Streaming terms, in plain language.
Plain-language definitions of the terms you meet when launching and running a streaming business, each with how it works, when it matters and what to read next.
Monetization
Ad-supported tier
An ad-supported tier is a plan on a streaming service that is free or priced below the standard plan because the viewer watches advertising. The service earns from the advertiser as well as, or instead of, the viewer.
Read definition Advertising-based video on demandAVOD
AVOD (advertising-based video on demand) is a streaming model where viewers watch on-demand video for free and the service earns from the ads shown before, during or after it.
Read definition Broadcaster video on demandBVOD
BVOD (broadcaster video on demand) is a streaming service operated by a television broadcaster. It carries the broadcaster's programs on demand, usually with live streams of its channels, and is most often free and funded by advertising.
Read definitionCoins and virtual currency
Coins, or virtual currency, are units of in-app credit that viewers buy in packs with real money and then spend inside a streaming app, most often to unlock individual episodes of a short-form series.
Read definitionContent bundle
A content bundle is a group of titles, or of whole services, sold together for a single price that is lower than buying each part separately. Examples are a film trilogy, a full season, a festival pass or two streaming services on one bill.
Read definitionContent licensing
Content licensing is the agreement by which the owner of a film, series or event grants a streaming service the right to show it, for a set period, in set territories, under set business models, in exchange for payment.
Read definitionCreator monetization
Creator monetization is the set of ways a video creator earns from an audience, including a share of platform advertising, memberships, tips, sponsorships, and selling subscriptions or titles directly through a service they own.
Read definitionElectronic sell-through
Electronic sell-through (EST) is a one-time payment that gives a viewer permanent access to a digital title, such as a film, a season or a single episode. It is the digital equivalent of buying a disc.
Read definitionEpisode unlock
Episode unlock is a pay-per-episode model in which the first episodes of a series are free and each later episode is unlocked individually, usually with in-app coins, by watching an ad or with a pass.
Read definitionFree trial
A free trial is a limited period, commonly 7, 14 or 30 days, during which a new subscriber has full access to a streaming service before being charged. When it ends, the subscription starts automatically unless the viewer cancels.
Read definitionFreemium streaming
Freemium streaming is a model in which a service offers part of its catalog or features for free, with or without ads, and charges a subscription for the full experience. The free tier exists to bring viewers in; the paid tier is where most revenue comes from.
Read definition Free video on demandFVOD
FVOD (free video on demand) is on-demand video that viewers can watch without paying and without advertising. The service earns nothing directly from it and uses it for another purpose, such as promotion or public service.
Read definition Hybrid video on demandHVOD
HVOD (hybrid video on demand) is a streaming model that combines two or more ways of earning, most often a subscription and advertising, on the same service and catalog.
Read definitionHybrid monetization
Hybrid monetization is the practice of running more than one revenue model on a single streaming service, such as subscriptions, advertising, rentals, purchases and in-app currency, so that each viewer can pay in the way they prefer.
Read definitionIn-app purchase
An in-app purchase (IAP) is a payment made inside a mobile or TV app using the app store's own billing system, such as Apple's App Store or Google Play. The store collects the money, keeps a commission and pays the rest to the app's publisher.
Read definitionMinimum guarantee
A minimum guarantee (MG) is an amount a streaming service commits to pay a rights holder for a title or catalog regardless of how it performs. It is normally an advance against revenue share: the rights holder receives further payments only once their share of earnings exceeds the guarantee.
Read definitionPay-per-view
Pay-per-view (PPV) is a model where a viewer pays once to watch a single program, most often a live event such as a fight, a match or a concert, rather than subscribing to a channel or catalog.
Read definition Premium video on demandPVOD
PVOD (premium video on demand) is a one-time rental or purchase of a new release at a premium price, offered early, while or shortly after the title is in cinemas and before it reaches subscription or ad-supported catalogs.
Read definitionRelease window
A release window is a period during which a title is available through one distribution channel or business model before it moves to the next. Windowing is the practice of ordering those periods so that each audience pays the most it is willing to.
Read definitionRevenue share
Revenue share is an arrangement in which income from a streaming service is split by percentage between parties, for example between a service and its platform vendor, an app store, a payment provider or the owner of the content.
