Thanks to the fact that Broadband (more especially Digital TV) is expanding rapidly, Video On Demand is winning the heart of internet users. Available only via your regular landline (Broadband connection), Video On Demand is a new service which allows you to choose, play, pause, rewind, and seek a program at your convenience. Streaming refers to a delivery method of the media.
There are many ways to access Video On Demand. Different kinds of Video On Demand are available either over the Internet (Websites ... ), or even through your set-top box.
The first way to use Video On Demand is called Streaming. This system allows you to watch a movie while it's being downloaded gradually and the user watches it. It is essential to have a good line quality, and what is more a good time server, to avoid disconnections and video/sound desynchronisation
You must wait until the video is at least almost downloaded to begin watching it. This system is widespread on Yahoo video sharing community Websites. Youtube and Dailymotion also use this process so that even if the user pauses the video, it is still being downloaded.
These platforms are Websites that allow you to download legal videos, one at a time or in packages. Most of these Websites provide general audience catalogues to Internet users. These catalogues contain thousands of broadcasts : dramas, comedies, recent or old movies, documentaries, cartoons. Once you have chosen your video, you just have to follow the instructions to rent your movie online, and watch it on your computer via a media player.
Nowadays, this is the most commonly method used. If the TV programme that you're watching is boring, and if you subscribe to Triple Play Broadband, you can enjoy the advantages of having a DVD rent store at home (depending on your Internet Service Provider). You can use your special remote control to laucnh the VOD channel corresponding to your Internet Service Provider, then choose a programme category, and a Video in particular(after you watched the trailer), and at last, confirm the rental. The movie is displayed immediately and the fees will be automatically charged on your DSL or cable bill.
SVOD means Subscription Video On Demand. It is a type of access to VOD which is flourishing. This method is established on a subscription to a package of videos, partially or totally renewed on a given period. This method is particularly interesting if you intend to keep on eye on your budget while disposing of a big stock of broadbcast programmes. Many Internet Service Providers provide packages of cartoons at cheap prices.... for tens of hours of broadcast programs.
This service allows you to watch programs which you missed on TV. The principle is not complex : some programs are available during a whole week following their TV transmission and can be accessed at any time on Demand.
It is easy to guess what the advantages of VOD are. The user is totally free to choose a program in the catalogues which are available, and he can personalize his own TV universe based on the TV shows he loves. This is quite a good way to be independent.
VOD is not above reproach though, due to its young age. Catalogues are not that abundant and even if an amount of 1000 movies can seem impressive, this is only a drop of water in a bucket. Prices are still expensive for some movies, especially concerning recent ones. The expansion of VOD make the prices decrease. What is more, time between the movies release and the possibility to watch them is a problem : the DVD releases appear way before they are available through streaming. Intensive bargains between producers, distributors and suppliers should reduce this schedule soon.
Like when renting or buying DVD movies, prices of VOD depend on many criteria like the date of release of the videos and the categories which they belong to (movie, documentary, gig, ...). Some videos are absolutely free, like some trailers and TV shows. Once the video is downloaded, users can watch the video in the following 24 or 48 hours, and sometimes you can view the program an unlimited amount of times. Video rewinding, pausing or forwarding are most often also available.
In spite of VOD is mostly linked to rental, it is sometimes possible to buy the video. The VOD system implies that you have to download and store the movie on your hard drive, but as they are DRM ( Digital Rights Management ), you won't be able to burn your movie on a CD, neither play it on your DVD player.
