Clipstream™ Video can be described as playerless because all of the resources needed are located on the server with only the content needed to be downloaded by the viewer. Under the default settings for Clipstream™ Video when a viewer visits the page with browser the applet will detect the viewer's connection speed and start streaming a defined .vcs file that matches the viewer's detection speed. If there are any optional parameters in the applet code, it will deliver the video differently (for example: autoplay, autoloop, etc.).

How the video is played and what resources will be used is governed by a set of instructions in a code called an Applet. An Applet is Java code that runs in your browser that can launch a separate program. As a developer, by editing the code, you can change which video is played and how it is played.

Since 2006 the applet has been embedded in a Javascript file that makes it easy to link to from a web page. It packages the applet in a separate text file that is easily editable.

The engine for Clipstream™ Video is the clipstreamvideo.zip, a small compressed file that contains several Java mini-programs that play the video (.vcs) clips.

The standard interface for the Clipstream™ Video is a .gif or .jpg file that contains various buttonstates. You can substitute that graphic with one of your own design.

With all of the files generated by the Encoder (applet embedded in HTML page, buttonset, .vcs movies, videoclipstream.zip - see graphic below) all you need then is a standard HTTP server to upload to. Unlike other streaming technologies, Clipstream™ can be placed on any web server.

This is identical to the clipstreamvideo.zip but packed in an optimized cab file. This optional file is used by IE only and decreases load time by 30%. This is a signed applet used only by IE running Microsoft JVM (20% of IE browsers). The user must approve a popup prompt and if approved, will allow stereo sound. If they disallow it, the applet will revert to the normal .cab file and play mono sound.