1. An Introduction to Microsoft NetShow Services and Advanced Streaming Format (ASF)By
Huang Yi-Chin

2. Outline Part I : NetShow Services Part II : Advanced Streaming Format
Introduction
Streaming media components
NetShow Server
NetShow Tools
Windows Media Player
Part II : Advanced Streaming Format
File Format Organization
Sample Files
2018/11/19
CMLAB

3. Part I: NetShow Services
NetShow is ..
“…NetShow Services is a platform for streaming multimedia content over networks that range from low-bandwidth, dial-up Internet connections, to high-bandwidth local area networks (LANs).” [1]
Streaming is ..
“…data that is streamed is transmitted so that it is accessible without delay…” [2]
not as the download-and-play technology.
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4. Introduction(1/2)
How NetShow Services Work
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5. Introduction(2/2) Key Features Widest bandwidth range
Intelligent streaming
Build-in multicast service
Codec independence
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6. Streaming media components(1/3)
NetShow Server
NetShow Administrator: A set of administrative tools to manage, configure and monitor NetShow Services.
Publishing Point(unicast)
On-demand Unicast p.p.
Broadcast Unicast p.p.
Station Content(multicast)
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7. Streaming media components(2/3)
NetShow Tools
NetShow Encoder
NetShow T.A.G. Author (Digital Renaissance)
Media On-Demand Producer (Sonic Foundry Inc.)
NetShow Indexer
Adobe Premiere plug-in
Publish to ASF(PowerPoint plug-in)
Other utility program: VidToAsf, WavToAsf...
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8. Streaming media components(3/3)
Windows Media Player
Based on DirectShow API architecture.
An universal player.
Automatic codec downloading.
Supporting ASX (ASF Stream Redirector) files to enhanced content.
Other features: Marker menu, Logo, Banner, Playlist …
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9. Part II: Advanced Streaming Format
What is ASF?
An extensible file format designed to store synchronized multimedia data. [4]
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10. ASF Features(1/2) Extensible Media Types Component Download
easy to define new media types
Component Download
Stream-specific information (ie. Codec) is stored in the file header.
Scalable Media Types
It stores each “band” for a media as a distinct media stream.
2018/11/19
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11. ASF Features(2/2) Multiple Languages
supports multiple languages.
Author-specified Stream Prioritization
ex. Multiple streams for different bandwidth.
Bibliographic Information
Bibliographic Information can apply to either the whole file or a single media stream.
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12. File Format Organization(1/3)
ASF Object
the base unit of organization - ASF Object
16 Bytes
Object ID
Object Size
8 Bytes
Object Data
?? Bytes
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13. File Format Organization(2/3)
Index Object
<Other Objects>
Header Object
Data Object
File Properties Object
Stream Properties Object 1
Stream Properties Object N
...
<Other Header Objects>
Data Unit
High-level File Structure
Three Top-level Objects
Header Object
Data Object
Index Object
Minimal Implementation
1 File Properties Object
1 Stream Properties Object
1 Language List Object
1 Data Object with only 1 Data unit
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14. File Format Organization(3/3)
ASF Header Object
is a container that can hold other ASF objects:
File Properties Object
Stream Properties Object
Content Description Object
Script Command Object
Marker Object
Component Download Object
Scalable Object
Prioritization Object
Mutual Exclusion Object
Inter-Media Dependency Object
Rating Object
Index Parameters Object
Color Table Object
Language List Object
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15. Stream Property Object
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16. Script Command Property Object
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17. Marker Object
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18. Index Parameter Object
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19. Data Object
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20. Index Object
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21. Sample files
Sample1:
Sample2:
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22. Reference [1] Windows NT Server NetShow Service Deployment Guild
[2] Microsoft NetShow 3.0 Reviewer’s Guild
[3] NetShow Overview White Paper
[4] Advanced Streaming Format Specification Ver1.0
2018/11/19
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