Subject: Interactive Multimedia Jukebox (IMJ)

From: [email-masked] (Kevin C. Almeroth)
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 05:47:53 -0500 (EST)

Announcing the Interactive Multimedia Jukebox

   At one point on this list there was a discussion of what on-demand
servers exist or are being developed.  Well, I'd like to announce
our version called the Interactive Multimedia Jukebox (IMJ).

  The IMJ web page is a request and scheduling interface for the playout 
of content over the MBone.  The IMJ page is located at http://imj.gatech.edu.
Information about the IMJ including general info, a postscript version of 
a paper about the IMJ, how-to-use information, and how it was implemented 
can be found at http://www.cc.gatech.edu/computing/Telecomm/IMJ/

   Some quick additional information about the IMJ is included below:

IMJ Audio/Video
-----------------
   The IMJ uses the WWW to submit requests which are then scheduled
for playout on the MBone.  Right now we are offering three channels:
Channels 1 and 2 are being broadcast at a TTL of 15 and so are limited
to the GT campus.  Channel 3 has a TTL of 127.  Each channel
provides DVI-2 audio and 128 Kbps H.261 video.  Right now there is
only a limited amount of content that can be scheduled on Channel 3
(see below).  I'm working on adding some more stuff.  The encoding was
done using Henning Schulzrinne's rtpplay and rtpdump.

Scheduling
----------
   Program scheduling uses a set of criteria to decide on which channel
to schedule a program.  The current set of criteria are listed just
below the interactive schedule.  We are exploring lots of different
options.

Content
-------
   We have been working on the jukebox paradigm with Turner Broadcasting,
and as a result of their interest they have agreed to let us broadcast
content on the MBone.  I am particularly excited about this aspect because
of their help and interest in investigating new applications on the Internet.
Unfortunately, we are still working on getting permission to broadcast
Turner content to the world.  

Development Platform
--------------------
   As is mentioned in the paper on the IMJ information page we are using
the IMJ as a platform for a variety of research issues including
providing interactivity, supporting multiple heterogeneous streams,
video server organization, tracking usage, program scheduling, and
pricing.

Acknowledgments
----------------
   In addition to Turner Broadcasting, several other groups have made the
IMJ possible.  The GT Broadband Telecommunications Center sponsored much 
of the research and some of the equipment, and GT Office of Information 
Technology offered technical assistance and additional equipment.

Please send me any feedback or suggestions.  Thanks.

-Kevin Almeroth

---

From: "James E. [Jed] Donnelley" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 09:51:31 -0800 (PST)

>our version called the Interactive Multimedia Jukebox (IMJ).
...
>Turner content to the world.
...

I find it amusing that Turner Broadcasting would be concerned about
their content being broadcast on the MBone.  At this point the technology
is so much more a limitation than intellectual property that their
concern seems a bit quaint.  Naturally you are aware that if even
3-4 projects (possibly even 1?) like IMJ start broadcasting
audio/video on the MBone, the MBone virtual network will not be
able to handle it.  If Turner was aware of that I would think they
would be delighted to have slowed down, lower resolution, choppy,
versions of their content be first time users of the limited resources
available now for such transmissions...  "Hello Mr. Watson, are
you there?"

I think a larger concern is getting the MBone community to accept such
transmissions.  Related to this is the question of what decision process
will be used to choose which such transmissions are used for continued
testing/development of IP multicast.  I would expect to see something
like a conference version of one of the Internet "telephone" sorts
of audio applications as high on a list of potential applications.
Relatively low bandwidth and a potentially large audience with a high
payback value.  Still, how to decide?  I personally think video can/should
wait (Turner or no Turner ;-).

Jed Donnelley    [email-masked]   Phone: (510) 422-4309
http://www.webstart.com/jed/    FAX: (510) 423-1355

---

From: Petri Helenius <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 23:43:01 +0200 (EET)

> wait (Turner or no Turner ;-).
I personally like to have my cartoons to be delivered on media,
regardless of the quality. If the quality goes bad, it should be
improved on, if one doesn't try, you cannot spot where you should be
improving on.

Pete

---

From: Stephen Casner <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997 15:41:46 -0800 ()

Kevin,

I suggest that you change the definition of the audio and video
sessions for the IMJ channels to use different port numbers in
addition to different multicast addresses.  I realize that affect
several things in the setup, but the reason for this suggestion is
that some systems won't be able to receive both audio and video
because the OS does not allow binding to multicast addresses.  This
has been fixed on most OS's by now, but it is still true for the
Win'95 and NT stacks.  Therefore, we can't tune in with IP/TV, for
example.

I'll respond separately to the list about mbone usage and
"floundering".
							-- Steve