What is streaming?

Summary:

• Youtube as an explanation for What is Streaming

• Live streaming and other functions make Streaming platforms competitive against Cable TVs

• Streaming services provide content that is exclusive to their platform and that content is becoming mainstream entertainment

• You may very well consider using streaming services as well!

Today we are going to dive in a little into what this whole "streaming" business is. What is streaming on TV? Why is it so popular nowadays? What can we do with it?

Probably, the most well-known examples of a streaming service would be the giant website suitable for all ages: Youtube. So what exactly is Youtube? In short, we go to Youtube to watch videos which other people put up onto the platform. And these "other people" range from large organizations to ordinary individuals like you and me. And that is the successful aspect about Youtube: it is a platform that has taken away the barrier for content creation in the videography world. I can set up a free Youtube account now, and start uploading videos in my own name. And someone halfway across the world may stumble upon my video on Youtube. It really is an amazing platform.

On this amazing platform, Streaming can be understood as the defining aspect of watching a video through Youtube. Using the internet, I am able to stream a video which is stored on Youtube's servers, without having to download it. That is the wonder and genius of video streaming. Without having to store the video file in our own computer storage, we are able to watch a full video till its end, and not have it take up any of our computer storage space after we have moved on to the next.

And streaming is really not limited to the videos that we watch on Youtube. There are also other platforms such as Spotify that streams audio content, Twitch that streams gaming content and many more. Live Streaming is one version of streaming that can allow the whole technology to replace cable TV. It is now not uncommon to be able to stream live shows like on Cable TV. You would be able to catch a Live NBA game on FuboTV or some Live TV shows available on Hulu.

Finally, would Cable TV not be enough for our TV needs? Well, yes and no. Yes, because we think that Cable TV is here to stay probably for the next few years since it is such a widespread commonality in most households. The key difference would be the cost of both services. You could spend up to $100 per month for Cable or Satellite TV; while the cost of Netflix membership is $9 dollars per month. The Amazon Fire TV Stick costs $39.99. Adding the costs up, you could be saving up to $90 per month just by switching to TV Streaming.

Another difference between Cable TV or even Satellite TVs to Streaming facilities is their set-up. In short, Streaming requires a much simpler set-up at home: basically all you need besides the actual device, is a working Internet connection. This is because streaming platforms deliver their content via the internet.

To add onto that, streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have produced wildly successful original shows. Shows like Stranger Things from Netflix and The Boys from Amazon Prime. The thing is, original content are becoming more and more mainstream entertainment that people want to watch. And they are exclusive to these up and coming streaming platforms.

Hence, in the near future, there will probably come a time when you find a show that you would like to watch a show that is only available on Netflix. And from a cheap subscription of about $9 a month, it may seem like a much better deal that the Cable Subscriptions you pay for!

For an example of a device for provides excellent streaming experience on TV screens, check out a short read on Amazon Fire Stick!