In our modern world there are countless sources of video entertainment, whether traditional broadcast TV, streaming video services like Netflix, or streaming TV services like our own OPEN View TV. This guide will examine the difference between streaming video and streaming TV.

Streaming video services like Netflix or Prime Video stream pre-recorded video to your devices. This means that your device can pre-load part of the video to maintain the smoothest possible playback.

Streaming TV services like OPEN View TV or YouTube TV instead stream live television programming, so it is unable to pre-load part of the video while staying live.

The practical difference between these two very similar services is that streaming TV is far more sensitive to poor WIFI or intermittent internet connectivity issues. The pre-loaded video from streaming video means that you won’t normally notice issues, but with streaming TV, a sudden dip in WIFI performance can cause unpleasant stuttering and can result in you missing part of the program.

For the best streaming TV experience, we recommend our OPEN Bend WIFI. The WIFI 5 speeds allow for multiple simultaneous 4k streams while the easy-to-use mesh points allow you to seamlessly strengthen your WIFI wherever it matters most.