The web has become a fast moving world of audio and visual media.

Video broadcasts from pop concerts to Big Brother are commonly displayed online using streaming technology.

Brighton-based AVT has operated a video production facility for more than 25 years.

Tomorrow the company will introduce a streaming media service after an eight-month development programme.

New media manager Jon Fox said: "Streaming technology has been around for some time but it needs a lot of bandwidth for best effect.

"We are now seeing an explosion of streaming on the web as access to broadband improves. Streaming content is appearing on web sites of all types, both corporate and consumer.

"We are pooling our experience in traditional production skills with our new media knowledge to provide the viewing experience today's web audience expects."

The company's in-house production team can convert existing video for web streaming or produce broadcast material from scratch in its digital studios.

The content is encoded, compressing it to a format readable by web media players, many of which are available free on the internet.

It is also encoded for different internet connection speeds varying from 26K to broadband.

Visitors can select the media player and connection speed for their set-up from options displayed on the web page offering the stream.

The video is then played out across the internet to the computer where the request originated.

Mr Fox said: "The best way to compress data is to use software which analyses the content to be streamed and makes file sizes smaller helping to achieve smoother delivery."

AVT produced the opening video for the 2001 Brighton Festival and used excerpts to make a short web version for streaming to demonstrate the service.

Mr Fox said: "Major demand from multiple visitors can put strain on the server providing the streaming. This can slow down the delivery and cause interruptions.

"We encoded the festival clips with priority for the audio track. The aim was to provide a continuous track to listen to at peak times of demand.

"Images appear at intervals, synchronised with the sound, until enough bandwidth be-comes available to view the full video track again.

"This avoids the stop-and-start style of streaming which leads many people to click away rather than wait for the clip."

The company's web site has been given a new look and will also go live tomorrow.

Mr Fox said: "Our new site covers technical queries about how streaming works, benefits of using streamed media and examples of content streamed live from our server.

"It also shows how we can set up a purpose-built skin around the clips.

"This enables companies to place their own stamp on the broadcast rather than have it appear surrounded with the branding of the player it is being shown through."

AVT, founded in 1975, employs 26 staff and has a pool of freelance workers.

The main operation is based in central Brighton with satellite offices in London's Canary Wharf and Truro in Cornwall.

The company operates a digital production facility for video, CD-ROM and audio content.

It offers audio and visual hire services and conference and event organisation.

www.avt.ltd.uk