The television is a wild entertainment box where there is no end to the possibilities of in-house entertainment. From playing music, to watching movies and TV Series, and even syncing your smartphones and laptops to view on the big screen – explains why we called it an entertainment box.
Televisions were initially invented to transmit local channels like news and basic entertainment, via satellite TV (or dish TV as it is also referred to as), and slowly there was progression into cable TV where the cable TV network even had the liberty to slightly expand into adding international networks on a local cable. Fast forward to now and what do we have? Digital TV and Streaming Services – two completely different entities.
Are they both competing for space in the media industry? Is one cheaper than the other or are they priced around the same? What’s different about them anyway that the other doesn’t have? Here’s a breakdown on the basics of Digital TV and Streaming Services.
How Is Digital TV Different From Cable TV?
Cable TV was a technology that became one of the advanced ones over a decade or two ago. When it comes to cable television, it uses the help of coaxial cables that plug into the television set. Cables are ingrained into the country’s physical infrastructure which is why you would find that a lot of homeowners in the US still have cable TV. But with Digital TV, direct encoded signals are sent back and forth from the TV. So when it comes down to distance, cable TV does suffer in quality while digital TV stays unaffected.
This is just a pretext to explain to you how digital TV came about. But how is digital TV any different from cable TV in terms of the content they provide? Well, cable TV is restricted to only a few channels (local and then some international ones) that the provider has listed within their company. And that’s about it. When it comes down to Digital TV, users can expect over a hundred channels to add to their TV plan, including some of the most premium networks locally and internationally – but it doesn’t stop there. Digital TV services usually have an On Demand Library as well that users have access to, which lists over thousands of options of movies and TV series that they can choose to watch something from, should they be bored of live TV – or simply have limited content to the streaming service they’ve subscribed to. Some Digital TV service providers even have their own mobile application that allows viewers to watch live TV on the go and access the Library. Cool right? Beats having a boring cable TV service.
What about Streaming Services?
Streaming services, especially the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu have dominated the media industry over the last couple of years. And though they are fairly new as opposed to Digital TV services, they both can go head-to-head when it comes down to competing for market share with viewers.
Here’s the thing, Streaming Services have a completely different business model as opposed to Digital TV services. They began by listing movies and TV series in collaboration with production houses and networks, and with time have begun producing their own original content. The Netflix Original options you see? Yup, those are movies and TV series produced exclusively by Netflix itself, so you won’t find them anywhere else – same with Amazon Prime, Hulu and HBO.
So what gives streaming services the upper hand from Digital TV is the fact that they are priced at a lower price, they produce their own content, and alongside have movies and TV series of other production houses and networks. All you need to do is download the app on your smartphones, tablets, and even on your Smart TV! Stream the content while connected to a Wi-Fi network, or download episodes to watch later at your convenience.
Digital TV vs. Streaming Services
Digital TV may not have the sometimes impressive original content like streaming services do, but they open up the door to more viewing content by providing users the access to watching live TV, and access to other TV networks with spectrum tv plans as well as it’s On Demand Libraries without having to be connected to an internet source. Although you can always live stream on YouTube, at some point it becomes a problem if there’s internet connectivity issues. That could ideally justify the fact that prices for Digital TV packages start at around $40 as opposed to streaming services charging much less like $15.99 for Netflix for instance.
But what should be taken into account here is that the Streaming Services model caters more to the newer millennial and Gen Z population, given how lifestyles have changed. Only our parents would probably be the ones left that like to flick through TV channels and aren’t picky about whatever is showing. For the rest, You May Also Like – Guide to Canceling Your Disney Plus Subscription it’s more about coming home after a long day and continuing with the TV series they’ve been so invested in for the past month.
Conclusion
So to pick whichever one is worth the money is a tough call. Digital TV comes with its own perks that Streaming Services do not seem to have, while Streaming Services can have some unique features that Digital TV may miss out on. Either way, they both cater to different market segments and are great in their own ways. It really depends on your lifestyle and routine whatever you choose to subscribe to.
