July 17, 2023

What is a client story video? Are you interested in live streaming? From people live streaming on various social media platforms to live sports broadcasts and more, live streaming has evolved significantly over recent years. This is a fun and exciting way to connect with others across the globe, but how does live streaming work? It’s easy to get caught up in the fun and excitement of live streaming and to forget about the technical side of things. Live streaming is a technical process that has revolutionized many industries. While you don’t need much knowledge to start a live stream, it’s important to understand how live streaming works to ensure you can create high-quality content and deal with any technical difficulties promptly. What Is Live Streaming Technology? Video files are usually huge, making transmitting them to end-users in their original form difficult. This is where live streaming technology comes in. In real-time, specific devices, software, and technology transmit the video to end-users. It differs from other media delivery types in that you don’t need to download or watch pre-recorded videos. You can view the content as it’s happening, an experience that traditional media delivery cannot offer. How Does Live Video Streaming Work? The entire live-streaming process consists of the following: Video capture Compression Encoding Segmentation Content delivery network (CDN) distribution CDN caching Video playback Decoding Let’s look at these processes in a little more detail: Video Capture First things first, you need a video. Your video camera captures visual information and displays it as digital data. Encoding and compression, the second step of the process, are used to ensure your video data isn’t redundant. Read this blog: Going Viral: How to Make Viral Youtube Videos? Compression When you first capture your video data, it has a lot of redundant information. By compressing the video, you’ll be able to remove these redundancies. Furthermore, the raw video data you captured might not have the ideal video bitrate and frame size for live streaming. Compressing helps to correct this as well. Encoding Video encoding consists of converting the compressed video footage format. Firstly, you have to encode the footage using a codec. Next, you can choose the ideal encoding standard for your video. A few common ones are AV1, H.264, H.265, and VP9. Each format is suitable for different uses; therefore, you must choose the appropriate one based on the codecs used for your content. Segmentation Segmentation is a vital part of the process as it divides your video data into smaller segments, which enables it to be sent. Each segment will be converted into further parts of different resolutions (HD, 4K, 720p, 1080p, etc.), and the parts with the same resolution will be combined, forming a video stream. Therefore, segmentation results in the creation of multiple video streams. Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABR) is currently used by most live streaming software, enabling you to adjust the bitrate by the end user’s bandwidth. As a result, wider audiences, including those with lower bandwidths, can enjoy the live stream without worrying about it constantly buffering. Content Delivery Network (CDN) Distribution Firstly, you need to know what a CDN is. CDNs are a group of servers located worldwide that enable people to stream a video in their location. Therefore, when someone plays your live stream, they’ll request it from the server that is closest to them. The main benefit of this is that it significantly reduces transition time, which reduces latency. This way, the viewer will enjoy a higher quality live stream. CDN Caching CDN caching, similar to CDN distribution, is a way to improve the live stream quality and reduce the load placed on the origin server. The video content is stored and delivered through a CDN during this process. Therefore, when a viewer requests the live stream, the CDN will retrieve the content from the origin server and cache it to the server closest to it.  Video Playback When a viewer requests access to the live stream, their device will receive the video segments spoken about in step four. The end-users smartphone, laptop, or PC will then reassemble these segments and play them in real-time. Decoding The CDN must decode your live video when the viewer first accesses it. This is because the end-user cannot watch an encrypted video file. Thus, the decoder will generate a decoded and decompressed file so the end-user can enjoy your content. How to Start Streaming Now that you know how the live streaming process works, you probably want to start creating your live stream. Fortunately, this isn’t a complicated process; you don’t need a flashy and complex setup to start. Follow these steps, and you’ll be good to go: 1.    Choose a Live Streaming Platform Firstly, you need to choose a live-streaming platform. While this isn’t complicated, it requires careful thought and consideration. The platform you choose needs to align with the purpose and goals of your live stream. Therefore, you should also consider the features the platform offers. 2.    Get the Necessary Tools and Equipment for Your Live Stream Next, you need to finalize your streaming setup. You’re ready to start streaming once you have a platform and the necessary tools and equipment! The tools and equipment you need include: A camera A high-quality microphone A steady internet connection with a decent upload bandwidth You could also consider investing in lighting, an audio blender, and a green screen. This depends on the purpose of your live stream. What Are the Benefits of Live Streaming? Live streaming has numerous benefits, whether you’re a content creator or a business owner. You Can Reach a Global Audience If you’re hosting an online, live-stream event, you can invite as many people as you like. Furthermore, you’d be able to invite people from all across the world. Therefore, live streaming allows you to interact with others like no other platform or source. You can share a functional and operational video streaming link with as many people as you like as long