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Research draft

streaming media

vr.tr.streaming-media · XCT.QLT

Let an agent explain streaming media and how it works, relay protocols, codecs and delivery from technical references, describe services, live streaming and cloud gaming, and distinguish streaming from downloading, broadcasting and progressive download.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain streaming media and how it works, relay protocols, codecs and delivery from technical references, describe services, live streaming and cloud gaming, and distinguish streaming from downloading, broadcasting and progressive download.

Multimedia content delivered over a network and played as it arrives, rather than downloaded in full first, including live streams such as webcasts and livestreams and on-demand video and audio, and by extension streaming channels, cloud gaming that streams rendered gameplay, peer-to-peer television and streamed ebooks; streaming relies on codecs, adaptive bitrate protocols such as HLS and DASH, content delivery networks and, for live events, low-latency transport.

What it is for: Delivering audio, video and games over networks.

It can be explain how streaming works; relay protocols and codecs; describe services and uses; distinguish from download and broadcast.

Distinguishing features

Play while receiving

Adaptive bitrate

Live and on demand

CDN delivery

What it looks like

Not a visible object; video and audio playing from a network.

Physical character

common protocols: HLS, DASH, RTMP, WebRTC list

common codecs: H.264, H.265, AV1, AAC, Opus list

share of internet traffic: majority note - video streaming, industry estimates

How it is recognised

Media played as it arrives over a network

Livestreams, webcasts, streaming channels, cloud gaming, P2PTV, ebook streaming

Downloading stores the file first; broadcasting uses radio waves or cable; progressive download is a hybrid

Related models

is a kind of - in registry terms

data stream

uses - and audio codecs

video codec

is delivered by - at scale

content delivery network

is contrasted with - which stores files first

download

In practice

Families and kinds

on-demand video and music streaming

live streaming, livestreams and webcasts

streaming channels and FAST channels

cloud gaming

peer-to-peer television

ebook and content streaming

Standards and regulation

MPEG-DASH and HLS specifications

Copyright and licensing rules for streamed content

Net neutrality and audiovisual media regulation

Accessibility rules for captions

Failure modes and hazards

Buffering and quality drops

Piracy and unlicensed streams

Confusing streaming with broadcasting

Also called

streaming channelcloud gaminglivestreamwebcastP2PTVebook streamingvideo streamingaudio streamingGoogle Cast

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What streaming is.

Science.

Definition

Definition.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What is streaming media, and how does it differ from downloading and broadcasting? definition
  2. Is the question about streaming in general, a service, live streaming or cloud gaming? boundary

Kinds

Kinds.

Kinds

Kinds.

  1. How do on-demand streaming, livestreams, webcasts, streaming channels, cloud gaming and P2PTV differ? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific kind? action
Technology How it works.

Science.

Protocols

Protocols and codecs.

Protocols

Protocols.

  1. How do adaptive bitrate protocols, codecs and CDNs deliver streams? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Live

Live and low latency.

Live

Live.

  1. How do live streams and cloud gaming achieve low latency? provenance
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance
Use Services and use.

Practice.

Services

Services.

Services

Services.

  1. What kinds of streaming services exist, and how do they license content? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the specific service? action

Creators

Creators.

Creators

Creators.

  1. How do creators livestream, and what equipment and platforms do they use? action
  2. Which entry fits live streaming platform? action
Context Impact and history.

Context.

Impact

Impact.

Impact

Impact.

  1. How has streaming changed media industries, with positions attributed? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the media industry? action

History

History.

History

History.

  1. How did streaming develop from RealAudio and early webcasts to today? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the history of the internet? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should live streaming and cloud gaming be separate primary entries?
  • How should technical standards be linked?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases naming distinct services; should they be split off?