Since 1995 we no longer have to wait to download all the content of a multimedia file to view it over the Internet. In this article about the best developers, we will talk about streaming, a technology that lets us view a file while it downloads. We will discuss its history, its functions, and the most used streaming systems today.
What is streaming?
Streaming is the distribution of digital content (multimedia files) over the Internet or a computer network. Generally the multimedia file is viewed while it downloads. It is truly a continuous stream that flows without interruption. But how this technology works is a bit more complex than its description, because it works through a data buffer (a memory space where data is temporarily stored, usually for a single use) that stores what is being downloaded on the user's computer.
Streaming and bandwidth
To be able to view multimedia files via streaming, it is very important that we have a bandwidth equal to or higher than the service. (This defines the number of bits transmitted per unit of time through a digital transmission system). But it was not until the year 2000 that bandwidth became popular among the population (due to its lower price), and this is how streaming grew on the Internet (mainly video streaming).
History of streaming
Streaming technology appeared in April 1995 in the world of the Internet, thanks to advances in computer equipment (personal computers), bandwidth, and the use of protocols and standards such as TCP/IP, HTTP, and HTML. The launch of RealAudio 1.0 brought playback of multimedia material over the Internet, changing how we use the Internet in our work and entertainment lives.
Two years earlier, the band Severe Tire Damage was a pioneer in performing live over the Internet. The concert took place at Xerox PARC and could be watched in several countries around the world.
But if we want to go further back in time to find the first patent for transmission and distribution of a multimedia signal over electrical lines, we have to go back to the 1920s. This distribution later became the company Muzak, which was a pioneer in selling music channels for different establishments.
Streaming today
Undoubtedly, video streaming takes up a large part of network consumption, thanks to advances in transmission technologies, powerful personal computers, and the accessibility of broadband for any citizen.
Such is the consumption of audiovisual content over the Internet that it is changing many routines in our lives, such as watching series and movies through Over The Top (OTT) and TV Everywhere services (those that let you see popular content on computers, tablets, consoles, connected TVs, and other devices). One of the most popular examples is Netflix, which lets us watch movies, documentaries, short films, series, miniseries, and TV movies through streaming technology over the Internet.
Several years ago we enjoyed a webcast via streaming, but today we can enjoy a full movie. And all thanks to advances in technology and its universalization. Still, as citizens we hope that someday Internet access will be free anywhere in the world.
