All things related to multicast

[(Kevin C. Almeroth)]

>>From 
>>
>>  Thu Jun 22 11:26:55 2000
>>cc: 
>>
>>Subject: Multicast News Item
>>
>>University Of Oregon To 'Multicast' Prefontaine Classic
>>
>>GO ONLINE FOR FULL COVERAGE OF THE PREFONTAINE CLASSIC
>>
>>While television viewers will be able to watch only one hour of the June
>>24 Prefontaine Classic, Internet viewers will be able to see the entire
>>competition, and those servered by multicast capable networks can get full
>>broadcast quality. 
>>
>>The University of Oregon Computing Center will will team up with Cisco
>>Systems to make the event available at full broadcast quality over the
>>Internet2 network.  Internet2 is a collaborative project among
>>universities, government and industry partners to develop advanced
>>Internet applications that are not viable using today's Internet
>>technology. 
>>
>>"In Oregon, institutions with Internet2 access include UO, OSU, PSU, EOU,
>>SOU, OIT and WOU," says Joanne Hugi (director of the University Computing
>>Center).  "Individuals with direct access to these institutions' networks
>>and the right hardware and software will see the entire event at full
>>broadcast quality."  The UO will multicast ABC-TV's video and audio feed
>>at true broadcast quality from the crack of the first starter's pistol to
>>the final crossing of a finish line, using what's called MPEG2 technology. 
>>This technology takes advantage of the expanded broadband capabilities of
>>the Internet2.  UO Computing Center staff will broadcast the Prefontaine
>>Classic, through the Oregon GigaPoP, the state's access point to the
>>powerful fiber-optic network linking all Internet2 participants.  UO has
>>operated the Oregon GigaPoP since January 1999.  "With this multicast and
>>many other projects we are trying to extend the usefulness of the world's
>>increasingly powerful computer networking capabilities," Hugi says.  "It
>>is a big effort and in this case the UO Computing Center is working
>>closely with Cisco Systems and Nike to make this multicast possible."  For
>>those who don't have the computing power to receive the hefty MPEG-2
>>stream of information, but who nonetheless have direct access to
>>Internet2, UO Computing will also be sending out lower bandwidth, "near
>>broadcast quality" MPEG-1 and H.261 streams. 
>>
>>Downloadable software and instructions for how to access the streaming
>>multicast of the Prefontaine Classic is available at
>>http://videolab.uoregon.edu/. 
>>
>>Modem users with regular Internet access can watch a still lower-quality
>>version of the track and field events in RealMedia format, accessible at
>>http://www.nike.com/pre/.  "Right now seeing a track meet in MPEG-2 format
>>is a fairly advanced use of networked computing, but things are moving
>>forward so fast.  In a few years we expect this sort of opportunity to be
>>nothing out of the ordinary" Hugi says. 
>>
>>Web References:
>>
>>http://videolab.uoregon.edu/
>>http://nike.com/pre/
>>http://preclassic.com/