The Evolution of Streaming: How Technology is Redefining Entertainment

From binge-watching nostalgic TV shows to enjoying new movies on their release date, you can do a lot with streaming services today. By offering a plethora of content at a monthly fee, streaming has made it easier to access your favorite content to your heart’s desire, while taking care of your wallet in the process. 

If you find yourself wondering how exactly streaming delivers your most favorite pop culture moments right to your preferred screen, the following overview on streaming technologies might be the ideal read for you.  

How Does Streaming Work?

Streaming fetches your chosen content almost as soon as you hit play on your screen. If you have a fast internet connection, you may not even have to wait a few seconds before your TV show or movie starts playing in high-definition. This is possible through platforms that use Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) or over-the-top (OTT) streaming. Nowadays, IPTV and OTT hold benefits for different industries that go beyond entertainment.  

But for this to happen, several things play major roles in the background. This includes technologies like encoders, streaming protocols, content delivery networks (CDNs), and cloud storage solutions. 

Encoders

Encoders are hardware equipment or software solutions that turn your audio and video files into a specific digital output format. For example, while learning how to multistream your content to different platforms at once, you may need to use a powerful encoding service that converts your data into the right format so it could be streamed to your audience across different platforms. 

Streaming Protocols

Streaming protocols define how your media will be delivered to your audience. This standardizes the way your data is “packaged,” what level of quality it has, and how it is seen or heard by those who consume it. Many creators who use solutions like an influencer marketing platform need to pay attention to this aspect to ensure their audience is enjoying their content in its ideal form. 

CDNs

Content delivery networks are a group of data servers that transmit your media from one region to the other. By choosing the group of servers closest to its audience, they can cut down lag time and speed up content delivery. Whether you use the best remote for YouTube TV or play older games on newer consoles, chances are that you are benefiting from a CDN.

Cloud Storage

If you have ever used cloud storage solutions, you may know how they allow you to access your data from wherever you are. In streaming, cloud storage often works hand in hand with CDNs to allow users to consume data through their streaming platform with little to no wait times, and without the need to download those files to local storage. 

Now that you have a basic understanding of streaming, you can easily look for the best music streaming services and video streaming solutions while knowing how things work for them behind the curtain. 

Popular Streaming Protocols

While learning about streaming technologies, it’s important that you also look into the most popular streaming protocols. This helps you become more knowledgeable on the subject and gives you plenty to talk about with friends or anyone who you want to impress with your grasp over tech. 

RTMP

Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) is a pretty popular streaming protocol that is especially helpful with live streaming. While it has low-latency, its mobile device support leaves a lot to be desired. 

HLS

HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) is a streaming protocol developed by Apple. HLS has better mobile compatibility and frees you from having to lug around your external SSD, but it does have higher latency as compared to RTMP. 

WebRTC

WebRTC is all about reducing latency levels. This makes it ideal for real-time content delivery like one that’s required over video calls. If you watch gamers streaming their playthroughs, you may have already seen this protocol in action. 

Once you go through this information, you can know exactly how streaming works to bring your favorite content to you. This way, you can appreciate the wonders of this technology while also choosing the right platform for your streaming needs. 

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