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[Plug-Ins] [Plug-In Pack]

RealAudio
[Imagemap]

Company: Progressive Networks
Platform: Macintosh; Windows 3.1, 95, NT; OS2
Plug-in cost: Free
Developer tool: Encoder (beta is free), server (~$100/stream), Personal Server (beta free)
Download from: http://www.realaudio.com/products/player2.0.html

Since April 1995, RealAudio has allowed Web developers to embed real-time audio in their pages. Because it was the first, and - so far - the best tool for streaming audio, RealAudio has become the standard for sound on the Web. The quality isn't great (think AM radio), but the streaming technology is (relatively) bandwidth efficient, and the files download fast enough for use in live broadcasts.

Of course, the scratchy quality's not at all suited for high-quality sound reproduction (classical music would suffer, to put it mildly). And if you're going to broadcast with RealAudio, you'll need a sense of humor (words inevitably get garbled or los t) and a good chunk of change.

The plug-in, of course, is free. But developing for RealAudio can be costly. The server is prohibitively expensive for most individuals (and some companies), at about US$100 a stream. (The number of streams determines how many people can listen at the same time.) And if you want to broadcast live, you'll have to lay down a few grand. Progressive Networks does offer a two-stream personal server at a more affordable price, but let's face it: for personal homepages, there are far cheaper ways to work audi o in.

In addition to being first out of the gate, Progressive Networks has won the hearts of many customers with its Ben & Jerry's-like reputation. Founded by the maniacally brilliant Rob Glaser, a former Microsoft VP, the company donates profits to prog ressive political causes (yes, the name's a double-entendre), and runs a socially conscious Web site, WebActive, on the side.



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