Abacast has designed and patented its own unique hybrid peer-to-peer technology. They have taken the best qualities from P2P and the best features from Unicast Streaming and combined them creating a higher quality, more stable and more adaptable connection while at the same time significantly reducing bandwidth requirements up to 98%.
Distributed Streaming
The Abacast Distributed Streaming Network is a combination of the best features of peer-to-peer delivery together with the best features of central server or unicast delivery. We have taken the security, high quality, and control of unicast technology and combined it with the extreme efficiency of peer-to-peer delivery. The result is a very secure, high quality, stable, quickly adaptable network that uses up to 98% less bandwidth. This makes it better than unicast and better than pure peer-to-peer. It also creates proven higher quality connections.
The Distributed Streaming Network uses a central server to communicate with each user. However, the actual stream may be provided by either the server itself or, more likely, by another user or users who simply redirects the stream or portions of the stream. The Abacast server continually monitors the network, and changes the distributed streaming hierarchy as necessary to optimize user connections. This creates a closely monitored network that provides true end-to-end Quality of Service and real-time network healing creating a stream with less skipping, buffering and breaks than other streaming technologies.
Further, in the Abacast Distributed Streaming Network the "peers" are simply distributing (or relaying) the real-time stream based on direction from the Abacast Server. The "peers" do not know anything about each other, nor do they store any information or files for each other.
Abacast technology will only use client upstream bandwidth when the client is actively connected to the stream and only for the purpose of distributing the stream to which they are connected. Further, if the client disconnects or needs to use their upstream bandwidth, for any reason, all Abacast distribution of the stream is stopped and any clients receiving the stream are redirected without interruption or skipping.
Unicast Streaming
In addition to Abacasts patented hybrid Peer-to-Peer technology, we also offer a standard Unicast stream. There are many important similarities between both Unicast and Abacast streaming technologies. But there are also some important differences.
Stream Type
We offer both a standard Unicast stream as well as our own patented Abacast Distributed Stream. Abacast technology was designed to provide a higher quality, more stable, and more efficient streaming solution. There are many important similarities between both Unicast and Abacast streaming technologies. But there are also some important differences.
Similarities of Abacast and Unicast streaming technologies
Media Formats: Abacast technology can be applied to the delivery of all streaming media formats.
Encoding: The requirements for creating a source stream are the same for the Abacast Server as they are for unicast servers.
Media Players: End-users use the standard media players to view or listen to the streaming content.
End-User Experience: The end-users experience does not noticeably change between receiving an Abacast stream compared to a unicast stream.
Client Application: Abacast requires the client to have a local application, the Abacast Client Plug-in. The Abacast Client Plug-in will need to be downloaded, if not pre-installed.
Important Differences Between Abacast and Unicast streaming
Efficiency: Abacast creates a more efficient Distributed Streaming Network reducing bandwidth consumption in every network it crosses by 52 to 95% depending on stream bitrate. This frees up previously wasted bandwidth for everyone.
Scalability: No more "Server Full" messages. The number of streams directly connected to the server does not grow linearly with audience size.
Reduced Infrastructure Deployment: Abacast does not require as much audience size estimation, architecture over allocation, and infrastructure planning.
Stability: Abacast creates a more stable, distributed network that can adapt more effectively to changing network conditions.
Closely Monitored: Abacast creates a higher quality experience by closely monitoring and adapting the stream based on data from each end-user's client in real time.
Complete Real-time Stream Statistics: Abacast provides real-time audience counts and complete stream statistics including Cume, AQH, Unique Users, Average Duration, Total Hours, and more at NO EXTRA CHARGE