Read definitionSubscription tier
A subscription tier is one of the plans a streaming service offers at a given price. Tiers differ in what the subscriber gets, such as video quality, simultaneous streams, downloads, the catalog included or whether ads are shown.
Read definition Subscription video on demandSVOD
SVOD (subscription video on demand) is a streaming model where viewers pay a recurring fee, usually monthly or yearly, for unlimited access to a catalog of on-demand video.
Read definition Transactional video on demandTVOD
TVOD (transactional video on demand) is a streaming model where viewers pay once for a single title or event, either renting it for a limited time or buying it to keep.
Read definitionVideo paywall
A video paywall is the point in a streaming service where playback is blocked until the viewer pays, by subscribing, renting, buying or spending in-app currency.
Read definitionPricing & billing
App store commission
App store commission is the percentage an app store, such as Apple's App Store, Google Play or a TV platform's store, keeps from each payment made through its in-app billing. It typically ranges from 15% to 30%.
Read definitionCarrier billing
Carrier billing, or direct carrier billing (DCB), is a payment method that charges a purchase to the customer's mobile phone account. The amount is added to their monthly bill or deducted from their prepaid balance, so no card or bank account is needed.
Read definitionDunning
Dunning is the process of recovering a subscription payment that has failed. It combines automatic retries of the charge with messages asking the subscriber to update their payment details, over a set period before the subscription is cancelled.
Read definitionIn-app billing
In-app billing is the payment system that an app store, such as Apple's App Store, Google Play or the Amazon Appstore, provides for buying digital goods inside apps. It charges the payment method on the user's store account and manages renewals, refunds and cancellations for subscriptions bought that way.
Read definitionLocalized pricing
Localized pricing is setting a different price for the same streaming plan in each country, in the local currency and at a level that matches local incomes and competing services, instead of converting one global price at the exchange rate.
Read definitionMerchant of record
The merchant of record (MoR) is the legal entity that sells a product to the customer. Its name appears on the customer's statement, and it is responsible for processing the payment, collecting and remitting sales tax, and handling refunds and disputes.
Read definitionMulti-currency billing
Multi-currency billing is charging customers in their local currency instead of a single currency for everyone. The price is shown, charged and receipted in that currency, and the business receives the funds either in the same currency or converted to its own.
Read definitionPayment gateway
A payment gateway is the service that securely collects a customer's payment details, sends the transaction to the banks and card networks for approval, and reports the result back to the business. A streaming service uses one to sell subscriptions, rentals and purchases on the web.
Read definitionPer-subscriber fee
A per-subscriber fee is an amount a streaming platform vendor charges each month for every paying subscriber on your service, usually on top of a base plan. The total grows in step with your audience.
Read definition Purchasing power parity pricingPPP pricing
PPP (purchasing power parity) pricing is a way of setting country prices by scaling a base price according to how far money goes in each country, so that a plan feels equally affordable everywhere rather than costing the same amount in dollars.
Read definitionPromo code
A promo code, or coupon, is a code a viewer enters at checkout to get a discount, a free period or free access to a title. Streaming services use them to acquire subscribers, reward partners and win back people who cancelled.
Read definitionRecurring billing
Recurring billing is charging a customer's saved payment method automatically at a fixed interval, such as every month or year, until they cancel. It is the billing mechanism behind every streaming subscription.
Read definitionRegional pricing
Regional pricing is charging different prices for the same streaming plan in different groups of countries. Countries with similar purchasing power are placed in a band, and each band has one price.
Read definitionTransaction fee
A transaction fee is an amount deducted from each individual sale, as a percentage, a fixed sum or both. On a streaming service it can be charged by the payment provider, by an app store and, on some platforms, by the platform vendor itself.
Read definitionMetrics
ARPPU
ARPPU (average revenue per paying user) is the revenue a service earns in a period divided by the number of users who made at least one payment in that period. Unlike ARPU, it leaves out everyone who used the service for free.
Read definition Average revenue per userARPU
ARPU (average revenue per user) is a service's total revenue in a period divided by the number of users in that period. It shows how much each user is worth on average, across subscriptions, advertising and one-time sales.
