ReviewHostingASP.NET – In this day, sure we expect to be able to do almost anything in a web browser, from checking our email to watching videos or playing games. Unfortunately, the main technology of web browsers is still geared toward a document-centric approach, rather than an application-centric one. Microsoft Silverlight is an attempt to bring the capabilities of a desktop application into a web browser. It is a subset of the .NET application framework which works as a browser plugin, then extends the capabilities of the browser to display rich media and interactive content. With the release of Silverlight 5, many .NET developers are helped by several new features and improvements. However, choosing the best and recommended Silverlight 5 hosting is very crucial, especially for any enterprise project requiring heavy programming or data access such as in-house applications that would benefit from Windows desktop integration. Here is an overview and some recommendations on selecting best and recommended Silverlight 5 hosting for you, the .NET developers.
Features of Silverlight 5
Silverlight 5 has come with lots of improvements and changes, and those improvements can be divided into several areas:
- Parser Performance Improvements: Improved XAML parse times for UserControls & ResourceDictionaries
- Network Latency Improvements: Significant performance improvement in ClientHttpWebRequest scenarios
- H/W accelerated rendering in IE9 windowless mode: Silverlight now uses the new SurfacePresenter APIs for
- H/W accelerated rendering in IE9 windowless mode
- Multicore JIT: Shortens the start-up time for Silverlight apps
- 64-bit browser support
- Low Latency Audio Playback: Use the SoundEffect API to trigger low-latency sound
- Variable Speed Playback: allows video to be played at different speeds and supports fast-forward and rewind
- At up to twice the speed, audio pitch correction allows users to watch videos while preserving a normal audio pitch
- H/W Decode of H.264 media: Significant performance improvements with H.264 media decoding of unprotected content
- DRM Key Rotation/LiveTV Playback: Long-running live TV playback is protected through the use of rotating licenses
- Application-Restricted Media: Prevents playback of protected content in unauthorized applications
- Text Tracking & Leading: Exercise fine-grained control over the spacing between characters and lines in your text
- Linked Text Containers: Create linked RichTextBlocks that allow text to flow seamlessly from one to the next
- OpenType and Pixel Snapped Text : Improved text clarity
- Postscript vector printing: reduces the size of print jobs and improves rendering quality of text
- Performance improvements for Block Layout Engine
- PivotViewer — now included in SDK. Adds support for dynamic client-based collections, XAML-based visuals, and customizability
- ClickCount: Add support for multi-click to your application
- Listbox/ComboBox type-ahead text searching: Listboxes and ComboBoxes can now scroll based on text input
- Ancestor RelativeSource Binding: Bind to a property on a parent control
- Implicit DataTemplates: Allow DataTemplates to be defined implicitly
- DataContextChanged event
- Added PropertyChanged to the UpdateSourceTrigger enum
- Save File and Open File Dialog: Specify a default filename when you launch your SaveFileDialog and specify a default directory when you launch your OpenFileDialog
- Databinding Debugging: Set a breakpoint directly in XAML, examine locals, and debug your binding
- Custom Markup Extensions: Execute custom code at XAML parse time
- Binding on Style Setters: You can now specify a binding within a style
- Improved Graphics stack: The graphics stack has been re-architected to add features such as Independent Animations
- 3D: Use the XNA API on the Windows platform to gain low-level access to the GPU and draw vertex shaders and low-level 3D primitives. Includes Render targets, XNA built-in effects, surface composition settings for depth/stencil buffers and multi-sample anti-aliasing
Top 3 Best and Recommended Silverlight 5 Hosting
We have carefully selected 3 best and recommended web hosting providers featuring full support to Silverlight 5, including HostForLIFE.eu, DiscountService.biz and WindowsASPNETHosting.in. These three best and recommended SIlverlight 5 hosting companies are outstanding in every aspect through our in-depth and comprehensive analysis. And in following parts, we will give you more detailed information about them and the reasons why they are listed as the best and recommended Silverlight 5 hosting providers.
HostForLIFE.eu – Best and Recommended Silverlight 5 Hosting
HostForLIFE.eu is one of the most stable, reliable and fast hosting providers in Europe devoted to hosting including a variety of hosting product and service. With a rich hosting experience, it develops so fast that now its services and products are popular in over hundred countries. In addition for what mentioned above, its technical support is also extraordinary. The company offers contact channels as much as they can, so that customers can seek help via live chat, email, as well as knowledge base. And all these channels enable clients to get solutions within the shortest possible time.
Their best and recommended Silverlight 5 hosting include unlimited disk storage, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited parked domains and unlimited subdomains. Moreover, HostForLIFE.eu integrates the latest Microsoft technology in their hosting package such as the latest ASP.NET, ASP.NET MVC and MSSQL version. Additionally, unlimited database and disk space are offered for site development.
HostForLIFE.eu also offers affordable hosting plans. For example, it has three windows hosting plans which are priced at €3.00/month, €5.50/month, €8.00/month and €11.00/month. If you are familiar with the pricing level of professional windows shared hosting plan, you may know how great these prices are!
DiscountService.biz – Best and Recommended Silverlight 5 Hosting
As a rewarded ASP.NET hosting provider in Australia, DiscountService.biz offers 3 main best and recommended Silverlight 5 hosting packages with affordable prices: Economy $7.00/month aims to fulfill your common need for a website. Professional and Business respectively charging $14.00/month and $21.00/month are suitable for you to manage a larger and more complex website.
The 3 packages include ASP.NET all version, classic ASP, latest MSSQL version, PHP and some web application installer covering WordPress, Joomla, DNN and more. As for billing, they offer 3 options, namely 3-month billing, 1-year billing and 3-year billing. Moreover, the packages enable you to accept domain transfers and use international domains. As for the control panel, DiscountService.biz includes Plesk control panel. This company supported by dual quad-core Dell branded servers is able to guarantee at least 99.9% uptime and fast the response time which is 317ms. As for customer services, it offers 24/7 technical support via email, ticket and live chat.
WindowsASPNETHosting.in – Best and Recommended Silverlight 5 Hosting
WindowsASPNETHosting.in is particularly professional in supplying excellent windows hosting, and of course, Silverlight 5 hosting is included. It masters the most advanced ASP.NET technologies and equips every hosting solution with its advanced technologies in India. There is no doubt that WindowsASPNETHosting.in is an excellent choice for best and recommended Silverlight 5 hosting demanders.
WindowsASPNETHosting.in is very stable, which is guaranteed by its hosting specialists, the use of technologies and robust facilities. They have own-built data centers and powerful servers. Affordable price is another reason we list WindowsASPNETHosting.in as the top 3 best and recommended Silverlight 5 hosting provider. They provide three hosting plans, which are priced at INR 70/mo, INR 200/mo, INR 400/mo and INR 660/mo. Considering its features and performance, we think these prices are quite competitive.
The three plans include the maximum amount of disk space and monthly data transfer, huge domain pointers, multiple MySQL5 and MSSQL 2012 or above. In the same time, they give you access to IIS 7/8 and ASP.NET 2.0/3.5/4.0/4.5/5.0. Besides, they offer you many tools, including SQL backup API, site start & stop tool, MSSQL manager and much more, for you to manage a site with ease.