Streaming is a method of viewing video or listening to audio content without actually downloading the media files. Streaming performance can be improved, and buffering time reduced, if the owner of the files uses a CDN.
What is streaming?
Streaming is the data transmission process that allows video to be shared and viewed over the internet. This is the term used whether the content is a standard video or a live video. Streaming is the method of transmitting video in small chunks (instead of as one big file). This allows the viewer to start watching the video before they have the entire file downloaded, giving them quicker access to the content. In contrast, if you email someone a video file directly, they will need to download the entire video before they can open it and start watching.
What is livestreaming?
Live video is a video that can be watched in real time (as it’s being recorded). The difference between regular streaming and live streaming is the difference between watching a sports game as it happens, or checking out the game’s highlight compilation video on YouTube after the fact. One you’ll see live – bloopers and all. The other is pre-recorded, edited, and uploaded for you to watch whenever you’re ready.
With a livestream, the content gets uploaded by the host in small chunks and distributed to the viewer in real time (as it happens). The smaller/shorter the video chunk, the closer to real-time the viewer is.
How live streaming works?
These are the main steps that take place behind the scenes in a live stream:
Video capture is the first step in streaming. The camera captures visual information represented as digital data. This is where encoding and compression come into play to remove redundant information from video data.
Encoding is done by converting data into a format all devices can recognize. The encoding standards are H.264, H.265, VP9, and AV1. However, to live stream your content, more steps need to be taken.
Segmentation is one of the reasons live streaming is possible. It allows video data to be divided into smaller segments and sent.
After compressing, encoding, and segmenting the live stream, CDN distribution and caching make sure that the stream can reach the users who want to watch it. The main purpose of a CDN is to distribute the content to viewers in multiple locations.
CDN allows for faster live video streaming performance since the viewers don’t need to use the original server. All the requests are processed by the nearby CDN server instead. Another benefit of CDN is its ability to cache the segments so the users can join the live stream from the CDN cache instead of the original server.
Lastly, the online video platform uses a content delivery network (CDN) to deliver the video to viewers via an HTML5 video player via HLS.
Conclusion
Live streaming is a precious resource for businesses, schools, and professional organizations. It allows brands to connect with their audiences in real-time to create highly engaging content. It also makes virtual event streaming possible.