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Online streaming is the talk of the town and why wouldn’t it be. Users can enjoy almost anything through a single click and that too in HD. However, the basic concern shown by many users is whether they need a device for their streaming needs or not.
The reason behind is the lack of information available over the internet. Before you get to know whether a device is necessary for streaming or not, understand the difference between a streaming service and streaming device.
The growing trend of Online Streaming
The paradigm of entertainment has shifted dramatically all around the world. People used to watch movies, TV shows, Sports and other live events on TV for hours but now, they have switched to online streaming, as all of these things are readily available there.
Many TV channels have capitalized this opportunity and have launched their online channels as well because retaining the audience is the first priority. There are hundreds of broadcasters all around the world having both the TV channels and online channels. Many big names like HBO, ESPN, NBC, Eurosport, Aljazeera etc. are operating in both the conventional cable TV and digital medium.
Digital video penetration in the United States from 2013 to 2021 (Source: Statista)
On the contrary, many gadget producers and service providers came up with the idea of launching streaming devices.
The basic motive behind this idea was to bring all the online content broadcasters together onboard and provide a complete entertainment package to users.
This created another industry within the entertainment industry and many players jumped in with their streaming devices. Big names like Google, Apple, Amazon, Roku, Nvidia, Xbox launched their streaming devices. All of the devices launched by the fore-mentioned producers worked almost similarly. They all had a bunch of channels and add-ons installed in them and all users had to simply buy the device, subscribe to their desired service and start streaming.
This made online streaming easy for people who wish to enjoy online streaming on their TV sets rather than trying it on their PCs and laptops. After all, smart TVs have revolutionized the TV industry by bringing in some cool features along with better display options. Combining online streaming along with the amazing features of modern TV sets enhances the experience.
Streaming Devices VS Streaming platforms
Many online streaming services have taken the world by storm like the one Netflix, which is currently the biggest online streaming service, can be easily accessed through the web using a computer or laptop or even using a browser on an Android TV. However, if you do not have a smart TV, you can modify it by using a streaming device and enjoy Netflix through it.
Streaming devices provide assistance in modifying the TV allowing you to watch your favorite channels through it. Streaming devices have all the channels that a user would probably need and all a user has to do is connect the device to the TV and subscribe to the service. Once you have paid the subscription fee, you can enjoy binge watching without any hassle.
However, the channels, apps, and add-ons available in these streaming devices are not restricted to the streaming devices. They can be easily accessed individually as well through the web browser and they have their mobile apps as well. Some of these online streaming services have their desktop apps as well, providing ease of access to the PC and laptop users.
Thus, PC and laptop users have no need of buying these streaming devices as they can enjoy everything on their laptops and PCs that these streaming devices offer. Streaming devices benefit people who love cord-cutting and enjoying online streaming on their TV.
Amongst these streaming services, there is a unique streaming service; Kodi, which can be installed on almost any device like Windows PC, Mac Book, iPad, iPhone, Android TV etc. The best thing about Kodi is that it has its own streaming device; Kodi box, available in the market that can be connected to the TV for online streaming.
Kodi was developed by the XBMC foundation and it has been around in ten markets for more than 13 years now. The unique thing about Kodi is that unlike other streaming devices, it does not have channels but it has add-ons. These add-ons are of the most popular TV channels all wound the world and there are some other online streaming platforms’ add-ons as well.
Kodi has its own amazing interface and its add-ons need to be installed first. Another great thing about Kodi is that users can enjoy free online streaming through the third-party Kodi add-ons (which are obviously illegal to use). Kodi boxes provide great entertainment experience through its add-ons that provide streaming up to 4K video quality.
Top 5 Online Streaming Services
Numerous streaming services are available online, providing a variety of content but these are the best streaming services you will find with respect to content quality and variety of channels:
- Netflix
- Hulu
- Amazon Prime
- Sling TV
- Pluto TV
3 Best Online Streaming Devices
Here are the 3 best online streaming devices available in the industry:
- Kodi boxes
- Amazon FireStick
- Roku
Heart of the matter
Online streaming services have changed the way people used to think about entertainment and this industry is developing day by day. It is already a billion dollar industry and judging by the way things are going on; it might touch the brink of trillion dollars in a few years.
These online streaming devices are amazing as they have great features and enhancements but they are feasible only for people who like to stream on their TV. People using PC, laptop or mobile devices for online streaming have zero need of these streaming devices because they have access to everything already. Buying streaming devices sometimes cost more because the users have to pay for the device as well as the subscription fee of the channels they want to watch. This is why users do not really need the streaming devices!
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