[comp.dcom.telecom] Multi-Media via Usenet?

david@wubios.wustl.edu (David J. Camp) (08/24/90)

I just had an idea.  There has been a lot of noise about upcoming
multi-media products.  We already distribute graphics images via .gif
and other formats from archive systems.  

Why not distribute live video via Usenet?  It has the perfect
bandwidth-reducing (flooding) algorithm built-in.  Of course, it may
be necessary to increase the bandwidth of the transmission media, but
that does not preclude us from using existing protocols.

The expiration of such a newsgroup may need to be less than one
second.  I do not know what technical hurdles this will entail.

I propose that we set up a test group for this purpose.  In its early
incarnation, it can simply distribute stills at a low rate, e.g. 1 per
day.  It would still be useful to test the idea, and experiment with
software changes to make the protocol work.

This is not a formal newsgroup proposal.  I have yet to read
news.announce.newusers to learn how to do that.

I could not find the ideal newsgroup on which to post this, but for
now address followups to rec.video, or (better) mail to me directly.
I would be interested in hearing any comments regarding the
feasibility or desirability of this scheme.  


david%wubios@wugate.wustl.edu   David J. Camp
 ...!uunet!wugate!wubios!david  +1 314 382 0584
 

Jamie Hanrahan <jeh@dcs.simpact.com> (08/26/90)

In article <11318@accuvax.nwu.edu>, david@wubios.wustl.edu (David J.
Camp) writes:

> Why not distribute live video via Usenet?  ...

> I propose that we set up a test group for this purpose.  In its early
> incarnation, it can simply distribute stills at a low rate, e.g. 1 per
> day.  It would still be useful to test the idea, and experiment with
> software changes to make the protocol work.

While you're about it, go read (sort of) alt.sex.pictures.  They're
way ahead (if that's the word) of you.


Jamie Hanrahan, Simpact Associates, San Diego CA
Chair, VMSnet [DECUS uucp] and Internals Working Groups, DECUS VAX Systems SIG 
Internet:  jeh@dcs.simpact.com, or if that fails, jeh@crash.cts.com
Uucp:  ...{crash,scubed,decwrl}!simpact!jeh