Justin.tv launches live video streaming app

Matt Bowman · March 23, 2010 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/e89

It doesn't broadcast, but it does deliver a smooth interactive live video experience.

Justin.tv launched a live video viewing app for the iPhone today, and it’s smooth.



The app does not allow for broadcasting from the phone, but the image quality is impressive (provided the broadcaster has good bandwidth). From my 3G iPhone, there was about a 45 second lag between action and viewing, compared to the 15 second lag I get when viewing online with an ethernet connection. The app also allows for chat, which updates in real-time and is simultaneous with the online connection.

Live-streaming apps aren’t new. Ustream launched one over a year ago, though that is not currently available in the U.S. App Store (it’s not clear when it became unavailable and I haven’t seen any news about it being pulled. I’ve reached out to Ustream for comment. Qik and Kyte live video viewing apps are also conspicuously absent). Update: Ustream's viewing app is back up in the app store. Marketing rep Shari Folds tells us simply that "We heard it was down for a period of time but it's back up."

Justin.tv VPs Evan Solomon and Caleb Elston said the app will automatically switch between a 200kb/sec stream and a 64 kb/sec stream depending on the bandwidth available (this, they think, is the only live streaming mobile app that does this). The pair also said they are working on new features, including push notifications to tell users when their friends have started broadcasting—this function will be submitted tomorrow morning to the app store—and a categories filter. They also said the app would be coming to Android soon.

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Ustream's one-to-many live interactive video encourages broadcast-to-viewer and viewer-to-viewer interaction, empowering a much more engaging experience for everyone involved.

With Ustream's interactive broadcast functionality, viewers can personally interact directly with whoever is broadcasting -- including personalities like their favorite musician or politician. Ustream viewers can watch specific broadcasts, explore our networks ranging from music, talk shows, sports and politics to discover a world of interesting new broadcasts, or review our past broadcasts.

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Kyte

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Kyte is a white-label, cloud-based publishing platform for live and on-demand video. The Kyte Platform reduces the cost and complexity of delivering social video experiences to websites, mobile and connected devices. Kyte powers online video for top media companies and brands, including ABC, Armani Exchange, Clear Channel, ESPN, Fox News, MTV, Monster Energy and NATO.

 

Justin.tv

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Justin.tv is building the destination site for broadcasting and watching live video online while chatting with friends. Justin.tv tears down the walls of traditional video and social networking sites by enabling viewers and broadcasters to interact and exchange ideas in real time through chat and live video.

In the past, live broadcasting was only available to large media corporations who were willing to spend millions of dollars. Today, Justin.tv has democratized live video by shrinking all of the functionality of an expensive TV satellite trunk into a simple laptop or desktop computer.

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Qik

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