Read definition Annual recurring revenueARR
ARR (annual recurring revenue) is the subscription income a service would earn over a year if its current subscribers and prices stayed as they are. It is monthly recurring revenue multiplied by 12.
Read definition Customer acquisition costCAC
CAC (customer acquisition cost) is the average amount a service spends on marketing and sales to gain one new paying customer. It is total acquisition spending in a period divided by the number of new customers won in that period.
Read definitionChurn rate
Churn rate is the percentage of a streaming service's subscribers who cancel or fail to renew during a period, usually a month. It is the main measure of how well a subscription service keeps its customers.
Read definitionCompletion rate
Completion rate is the percentage of plays of a video that reach the end, or a defined point near it. It shows whether a title holds the people who start it.
Read definitionConcurrent viewers
Concurrent viewers is the number of people watching a service's video at the same moment. The highest value reached, peak concurrency, determines how much streaming capacity the service needs.
Read definitionInvoluntary churn
Involuntary churn is the loss of subscribers whose renewal payment failed and was never recovered. They did not choose to cancel; their card expired, was declined or lacked funds, and the subscription lapsed.
Read definition Customer lifetime valueLTV
LTV (customer lifetime value) is the total revenue, or margin, a service expects to earn from one subscriber over the whole time they stay. It tells you how much you can afford to spend to acquire a customer.
Read definitionLTV:CAC ratio
The LTV:CAC ratio is customer lifetime value divided by customer acquisition cost. It shows how many dollars a subscriber returns over their lifetime for each dollar spent winning them.
Read definition Monthly active usersMAU
MAU (monthly active users) is the number of unique users who were active on a service at least once during a month. On a streaming service, active usually means signing in or starting playback.
Read definition Monthly recurring revenueMRR
MRR (monthly recurring revenue) is the subscription income a service can expect every month from its active subscribers, with all plans normalized to a monthly amount. It excludes one-time sales and other irregular income.
Read definitionPeak concurrency
Peak concurrency is the highest number of viewers watching a service at the same moment within a period, such as a day, an event or a month. It is the figure that capacity, and many platform plans, are sized against.
Read definitionRetention rate
Retention rate is the percentage of subscribers, or users, who are still with a service at the end of a period out of those who were there at the start. It is the mirror image of churn rate.
Read definitionTrial conversion rate
Trial conversion rate is the percentage of people who start a free trial and go on to make their first payment. It measures how well a trial turns interest into paying subscribers.
Read definitionVideo analytics
Video analytics is the measurement of how a streaming service is used and how it performs: who the viewers are, what they watch and for how long, what revenue results and how reliably the video plays.
Read definitionWatch time
Watch time is the total amount of time viewers spend actually playing video on a service, usually reported in hours per month. It is the most direct measure of how much a service is used.
Read definitionPlatform
App store submission
App store submission is the process of preparing a streaming app, sending it to a store such as Apple's App Store, Google Play, the Amazon Appstore or a smart TV store for review, and publishing it once approved.
Read definitionContent metadata
Content metadata is the information that describes a video title and governs how it is presented and used: its title, synopsis, cast, genre, rating, artwork, languages, rights and technical details. It is what makes a file into a catalog entry.
Read definitionContent migration
Content migration is moving a streaming service from one platform to another: the video files, metadata and artwork, the plans and prices, and the subscriber accounts with their active subscriptions.
Read definition Direct-to-consumer streamingD2C streaming
D2C (direct-to-consumer) streaming is a content owner distributing video straight to viewers through its own branded service, instead of licensing it to a broadcaster, an operator or another streaming service.
Read definitionHeadless OTT
A headless OTT platform is a streaming back end offered without a ready-made front end. Content management, video processing, entitlements and billing are exposed through APIs, and the customer builds its own website and apps on top.
Read definition Internet protocol televisionIPTV
IPTV (internet protocol television) is the delivery of television channels and on-demand video using internet protocol. In its original sense it runs over a telecom operator's own managed network to a set-top box, rather than over the open internet.
Read definitionIPTV middleware
IPTV middleware is the software layer that sits between an operator's video systems and its subscribers' devices. It manages accounts, channel packages, the program guide, on-demand content, billing integration and set-top boxes.
