Video Formats & Codecs

What is Streaming?

Video streaming is the delivery of video content over the internet in real time, where the video is played as data arrives rather than requiring a complete file download before playback begins.

Streaming Explained

Streaming has replaced file-based video distribution as the dominant delivery method for online video. Adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) protocols like HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) and MPEG-DASH break video into short segments encoded at multiple quality levels, dynamically switching to higher or lower quality based on the viewer's available bandwidth. This ensures smooth playback across varying network conditions. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) distribute video segments to servers geographically close to viewers, reducing latency. Live streaming adds the additional challenge of real-time encoding and near-zero latency delivery. For content creators, streaming platforms handle the infrastructure complexity of delivery, but understanding streaming basics helps with upload quality decisions, bitrate targeting, and live stream technical configuration.

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Related Terms

Encoding

Video encoding is the process of converting raw or uncompressed video data into a compressed digital format using a codec, producing a file suitable for storage, streaming, or distribution.

Bitrate

Bitrate is the amount of data used to represent each second of video, measured in kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps). Higher bitrate generally produces better video quality at the cost of larger file size.

Codec

A codec is a software algorithm that encodes raw video data into a compressed format for storage or transmission, and decodes it for playback. Common video codecs include H.264, H.265 (HEVC), VP9, and AV1.

Resolution

Video resolution is the number of pixels displayed in each frame, expressed as width by height (e.g., 1920x1080 for 1080p, 3840x2160 for 4K), determining the sharpness and detail level of the video.