VDOLive Player and Plugin -- The VDOLive client is similar in many ways to Xing's StreamWorks client. Both offer real-time audio and video playback over the 'net with only a minimal amount of deterioration in quality, but only VDOLive offers seamless integration with your Netscape or Internet Explorer browser and inline support for real-time audio and video. Platforms currently supported include Windows 3.x, 95, NT with standalone, Netscape plug-in, and IE ActiveX Control versions all available for download. Even over 14.4 Kb lines VDOLive performs admirably and with only an occasionally dropped frame. Given the impressive playback at these low speeds as well as the superb audio quality, ISDN users and direct 'net connectors will be even more impressed with the performance of VDOLive. Unfortunately, because VDOLive is just emerging as a viable client, native VDO files are few and far between. VDOnet's Armchair Connection offers a few files but is still quite limited. Beta testing for additional VDOLive servers has just started and will hopefully increase the number of available VDO files in the near future. Again, like StreamWorks, this is an app on the cutting edge of technology and will only get better in the future. It will be extremely interesting to watch as both VDOLive and StreamWorks evolve and compete.

Pros: Real-time audio and video on demand, solid performance even with slow 'net connections
Cons: Can still be quite slow for 14.4 Kb users, audio quality could be better
New: Improved performance, story book mode, increased video size, more

Version Reviewed: 3.0 Beta 2 Date of Review: 10/11/97

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