Read definitionManaged OTT
A managed OTT platform, also called OTT SaaS, is streaming software that the vendor hosts, operates and updates on your behalf for a recurring fee. You run the content and the business; the vendor runs the technology.
Read definitionOffline viewing
Offline viewing is a feature of a streaming app that lets a viewer download a title to their phone or tablet and watch it later without an internet connection. The download stays encrypted and playable only inside the app.
Read definitionOnline video platform
An online video platform (OVP) is a service that lets a business upload, encode, store, deliver and play video, typically through an embeddable player and an API, with analytics on how it is watched.
Read definition Over-the-topOTT
OTT (over-the-top) is the delivery of video to viewers over the open internet, direct from the service to the viewer's device, without a cable, satellite or telecom operator controlling the distribution.
Read definitionOTT app
An OTT app is the application through which viewers watch a streaming service on a phone, tablet, television or browser. It handles browsing, sign-in, payment and playback, and is published under the service's own brand.
Read definitionOTT app builder
An OTT app builder is a tool for designing and configuring a branded streaming app without writing code. You choose the logo, colors, navigation and home page layout, and the platform applies them to ready-made apps for mobile, television and the web.
Read definitionOTT platform
An OTT platform is the software and infrastructure a business uses to run its own streaming service. It covers content management, encoding, delivery, the video player, subscriptions and payments, apps and analytics.
Read definitionPush notification
A push notification is a short message that an app sends to a user's phone, tablet or browser, appearing on the lock screen or in the notification tray even when the app is not open. Streaming services use them to bring viewers back to watch.
Read definition Role-based access controlRBAC
RBAC (role-based access control) is a way of managing permissions in which each user is assigned a role, such as editor or finance, and each role is allowed a defined set of actions. In a streaming CMS it controls who can upload, publish, change prices, see revenue or manage subscribers.
Read definitionRecommendation engine
A recommendation engine is the system that chooses which titles to suggest to each viewer, based on what they and similar viewers have watched and on the properties of the titles themselves. It fills rows such as recommended for you and because you watched.
Read definitionSelf-hosted OTT
A self-hosted OTT platform is streaming software that you license, usually for a one-time fee and sometimes with source code, and then install and operate on your own cloud account or on-premise servers.
Read definitionSemantic search
Semantic search is search that matches the meaning of a query instead of its exact words. On a streaming service it lets a viewer type something like a feel-good film about food and get relevant titles, even when none of those words appear in a title or its tags.
Read definition Service-level agreementSLA
An SLA (service-level agreement) is the part of a contract in which a vendor commits to measurable levels of service, such as uptime and support response times, and states what the customer receives if those levels are missed.
Read definitionStreaming aggregator
A streaming aggregator is a service or device platform that brings content from many streaming services together in one place, with a single interface for browsing and, often, a single bill. It distributes other companies' services instead of, or as well as, its own content.
Read definitionVideo API
A video API is a programming interface that lets other software work with a video platform: uploading files, starting encoding, managing a catalog, checking entitlements, requesting playback and retrieving analytics, without a person using the dashboard.
Read definitionVideo CMS
A video CMS (content management system) is the back-office application where a streaming team uploads video, adds metadata and artwork, organizes titles into a catalog, sets who can watch and at what price, and publishes to the website and apps.
Read definition Video on demandVOD
VOD (video on demand) is video that a viewer can choose and start at any time, instead of having to watch at the time a broadcaster schedules it. Films, series and recorded events on a streaming service are all VOD.
Read definitionWhite-label OTT
A white-label OTT platform is ready-made streaming technology that a business launches under its own name, logo and domain. The vendor builds and operates the software; viewers see only the business's brand.
Read definitionLive & linear
Catch-up TV
Catch-up TV is a service that makes programs available on demand for a limited period after they were shown on a linear channel, commonly 7 to 30 days. It lets viewers watch what they missed without recording it.
Read definition Electronic program guideEPG
An EPG (electronic program guide) is the on-screen schedule for linear channels. It shows what is playing now and what is coming up on each channel, usually as a grid of channels against time, and lets the viewer tune to a program from it.
