Streaming (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what streaming is, how it works and what types exist. Also, its history and which are the most important platforms.

streaming live broadcast online — He *streaming* became popular through the consumption of *smartphones* and computers.

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What is the streaming?

The transmission by streamingalso called live streaming, streaming or streaming, It is a method of distributing multimedia (audiovisual) content through computer networks, which transmits the content at the same time it is consumed without having to be downloaded and stored previously. The term streaming comes from English stream (“jet” or “stream”) and refers to the uninterrupted transmission of audiovisual content.

The transmission of commercial content via streaming It became popular after the year 2000 throughout the world, as bandwidth services made it possible to match the data transmission rate necessary to transmit series, movies, podcasts and other delayed (that is, previously recorded) or different content. live and direct television services. Unlike traditional television or radio broadcasts, it had the virtue that the user can choose what content to see and when .

To have access to this type of services An internet connection and one or more devices capable of playing audio and video are required such as smart TVs, tablets, smartphones or computers. The success of this technology, therefore, goes hand in hand with the increase in the consumption of this type of devices, and the improvement in the capacity of wireless data transmission (4G and 5G).

As occurs with other Anglicisms, that is, other loanwords from English in Spanish, the word streaming It should always be written in italics.

Background and history of streaming

streaming online transmission origin rolling stones — On November 18, 1994, The Rolling Stones broadcast 20 minutes of their concert live.

The basic principle of transmission streaming It is not new, already in 1920 the Muzak background music system invented by the American soldier George Owen Squier (1865-1934) operated based on the continuous transmission of electrical impulses, but the technology of that time did not allow its use; at least not in the terms in which it finally occurred in the 1990s.

He streaming became known to the masses in 1994, thanks to a concert by the British rock band The Rolling Stones who on November 18 broadcast live a 20-minute excerpt from their concert in Dallas, United States, as part of a promotion of paid content services from the Showtime network. This transmission was possible thanks to Multicast Bone (MBone) technology, invented in 1992 to transmit academic lectures.

Subsequently, In 1995, it appeared RealAudio 1.0, an audio format that made it easier and lighter streaming internet audio which had a massive impact on digital telecommunications and demonstrated the virtue of the buffering or temporary storage of the contents for almost instantaneous enjoyment.

However, the true capabilities of this technology were successfully tested thanks to the social network YouTube, appeared in 2005 and dedicated to transmitting audiovisual content over the Internet . In subsequent years, the giants of the entertainment industry appeared via streaming, both in the television and film areas, as well as in video games, radio on-line and podcasts.

How does the streaming?

The transmission by streaming works in the same way as any other digital data transmission, but instead of requiring the entire content to be downloaded and then played, the services streaming have a data buffer, that is, a computer memory space dedicated to the temporary storage of information where the content is accumulated for immediate transmission, so that no interruptions occur.

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So, data is transmitted, received and played quickly as long as the bandwidth of the internet service equals or exceeds the information transmission rate. Therefore, the larger the data packets (for example, if the video quality is set to maximum), the more information per second must be processed, stored, and played back.

Types of streaming

streaming online transmission platforms — The platforms of *streaming* They can transmit all types of audiovisual or interactive content.

The transmission via streaming It can be classified according to the type of information consumed in:

streaming audio . Allows you to listen to radio and recorded programs (podcasts) through the internet. Phone calls can also be made and audio messages transmitted.
streaming video . It allows you to receive a continuous stream of moving images, such as a feed from a security camera in an establishment, or a documentary or scientific recording of some type.
streaming audiovisual content . It allows you to consume integrated audio and video content, such as series, movies, video conferences, video calls, among others.
streaming video games . It allows the download of the data necessary to play quickly and online, usually after having installed a portion of the software required to play on a computer or video game console. In other cases it refers to the installation on-line of a new game directly on the devices, without the need for downloading and subsequent processing.

Platforms streaming most popular

Some of the most popular platforms for selling content through live streaming or streaming are the following:

YouTube . It is one of the pioneer platforms in the business of streaming audio and video, and consists of a vast social network that stores and continuously reproduces the recordings of its users, whether they are self-produced programs, advertising messages, etc.
Netflix . It is one of the platforms streaming most popular, and offers its subscribers access to thousands of series, films and short films to consume directly. Its success has been such that many smart TVs already have Netflix buttons on their remote controls.
Disney+ . Aimed primarily at children and young people, this service streaming of content from the Disney brand (or its associated brands, such as Pixar, Marvel either Star Wars) was founded in 2019 and offered to the public in the midst of a boom in platforms of this type, linked to mobility restrictions due to the covid-19 pandemic that began in 2020.
Vimeo . It is a loading platform and streaming of videos founded in 2004 and which operates as a social network, whose high bit rates and high video resolution earned it popularity among artists in the musical world, as a site to host and distribute concerts and video clips.
HBO Max . Owned by the film production and distribution company HBO, this streaming platform streaming It was launched in 2020 and quickly became one of the most in-demand in a highly contested commercial sector, since its content is not limited to that produced by the company.
Google Cloud Streaming . It is the service of streaming from Google, which emerged in 2008 as an alternative to storing applications on the computer, which can instead run them directly from the cloud, that is, through the Internet. In that sense, Google Cloud is a virtual environment that sends and receives data taking advantage of cloud technology. streaming.