Unlike a video file whose digital bits are stored on your computer's hard drive, streaming video is delivered in a compressed format over the Internet and can only be accessed when you are connected to the Internet.
Additionally, unlike a file that you save to your hard drive from the Web (whether it be a PDF or MP3 file), streaming video is not saved permanently to your hard drive. Rather, your Web browser or video software decodes the video file as it's being streamed to your computer or device, and then your computer discards the data once you've played it.
You don't need connected a computer to your TV in order to watch Internet video. You can certainly connect your PC or Mac to your TV, as this is a low-cost way of accessing Internet video streaming sites. But if you have a laptop, dealing with the cable connections between computer and the TV in your entertainment center won't be convenient.
A better solution than connecting a computer to your TV is to use one of the following methods for accessing a plethora of video streaming content--some free and some requiring rental, purchase, or subscription.
- - A set-top box that hooks into your broadband Internet connection, receives streaming video from sites compatible with the device (and sometimes files saved on networked computers), and translates the video into a format that can be viewed on your HDTV.
- - An Internet-ready game console, which acts like a set-top box but adds gaming and multimedia functionality.
- - An Internet-ready TV, which cuts out the middle set-top box and connects directly to your broadband Internet.
0 comments:
Post a Comment