Read definition Free ad-supported streaming televisionFAST channel
A FAST channel (free ad-supported streaming television) is a linear channel delivered over the internet that viewers watch for free, with advertising in scheduled breaks. It looks and behaves like a television channel but needs no subscription or aerial.
Read definitionLinear channel
A linear channel is a continuous stream of programs played in a fixed schedule, like a traditional television channel. Viewers join whatever is on at that moment rather than choosing a title to start.
Read definitionLive encoder
A live encoder is the hardware or software that takes a live video feed from a camera or production mixer, compresses it in real time and sends it over the internet to a streaming platform, most often using RTMP or SRT.
Read definitionLive event
A live event is a single scheduled stream with a defined start and end, such as a match, a concert, a conference or a premiere. Unlike a linear channel it does not run continuously, and unlike on-demand video everyone watches it at the same time.
Read definitionLive pay-per-view
Live pay-per-view is selling access to a single live stream for a one-time ticket price. The buyer can watch that event as it happens and usually a replay for a limited time afterward.
Read definitionLive streaming
Live streaming is delivering video over the internet as it is captured, so that viewers watch an event while it is happening, with a delay of a few seconds rather than after a recording has been uploaded.
Read definitionLive-to-VOD
Live-to-VOD is converting a live stream into an on-demand video, either while the event is still running or as soon as it ends, so that viewers who missed it or joined late can watch from the start.
Read definitionLow-latency streaming
Low-latency streaming is live streaming configured so that the delay between something happening in front of the camera and appearing on the viewer's screen is a few seconds, instead of the 10 to 30 seconds typical of standard internet streaming.
Read definitionPlayout
Playout is the process, and the system, that turns a schedule into a continuous channel. It plays each program, live feed, promotion and ad break in order, around the clock, and outputs a single stream ready for delivery.
Read definitionContent formats
Microdrama
A microdrama is a serialized fiction story told in very short episodes, typically one to three minutes each, filmed vertically for viewing on a phone. A series often runs to dozens of episodes, each ending on a hook that leads into the next.
Read definitionReels
Reels are short vertical videos, typically 15 to 90 seconds long, presented in a full-screen feed that the viewer swipes through one after another. The format was popularized by social apps and is now built into many streaming apps.
Read definitionShort-form video
Short-form video is video that lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes, usually vertical and watched in a continuous, swipeable feed on a phone. It covers clips, reels and the episodes of microdramas.
Read definitionTerritorial rights
Territorial rights are the rights to distribute a title in a particular country or region. A license names the territories it covers, and the streaming service may show the title only to viewers located there.
Read definition User-generated contentUGC
UGC (user-generated content) is video created and uploaded by the users of a platform instead of being produced or licensed by the platform's owner. On a streaming service it ranges from open uploads by anyone to submissions from an invited group of creators.
Read definitionVertical series
A vertical series is a series of episodes filmed in portrait orientation for viewing on a phone held upright. Episodes are usually short, from one to ten minutes, and released in a swipeable feed.
Read definitionVertical video
Vertical video is video framed in portrait orientation, taller than it is wide, most often at a 9:16 aspect ratio. It fills the screen of a phone held upright, so the viewer does not need to rotate the device.
Read definitionAdvertising
Ad load
Ad load is the amount of advertising shown per hour of viewing, expressed either as minutes of ads per hour or as the number of ads per hour. It is the main lever an ad-supported service has over both revenue and viewer tolerance.
Read definitionAd server
An ad server is the system that decides which ad to show each time a player or stitching service asks for one, delivers the details of that ad and counts the result. For a publisher it is the control center of an advertising business.
Read definition Cost per milleCPM
CPM (cost per mille) is the price an advertiser pays for one thousand ad impressions. It is the standard unit for pricing video advertising, and the rate a streaming service earns for each thousand ads it shows.
Read definition Client-side ad insertionCSAI
CSAI (client-side ad insertion) is a way of delivering video advertising in which the player on the viewer's device requests each ad from an ad server and plays it itself, pausing the program while the ad runs.
Read definitionCTV advertising
CTV advertising is video advertising delivered inside streaming apps on connected televisions: smart TVs, streaming sticks, set-top boxes and consoles. It combines the full-screen impact of television with the targeting and measurement of digital advertising.
