Multicast based client for video-on-demand services - a case study

Multicasting is the ability to accept messages from application and deliver these messages to a multitude of requesting clients. It thus combines the strengths of unicast and broadcast communication. The paper provides an insight into the development and implementation of a multicast client module designed for video-on-demand purposes. With the help of multicast communication, the performance of the video transmission between server and clients is increased to a level where video-on-demand becomes a serious alternative to "normal" cable solutions.