^^STREAMING^^

Streaming media is the method by which multimedia data is delivered through a network for playback using a digital media player or media player software. Media is transferred in a stream of packets from a server to a client and is rendered in real-time or near real-time; this contrasts with file downloading, a process in which the end-user obtains an entire media file before consuming the content. Streaming is more commonly used for video on demand, streaming television, and music streaming services over the Internet.