Read definitionDynamic ad insertion
Dynamic ad insertion (DAI) is choosing which ads to show at the moment a viewer reaches an ad break, individually for that viewer, instead of permanently embedding the same ads in the video file for everyone.
Read definition Effective cost per milleeCPM
eCPM (effective cost per mille) is the advertising revenue a publisher actually earns per thousand impressions, across every ad source and pricing model. It converts mixed and partly unsold inventory into one comparable figure.
Read definitionFill rate
Fill rate is the percentage of ad requests that are answered with an ad. If a service requests 1,000 ads and receives 700, its fill rate is 70%. Unfilled requests earn nothing.
Read definitionMid-roll ad
A mid-roll ad is a video advertisement that plays in a break partway through the content, in the manner of a television commercial break. It is the main ad position for long-form and live video.
Read definitionPre-roll ad
A pre-roll ad is a video advertisement that plays before the content a viewer chose. It is the simplest ad position to implement, since it needs no markers inside the video.
Read definitionProgrammatic advertising
Programmatic advertising is the automated buying and selling of ad impressions through software, in place of orders negotiated by sales teams. Each ad opportunity is offered to buyers and sold, often by auction, in the fraction of a second before the ad plays.
Read definitionRewarded ad
A rewarded ad is a video advertisement that a viewer chooses to watch in exchange for a benefit inside the app, such as coins, an unlocked episode or a period of ad-free viewing. The viewer opts in, watches to the end and receives the reward.
Read definitionShoppable video
Shoppable video is video in which viewers can discover and buy the products they see, through on-screen prompts, without abandoning what they are watching. It turns content or an advertisement into a point of sale.
Read definition Server-side ad insertionSSAI
SSAI (server-side ad insertion) is a way of delivering video advertising in which the ads are stitched into the stream on the server before it reaches the viewer. The player receives one continuous stream containing both program and ads.
Read definition Video Ad Serving TemplateVAST
VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) is the industry standard, published by the IAB Tech Lab, for how an ad server describes a video ad to a player. A VAST response is an XML document that tells the player which media file to play and which tracking addresses to call.
Read definitionSecurity
AES-128 encryption
AES-128 is the Advanced Encryption Standard with a 128-bit key. In streaming it is used to encrypt video segments so they cannot be played without the key. The term usually refers to the basic encryption built into HLS, in which the player fetches the key from a URL listed in the playlist.
Read definitionConcurrent stream limit
A concurrent stream limit is the maximum number of devices that can play video on one account at the same moment. When the limit is reached, a further device is refused or an existing stream is stopped.
Read definitionDevice limit
A device limit is the maximum number of devices that can be signed in or registered to a single streaming account. When the limit is reached, the viewer must remove a device before adding another.
Read definition Digital rights managementDRM
DRM (digital rights management) is technology that encrypts video and controls who can decrypt it. A viewer's device must obtain a license from a license server before it can play the stream, and the license sets the rules for that playback.
Read definitionDRM license server
A DRM license server is the service that issues licenses for protected video. When a device asks to play an encrypted stream, the license server checks that the request is authorized and returns the decryption key, wrapped so that only that device can use it, together with the rules for playback.
Read definitionFairPlay
FairPlay Streaming is Apple's DRM system. It protects video delivered over HLS to iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Safari on Mac, and is the only DRM those devices support for native playback.
Read definitionForensic watermarking
Forensic watermarking embeds an invisible identifier, unique to each viewer or session, into the video itself. If a copy appears on a piracy site, the identifier can be extracted to find the account it came from.
Read definitionGeo-blocking
Geo-blocking is restricting access to video according to the viewer's location, so that a title can only be played in the countries or regions where the service holds the rights to show it.
Read definitionMulti-DRM
Multi-DRM is the use of several DRM systems, normally Widevine, FairPlay and PlayReady, to protect the same video so that it plays securely on every browser, phone and television.
Read definitionPassword sharing
Password sharing is the use of one streaming account by people who are not part of the subscriber's household, so that several households watch on a single subscription. It ranges from a family member in another city to credentials sold or posted publicly.
Read definitionPlayReady
PlayReady is Microsoft's DRM system. It protects streamed video on Windows and the Edge browser, Xbox consoles, and many smart TVs and set-top boxes.
