Can't attend your uncle's fourth wedding? Now you can watch it online, in one of the latest new uses for streaming video on the Web.
Can't attend your uncle's fourth wedding? Watch it online.
My Wedding To You, a division of streaming-media company Online Video Service, announced Monday it is offering a range of video services starting at $295, and any wedding can be streamed over the Web. Couples choose an online photo album, and each kit includes a postage-paid box for submitting a wedding video to the company.
The video is prepared for streaming and hosted at a secure Web site, where it can be viewed anytime for no additional charge. Videos are played with either RealPlayer or Windows Media Player.
Many people hold high hopes for streaming video, envisioning a future where everyone watches TV and movies on their desktops. But technology has lagged behind, and high-speed Net access has been slow to catch on, a combination that has dampened the popularity of streaming media.
As technology improves and broadband becomes more easily available, however, many believe streaming video will find a large audience. According to Arbitron/Edison Media Research, about 78 million Americans have watched or listened to streaming media.
Tim Treanor, co-founder and chairman of Online Video Service, says My Wedding To You's service is just the ticket for the 21st century. "The impact will be huge for those unable to attend a wedding ceremony," Treanor said. "The '80s introduced wedding videos, the '90s started wedding Web sites, and today we're streaming wedding videos on the Internet."