Is streaming the same as downloading?

Question

Is streaming the same as downloading?

Answer 1

streaming (for example youtube) you can download and watch same time the concert. If you download it you cannot watch it while download. This is the difference.

Answer 2

I had also asked this same question 4 times, and not gotten an answer

Answer 3

Streaming and downloading are two different things,but only slightly and depends on what standpoint you will take. In a basic sence downloading puts the file on your computer to use itself. Streaming is where the file is sent to your computer but not saved its all done by a server and you just watch or use it over the net, or network. On a more complex standpoint, Streaming realtime is done by the UTP protocol, rather then TCP which is used for downloading,making sure the data is received without errors or corruptuion. UTP just sends the data out and does not care if its received by your computer or not. TCP is like recorded delivery and should always be received by your computer Youtube etc, will load the file into a buffer and then show it to you though your browser, so technically its downloading. Only your browser and by being on youtube you can view this as it is being broadcast by the server rather than being sent to you. You are still downloading this, but not in the normal sence. -------------------------------- However in terms of download useage, i think the better way of saying it is bandwith useage to be more correct in IT terms. and bandwith is just whatever you use the internet connection for. so in the sence of bandwith then they are one and the same as all information sent on the internet is just 0's and 1's and your provider will not see any difference, if they do look into what you are using your connection for its agaisnt the law unless they are told to by court. ------------------------------ overall it comes to the point, mobile broadband is not ment to be a 1 stop solution to 100% broaband use, its ment to be for emails and basic websites on the move. Downloading and streaming is best left for a dedicated line that dont have 3GB download limits. because 3GB is not allot.

Answer 4

You say you have used 80% of your downloads I am guessing you mean bandwidth.



If say you are allowed 60 GBs a month then you have downloaded 48 GIGs that does not take into account your uploads. Every thing you do online requires a few bits of upload ,,so even if you did not knowingly upload any files you have uploaded data just by going online..

That being said if it is just audio you want to listen to you should be okay..



Its not like you will be shut off when you surpass your limit .Usually ISPs will send a warning letter for minor overusage ,,but if you end up way over they will just send you a bill.

Answer 5

Yes streaming is a form of downloading.



Normally a download must be complete before you can use or access a file. However when you stream a file from websites such as Youtube, the file can be viewed as it downloads.



While at Youtube take a look at the time slide bar. You will notice the red bar "loading". That bar is a visual representation of how much of the video has already downloaded.



When a file is streamed it is saved into the Internet Temporary files. So the next time you clear your cache, these files are deleted.

Answer 6

Yes its still transferring the information from the internet to your computer, so it is downloading.

Answer 7

Streaming is simply listening - like having your radio on. Not sure if it affects any limit you might have

Answer 8

1)Delivering From A Web Server



-Delivering your video file using a web server is sometimes referred to as "progressive download" or "http streaming". In fact, it's not really streaming at all, but a very simple bulk download of the video file to the viewer's computer. Let's say you have a video file encoded at 200kbps. You place that file on your Web server, and put a link to the file on your web page.



The web server does not know or care that it's a 200kbps video file. It simply pushes the data out to the client as fast as it can. It may appear to be streaming since playback can begin almost immediately. The "progressive download" feature in most media players allows them to begin playing the file as soon as enough data has been downloaded. Of course, you can't fast-forward to the end of the file until the whole file arrives from the server.



If the actual network bandwidth is smaller than the 200kbps that the file is encoded at, then you may have to wait a while before you can begin playing it. But even on a 56kbps connection, the video will look great – you're essentially trading waiting time for video quality. The temporary file is saved to the user's computer, so they can play it again if they want to without having to download it again.



Web servers use HTTP (Hypertext Transport Protocol) to transfer files over the network. One of the features of HTTP is that it operates on top of TCP (Transport Control Protocol), which controls the actual transport of data packets over the network. TCP is optimized for guaranteed delivery of data, regardless of its format or size. For example, if your browser or media player realizes that it's missing a data packet from the server, it will request a resend of that packet. Resend requests take time, take up more bandwidth, and can increase the load on the server and if the network connection is sketchy, you could begin to use more bandwidth for resends than you're using for the video itself! TCP is not designed for efficient real time delivery or careful bandwidth control, but for accurate and reliable delivery of every bit.



2)Delivering From a Streaming Server



-A streaming media server is a specialized piece of software that accepts requests for video files, knows about the format, bandwidth, and structure of those files, and in many cases, pays attention to the performance of the player that's receiving the video. Streaming servers deliver just the amount of data necessary to play the video, at precisely the rate needed to play it.



Unlike the web server, which simply starts dumping as much video data onto the network as it can, the streaming server opens a conversation with the media player. There are two sides to this conversation – one to transfer the video and one for control messages between the player and the server. Because they continue to exchange these control messages with the player, streaming servers can adjust to changing network conditions as the video plays, improving the viewing experience. The control messages also include user actions like play, pause, stop, and seeking to a particular part of the file. Since the server sends video data only as it's needed and at just the rate it's needed, it also allows you to have precise control over the number of streams you serve and the maximum bandwidth you consume.



If you've got a 56kbps connection to the network, you won't be able to receive that 200kbps video. You'll have to settle for a lower-quality version that's encoded for 56kbps connections. But streaming delivery of video data does have some advantages:



- You can skip ahead in a video, or begin playback at a point somewhere in the middle. This is a convenience to users, but also a boon to you as a provider. It enables interactive applications like video search and personalized playlists.



- It lets you monitor exactly what people are watching and for how long they are watching it.



- It makes more efficient use of bandwidth since only the part of the file that's watched gets transferred.



- The video file is not stored on the viewer's computer. The video data is played and then discarded by the media player, so you maintain more control over your content.



In a pinch, streaming servers can use HTTP and TCP to deliver video streams, but by default they use protocols more suited to streaming, such as RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol). RTSP provides built-in support for the control messages and other features of streaming servers. UDP is a lightweight protocol that saves bandwidth by introducing less overhead than other protocols. It's more concerned with continuous delivery than with being 100% accurate – a feature that makes it well-suited to real time operations like streaming. Unlike TCP, it doesn't request resends of missing packets. With UDP, if a packet gets dropped on the way from the server to the player, the server just keeps sending data. The idea behind UDP is that it's b