Read definitionScreen-recording protection
Screen-recording protection is the set of measures that prevent or deter viewers from capturing video with screenshots or screen-recording software. Its core is hardware-level DRM, which makes protected video appear black in a capture.
Read definitionSecure video streaming
Secure video streaming is delivering video so that only authorized viewers can watch it and copies are hard to make. It is achieved by combining several layers: encrypted delivery, access tokens, DRM, account controls and watermarking.
Read definitionSigned URL
A signed URL is a web address for a video stream that includes a cryptographic signature and an expiry time. The CDN serves the content only if the signature is valid and the link has not expired, so a copied or shared link stops working. Using signed URLs for playback is called tokenized playback.
Read definitionVideo piracy
Video piracy is the copying, distribution or restreaming of video without the permission of its rights holder. For a streaming service it means paying audiences watching for free elsewhere, and it can put content licenses at risk.
Read definitionWidevine
Widevine is Google's DRM system. It protects streamed video on Android phones and tablets, Android TV and Google TV, Chrome and other browsers, and most smart TVs and streaming devices outside Apple's ecosystem.
Read definitionStreaming technology
4K streaming
4K streaming is delivering video at a resolution of 3840 × 2160 pixels, also called Ultra HD or UHD, which is four times the pixel count of Full HD. It is usually offered together with HDR and reserved for a premium tier.
Read definitionAdaptive bitrate streaming
Adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) is a delivery method in which a video is encoded at several quality levels and the player switches between them during playback, choosing the highest quality the viewer's connection can sustain without stalling.
Read definitionAuto-scaling
Auto-scaling is the automatic adjustment of computing capacity to match demand. When load rises, more servers are started; when it falls, they are shut down. For a streaming service it is what keeps sign-in, playback and payment working through an evening peak or a live event.
Read definition AOMedia Video 1AV1
AV1 (AOMedia Video 1) is an open, royalty-free video codec released in 2018 by the Alliance for Open Media, a group that includes major browser, chip and streaming companies. It compresses roughly 30% more efficiently than H.265 and about 50% more than H.264.
Read definitionBandwidth
Bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be transferred over a connection, measured in megabits per second (Mbps). In streaming the word is also used for the total volume of video delivered to viewers in a month, measured in gigabytes or terabytes.
Read definitionBitrate
Bitrate is the amount of data used to represent one second of video or audio, measured in kilobits or megabits per second (kbps or Mbps). A higher bitrate carries more detail and produces larger files and higher delivery costs.
Read definitionBitrate ladder
A bitrate ladder, or encoding ladder, is the list of versions a video is encoded into for adaptive streaming. Each rung pairs a resolution with a bitrate, and the player moves up and down the rungs as the viewer's connection changes.
Read definitionBuffering
Buffering is the interruption that occurs when a video player runs out of downloaded video and has to pause, usually showing a spinner, until more arrives. The technical term for a pause after playback has started is rebuffering.
Read definition Content delivery networkCDN
A CDN (content delivery network) is a network of servers spread across many locations that stores copies of content and delivers each request from a server near the viewer. For streaming, it is what carries the video segments from the platform to the audience.
Read definitionCodec
A codec is the algorithm used to compress video or audio for storage and delivery and to decompress it for playback. The name combines coder and decoder. The choice of codec determines how small a file is at a given quality and which devices can play it.
Read definitionEgress cost
Egress cost is the charge for data leaving a cloud provider's or CDN's network, billed per gigabyte transferred. For a streaming service it is the cost of delivering video to viewers, and it is usually the largest variable cost of the service.
Read definition Advanced Video Coding (AVC)H.264
H.264, also called AVC (Advanced Video Coding), is the most widely supported video compression standard. Finalized in 2003, it plays on practically every phone, computer, television and browser in use, which makes it the baseline codec for streaming.
Read definition High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC)H.265
H.265, also called HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), is the successor to H.264. It delivers the same picture quality at roughly 40% to 50% lower bitrate and is the standard codec for 4K and HDR streaming.
Read definition HTTP Live StreamingHLS
HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is a streaming protocol created by Apple that delivers video as a series of short segments over ordinary web servers, listed in playlist files with the .m3u8 extension. It is the most widely supported way to stream both live and on-demand video.
