StreamWorks -- Xing offers amazing technology with its combined real-time audio and video player. ISDN users and direct 'net connectors will rejoice at the ability to check out continual A/V signals from StreamWorks servers, but 28.8 Kb and 14.4 Kb users will likely find the waters quite a bit rougher. In fact, at 14.4 Kb, real-time video is actually closer to a still image than a movie, and audio, while decent, is nowhere near the quality heard on the radio. 28.8 Kb users will fare better with few delays and audio quality nearly on the level of RealAudio and TrueSpeech. More than ten different servers are available for use with the current version of StreamWorks and the possible choices of signal range from REM to Garth Brooks audio feeds and from NBC video feeds to rock and classical radio stations. Most feeds are available in a variety of formats in order to meet the different needs of users (14.4, 28.8, and ISDN). This is an app on the cutting edge of technology and will only get better in the future. It should be extremely interesting to watch as StreamWorks evolves.

Pros: Real-time audio and video on demand, tons of cool feeds available
Cons: Can be dreadfully slow for 14.4 Kb users, audio quality could be better
New: Native 32-bit version, improved performance, Direct Draw video acceleration support

Version Reviewed: 3.01 Date of Review: 9/16/97

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