Live Streaming Glossary with Simple Definitions

Live Streaming Glossary 2024
Live Streaming Glossary 2024

This guide will navigate you through critical terminologies and concepts within the realm of live video streaming. Whether you're a content creator, tech enthusiast, or a curious beginner, our glossary will provide clarity and enhance your understanding of the field's key elements. Let's delve into the streaming vocabulary and broaden our insights into this digital revolution.

A

  1. Adaptive Bitrate Streaming: A technique that adjusts video quality in real-time according to network conditions.
  2. Archive: Saving streams for later use or reference.
  3. Aspect Ratio: The width to height ratio of a video.

B

  1. Bandwidth: The volume of data that can be transferred over an internet connection in a given time.
  2. Bitrate: The rate of data transfer, representing the quality and clarity of a video or audio.
  3. Broadcaster: A person or company that puts content out for consumption on live streaming platforms.
  4. Buffering: Delay in video playback due to slow data download.

C

  1. CDN (Content Delivery Network): A network of servers that delivers web content based on user's geographic location.
  2. Chat: The real-time conversation feature available during live streams.
  3. Chat Moderator: A person who monitors and manages the chat during a live stream.
  4. Closed Captioning (CC): Text display of spoken words and sound effects during a stream.
  5. Codec: Compression-decompression software used to reduce file sizes.
  6. Content Management System (CMS): Tools and applications used to manage digital content.
  7. Copyright: Legal protection given to original works, including streamed content.

D

  1. Dashboard: A control panel where broadcasters manage their stream settings.
  2. Donations: Monetary gifts given by viewers to support streamers.

E

  1. Embed: To insert a live stream into a webpage or an application.
  2. Encoder: The software or hardware converting raw video files for streaming.

F

  1. FPS (Frames per Second): The number of frames shown each second in a video.

G

  1. Go Live: The action to start a broadcast or stream.

H

  1. Hashtag: A keyword or phrase preceded by a hash sign used in social media.
  2. HTML5: A markup language used for structuring and presenting content on the web.

I

  1. Ingest Server: A server that receives the initial video stream data from the broadcaster.
  2. IP (Internet Protocol) Camera: The digital video camera used for live streaming over an IP network.
  3. ISP (Internet Service Provider): The company that provides internet access.

L

  1. Latency: The delay from real-time during a live stream.
  2. Literacy rate: The rate at which people can read and write.
  3. Live Streaming: Platform for making live streams interactive by adding quizzes, polls, giveaways and intellectual, well-known games.
  4. Livestream: Real-time streaming of video content on the internet.

M

  1. Metadata: Descriptive text that gives information about other data.
  2. Mobile Streaming: Live streaming using a mobile device.
  3. Monetization: The process of earning revenue from live streamed content.
  4. Multicasting: Sending a single video stream to multiple users at the same time.

O

  1. OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is a free encoding software, created for video recording and streaming.

P

  1. Platform: A service that hosts and broadcasts live streams, such as YouTube or Twitch.
  2. Protocol: The rules defining how data is transmitted and received during live streaming.

R

  1. Record: To capture and store a live stream for later viewing.
  2. Resolution: The number of distinct pixels displayed in a video.
  3. RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol): A protocol used to stream audio, video, and data over the internet.

S

  1. Server: Computer in a network that manages network resources.
  2. Simulcast: A simultaneous broadcast across multiple platforms or channels.
  3. Software Encoder: A software program used to encode video and audio into a format suitable for streaming.
  4. Stream Key: An identifier used by live streaming platforms to accept incoming streams.

T

  1. Transcoding: The process of converting a file from one format to another.

U

  1. Upload Speed: The speed at which data can be sent up to the internet, crucial for live streaming.
  2. URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The web address where a live stream is hosted.

V

  1. Viewer Analytics: Collection, measurement, and analysis of viewership data.
  2. Viewer Engagement: The measure of how viewers interact with a stream.

W

  1. Webcam: A camera attached to a computer used to stream video online.
  2. Webcast: A broadcast made over the internet.

X

  1. XSplit: Popular broadcasting software used in live streaming.

As we conclude our dive into the 'Live Video Streaming Glossary,' we trust you've expanded your understanding and vocabulary of this dynamic field. This glossary serves as a reference guide to the complex phrases and concept that shape the world of live video streaming. We hope you find it a practical resource, whether you're a seasoned content creator, a tech professional, or a newbie exploring this digital landscape. Remember, the more fluent we are in this language of live video streaming, the better equipped we are to make the most out of these technologies.

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