Streaming of television is a distributing media which allows you to watch movies, concerts, comedy shows and sports directly on internet without any need of downloading them.
With the streaming options you can watch any type of video as it comes on the internet in real time. It allows you to watch your favorite videos online at any time without the need of a cable provider or a satellite provider. Streaming allows you to take control of whatever you want to watch online. It very simple to do streaming TV. For this you would have to sign up for some streaming service providers. Then with the use of internet and a television you can easily stream watch the videos of your choice. This can be done even on your smartphone or a laptop.
Types of streaming service providers
The streaming service providers require a subscription to deliver you with the required content. They can offer different types of videos such as movies, sports and different types of shows. Streaming is a very convenient and affordable option which makes it popular among many people. It allows you to make choice of the content that you want to watch. This is an ideal option for people who want to save cable bill money. A lot of information about streaming is available online.
There are two basic categories of streaming TV:
- On-Demand Streaming
- Live or local streaming
Streaming Video on Demand:
The most popular providers that provide streaming on demand services are Netflix and Hulu. They are subscription based and allow you to pay monthly so that you can have a free access of large variety of content. It is very easy to make account on these provider options and even some of them allow to have a free trial for a specified period which can be cancelled at any point. You can stream at any device such as your computer, laptop or smartphone. A large screen device such as television can be a better option as it enhances the viewing experience. Streaming video on demand can also be based on pay per view or subscription based. Netflix is a subscription based option and YouTube is a pay per view option. In the streaming on demand option you can watch your favorite videos and movies according to your own schedule whenever you want to watch.
Live or Local Streaming:
The live or local streaming refers to watching something online which occurring in real time at the same time. Most popular live content include sports, comedy shows, gaming, news and also local live coverage of certain shows. There are a few providers that provide live streaming options such as YouTube Live and also the Sling TV. The live streaming options are mostly subscription based. They offer channels and DVR options as well.[i]
Best Streaming service providers and their prices
Netflix
Netflix has become a shorthand for streaming shows online in general these day. This was originally launched in 1998 as DVD by mail rentals and from there it evolved to this new top rated streaming service. They launch very big original shows that helps in grabbing attention of a large viewers. Netflix shows a large variety of network shows which are extremely popular. They show original series and films which are quite better than their competitors. New movies and shows arrive on Netflix every week. There are over 70 original movies which arrive on Netflix each year.
Pricing:
The Netflix packages start at $9 per month and then go up from there. They provide a reasonable option at a very convenient price without any advertisements.
Hulu
Hulu is a perfect option in comparison to the Netflix. It provides a cheaper option but with advertisements. It has a large variety of shows from TV channels such as NBC or ABC which can be watched as soon as they are aired on TV. They also have original series like PEN15. They also offer live streaming option unlike Netflix.
Pricing:
They offer a cheaper package at $6 per month with advertisement which can be upgraded to no advertisement option by choosing the $12 per month package. They also offer live streaming at $65 per month with the facility of replacement of full cable.
Amazon Prime Video
The Amazon prime video streaming service provides many features such as it is advertisement free and it shows high quality videos of shows and movies. It has a very impressive back catalogue which allows to show you your older favorites. It also shows NFL on Thursday nights. For most of their subscribers Prime video channel is free of cost. It also has many original series such as The Marvelous and it also has a large variety of movies as well.
Pricing:
The Amazon prime video subscription starts at $5.99 and it increases from there for different types of packages available. They also offer a free trial period which can be cancelled at any time.[ii]
YouTube
YouTube has become quite familiar in today’s era of internet. It accounts for huge amount of web traffic. There is no one these days who would not know about YouTube. YouTube offers different types of streaming services including YouTube Premium and YouTube TV. YouTube Premium which was called as YouTube Red formerly is a paid subscription based streaming service which allows a better experience as compared to the regular YouTube experience. However, YouTube TV is a live streaming service through which live shows on the local TV can be streamed online. YouTube TV has an excellent collection of TV channels and it best replacement for cable TV. The YouTube premium unlocks many features of the regular YouTube. It provides an advertisement free experience. It also allows to play the YouTube videos in the background even when your device is locked.
Pricing:
The YouTube Premium packages start at $11.99 each month. They also offer a one month free trial after which you would have to pay monthly. The cost of YouTube TV begin at $64.99 and increases from there.
[i] https://www.centurylink.com/home/help/television/streaming-tv/types-of-streaming-services.html
[ii] https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/best-streaming-service-of-2021-netflix-disney-plus-hbo-max-hulu-espn-plus-and-more/
