Streaming Players

What is the difference between (1) DVD Player and (2) Streaming Player

DVD Player

Equipment required: DVD player, amplifier and speakers and the media (e.g. DVD discs on songs or movies).

Streaming (media) Player

Equipment required: Streaming Player, TV set (with HDMI input), broadband Internet with Wireless (Wi-Fi) and minimum of 4 Mbps broadband speed.

Different Companies or Brands of Streaming Players have different business models. For example, the Singnet (Mio) and the SCV streaming players are controlled items and cannot be purchased outside in the open market. Their business model is – a monthly minimum charge for a selected number of channels. You can add on more special channels at additional monthly cost or select VOD (video on demand); like what you used to go to the video shop to rent. The disadvantage for the fixed channels is because it is a scheduled program, once you miss; you have to wait for the repeat – not like VOD where you can see it any time or day as you like. So, you can say there are only two official players in this TV/media market, besides the conventional cinemas where you can view other movies or play your own DVD movies.

In some other countries, like in the US, they also have companies like SingNet providing “cabled” modems and streaming services. In additional, they also have satellite TV services and more dedicated Streaming Service Providers. The choices of channels are more. We normally associate their business by the Brand name of their respective streaming (media) player, e.g. Hulu, Roku, Apple (iTunes), Amazon, etc.

There are also other ways to see movies/documentary besides the above by using your own computer. In order for movies to work on your computer, you must first download the (player’s) software provided by the respective companies. The download for the standard player is normally free. More advance player will be provided to you if you sign on to see their “paid” movies or documentaries.

A Note of Caution    

In Singapore context, you can go online to view the movies/documentaries, from approved companies (like Realplayer, iTunes, Amazon) or hooked onto SingTel & StarHub boxes, at a prescribed fee. The rest of the streaming (media) players you get from IT Expo events, with assorted brand names are not properly regulated. You pay a price for the box and that’s it. You do not know where your movies are coming from - desirable or undesirable, good or bad, how good is their Servers providing the multi-channels downloading, etc. Most of the owners of these off-the-self streaming players, when streaming FREE movies, are always not satisfied with the long and repeated buffering time required. For PAID rental movies or documentary, this problem does not exists as the system setup is different. Sometimes you can tell where the movie/film is coming from as they are watermarked.