Streaming Media - What exactly is it anyway?

A brief description of streaming video and how it works.

Streaming media is multimedia such as video (which is probably the most recognizable) that is continuously received by, and normally displayed to, the end-user while it is being delivered by the provider.

In other words, unlike a video that you download first to your hard drive on your computer and THEN open to view on your screen, You can usually start viewing or listening to your content as it is being delivered. (ie it is "streamed" to you from a server on the web). Hence the term "streaming media".

Live streaming media takes this one step further and allows the viewer to see content the moment it is created and is the online equivalent of live via satellite TV transmission.

For a more comprehensive "in depth" look at streaming media visit the links section located after the next article.

I personally have developed an interest in streaming media because of my background in music and more recently in film (and how I could promote what I do on the web in a tangible way, rather than just text).

For me, streaming media has been a brilliant way to share my message in a creative form that gets noticed.