code. For existing audio streaming clients,
there is no additional implementation necessary.
What
happens when a fan clicks “Watch”?
The first page they’ll see is a list of the
minimum requirements needed to view a video stream.
Once they are satisfied that they can view the live
stream, they will be asked to proceed…either
by purchasing a passcode (if you choose the pay-per-view
model) or by just clicking “Continue”
if you’re providing unlimited streaming.
How
is customer service handled?
We provide top-notch customer service – both
to you and your fans. We post links to a thoroughly
documented support page and also provide our contact
information if fans would like to reach our expert
support staff. If there are occasional problems
at your end (network difficulties, power outages,
etc.), we will gladly post notices on your schedule
page to keep fans updated. We will also handle all
credit card processing and refunds, when necessary.
Most importantly, we will ALWAYS treat you and your
fans with respect.
Can
I use multiple cameras?
While a single-camera feed is sufficient in nearly
all cases, our software does allow for multi-camera
broadcasts or other third-party solutions, such as Tricaster.
What
kind of personnel will I need?
Aside from the obvious play-by-play talent, you
can get by with just one additional person on a
single-camera broadcast. That person can "start"
the broadcast on the computer and then handle the
video camera operation if necessary. Again, you
can easily train just about anyone to run the streaming
software.
Do
our play-by-play broadcasters have to be adjacent
to the streaming computer?
This is preferred, but not necessary. For example,
if your basketball commentators are on press row
and your streaming computer is located above the
court, you can either run cable or use a wireless
audio unit (this can cost in the $300 to $400 range).
Can
we use our radio broadcast as the audio feed?
Yes, but you still need to route that audio source
to the video streaming computer (via cabling or
a wireless unit) at YOUR end. We can't "merge"
separate feeds at our end due to the delays inherent
to network feeds and streaming. |
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