Nullsoft Streaming Video

Nullsoft Streaming Video

Filename extension	.nsv
Magic number	'N','S','V','f' (0x4E, 0x53, 0x56, 0x66)
Developed by	Nullsoft
Initial release	2003
Type of format	Container format
Container for	Video
Website	http://www.nullsoft.com/nsv/

Nullsoft Streaming Video (NSV) is a media container designed for streaming video content over the internet. NSV was developed by Nullsoft, the makers of Winamp.

The NSV format is another example of streaming video formats, offered by various companies and media players. Windows Media, QuickTime video, RealAudio and RealVideo streams are just a few examples of these, and each have their benefits and shortcomings.

One of the shortfalls of most streaming formats often comes from the difficulty in finding streams, or at least some form of directory service; and in some cases, none are readily available to the public at all.

With Nullsoft's SHOUTcast service, a media streaming and directory system, the NSV format has become popular, along with SHOUTcast's listings of Streaming Audio, which reach well into the thousands. The "Media Library" offers integrated listings of both audio and video streams, returned directly from the SHOUTcast service.

History

NSV was created in late 2002/early 2003 by Justin Frankel while working at Nullsoft. Originally designed as a demonstration of the potential that newly developed streaming technology Ultravox could offer, it has since become an accepted format for AOL streaming media, with many promotional videos available on both Winamp.com and the AOL website.

Players

Current media players that support the Nullsoft Video format are:

• K-Multimedia Player
• MPlayer
• RealPlayer Plug-In - http://rnsv.hit.bg^{[citation needed]}
• VLC (with VP6 support since 0.8.6)
• Winamp
• Xine

External links

• www.nullsoft.com - Official Nullsoft Video Software Download Site
• forums.winamp.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=152 - Official Nullsoft Video Forum
• http://ultravox.aol.com/NSVFormat.rtf - NSV Format specification and documentation
• Sourceforge.net Project Page: Nsv Lib - Unofficial Open Source - cross Platform, in development NSV Library in C++