Section One: The Digital Video Process
Step Three: Playing at the Desktop

In the past, different client players were required for different file types. Currently, many standard client players have extended their client capabilities to recognize multiple standard file types, such as MPEG-1 (.mpg), ActiveMovie/Video for Windows (.avi), QuickTime (.mov) and RealVideo (.rm and .ram). Progressive Networks' G2 Real Player, with plug-in extensions, and Microsoft's Windows Media Player can open and playback multiple digital video file formats, for example.

Additional functionality provided at the client, in collaboration with the server, can include permission to save a file to hard drive, maximizing of playback based on network connection (e.g. 28.8 KB, 56 KB, T1, etc.) and auto-selection of video file format for a video asset transcoded in multiple formats, usually based on the bandwidth capability of the client network connection.