What is Video on Demand?
Video on demand is a great way of viewing films and television programs. It eliminates the need to go to your video store to buy films and provides access to a wide collection of material. With video on demand, the technology has become so sophisticated that you can watch a film you have chosen, rewind and then watch it again.
Video on demand is a type of pay per view system. It was originally introduced in Hong Kong in 1990. It did not take off immediately, as it was cheaper to buy video CDs than to pay for this type of viewing. Now, video on demand is part and parcel of most cable and network systems.
There are both streaming video on demand systems and downloadable video on demand. The streaming system allows you to watch the film as it is being downloaded to your system. Downloadable means that the film is fully downloaded to a set top box before you can start viewing.
The video on demand system has all the functionality of a DVD. You can rewind, pause and fast forward the film, just as you can a DVD. A lot of cable companies permit the viewing of the film for a set amount of time, so you can download the film and then watch it whenever you choose.
The video on demand service seems to be bad news for video rental stores. Most video on demand services have hundreds of films, ranging from new titles to old favorites. They also have a wide range of television programs that you can download and view. Some providers even have entire seasons of a program that you can watch over a certain period of time.
Also a lot of video on demand providers offer free access to already shown television programs as part of their package. You may only have to pay for the most recent film titles, not older television programs. The list of programs and films seem to be endless with some video on demand providers. You can watch not only film and television programs, but also sporting events, music and reality television shows. If it can be viewed on a screen, video on demand most likely offers it.
Written by Garry Crystal
