The Sorry State Of Online Streaming

 FLORIDA  

Opinion by:  
E. Eugene Webb PhD

I am a big user of video streaming services. The likes of YouTube, Netflix, all the major networks: NBC, CBS, ABC, and others.

There are and continue to be a number of issues with all these streaming services.

Streaming requires a fast Internet connection to avoid latency.

You may need to upgrade your network speed from your cable service or network provider.

Constant buffering is a problem.

We have done all that, upgraded the network speed from our service provider Spectrum, added a new and more robust Wi-Fi router and our streaming TV's run-on an in-house home network. Still, we see almost constant buffering and latency issues which magnify themselves as jumping pictures from scene to scene most easily noticed in a sports game such as football where you see the football move jerkily across the screen.

These are all technical issues based on the Internet itself, the technical infrastructure of the service provider, and your home network.

There is also the possibility that your Internet provider, who is quite often your cable service provider, may not exactly provide the fastest service to your Internet when you are online using a streaming service.

Then there is the whole matter of programming.

I understand the reason you have to have a cable provider in order to see certain streamed programing. It is all about money and nothing about technology.

All the major networks currently delay programming until after it airs on broadcast television and on your cable system. The purpose of all of this is to allow the local broadcaster and the local cable system to be the first ones to present the programming so they can attract viewers, which in turn allows them to sell advertising.

I think it is time for the FCC to step in on this one and just say it is a free for all. The networks and affiliates can stream all their programming whenever they want, and everybody has to compete on more or less and equal playing field.

This would take a lot of the frustration out of the use of streaming services.

Then there are the local TV stations who have decided to develop an online presence. 

They are restricted by contract from streaming the network product so all you can get from them is their local news and locally produced programming which now requires you the streaming viewer to hip hop back and forth between the local TV station and their network affiliate.

Again, all about money. Everybody out there wants a crack at you as a viewer so they can run commercials for you to view. So, they attempt to restrict access to their content and force you to their platform.

The other problem with local streaming sites especially TV stations is they tend to treat the streaming side of their business, at least at this point, as a stepchild. It is the equivalent of just plugging the network into their system setting up a set of restrictions on what can and cannot run and this kind of lets you as the viewer/streaming service user to sorted out for yourself.

You see all those little slides pop up on your screen saying, "do not go away we will be right back", and they set their flashing for two minutes or three minutes while the service provider runs commercials in some markets and not in others.

So far, the public has accepted all of this as part of the growing pains of these streaming services both nationally and locally. But I do believe there is a growing desire on the part of the consuming public for everybody involved in this video distribution system to sort out their issues and differences and clean up the streaming services, so they are easier to use, and more efficient in terms of their technology regarding buffering and latency.

That is it for right now. But we will be back shortly.

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