Streaming TV is an amazingly popular technology that enables viewers to watch their favorite TV programs, movies and other video content on a range of devices instantly. It is a way of playing video content as it downloads instead of waiting until the entire file is downloaded to your preferred device.
But the question is, how does streaming TV actually work? What benefits does it bring over other available technologies for watching TV and most importantly, if you are one of the Disney Plus fans, you must follow the guide of crazystreamers.com to know how you can watch Disney Plus on Apple TV.
Well, in this guide, we will be discussing all of this and a lot more, so stay tuned and keep reading to get the most important answers about streaming TV. And, without further ado, let’s dive in!
What do we mean by Streaming TV?
Source: allconnect.com
To start with our discussion, streaming TV, also known as internet TV, is a way of receiving and transmitting data (majorly audio or video) over a computer network. It follows a consistent flow allowing access to a piece of the data when the rest is being received simultaneously. Shall we say that it is equivalent to listening to an interpreter simultaneously? Well, it is like that.
By this definition, you can guess that with a streaming TV, you can start watching your video while the remaining file is still being downloaded. In other words, you don’t need to save it first or even decompress it. Isn’t it interesting?
So, if you wish to stream TV, you would need a proper device that can connect to the internet, may it be a laptop or smart TV.
How does streaming TV function?
Well, the answer is simple. Streaming TV works by downloading small portions of a video file and that too in sequential order. This helps in saving a sufficient portion of a file to create a proper ‘buffer’ before the video starts playing.
When you are watching the first bit of the video, the next is being downloaded for buffering or, let’s say, eventual viewing a few seconds later. Once a bit of video is viewed, it gets deleted to save storage space.
What’s the difference between downloading video content and using Streaming TV?
Well, when you download video content, you need to wait until the complete video file is downloaded before you can start watching it. However, the video content remains stored on your device for later use.
A downloaded video file eliminates some major problems of lag or buffering but, on the other hand, consumes way more storage and resources while it also makes you wait a lot more before you can actually start watching your favorite show, unlike Streaming TV.
Easy Steps to Stream TV
To start streaming TV and watching your favorite show, you need to follow the given steps.
- Make sure to check the internet speed and see if it’s good enough to support streaming
- Get your preferred streaming device, may it be a gaming console, smart TV, or even a streaming stick or a box.
- Once everything is set up, choose a streaming service of your choice (a lot of streaming services are now offering free trials) and pick something your favorite to watch.
- Now, get comfortable, get some popcorn, click Play, and simply enjoy watching your favorite show.
But before you start following these steps, let’s first take a look at some streaming options available at your disposal.
Streaming Options To Choose From
There are many popular streaming options, so make sure you choose the one that perfectly suits your binge-watching needs.
Streaming Live TV
Some of the best live tv streaming services features are discussed below. The prices of these services vary from $16 to even $50, depending on the amount of content you wish to access.
- PlayStation Vue – best for sports
- YouTube TV – best user experience
- Pluto TV – the best free TV streaming
- Sling TV – sports / best on a budget
- Hulu + Live TV – best channel lineup
- fubo TV – most channels / best for soccer
- DIRECTV NOW – best for HBO
- Disney Plus – best for the younger audience
- AT&T WatchTV – best skinny bundle
All of these are the most popular online TV providers and people aged 20 – 35 watch live content regularly.
On-demand streaming
Being one of the most preferred options to replace the cable, the on-demand streaming services normally cost around $10/month and let you watch both licensed and original content. These streaming services also offer some of the TV fans’ favorite award-winning shows like Game of Thrones (HBO).
Some of the most preferred services and their amazing features include:
- Hulu – best for Network shows
- The Criterion Channel – best for classic movies
- HBO NOW – best for original shows
- Netflix – best library
- Amazon Prime Video – best perks
Source: trustedreviews.com
Free Streaming
Don’t be surprised, as there are many free streaming services available as well. While they cannot be compared with the paid ones discussed above, there’s no harm in giving them a try. All of these scores differ depending on if you prefer TV content or movies.
To help you with that, here are the top TV streaming services:
- Kanopy / Vudu
- Popcornflix / YouTube Movies
- Hoopla / Tubi TV
- Pluto TV / Roku Channel/ IMDb Freedive/ Sony Crackle
- Yahoo View
Conclusion
While cable TV cannot be replaced completely, 90% of people now prefer watching TV content online. Also, there is a 28% decline in pay-TV subscribers every year. Since now you know what streaming TV is and how it works, along with what perks are there, if you switch to streaming TV, pick the option that best suits you from the list provided above and give it a try.
After all, why browse the same channels over and over again without getting new content when you can focus on and watch your favorite show at any time? Moreover, don’t forget to take advantage of the free trials offered by most of these streaming TV services.
Lastly, tell us about your experience of using Streaming TV in the comment section below.
