The Impact Of Streaming Technology
While streaming may have started in the 1990s, it didn’t become mainstream until the mid-2000s. Since then, the streaming era has changed the way we consume media, share it with loved ones, and retain ownership over it.
Whether you are watching TV shows or enjoying movies, you might already prefer turning to a streaming service rather than taking out copies of physical media. This convenience has transformed how media is handled in the 2020s – and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
To help you realize the effects of streaming, here’s how it has changed the way we watch TV.
You Can Enjoy Content Anywhere
The first and most obvious effect of streaming is how the practice of “watching TV” is not limited to TV sets anymore. You can now consume your favorite media on a range of devices and watch it over your laptop, tablet, phone, and even your smartwatch. This not only marks a clear difference between broadcasting and streaming but also makes it more accessible to watch primetime shows and the latest movies.
You Can Participate In Exclusive Events Remotely
If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that real-time streaming is the future of audience participation. Besides making sure that you can watch concerts, seminars, and training conferences from the comfort of your home, this feature also gives you the ability to engage with events you cannot attend in person. In turn, this also adds to the level of accessibility that you can enjoy through your TV or other devices.
You Can Save Money On Physical Media
While using a movie or record collection app to organize your physical media can be a pretty good hobby, this practice can also cost you a small fortune. With streaming, you can save money on buying or renting physical media and get your hands on vast digital media libraries without breaking the bank. From students to single parents, this makes it easy for everyone to enjoy their favorite media on TV.
You Can Take Your Media Library With You
When your media library is connected to the web, you can take it anywhere you go. This means that you don’t have to lug around bags of DVDs on your travels. Instead, you can simply figure out the best HBO Max plans, Disney+ offers, or Hulu charges and log in to your preferred streaming service from anywhere. This adds a layer of convenience to the simple yet enthralling practice of watching TV.
You Can Watch Together With Loved Ones All Over The World
Before streaming, it was almost impossible to watch the same thing on TV with loved ones who were far away. Besides different hours of the day, licensing restrictions also created unnecessary hurdles in letting you enjoy TV shows or movies together. With solutions like a watch party app, you can now easily enjoy your favorite TV shows and movies with loved ones. This lets you feel closer to those who matter the most.
You Can Set Up Your Own Media Server
If subscribing to different streaming services does not suit your budget, you can also build your own media server that lets you stream your media from anywhere. This has an upfront cost for buying a network-attached storage drive and also has a somewhat steep learning curve. But it frees you from the hassle of finding old movies and TV shows over streaming services when you already own their physical media.
You Need To Be Prepared For Sudden Content Removal
While you can easily find the best PG-13 movies on Amazon Prime Video or the best R-rated movies on Max and vice versa, not everything about streaming translates to sunshine and rainbows. Perhaps the biggest drawback of streaming services is how they now remove content suddenly and attribute it to tax write-offs. That’s why, while going all-in on streaming, you need to keep this disadvantage in mind.
By going through these details, you can be ready to embrace streaming with all its pros and cons. This helps you enjoy your favorite TV shows and movies on your own terms.
