What would the Internet be without Netflix , right? The service that dominates the national and international video streaming market has an original catalogue and an algorithm capable of knowing which movie is best for the user, according to their habits and preferences on the platform. The fact is, Netflix is currently the biggest video streaming service in the world — but it’s not the only one. The streaming service market has currently grown exponentially.
Do you want to know about other services like this? Finding the best streaming service for your needs is important when you’re looking for entertainment. To learn more about streaming, the main types and the infrastructure needed for a good experience, read on!
What is Streaming?
Streaming is a technology without which we can no longer imagine our lives today. These are platforms where you can watch your series, videos, listen to music and even play games without having to download the files.
Thousands of us stream content every single day as part of our daily routines. Streaming content is useful for work, home and entertainment. The modern world would not be the same without the option of streaming content, and it is how the majority of us interact with TV shows, films, games and music.
The content is displayed on your screen in real time, while the site is loading, requiring only a few seconds for buffer loading (a kind of “extra” loading, to prevent the content from stopping during the transmission).
What are the types of streaming?
Netflix is perhaps the greatest example of a streaming service, but did you know it’s not the only one? After all, technology is not only used for the transmission of series and movies. Let’s get to know the main types below.
Short Video Streaming
Short video streams are starting to take on larger proportions. This is mainly due to the ability to generate virals in a world passionate about memes and, also, in the face of the lives carried out during the isolation necessary for the containment of Covid-19. An example is the TikTok app, which has gained many fans in recent weeks and on social networking sites.
However, other forms of short video streaming have been popular throughout the years. The pioneer website of short video streaming has got to be YouTube, which became popular in 2005. YouTube was the most popular short video streaming service, and was accessible by everyone. Anyone could become a creator on YouTube. Furthermore, Vine also had popularity throughout the early 2010s, and was the blueprint for TikTok. However, TikTok is one of the largest apps in the world, and has a whopping 4.8 billion internet users worldwide. TikTok is definitely the industry leader when it comes to short video streaming.
Long Video Streaming
Long video streaming encompasses things such as films and tv shows. In the past, you could only watch TV shows when they were airing live or if you’d recorded them. Films could be viewed at the cinema, or watched on DVD. However, in the modern age, long video streaming has made it easy for people to watch whatever they want, wherever they want. You can watch long video streaming apps on the train, on a plane, at the gym – pretty much wherever you want!
We arrived at the category to which the Netflix service belongs, which is the big name, but it is not the only one. More and more new platforms have emerged, for all tastes and profiles. We can put HBO Go,IYF TV, Amazon Prime Video, Globo Play, among others on this list. They are usually intended for the exhibition of series and films, and can often be downloaded on any device, so they can be accessed by almost anyone.
Music Streaming
Music streaming is a massive user favourite, due to the possibility of having all their favourite singers and bands in the same application. Music streaming is the most popular type of streaming around the world. In addition, another trend has taken over this modality: podcasts.
Podcasts have become a key form of entertainment in the modern world, including podcasts about world history, finance, politics, science, healthcare, fashion, beauty, true crime and much more. No matter what your interests are, you will be able to find something that suits your interests and tastes. Many people also record audiobooks as podcasts, so there are endless opportunities when it comes to streaming music, podcasts and more.
The possibility of listening to specialised programs on certain topics (news, politics, sport, variety, movies, nerd culture, among others) has become popular with the population and has been a widely consumed product, especially on these platforms, where you can listen to the programs favourites and also their songs.
The main services currently are Spotify , Deezer , iTunes , among others. You should definitely check these out if you want to start streaming music and podcasts more!
Game Streaming
Game streaming is one of the most innovative forms of streaming available to internet users today, and is an efficient upgrade for gamers everywhere. Now, you can play completely online – and play with people all over the world more easily.
Game streaming platforms are less popular, but still popular nonetheless. No more spending hours downloading heavy games to your machine: you can access them completely online. It’s a relatively new service, but with great potential in the gaming community. The main services currently are Google Stadia , Microsoft xCloud and Sony PlayStation Now .
How to have a good streaming experience?
As I said, it’s hard to think of a world where streaming no longer exists, isn’t it? After all, he came to make our lives easier in several areas. But to be able to take advantage of it, it is important to have the necessary conditions for it.
In addition to devices capable of supporting the services (especially in the case of games), it is important to have a good internet connection, capable of loading the buffer in time, so as not to generate the famous “leg”, impairing your experience.
This is mainly due to connection overload. To avoid these problems, it is important to know better how the upload and download speeds of content work, before purchasing an Internet plan, as well as choosing the one that best suits your needs, from a reliable provider. The quality of your internet connection is highly significant on your streaming service’s efficiency!
Now that you know what streaming is and want to enjoy the best content, find out more about upload and download speeds and get your questions answered on the subject!