streamingvideo

Streaming video is a method of delivering digital video content over a network in a continuous stream, enabling playback to begin before the full file has downloaded. This approach reduces wait times and network load compared with traditional download methods. Progressive download sometimes emerges in older systems, but streaming specifically transmits data in a way that supports real-time playback.

Video streams are produced by encoding raw footage with codecs such as H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC, VP9, or AV1, and packaging the result in containers like MP4 or WebM for transport. For internet delivery, HTTP-based adaptive streaming is dominant, using protocols such as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) and MPEG-DASH. These methods provide manifests (HLS uses M3U8; DASH uses MPD) and deliver the content as a sequence of segments at multiple bitrates, allowing the client to switch quality in response to network conditions.

Content delivery networks (CDNs) cache and distribute streams to edge servers, reducing latency and buffering for large and global audiences. Streaming architectures cover on-demand streaming, where libraries of titles are served upon request, and live streaming, where events are broadcast in real time with low latency and synchronized playback across viewers. Advertising-supported (AVOD), subscription-based (SVOD), and transactional or hybrid models are common monetization approaches.

Common challenges include achieving low latency for live streams, ensuring scalable delivery during spikes in demand, and enforcing digital rights management (DRM) and content protection. Accessibility features, such as captions and audio descriptions, are also integral to modern streaming systems.