NewTek TriCaster 8000 - Manual (Page 324)

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And it may not be as expensive as you think (costs vary based on considerations
such as how many viewers you expect, how much web bandwidth you use each
month, and so-on). Some services based on an advertising model will even host
your stream free.
18.6.1 ON DEMAND OR LIVE STREAMING?
Not all ‘streaming’ is ‘live streaming.’ The difference is similar to i) watching a
television program you previously recorded at a time convenient for you, or ii)
watching a live event.
On demand streams are stored on a server (often supplied by an external service
provider), ready to be transmitted whenever a viewer wishes. Live streams are
available at the time they are broadcast, such as during a live concert or event.
O N D EMAND H OSTING
TriCaster permits you to record live productions to a local hard drive. The resulting
files can be hosted on a network later, so viewers can connect whenever they like. If
you have the resources available, you can host the video yourself – but if many
people will likely want to view your production, you will likely avail yourself of a
service to stream it on your behalf.
Ideally, ‘on demand’ streaming video begins to play on request after a few moments.
(Letting the stream get a bit ahead of the client playback device is called ‘buffering’,
and helps ensure smooth playback). This stands in contrast to other types of online
video distribution which requires the viewer to completely download the video file
before he can begin play. Given a sufficiently high speed connection between host
and viewer, they may well be able to enjoy a seamless viewing experience without
stuttering or other issues.
L IVE S TREAMING
Live streaming is a growing international market, and one you may well wish to
serve. This form of streaming is a somewhat more demanding implementation.
Rather than record a file and deal with it later, live video is transmitted over the
network (effectively in realtime, give or take a little ‘time in the pipe’ as it were.)