If you're new to streaming media or just want a refresher course in the basics, then you won't want to miss the free half-day Beginner's Seminar. At these informative seminars, you'll learn the basics of streaming media in language you understand. This seminar is designed to get you started and prepare you for the conference sessions on the following days.

This "jargon-busting" seminar consists of a full hour scheduled for Q&A, and will be held in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. You'll be taken step-by-step through the basics of streaming audio and video. You'll also be provided with clear explanations of the strategic opportunities and practical issues you need to be aware of when planning your deployment of streaming applications. Here are just some of the topics that will be addressed in the Streaming Media West Beginner's Seminar:

The Beginner's Business Seminar will address the often-asked questions posed by many professionals new to the industry. This seminar is perfect for those in sales, marketing, management and administration who are looking to gain a better understanding of the everyday issues in a streaming media company. The discussion topics will include:

• What are streaming video and audio?
• What's the difference between live and on-demand streaming?
• How do streaming technologies actually work - from lens to PC Monitor?
• What are the quality-of-service and bandwidth issues you need to understand?
• How are video and audio being used on the Internet?
• Which Internet sites are using streaming media - real life examples?
• How is streaming media being used on Corporate Intranets?
• Where is the use of streaming media going - what's next?

The introductory technical seminar is perfect for those attendees who wish to gain a better understanding of the technical applications behind streaming media. Based on the Streaming Media Tutorials, you will learn how to produce, encode, host and deliver your site's content. Some topics discussed will be:

• What are streaming video and audio?
• Introduction to Codecs and Architectures
• What's the difference between live and on-demand streaming?
• How do streaming technologies actually work - from lens to PC Monitor?
• What are the quality-of-service and bandwidth issues you need to understand?
• What hardware and software do you need for streaming media?
• Basics of Audio and video recording and pre-production for streaming delivery
• Adding interactivity to your website
• Encoding, hosting and serving your content