Instant update (streaming)?

[lowsky13]

I need a way to have a picture show up on a site but when I am logged in as admin or something and I click on another picture the picture changes for everyone viewing that site without a refresh. Sort of like a live streaming thing but without the streaming server!

I'm streaming a video conference (guy talking with video) and I want the viewer to see the powerpoint slides next to the player. I thought of creating stills of each powerpoint and then put it in an xml file. So I would be able to sit in the audience and click on the appropriate picture and it would update automatically for all those people watching at home. I don't want someone to have to click...i want the picture to automatically update without a refresh because if it refreshes it will stop the streaming video.

I was thinking like a chat has people see text in real time...why not show a picture?

Is this possible? Also, is there a php script that I can upload a powerpoint and it converts each slide to images automatically?

Thanks.

[sneakyimp]

The way HTTP protocol works is that the server responds to requests from a browser. There is no way for your server to initiate a connection to some user's browser to send any kind of command.

You have other options:
1) Set up some Javascript to keep 'polling' the server every few seconds. If you change something on the site, the Javascript should see the difference and load the new image.

2) Flash supports socket connections. If a Flash movie makes a socket connection to your server, then you can send commands from the server to flash and have it load the new image.

3) Write something in Java or C++ or whatever.