Most Common Terms in Online Video Streaming
Live streaming, one of the most advanced sectors that are going to be in full-blown usage in a few years, is currently meagerly known across the world. The sector is known to people as a technology used in smartphones but seeing live streaming as a business sector is still a vague idea among techies. But some of the tech-freaks who are familiar with the technology are already making full use of it and have started earning too.
There also exist plenty of people who bear the basic knowledge of what the technology is about and how it can be the next big thing in the world. There are the people who want to learn about it and be among the first ones to reap all its benefits but lack the knowledge of where to start. To get you started we have prepared a list of the most common terms. Here they are.
Live Streaming
Much like Live Broadcasting, live streaming is the process of telecasting content over the internet instead of a satellite. The audience will be able to watch this streaming content online on their Smartphones, Smart Televisions or any other Internet-enabled devices.
Live Streaming Devices
Live Streaming devices enable streamers to broadcast their live video content online. The device which uses an internet connection (generally Wi-Fi, or Ethernet), is connected to a recording device (Video Camera) and streams the content as it records.
Live streaming platforms
Live streaming platforms provide a space and servers to store and distribute the content. They also provide extra features like Analytics, Branding options, Password Protection, Ad Integration, etc., to make the streams engaging.
Bitrate
The amount of data transferred per unit of time in a video is known as bitrate. Correctly translated in terms of video, Video Bitrate is defined as the number of bits processed per second, meaning higher bitrate means higher resolution and lower bitrate means lower resolution.
Multiple Bitrates
Various bitrates are used in a live streaming to transfer data. Multiple bitrates are helpful to stream the same video in different devices with different resolutions and internet speeds, enabling every device to be able to play the video without any buffering.
Adaptive Bitrate
When the video is streamed using Adaptive Bitrate the stream adjusts itself to the device’s video specifications and speed and plays the video accordingly minimizing the buffering time. Some Live streaming platforms provide this feature along with other mentioned features and choosing the one that has this feature is beneficial for large-scale broadcasting.
Encoder
Encoders are used to convert the video format of the source video into something that is playable in all the devices. Though encoders are an integral part of live streaming devices, streamers who don’t use a device can use an external encoder to broadcast their content. Encoders also allow the live streamers to use various bitrates to extend their reach of devices.
Buffering
Buffering is known to almost every person who uses online video streaming websites like Youtube, Amazon Video, Netflix, etc. When a video is streamed from a different source onto your device buffering happens when the video is collecting additional data to play the video properly. This usually happens when a high-resolution video is played in devices with nominal internet speeds.
In Live Streaming, Streaming using Adaptive Bitrate technology helps minimize the problem of buffering which in turn keeps the audience engaged.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the amount of data offered by a service to a customer by service providers. In live streaming terms, this measures the amount of data offered by live streaming platforms to the streamers to stream their content. The more the bitrates, the higher the resolution and higher is the bandwidth required by the streamer.
CDN – Content Delivery Networks
CDNs are servers that are placed across the world for the fast delivery of digital content. The streaming content from the user will be transferred to the closest located server to a user and then the cached content is delivered to the user. A good service possesses more CDNs all over the globe that enables a fast delivery of streaming content.
Latency
This word is used to describe the time difference between Real-Time and online streaming time. Both the times are never the same and the latency can be decreased to a certain extent by using different features of the live streaming platforms.
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