Sdvantages and Disadvantages of Flash Media Server

Hi,

I have posted some thread before trying to get some info on streaming media. While I have gotten some feedback about Flash Media Server being the best, I am trying to see if it’s necessary for what I want to achieve.

Today my questions are about the Flash Media Server.

Application: Streaming Video, Streaming MP3s, Live Broadcasts, Internet Radio Station

Questions:

  1. Is Flash Media Server necessary?
  2. Is it more for a very large scale user base e.g. 50,000 vistors monthly as compared to a site that might have 10,000 visitors per month.
  3. Would the cost outweight the benifits if user base is small?
  4. What are my alternatives bearing in mind I want flash to be the medium through which visitiors, see video and hear music, hear internet broadcast?
  5. Are the alternatives costly or open source?