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Streaming is the process of playing a media file while it is still downloading. This is a type of technology that allows computer users view and hear digital content as they are transferred to one’s computer. This is in contrast to downloading a file, where one typically waits until the entire media file has finished downloading before it can be played. Streaming media is commonly done over the web. The most common types of streamed media include audio, video, a synchronized combination of the two, or in combination with graphics and animation. With the use of a media player plug-in, streamed sounds and images arrive on the user’s computer within a few seconds to several minutes depending on the size of the media and the user’s Internet connection speed. Audio can be found even in the earliest websites, as it is considered basic. Video streaming, on the other hand, is a relatively recent phenomenon. While used mostly for entertainment purposes such as streaming movies and television shows, streaming media has various applications. These include video conferencing, distance learning, multimedia presentations, video surveillance, and interactive video gaming. There are several types of streaming technologies to choose from, especially when you stream movies online. Among the most popular are Real Media, QuickTime, Microsoft Windows Media, and the more recent Adobe Flash. The reasons for these players’ popularity are their reliability, ease of use, quality, and high compatibility. These players also support a wide variety of audio and video file formats. So how does it work? A web developer or designer adds links that refer a user to a media streaming website. Audio and video files with similar content, meanwhile, are specially formatted and placed on a streaming server. When users click on one of the links, such as when they stream movies online, the contents of the media file are delivered to the viewer’s browser from said server. The quality of the media delivered to the user typically depends on the user’s Internet connection speed. Audio files are generally played easily but when users stream movies online, this often takes up more bandwidth. This means that it takes a longer time to stream the file continuously. For those with slower Internet connections, it is best to pause the video stream for several minutes until it has been loaded completely.
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