What is internet TV?
Internet TV is generally available content distributed over the internet. It delivers this as live streaming content to the devices. It is viewed through websites, web applications, and mobile applications. These are connected to a backend facility where televised content is converted into internet packets and then sent over the network.
How does it work?
Internet TV works pretty much the same as a TV. Instead of information being transmitted through wires that connect to your regular TV, it is sent over the internet. This enables you to have access to more than just the regular TV channels. Basically, Internet TV is a process of broadcasting televised content over the internet. It is like a replacement for cable TV as you can view TV channels over the internet without the need for a TV cable.
However, you will need a reliable internet connection as data is transferred over the internet. You browse the best TV and internet bundles on our website to find a good internet service provider for your needs!
Internet TV types
Using internet TV, you can watch two types of broadcasts: live broadcasts and on-demand videos.
- In live broadcasts, it is just like you’re watching live TV. You can’t forward, rewind, skip, or pause anything. It is like a live stream. Some TV networks even play live feeds on their official sites.
- On-demand videos are like a playlist. They are arranged by titles and channels. You can watch from the first video or pick any video from the middle. You can forward, rewind, skip, and pause these videos at any point. You are basically watching pre-recorded clips of TV shows and news channels. There is no reason for the videos to be taken down due to copyright issues as these are on official channels.
Internet TV price
There are three fee structures for internet TV.
- Free: Most websites don’t charge any fee or price for watching shows. You just need an internet connection. The way that these website designers make money is through the ads and commercials on the website present in the form of pop-ups. The ads played before the videos or mid-videos are also ways for them to earn money. The maximum length for ads can be anything from 30 seconds to a minute.
- Subscription: This method works much like traditional cable TV. You pay a monthly fee for accessing the channels. The more channels you want, the higher the price you pay for them. Prices are not fixed and vary.
- Pay-per-view: These podcasts can cost either nothing or something between ranges of $3 to $7 for renting or downloading. It depends on the site and if they are offering it for free or for a charge.
Internet bandwidth and streaming
Much like how the internet works on our phones, Internet TV works like that. The concept of bandwidth applies to Internet TV as well. So, that means the greater the bandwidth, the faster the internet. If there are too many people using the internet, the videos will be slow to load and the internet speed will decrease. Internet bandwidth is fairly important here as large files of videos and audio are being transferred in the form of data. Getting the user’s device in time requires large bandwidths.
As for when it comes to streaming videos, we can watch live or on-demand videos without issues is because of streaming technology. Here is what happens when we are streaming video and audio:
- The server holds video data.
- You press play on a video and this sends a message to the server. The message tells the server what video you want to watch.
- The server responds and sends the necessary data. The streaming media protocols make sure that the data arrives in good condition with all pieces in the right order.
- A player/plugin on your computer decodes the data and plays the video and audio. Popular examples of plugins/players are Media Player and RealPlayer.
Benefits and drawbacks of internet TV
Just like everything else in this world, Internet TV also has its benefits and drawbacks.
Benefits
- You don’t need to pay additionally for TV services as you can just use the internet for internet TV.
- You can download movies and videos on your phone or laptop without the trouble of paying for a rented copy or a CD.
- Websites such as Netflix and YouTube TV offer numerous on-demand videos for a small monthly fee.
- You can also stream audio through your Internet TV.
- You can watch your favorite shows on-demand whenever you want.
Drawbacks
- Additional costs for Ethernet cable and other equipment.
- Not all shows and channels are accessible on the internet so it might be a disadvantage.
- Shows that are no longer available on the internet won’t be found on internet TV as well.
- You can’t just download movies and TV shows from any website as there is a risk of a virus or malware program.
- You need an excellent internet connection so that you are not interrupted.
Features of an Internet TV
Before going to get an internet TV, you should know what features you might get. Not all internet TVs need to come with these benefits or features. It varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Here is the list:
- Applications that work as mobile apps
- YouTube
- Hulu
- Amazon Video on Demand
- Live broadcasts
- Video games
- Sports
- Social media like Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- HBO Go
- News
- Music services
- Spotify
- Photo services
- Weather
Regular TV and Internet TV
While Internet TV stays a popular option, cable TV is also a popular option. The reason for this is that while cable TV appeals to the older generation, internet TV is popular and more suitable for the younger generation. Cable TV is also a more reliable option than Internet TV. As internet TV is dependent on a wireless connection, which can be distorted by any interference like a concrete wall or a door, cable TV is connected with a wire and works effortlessly.
Other options like fiber TV and satellite TV are also quite popular in their own way. Fiber TV is extremely fast and reliable but internet TV is affected by any disruptions in the network. Satellite TV is also a bot unreliable but it has the advantage of having a plethora of channels that might not all be accessible to Internet TV.
Smart TV is also a competitor of internet TV and it works almost the same way as Internet TV. There are notably a few differences like smart TV is connected to the internet via Ethernet cable but internet TV is just a wireless connection. This makes smart TV more reliable than Internet TV.
Conclusion
As we wrap up the topic, the key takeaway that we get from this is how internet TV has revolutionized the world and appealed to a generation that is completely dependent on their phones. While it is a good option for students and people who want a money-saving option, it has also helped streaming services and websites like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ become more common in the market. The only problem lies with having a great internet connection to save yourself from excessively slow loading. You can find good service providers offering great internet services on BuyTVInternetPhone.
