This page contains all the tests produced before the final release of NetShow 3 and RealSystem G2 were available. We keep them here because they give some indications of how the streaming video systems have improved. You can also compare many different schemes, with the resultant size and quality.
The final results of our project are based on the long term experience gained in testing and benchmarking.
We have also kept the original software (freely available), to allow anyone to reproduce the same results and to eventually compare them to the final versions. Anyway, it is not necessary to install the old players to view the older videoclips: the final versions can perfectly manage all the videos encoded using previous releases.
The following encodings have been produced on a Hewlett-Packard Kayak XU, Pentium II 300 Mhz, with 128 MB RAM and NT 4.0 workstation operating system. You don't need so much RAM to get the same results, while you can get faster output if your processor is more powerful.
The new codecs (NetShow 3.0 and Real G2) use much less processor power allowing therefore better results in the same time, and also very high rate (300 or 500 Kbps).
You can install the 2.0 Player
All the encoding were requesting 15 fps but the results are different according to the bandwidth available and the CPU power.
| Size in KB | Bandwidth in Kb/s | CODEC | audio | image settings | resulting average fps |
CYCLEPCM.AVI |
|||||
| 1,157 | 300 | 11 | |||
| 1,904 | 500 | 12 | |||
| 393 | 100 | MPEG-4 | 4,8Kb/s CELP Lernout & Hauspie, 8KHz, 16bit, mono | 12 | |
| 796 | 200 | DUCK | 4,8Kb/s CELP Lernout & Hauspie, 8KHz, 16bit, mono | 1 | |
| 782 | 200 | MPEG-4 | 13 | ||
| 787 | 200 | MPEG-4 | best image | 13 | |
| 773 | 200 | MPEG-4 | MPEG Layer-3, 16Kb/s, 11KHz, mono | best image | 12 |
| 782 | 200 | VDO | 4,8Kb/s CELP Lernout & Hauspie, 8KHz, 16bit, mono | 12 | |
TRAIN.AVI |
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| 173 | 100 | DUCK | no audio | 1 | |
| 179 | 100 | DUCK | no audio | best image | 1 |
| 166 | 100 | MPEG-4 | no audio | 6 | |
| 166 | 100 | MPEG-4 | no audio | best image | 5 |
| 327 | 200 | MPEG-4 | no audio | best image | 9 |
| 487 | 300 | MPEG-4 | no audio | best image | 9 |
to be played using MediaPlayer 5.01.51.0421 (Microsoft's universal player which substitutes NetShow Player)
15 fps were requested, automatic indexing (for allowing fast forward and rewind) was enabled
| Size in KB | Bandwidth in Kb/s | CODEC | resulting average fps | image settings |
TRAIN.AVI |
||||
| 183 | 100 | MPEG4 -v2 | 8 | |
| 365 | 200 | MPEG4 -v2 | 8 | max crispness |
| 515 | 300 | MPEG4 -v2 | 15 | |
CYCLEPCM.AVI |
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| 404 | 100 | MPEG4 -v2 | 15 | max crispness |
You can install the 5.0 Player or RealPlayer G2 preview edition (with automatic adaptation to available bandwidth and other features)
The fps change dynamically in each video, according to the bandwidth requested. When "fixed fps" is specified, the encoder tries to keep that rate if it has sufficient bandwidth, by lowering the image quality.
Size in KB |
Bandwidth in Kb/s | CODEC | settings | notes |
| CYCLEPCM.AVI | ||||
| 393 | 100 | 5.0 | fixed 15 fps | |
| 399 | 100 | 5.0 | optimize image and fps | |
| 398 | 100 | 5.0 | sharpest image | |
| 785 | 200 | 5.0 | optimize image and fps | |
| 1,161 | 300 | 5.0 | optimize image and fps | |
| 1,178 | 300 | 5.0 using G2preview | sharpest image | voice only |
| 1,182 | 300 | 5.0 using G2preview | standard | voice only |
| 324 | 80 | 5.0 using G2preview | standard | voice only |
| TRAIN.AVI | ||||
| 251 | 150 | 5.0 using G2preview | sharpest image | |
| 477 | 300 | 5.0 using G2preview | sharpest image | |
| 478 | 300 | 5.0 using G2preview | sharpest image | without monitoring the video, freeing more CPU time for better encoding |
| 476 | 300 | 5.0 using G2preview | smoothest image | |
| 478 | 300 | 5.0 using G2preview | standard image | |
| 1113 | 20-45-300 | G2 SmartStream | standard image | multiple bandwidth encoding (only if on a Real Server) |
| 1244 | 20-45-80-300 | G2 SmartStream | standard image | multiple bandwidth encoding (only if on a Real Server) |
For installing all the encoders: