Streaming Videos Online
Let’s accept it! We watch tons of videos on YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and other streaming channels. But seldom do we understand how they run and operate. How does Netflix know what should be watched next? How do they ask if we’re still watching the video? This article answers all the questions.
But first, let us determine what an online streaming platform is. We all binge-watch our favorite shows on phones and tabs pretty conveniently. But what kind of power do these streaming video online platforms possess to transfer tons of data seamlessly? The trick is simple: instead of transferring entire video files, the servers send you a few minutes of data every once in a while. Thanks to the fast internet services that we don’t even get to notice it.
Your electronic devices buffer the videos beforehand while you watch them on the given timeline. Buffer is the already loaded content on your device. Sometimes while watching, the video pauses with an error saying “loading” or “buffering”. You get that error because of multiple reasons.
- The network is congested with enormous data sent at once or, the network is running slower than usual.
- Insufficient bandwidth
- Slow performing devices
Statista surveyed 1600 U.S citizens and asked them to choose the entertainment platform that they wouldn’t drop in 2020. A whopping 61% of the respondents said they’d prefer Netflix over any others. It shows the extent of impact Netflix has created in everybody’s lives. And in another survey, Statista states that the revenue in the Video-on-Demand segment is calculated to reach US$85,887m in 2021.
Let’s dig deeper into how Netflix created its niche.
It started in the U.S. as a DVD rental service slowly launched its digital distribution in 1999. It started video streaming in 2007. However, it wasn’t until 2011 that Netflix started showing its presence in the market by killing Qwikster!
In 2020, it is worth around $162 billion with over 193 million subscribers! Now that’s quite some numbers! The initial public offering per share of this company was just $15 that now skyrocketed to $350 per share!
It was from 2016, Netflix started funding and spending for the original content. Before that, it would just purchase licenses from the production houses for movie streaming videos online. Now that you think about it: Netflix is not only the biggest online streamer but a producer that’s giving the established production houses a run for their money.
Fun Fact: Netflix subscribers around the globe usually watch around 140 million hours of content per day!
Nuff said about the giant.
What should you do if you’re interested in getting into this game of online streaming?
The competition right now is very high. So, you need to make a unique user experience if you wish to make your brand be recognized. Here are some tips to start with,
1.Learn the website architectonics – The network’s intensity, better bandwidth, fewer errors, and better storage capacity make it easier for you to stream the content even for a million people in real-time. So invest in the hardware and the software versions.
2.User-friendly interface – Right from the login/sign-up page to subscription plans. Landing pages, homepages, search bars, and settings. There are a lot of aspects you need to look into while creating the website. These are just the primary requirements to set up any basic website.
3.Video streaming protocols – If you’re getting into the Video on Demand market then, you will also have to consider the streaming protocol. Do you prefer to use UDP (User Datagram Protocol) or TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) or MPEG-DASH or HLS? It’s up to you to decide. Each one has its own pros and cons. Latency, security, speed and quality, all differ from each other.
Once you figure out the process, you can go ahead and license your website. If there are any concerns you wish to address with an expert, worry no more. There are many online service tools available for you to reach out to the best in the market. GetEmail.io is an email address lookup freemium website that helps you find the professional email contact of any person around the globe.
