Media Streaming

The way we access video content and watch TV is beginning to shift from traditional cable and satellite providers to online streaming services. For many turning on the TV remains the way it has been for the last few decades, first you turn on your TV, followed by your cable, satellite, or other set-top box. For others watching TV includes devices like Google’s Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku products, or perhaps the new Amazon fire TV stick mentioned in this article. Many households use these products to enjoy online media content through streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, HBOGO, and others. The popularity of these products is threatening to eliminate the more traditional set-top box content delivery system as many people are canceling their cable service in favor of these cheaper alternatives.

Watching TV online using computers or mobile devices is becoming so popular that many TV Networks will allow you to watch their programing on their websites or mobile apps. It is important to note that the content available on most network websites and apps is limited to shows which premiered in the past weeks, and live content is usually not available. The lack of live content is one of the big benefits traditional set-top box have over online streaming which usually does not provide live content and when it does the quality and reliability of it is lacking. Additionally many of the network websites and apps require you to sign in with your cable provider to ensure you have a valid cable subscription before allowing you to view content. People who are considering canceling their cable service should make sure they are satisfied with the content services like Netflix provide which in terms of TV shows is usually about a year behind live programing, but if you enjoy watching live news coverage, live sports games, or TV shows that premiered this year you should reconsider.

The shift of media consumers from set-top box to online streaming has sparked some debate over net neutrality. Online users are seeking out the fastest way to connect to services like Netflix without seeing those annoying buffering pinwheels of death. To aid them in this pursuit Netflix is making deals with service providers like Comcast which would allow Netflix to place its servers is close proximity, (in many cases the same room), as Comcast servers. This would allow for a much faster connection to Netflix for Comcast users. This topic causes debate because it gives Comcast the ability to choose which services it will give this priority treatment to. By giving higher priority to certain media content, Comcast would be violating the idea of net neutrality and strongly influence what consumers watched on their TVs and mobile devices.

Personally I prefer set-top box TV service over online streaming. In many cases subscriptions to Netflix, Hulu, and others while individually cheaper than cable service do add up. Additionally I prefer live programing especially when watching the news and the reliability of knowing my TV will work even if my internet does not.