Web-Epics Video marketing

I read about this at Streamingmedia.com today. It seems Microsoft and Akamai are collaborating to make HD streaming widely available as early as 2009.

Apparently  the two companies announced yesterday that

Microsoft’s new “Smooth Streaming” technology will be bundled with a new Akamai service offering called “AdaptiveEdge Streaming for Microsoft Silverlight.”

But forget about how it works… as if i would ever understand anyway… think about what this could mean. Will Richmond of VideoNuze hits the nail on the head;

“Users expect TV-quality video when they go online; anything less just doesn’t make the grade anymore.” Especially in the HD era, premium video providers are recognizing that quality is king and as a result are accelerating their shift to more robust delivery infrastructure. And the payoffs are clear: higher-quality video drives longer viewing sessions, greater engagement and improved monetization opportunities.”

Check out the demonstration for yourself here http://www.smoothhd.com/

I was pointed to Howcast.com today. I find it fascinating how people are finding different business models for on-line video, but particularly in this area, where the subject matter can be just about anything at all. As they say on their homepage “Howcast shows you fun, informative how-to videos and guides” Video Jug paved the way here with their “Life explained on Film” website.

What I want to know is do people really go to these sites for genuine advice or is it just an entertaining distraction; a kind of more defined YouTube? And why would a producer produce a ‘How to’ video and upload it to one of these sites rather than a generic UGC site? Howcast does offer the princely sum of $50 to Directors making programmes on their behalf. Budding Spielberg’s would have to make a lot of programmes to get into a higher tax bracket going down that route!