21

Players and Platforms

21.1 Any Color You Like, as Long as It’s Black

We might like to think we have a lot of choice about which format to use, but in actual fact that choice is quite limited. Mostly we are limited by the platforms we choose to operate.

21.2 De Facto Playback Standards

Until now, streaming has been dominated by several de facto standards. They have been important in generating interest and penetrating the consciousness of the buying public. The different formats are proprietary. Some of the major proprietary formats are developed by companies whose primary interest is something other than video compression, save one Real Networks. The availability of the formats on operating system platforms is subject to commercial decisions ...

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