Remember when people had to go to the cinema to watch a movie? What about the hustle of having to walk to a movie shop and spend money each time you plan for a movie night? Thanks to the internet and streaming services like rarbg among others, you can enjoy your favorite movies or shows anytime. You don't even need to download them first! But even though most people interact with these services all the time, most don't know what they mean or how they work. That is what we'll be explaining in this article
What Are Streaming Services?
Before we talk about the services, let's first understand what streaming means. You can define it as the technology that allows the continuous transmission of video and audio content over the internet. Music, TV programs, series, movies, or podcasts are good examples of such content. So, you are streaming every time you're watching a movie or listening to a song online. Within streaming, there is something called live streaming. It refers to the transmission of these contents as they occur live. Think of the live streams on YouTube or IG live stories or live gaming. All of these comprise different forms of live streams. The difference between live and video/audio streaming is, with the latter, the content can be pre-recorded and watched later.
But where does the content come from in the first place? The answer is streaming services. They are platforms that provide and transmit video and audio content, via the internet, to your device or browser. The concept of streaming has been around since the 90s. But these services have managed to popularize it today, especially with the pandemic and lockdowns. There are currently so many streaming services on the rise today. You may be familiar with some.
These services are quickly becoming a better alternative to satellite and cable services, given that you can watch what you want, when you want, provided you have an internet connection. What's more, they have wide hardware support for multiple devices. That means you can view content from anywhere, be it your mobile or laptop, or TV, and it's all at a lower cost. The content will, however, vary based on the service you choose, and what region you're in.
How Do Streaming And Streaming Services Work?
Now that you have understood what streaming is and what the services mean, let's take move on to how they work. For starters, the streaming services normally have cloud platforms or servers where they store the video or audio content in a prearranged order. Some even have content delivery networks, that allow them to cache the most popular content so it is easier to stream.
The content is broken down into smaller sequential data packets while streaming. These packets are then transmitted continuously to you. All you need to receive the connection is a device with access or subscription to the streaming service and a stable connection, whether wired or wireless. At least 2Mbps of internet speed should be enough to stream an entire movie with no delays or poor quality. Of course, the higher your resolution, that is HD or 4K, the more internet speed you'll need for a good streaming experience.
You should note that streaming is very different from downloading. With downloading the entire movie or audio file has to be downloaded and saved on your hard drive before you can watch it. Streaming, however, is instantaneous, and as soon as you finish watching or listening, the data packets are deleted automatically. Each of them has its pros and cons, of course. The biggest advantage with downloading is that you won't need the internet after the file is loaded and you don't have to deal with buffering. Streaming on the other hand saves you the space on your hard drive. And as long as your internet is stable you don't have to worry about buffering.
Final Words.
Streaming will likely take over cable and satellite soon. This isn't a surprise given its flexibility in terms of choice and cost. It is, therefore, beneficial for you to get familiar with the streaming services available.