Streaming video hosting service
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The difference between having a dedicated video web streaming server and using your existing internet service provider for streaming videos is that a streaming video hosting company will allow for more viewers to watch instantly with the same data transfer rate and will give you more flexibility overall:
Both packages will allow a few seconds to load before starting to play, making a reserve of video available in the memory of the viewing computer in case the transmission slows for a moment. When the transmission slows temporarily, the viewing computer uses part of the reserve of the video. When the transmission becomes too slow, when using a regular ISP the buffer completely empties and the video stops playing, while when using a dedicated streaming video provider the video will adapt itself for the lower data rate and will continue to play at a lower frame rate. It will adapt the buffer size to the speed of the connection, even as it fluctuates with the normal flow of internet traffic. Other advantages for a streaming video hosting user is that he/she will be able to jump to any part of the video at any time without having to wait for the whole video to be downloaded in the computer.
Two disadvantages that come first when considering using your existing service provider to stream videos: you have to make sure that the streaming software package you've chosen to play your videos is being accommodated by the serving company; you can only do a live streaming event when using a streaming video host provider.
The actual bandwidth usage when using streaming video is based on a number of factors: the connection speeds that your video is encoded at, the number of viewers watching your videos simultaneously, your allowed monthly transfer, the length of your video.
The first consideration is how many users a video streaming provider will allow you. A single stream, for example, would allow one viewer to watch one video clip at a time. Some servers charge you by the number of streams you want available to potential users, while others charge you by the number of streams actually served to viewers.
Some servers do not charge by the number of available streams, they will charge by the megabyte or for the total amount of your data that they have served, regardless of the number of concurrent streams that your viewers are using.
Another thing to keep in mind when choosing a streaming video hosting company is that not every company will serve every format of streamed video.