Ustream.tv: A Groundbreaking Realtime Audio/Video/Chat Site

I recently learned of a website called Ustream.tv and was quite amazed at how easy it is to produce free live video and sound streams online, and have people participate in a text chat session, right from a browser with no special logins or passwords. I first learned about Ustream.tv from Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central (I highly recommend his podcast if you are interested in tech-related news and/or space and NASA related news). According to Cochrane, he learned about Ustream.tv from Chris Pirillo, who runs Lockergnome, Gnomedex and a few other tech-related sites. It’s important to note that I was just watching the live video and typing in the chat window, but I did not have a video of me running. I’m not sure how well two-way (or more) audio/video chats can occur.

Leo Laporte enjoys spaghetti soup just before starting a new hour on his live radio show. (Source: Screen shot of a Ustream.tv live stream from chris.pirillo.com/live)

Two Ustream.tv streams open and running at the same time (the chat windows kept appearing and disappearing during the streams. Clicking in the area where they were (under the live videos) brought them back. I was using Camino (1.0b1) for OSX.) The left side shows a live stream with iJustine, which was being shown on the homepage of Ustream.com at the time. Leo Laporte is on the right. (Source: (Left) Screen shot of chris.pirillo.com/live (Right) Screen shot of Tumbleo.com)

A live Ustream.tv stream showing date and time and number of viewers (the most I saw was 572 but it may have gone much higher). Source: Screen shot from Leo Laporte’s tumbleo.com

The possibilities for this technology are many, and I look forward to learning more in the near future. I captured a few screen shots while I was on Chris Pirillo’s “Live Internet Broadcast” page (thanks Rocketboom.com for the link!). Pirillo streamed Leo Laporte’s Ustream feed from his live page, and more than 570 people were on the feed at the same time, though while I was watching, the number quickly dropped a bit after that (see above for three time stamps with the number of people on the stream). I also noticed that with 2 streams running, some audio dropped out every few seconds, and the video also became less “in sync”. I’m not sure if that is common as this was my first Ustream experience. I am on a Mac Powerbook G4 (802.11g) with a Cable Modem, and I get an average of 8000-9000 kbps downstream (according to Speakeasy.net).

Dave Winer, Editor of Scripting News and a pioneer in the blogging and podcasting world has also used the site to stream and mentions that he will use Ustream.tv for an upcoming conference (Mix 07).

During Leo Laporte’s radio show and live stream, someone DUGG it and in 15 minutes, it received 154 DIGGs on digg.com. As of Sunday 4/22 at 12:15am, there were 660 DIGGs (Source: Screen shot of Digg.com).

There are a number of archived streams by Chris Pirillo on this page as well. A few remind me of the Starship Enterprise…aye aye, captain!

An archived video on Ustream.tv with Chris Pirillo in front of some big screens and high-tech flashing lights. (Source: Screen shot of Ustream.tv)

Article Links:

Ustream.tv

An excellent overview of numerous online audio/video sharing options by Michael Pick of masternewmedia.org.

Todd Cochrane’s Geek News Central

Desiree and iJustine’s blog and video websites: Mommy Pack My Lunch and Tasty Blog Snack

Leo Laporte’s Main Website and Tumbleo Blog -(Don’t miss the Daily Giz Wiz Podcast)

Chris Pirillo’s Live Internet Broadcast Page

Dave Winer’s Scripting.com Site

Digg.com

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Updated “Icons of Photography” website with 20 Questions for Peter Read Miller

About five months ago, I posted some information about Kingston Technology’s Icons of Photography microsite on www.kingston.com. The company recently announced it is adding interactive features to the microsite consisting of three new parts – 20 Questions, Ask the Icon and Critique My Image. Beginning in May, new components will allow visitors to pose questions directly to some of the world’s most respected photographers, including Harry Benson, Colin Finlay, and Gerd Ludwig, and will provide an opportunity for submitted photographs to be critiqued by members of the ‘Icons’ program.

The microsite will continue to showcase work produced by each photographer, along with a listing of upcoming projects, lectures and workshops from each. Currently on the site, Sports Illustrated Photographer Peter Read Miller Answers “20 Questions.”

In the 20 Questions feature, Miller speaks about his website, which is powered by LiveBooks, he discusses a workshop that he’s currently teaching in Denver, CO and he mentions what it was like shooting this year’s very rainy Super Bowl in Miami, FL.

Here’s a quick tip: If you click on any of the small image thumbnails under the main text box, you can view a gallery of stunning photos (nearly full-screen). If you use your keyboard arrows, it’s much faster and more convenient to navigate through the photographs.

By clicking on the archives and selecting Dec. 2006, you can also read some great information about how Miller shoots football games, and how he works with Sports Illustrated. And in the June, 2006 archive, Miller gives some helpful advice about how to slow down and take better portraits.

This quote from Peter Read Miller especially stuck with me, and it’s something that I often find myself doing. He notes: “…even when I’m not physically holding a camera, I’m constantly taking pictures in my mind and looking for ideas the next time I do have my camera in my hands.”

Peter Read Miller’s 20 questions (and answers) and the new ‘Icons of Photography’ Web site can be found at www.kingston.com/iop.

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My PodCamp NYC Experience and 50+ photos

I attended PodCamp NYC on Saturday April 7 and was really impressed by the venue, as well as the quality of the speakers and how well it was organized. There were more than 100 sessions in 12 different rooms, and they ran from 8:45am to about 6pm. It was also a great opportunity for me to catch up with some friends, and make new ones. I put together a photo gallery from some of the sessions I attended on my new Flickr page (yes, it took me this long to open a Flickr account-click on any photo to go to the gallery, which has over 50 images). For more about the history of PodCamp NYC and some thoughts from one of the lead organizers, I recommend visiting Jason Van Orden’s site.

Christopher Penn‘s Marketing 2.1 session at PodCamp NYC2007. I learned a lot about podcast and blog marketing, as well as Search Engine Optimization in this session. Photo ©Andrew Darlow

There was an amazing evening performance and CD Release Party featuring Brother Love (who absolutely rocked the house!) Another band who performed (I only heard a bit their performance, which was fantastic) was HER and Kings County. All proceeds from the show, called the Blubrry Jam to fight cystic fibrosis went to the Boomer Esiason Foundation Exercise For Life scholarship fund. For more info about Cystic Fibrosis and the campaign, which is running until May 15th, 2007, visit Blubrryjam.com.

Brother Love (a.k.a. BROLO) Photo ©Andrew Darlow