Streaming Glossary
Definitions for 43+ streaming industry terms and concepts.
Business
SVOD
Subscription Video on Demand — a recurring-fee streaming model.
AVOD
Advertising-based Video on Demand — free streaming funded by ads.
TVOD
Transactional Video on Demand — pay-per-title streaming.
PVOD
Premium Video on Demand — early digital release of films at higher prices.
FAST
Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television — free live and on-demand channels.
Day-and-Date Release
Releasing a film on streaming the same day as its theatrical release.
Windowing
The sequential release of content across different distribution channels.
Cord-cutting
Cancelling cable or satellite TV subscriptions in favor of streaming services.
OTT
Over-the-Top — content delivered via internet, bypassing traditional broadcast.
Linear TV
Traditional scheduled broadcast or cable television.
Free Tier
A no-cost streaming plan, typically ad-supported with content limitations.
Freemium
A model offering both free (ad-supported) and premium paid streaming tiers.
Paywall
A restriction requiring payment or subscription to access premium content.
Subscription Fatigue
Consumer exhaustion from managing and paying for multiple streaming subscriptions.
Technology
DRM
Digital Rights Management — technology protecting streaming content from piracy.
VPN
Virtual Private Network — a tool that masks your location and encrypts traffic.
CDN
Content Delivery Network — infrastructure for delivering streaming video globally.
Adaptive Bitrate (ABR)
Technology that automatically adjusts video quality based on connection speed.
HDR
High Dynamic Range — video format with wider color gamut and brighter highlights.
Dolby Atmos
Immersive 3D audio format available on select streaming content.
Transcoding
Converting video files into multiple formats and resolutions for streaming.
Latency
The delay between a request and the streaming service responding with content.
Buffering
Temporary pause in playback while the player downloads more video data.
Resolution
The number of pixels in a video image — higher means sharper picture.
4K Ultra HD
3840×2160 pixel resolution — four times the detail of 1080p Full HD.
HD (High Definition)
720p or 1080p video resolution offering significantly better picture than SD.
SD (Standard Definition)
480p video resolution — older format with less detail than HD.
Rights & Licensing
Geo-blocking
Restricting access to streaming content based on geographic location.
Geo-restriction
The limitation of content availability based on geographic boundaries.
Streaming Rights
The legal licenses that allow streaming services to show content in specific territories.
Licensed Content
Movies and TV shows a streaming service pays to host but does not own.
Content
Simulcast
Streaming episodes simultaneously with their original broadcast in Japan.
Content Library
The total collection of movies, shows, and other content on a streaming platform.
Original Content
Films and series produced exclusively by or for a streaming platform.
Subtitle
Text displayed on screen translating or transcribing dialogue.
Closed Caption
Synchronized text that includes dialogue and audio cues for accessibility.
Audio Description
Narrated description of visual content for blind or visually impaired viewers.
Binge-watching
Watching multiple episodes of a TV series in rapid succession.
Streaming Models
VOD
Video on Demand — the ability to watch content at any time of your choosing.
Live Streaming
Real-time streaming of events over the internet as they happen.
Multiscreen
The ability to watch streaming content across multiple devices simultaneously.
Simultaneous Streams
The number of devices that can stream at the same time on one account.
Offline Download
Saving streaming content to a device for watching without internet.