ABSTRACT
Video databases and applications were traditionally only to be available to users having high-end devices connected to special analog video networks or highspeed local-area networks. This is no longer the case due to technical progress being made in several areas: The steady increase in computational power being built into standard computers has removed the need for high-end computers to be able to enjoy video applications. High network bandwidths are also becoming available in public networks through cable modems and digital subscriber lines [5] enabling customer access to digital video applications through public networks. The most important change that has occurred, however, is the new video compression methods and streaming video players, such as the Microsoft Windows Media player [3] and the RealNetworks player [4], which makes it possible for most Internet users to access digital video services using ordinary modems.