Read definition Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTPMPEG-DASH
MPEG-DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) is an international standard for adaptive bitrate streaming. Like HLS, it delivers video as short segments over ordinary web servers, described by a manifest file, here called an MPD.
Read definitionMulti-CDN
Multi-CDN is the practice of delivering video through two or more content delivery networks at once, with a switching layer that sends each viewer, or each request, to whichever network is performing best for them at that moment.
Read definitionQuality of experience
Quality of experience (QoE) is the measure of how well video playback works from the viewer's point of view. It is tracked through a small set of metrics collected by the player: how quickly video starts, how often it stalls, how often it fails and what picture quality is delivered.
Read definition Real-Time Messaging ProtocolRTMP
RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) is a protocol for sending live video and audio over the internet with low delay. It was created for Flash video and is now used mainly for contribution: carrying a live feed from an encoder to a streaming platform.
Read definitionStreaming protocol
A streaming protocol is a set of rules for how video and audio are transmitted over a network between a source, a server and a player. Different protocols are used for sending a live feed to a platform and for delivering video to viewers.
Read definitionTranscoding
Transcoding is converting a video from one encoded format into another. On a streaming platform it means taking an uploaded file or a live feed and producing the several resolutions and bitrates needed for adaptive playback on every device.
Read definitionVideo encoding
Video encoding is compressing video with a codec, such as H.264, H.265 or AV1, so that it is small enough to store and stream. It removes detail the eye will not miss and describes each frame by how it differs from its neighbors.
Read definitionVideo player
A video player is the software on a viewer's device that requests a stream, decodes it and displays it, and provides the controls for watching. In a streaming service it also handles adaptive quality, DRM, subtitles, advertising and analytics.
Read definitionVideo resolution
Video resolution is the number of pixels that make up each frame of a video, written as width by height, such as 1920 × 1080. More pixels can show finer detail, and require more data to store and deliver.
Read definitionVideo storage
Video storage is the disk space a streaming service uses to hold its catalog. It includes the original files that were uploaded and every encoded version made from them, and it is billed by the gigabyte for each month the files are kept.
Read definitionDevices
Android TV
Android TV is Google's version of Android for televisions, streaming sticks and set-top boxes. It runs on sets from many manufacturers and on operator boxes, and apps for it are distributed through Google Play.
Read definitionApple TV
Apple TV is Apple's streaming set-top box, which runs the tvOS operating system. Streaming services reach it by publishing a tvOS app on the App Store. The name is also used for Apple's own TV app and subscription service, which are separate things.
Read definitionCross-platform streaming
Cross-platform streaming is offering one streaming service across many kinds of device, such as web browsers, phones, tablets, smart TVs and streaming boxes, so that a viewer can sign in anywhere with the same account and carry on where they left off.
Read definition Connected TVCTV
CTV (connected TV) is a television that can stream video over the internet, either because it is a smart TV or because a streaming stick, set-top box or games console is attached to it.
Read definitionFire TV
Fire TV is Amazon's streaming platform. It runs on Fire TV Stick devices, set-top boxes and Fire TV televisions, and its apps are distributed through the Amazon Appstore.
Read definitionLG webOS
webOS is the operating system that runs on LG smart TVs, and on televisions from some other brands that license it. A streaming service reaches those viewers by publishing a webOS app in the LG Content Store.
Read definitionNative app
A native app is an application built specifically for one operating system, such as iOS, Android or tvOS, using that platform's own programming languages and tools, and installed from its app store. It has direct access to the device's video player, DRM, storage and notifications.
Read definitionSamsung Tizen
Tizen is the operating system that runs on Samsung smart TVs. A streaming service reaches Samsung television owners by publishing a Tizen app through Samsung's app store for televisions.
Read definitionSet-top box
A set-top box (STB) is a device that connects to a television and supplies it with video from a source the television cannot receive by itself, such as a cable, satellite or IPTV service, or streaming apps over the internet.
Read definitionSmart TV app
A smart TV app is an application built to run on a television's operating system or on a streaming device attached to it, and installed from that platform's app store. For a streaming service it is the way viewers watch on the big screen.
Read definition