Summary
An on-line Multimedia Delivery System must take the material from
the physical media and change it, using encoding hardware or software, into a digital
form. The information about the media needs to be recorded - information such
as what it is, so that the end-user can find it; where it is stored, so that the
media server can find it; and how it is encoded, so that it can be decoded appropriately.
Interfaces are necessary so this information can be configured and maintained,
and so that the material can be accessed. Decoding and playing software converts
the data for playback to the end-user . Usage logging software provides a means
of tracking use of the system, and financial software can make use of this information
to bill the users.