Understanding Video Streaming

By: Robert Thomson Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Did you know that aside from surfing the Internet, sending e-mails and doing your paperwork with your computer- you can also use it to see TV online? Thanks to the technology behind video streaming, you can now log on to your computer whenever you want and see your favorite TV episodes.

Many people find it very handy to just sit back in front of their PC or laptop and choose to see their favorite TV shows whenever they choose too. There are no TV schedules to follow and absolutely no monthly cable statements that you would pay for.

What exactly is video streaming? To see TV online, video streaming makes use of streaming servers or HTTP streaming method to provide TV entertainment to Internet users. There are basically a number of video file layouts used in streaming including Windows Media, Real Media, Quicktime, MPEG and Adobe flash formats. For each file format, there are a number of pros and cons. You might need to check out the quality of each video and test each one so you can decide on which format you would use on a constant basis.

If you are really a big fan of online TV, you should be aware that there are basically two ways to view videos on the web. These are downloading and streaming and the other method would simply require downloading.

If you choose to download a video, you have the option to see the video offline, even without an Internet connection. You would have to store the file on your computer for future viewing. If you download the file, then you would have quicker access to it but you may have to wait for a couple of minutes for a video file to be downloaded before you can see it on your computer.

The concept of true video streaming also makes use of HTTP streaming. Using this method would allow you to see TV online just by simply clicking on a hyperlink of the video file that you want to see. With HTTP video streaming, also referred to as true streaming, you do not have to download anything or subscribe to a special hosting plan just to see TV online.

You can find a number of websites that offers TV episodes that are both for downloading and HTTP video streaming. Some of these websites offer their services for no charge while other requires a certain fee. In choosing which websites you should get the services of, you might want to test the quality of the videos initially before subscribing or using their online TV services.

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About The Author: Elizabeth is a staff writer for a network of tv sites where you can Watch Dexter Online or Watch Scrubs Online