YouTube launches a two-day trial for its yet-to-be-released live streaming platform.
YouTube is preparing
to launch a live streaming platform, beginning with a two-day trial period that
kicks off Sept. 13.
The two-day testing period will start at 8:00 a.m. PT on Sept 13, said Joshua Siegel, product manager, and
Christopher Hamilton, product marketing manager at YouTube, in
a
Sept. 12 blog post.
YouTube will launch the limited trial of its new streaming
platform in conjunction with four of its partners:
Howcast,
Next New Networks,
Rocketboom and
Young Hollywood.
"This new platform integrates live streaming directly
into YouTube channels; all broadcasters need is a webcam or external USB/FireWire
camera," Siegel and Hamilton said in the post. "Included in the test
is a 'Live Comment' module which lets you engage with the broadcaster and the
broader YouTube community. For the purpose of the trial, this offering will
only be available today and tomorrow. Based on the results of this initial
test, we'll evaluate rolling out the platform more broadly to our partners
worldwide."
This move means that YouTube content partners can stream
video directly to end users in real time, and it puts the YouTube service into
competition with entrenched players such as Ustream, Livestream and Justin.tv.