BitTorrent launches the open beta version of BitTorrent Live-- a peer-to-peer video streaming service harnessing the power of torrenting while reducing the infrastructure requirements of video streaming.
A 3-year development, BitTorrent Live works the same way torrents do. It removes the middleman in favour of a direct connection between broadcaster and viewer, turning each user into a "miniature broadcaster." As a result the technology is not only easier to use (since it does not demand centralised servers), but also cheaper to implement.
The company claims broadcast delays are just 5 seconds, while all the technology demands from users is the installation of a small plugin in their web browser of choice.
Currently the service is being pitched for both large broadcasters (both offline and online) and amateurs making use of services such as Ustream.
BitTorrent was a boon for piracy, to put it mildly-- according to a 2012 report from Canadian analyst Sandvine torrents make up 10-15% of all internet traffic in Europe and the US.
