Windows Media Encoder Overview

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Rick Dickinson
Microsoft Corporation

Posted April 14, 1999

Contents
Encoding Live Radio and TV Feeds
Adding Interactivity to Live Streams
Using Windows Media Encoder for On-Demand Content
Creating High-Bit-Rate Content

Windows Media Encoder, one of the Windows Media Tools, is primarily a tool for taking live audio or video and encoding it into an Advanced Streaming Format (ASF) stream that can be sent to a Windows Media Services server for broadcast distribution. However, the encoder can also be set up to take either live or stored video or audio and encode the source into an .asf file. The following articles lay out the specific steps for several tasks for which Windows Media Encoder is commonly used.

Encoding Live Radio and TV Feeds

One of the most common uses of live audio and video encoding is to stream radio or television signals over the Internet. In "Setting Up Your Windows Media Encoder for Radio," we walk you through the steps to configure the encoder for streaming radio signals, including custom settings. "Setting Up Windows Media Encoder for a Live Video Feed" covers the same information, but provides more detail on selecting the correct codec for the type of video you'll be streaming.

Adding Interactivity to Live Streams

With Windows Media Technologies we've long been able to synchronize on-demand audio and video files with scripted events like URL flips, text captions, or advertisement graphics. But with Windows Media Encoder you can also synchronize these scripted events with a live stream on the fly. "Adding Script Events to Live Streams in the Windows Media Encoder" explains the interface and gives instructions for using scripted events during a live stream.

Using Windows Media Encoder for On-Demand Content

Windows Media Encoder does more than live encoding. You can also use it to convert audio and video files to ASF. "Converting WAV Files to ASF Using Windows Media Encoder" walks you through the steps for an audio file, and the same basic steps also apply for video files.

Creating High-Bit-Rate Content

The Windows Media Encoder is also an optimal tool for creating the rich high-bit-rate video possible with Windows Media Technologies. "High Bit Rate and Frame Rate Encoding" covers the whole process of encoding this rich video content, including setting up and using Windows Media Encoder.