As we all know, audio and video take forever to download over our modems so how is this possible? The answer is streaming media. Streaming audio and video is the process of requesting a large file but only receiving a small bit at a time. If we think about it, this makes sense. We don't need the entire file to listen to it, we just need a few seconds ahead of the point we are at. And, when this happens continuously, with the server streaming at a 10 to 30 second buffer, we get streaming media allowing us to access continuous audio and or video - even live broadcasts.

While there are others, the biggest and most well known company in streaming media is Real Networks (http://www.real.com). In order to listen to content encoded with Real technologies, you need the Real Player. The latest version is called the Real Player G2. Fortunately, it is free and can be downloaded from their web site (http://www.real.com/products/player). Be careful to request the free version, there is a plus version with extra features but costs around $30.

Once you have the player, you are ready to go. You can download short clips or listen to entire concerts. And, there are plenty of live broadcasts and special events as well.

Even one of our locally based country bands, Melody Dunn and Desert Sky, is getting into streaming media. They started with a clip from their recent video shot on the Ocean to Ocean Bridge and have plans of adding music from their new CD after this summers studio sessions. Their web site and video clip can be found at (http://www.melodydunn.com).

You can also find a tremendous amount of content and information at Real Networks' guide to audio and video on the Internet (http://realguide.real.com). This site is pretty busy and can be difficult to follow but they have all kinds of information listed.

At LiveConcerts.com (http://www.liveconcerts.com/) I found listings of upcoming concerts and an archive of 148 past concerts covering 21 genres. By clicking on the concerts button from the home page, you can find the complete list of archived content.

If you are looking for an alternative to Real Networks, try the independent company, WinAmp (http://www.winamp.com). This player has a slick user interface and will play many different audio formats including, MP3, CDs, Audiosoft, Audio explosion, MOD and WAV. And, by clicking on skins from their home page, you can change the look and feel of your interface - a very cool feature.

Once you install WinAmp, point your browser to Shoutcast (http://www.shoutcast.com). There you will find many channel/content options right on the home page. Just click on 'Tune In' and if necessary, tell the pop-up window to open, not download, the file.

Personally, I think the audio quality of this player far surpassed what Real Networks has to offer. And, they are doing it commercial free without corporate sponsorship.

Once again, the Internet has allowed the world to take advantage of an independent yet superior technology, which, after all, is really what the World Wide Web is all about. So, the next time you sit down at your computer, choose your player find your favorite content and surf the net in style with tunes playing in the background.