What is on-demand TV? How how does it differ from traditional cable and terrestrial tv. Is on-demand TV something you should change to?
What is on-demand tv?
On-demand tv is a service that allows you to watch shows and movies whenever you want. The different types of on-demand services range from cable TV providers like Dish or DirectTV, streaming services such as Netflix (or Hulu), video game consoles like Xbox One if they offer any channels for live viewing in the first place, and even through apps made by third-party developers.
How does it work?
Mostly all these platforms are set up with some form of an app which can be downloaded onto your device; once installed the content library provided by each company will appear when looking at the respective title. For example: if someone has a subscription with DirecTV then upon opening App Store, Google Play Store etc., the DirecTV app will appear, which can be downloaded and then opened to initiate the on-demand viewing.
For Netflix, as an example, a user needs to open up its respective app, whereas for Xbox One it is as simple as turning on your console (or downloading the TV features) and navigating through their menus in order to find what you want.
Are the benefits of using On-Demand TV?
One of the major benefits on-demand TV offers is more flexibility in viewing. With traditional cable or terrestrial tv, you’re beholden to whatever channel your package includes and have limited options for what you can watch. On-demand services like Netflix allow users to choose from a wide variety of movies and television shows – all without advertisements!
It’s also worth noting, before we begin, that many popular networks are available with an on-demand subscription as well, such as HBO GO, Showtime Anytime, etcetera. Generally, if you want to access content on these networks there is a subscription fee.
Another big perk is portability; if you travel frequently or live somewhere where there’s no access to good terrestrial broadcasting (or high speed internet), then this may be a service worth looking into. Finally, another potential benefit of switching over to on-demand is that you don’t have to wait for a show or movie to air, and then keep in mind which channel it’s airing on.
On the other hand, there are some drawbacks of an On Demand service versus cable TV. For one thing, users who want access to premium channels may need both subscription services as well – either Netflix + HBO GO or something similar. If you’re already paying into cable services this might not be such a big deal but if you’re looking at cutting back your budget then adding another monthly fee could get expensive fast!
Another drawback comes from what content is available; while many networks will offer their own library of shows with an online connection via streaming (such as Hulu), it can take a little more time for shows and movies to pop up and be available. This means that if you’re binge watching a show or movie, chances are it’s not going to be on demand with the rest of your selections.
The last drawback is one that most people have already experienced: streaming quality! Depending on what internet providers you use when streaming content it can lead to some choppy viewing experiences – even more so depending on where in the world you happen to live.
For On Demand services there may also be an issue as well; while they offer HD picture quality for many shows and movies, this isn’t always true across channels which leads to inconsistent video playback. It might take time getting used to but really thinking about whether or not the latest Netflix hit will be worth sacrificing bandwidth. Having a larger bandwidth internet provision can resolve this issue. The other is that sometimes, a subscription such as with Netflix is slightly more costly for HD over SD.
The problem with this is that many cable providers have begun to offer their own On Demand services and so you’re really going from one choppy picture quality to another. And it’s not just the video playback – sometimes these on-demand offerings will require higher speeds in order for everything to be upscaled or streamed at an acceptable speed rate.
So while there are some benefits of streaming content over cable, there are drawbacks as well which might make using traditional methods a better choice depending on your needs. This really depends on whether you need HD channels, SD channels, bandwidth caps (either monthly or daily) etc).
Most people would rather use television programs through traditional means because they want access to both high definition and standard resolution, although this is changing and more on-demand channels offer HD for free as standard.
Since the internet can be unreliable at times, it’s always a good idea to have an additional form of television access. Cable and terrestrial TV are reliable forms of television that will not rely on anything but your local service provider.
The positive aspects of using cable or other traditional methods for receiving television content is there’s no need for Wi-Fi reception in order to use them which means you won’t see any dropouts when watching live programs as well as being able to watch all channels offered by the company without having to subscribe separately through streaming services such as Netflix etc.
This also saves money because you only pay once rather than subscribing monthly (or yearly) with many different platforms like some people do nowadays with Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and other channels such as those provided by cable networks.
The negative aspect is that some customers complain of a lack in quality due to the service being subject to buffering or other such issues, which may then lead them on-demand services.
Another thing to consider is whether you are looking for information on certain topics but can’t find it through traditional methods because they’re not aired live. There is sometimes a large collection of content on certain topics, a majority of it free on services such as YouTube.
One other benefit for people on the go is that, this is a good option for people who want to watch TV, but don’t have the time or resources to commit on live viewing. They also can access content at their own pace and see it when they please with the opportunity of pausing what they’re watching if needed.
Featured image: Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash