byte-range redirection

Hi,

Regarding the method of retrieving media data in two parts over HTTP,
I think the term "4-way handshake" is a bit of a misnomer. The word
"handshake" implies protocol setup, whereas what we're really talking
about is a two-part request, where the first typically retrieves a
small but not insignificant amount of data (~10-100kB) which is
particular to the subview being requested -- media headers, keyframes
etc. As that data is necessary and immediately useful, I think it
would be incorrect to say that this method adds any appreciable
latency to the media request.

Further, use of this method is optional, such that if the user agent
does not specify to do so in the HTTP request headers then it simply
receives all the data immediately as a normal GET request.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to talk about an (optional)
byte-range redirection than a handshake.

cheers,

Conrad.

Received on Saturday, 29 November 2008 00:16:29 UTC