Silverlight Streaming Service Interview Questions & FAQs

Questions and answers for Microsoft SilverLight Streaming Service.

6. Silverlight streaming service

6.1 What is Microsoft Silverlight Streaming by Windows Live?

Microsoft Silverlight Streaming by Windows Live offers a free cloud-based hosting and streaming solution for quickly delivering high-quality, high-scale, cross-platform, cross-browser, media-enabled RIAs.

6.2 How much does Silverlight Streaming cost?

While the service is in beta, storage is free up to 10 GB and streaming is free up to 5 TB of aggregated bandwidth per user account per year. Videos should not exceed 10 minutes and have a maximum bit rate of 1.4 Mbps. As we move out of beta, unlimited streaming will also be available for free with advertising, or with payment of a nominal fee for use of the service without advertising.

6.3 How much is the pay-for-use service if I chose not to use Microsoft-sponsored advertising?

We're not prepared to discuss the final pricing of the non advertising-based product at this time except to say that it will be extremely cost competitive. The advertising-based product will continue to be free in perpetuity.

6.4 Can this service be used for non-video files such as music files?

Yes. Anything that can be encoded as Silverlight application content and rendered in Silverlight can be used. This includes music files such as WMA and MP3. Business logic written in .NET and JScript can also be stored and streamed to the client.

6.5 How much storage do I get and what is the bit rate?

A user receives 10 GB of free storage for Silverlight applications hosted in Silverlight Streaming. Videos should not exceed 10 minutes and have a maximum bit rate of 1.4 Mbps. There is also a byte size-based limit set to 105 MB for all file uploads. For video files, the first limit to be reached –either based on the video length or on the video file size– will be applied. In any case, if the limit is exceeded, the upload will fail.

6.6 What video encoding formats are supported?

The designer or developer is free to use any encoding format for their video supported by the Windows Media Video codec. This includes Variable Bit Rate (VBR) encoding for DVD-quality video and the use of the VC-1 codec for high-definition content. Remember that the optimized output rate from the service is 1.4 megabits per second.

Silverlight Streaming also provides transcoding in the cloud if the user chooses the Manage Video scenario. In that case, a wide variety of formats are supported in input, and a high quality WMV file encoded at 1.4 Mbps with VC_1 codecs will be generated as output. The technical details of the profile used by the Silverlight Streaming transcoding service are provided in the SDK on http://dev.live.com/silverlight.

6.7 What is the difference between Silverlight Streaming and other video sharing services?

Silverlight Streaming is focused on developers who want to build their own media-rich applications or Web sites. Unlike other video sharing services, there are no third-party branding requirements for the use of Silverlight Streaming, and the developer is in full control over their rich media experience within the context of their Web site. This includes items that are not presently supported on other sites such as 16:9 aspect ratio video, DVD-quality video, stereo audio, and customized UI (XAML).

6.8 Does Silverlight Streaming replace other video and file sharing services?

This service does not replace other video or file sharing services. Silverlight Streaming is intended to give developers the power and flexibility to build such services themselves, and more.

6.9 What steps are being taken to ensure copyrighted content or illegal material is not uploaded?

The media owners as well as the Silverlight developers rendering content in their third-party Web sites are responsible for respecting the copyright of the content they expose. Microsoft reserves the right to remove from our servers any copyrighted content brought to our attention. The front page of our service has a Report Abuse link.

6.10 Can I string together longer clips made of 10-minute files in a playlist?

Yes, so long as the total size of your Silverlight application content does not exceed the 10 GB storage quota of this free service, each video clip is encoded at a maximum bit rate of 1.4 Mbps, and each video file is not larger than 105 MB.

6.11 What scalability does this system deliver? What if I have a large number of visitors to my Web site at the same time?

This service uses the Microsoft content delivery network specifically optimized for long-form video content. It has a provisioned global aggregate data rate in excess of 1 terabit/second.

6.12 Does this solution compete with content delivery networks (CDNs)?

No, this service uses the Microsoft CDN for the low latency delivery of media and does not compete with CDNs because it is specifically optimized for use with Silverlight RIAs.

6.13 Why is this service branded with Windows Live?

This service is part of the Windows Live Platform.

6.14 It's free — what's the catch?

There is no catch. This is a new offering designed to accelerate the development of the next generation of Silverlight applications in general and media rich applications in particular.

6.15 Can I tap into other Windows Live services?

Yes, customers are able to use Windows Live ID and other Windows Live APIs today and in the future. Silverlight provides a great platform to consume these services.

6.16 What applications will Microsoft provide to make hosting easy?

Microsoft is building a simple uploading tool and has enabled direct publishing to the Silverlight Streaming service via an Expression Encoder publishing plug-in available on the Microsoft download center. In addition, third-party companies are adding support to their own applications for Silverlight Streaming integration.

6.17 How is my content secured?

You will have to be signed into the Silverlight Streaming service to manage your account and your Silverlight applications. Your Silverlight Streaming account ID and secret key, associated to your Windows Live ID, will authenticate you as the unique and legitimate owner of the applications and content you upload to the service. You will also need Silverlight Streaming account ID to render your applications on your Web site. The Silverlight Streaming ID is public. However, the secret key should be kept confidential.

6.18 How do I get started?

To sign up for your free account, visit silverlight.live.com. Anyone with a Windows Live ID can participate.