Piter Won
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Description: What is OTT meaning? What are the OTT platforms? The last decades have dramatically changed our digital entertainment way. As smart devices like smartphones, tablets and smart TV have become the dominant in people's daily digital entertainment in both video content delivering and sharing, there has been a huge rise of OTT services. If you are still not quite clear about OTT, this post will help you. You can learn what is OTT and what are the best OTT services.
What is OTT? OTT VS. CTV
Firstly, let’s dive right into the topic: what is OTT meaning? Short for Over-The-Top, OTT means the content delivery method, which delivers contents from creators to audience via the Internet across any device that can run media broadcasting apps or browsers. It is different from the traditional video broadcasting that deliver contents via cable. For example, you might watch a movie or TV show on your TV via cable, which is not OTT. However, if you are watching a movie or TV episode on the Netflix app on your Apple iPhone, which is connected to the Internet, it is OTT streaming. Some of these OTT services allow OTT stream download to let you stream their contents for offline viewing, while others simply allow online streaming.
An OTT platform is the technology or software that provides these services, enabling users to access and stream content on various devices. On the contrast, CTV is not referring to any video delivering method. CTV, short for connected TV, refers to the television screen that displays the contents streamed via the Internet. It refers to the television device itself. It can be a streaming device like Roku or Amazon Fire TV Stick, gaming console (PSP or Xbox), or smart TV (such as Samsung, LG, Apple TV, etc.) You can consider CTV as OTT devices that stream OTT contents.
8 Most Popular OTT Services Now
The below are some of the most popular and widely used OTT streaming services. You can download and install these OTT streaming apps on your smart devices for on the go streaming.
Netflix
Being considered as one of the leading OTT services in the U.S., Netflix provides 15000+ titles of on-demand movies, TV shows, and originals in up to 4K video quality. As one of the best OTT services, Netflix is available on vast of OTT devices like iPhone, iPad, Android smartphones and tablets, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV/Stick/tablet, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung, Windows tablets, Windows, and Mac computers, etc. That means you can watch Netflix on Mac, Windows, and various other OTT devices. There are 3 different subscription plans of Netflix, among which the ad-free plans allow you to download videos from Netflix app for offline viewing.
Hulu
No matter you are going to stream on-demand movies or TV shows, or watch live TV, Hulu will be your top choice since it provides multiple OTT plans to stream let you stream on-demand contents including shows, dramas, movies, documentaries, etc., and a Live TV package to let you stream live TV. Compared to Netflix, Hulu will be much more appealing since it will upload new episodes only one day after their premiere. But similar to Netflix, Hulu also allows you to watch Hulu offline on its app for offline viewing.
Disney+
Disney+ is another top OTT platform that enables you to access to contents released by Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Disney and National Geographic in one place. Disney+ provides an extensive media library of TV shows, movies, sports, and other programs. This OTT streaming platform provides a specific category for kids, which includes hundreds of classic animated and feature movies. Similar to Netflix, Disney+ is also available on various OTT devices such as Apple mobile devices and TV, Windows and Mac computers, smart TVs, Android devices, etc. You can subscribe to different Disney+ plans according to your needs.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime Video is a world trending OTT streaming service to let you stream movies, TV series, sports, documentaries, dramas, and more in 200+ countries and regions on various OTT devices such as Amazon Fire devices, Windows/Mac computers, Chromecast, PSP, Xbox, Roku, Samsung, Sony, LG, etc. Different from other OTT services that ask you to subscribe, Amazon Prime Video allows you to purchase or rent specific title for streaming.
What is OTT? OTT VS. CTV
Firstly, let’s dive right into the topic: what is OTT meaning? Short for Over-The-Top, OTT means the content delivery method, which delivers contents from creators to audience via the Internet across any device that can run media broadcasting apps or browsers. It is different from the traditional video broadcasting that deliver contents via cable. For example, you might watch a movie or TV show on your TV via cable, which is not OTT. However, if you are watching a movie or TV episode on the Netflix app on your Apple iPhone, which is connected to the Internet, it is OTT streaming. Some of these OTT services allow OTT stream download to let you stream their contents for offline viewing, while others simply allow online streaming.
An OTT platform is the technology or software that provides these services, enabling users to access and stream content on various devices. On the contrast, CTV is not referring to any video delivering method. CTV, short for connected TV, refers to the television screen that displays the contents streamed via the Internet. It refers to the television device itself. It can be a streaming device like Roku or Amazon Fire TV Stick, gaming console (PSP or Xbox), or smart TV (such as Samsung, LG, Apple TV, etc.) You can consider CTV as OTT devices that stream OTT contents.
8 Most Popular OTT Services Now
The below are some of the most popular and widely used OTT streaming services. You can download and install these OTT streaming apps on your smart devices for on the go streaming.
Netflix
Being considered as one of the leading OTT services in the U.S., Netflix provides 15000+ titles of on-demand movies, TV shows, and originals in up to 4K video quality. As one of the best OTT services, Netflix is available on vast of OTT devices like iPhone, iPad, Android smartphones and tablets, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV/Stick/tablet, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung, Windows tablets, Windows, and Mac computers, etc. That means you can watch Netflix on Mac, Windows, and various other OTT devices. There are 3 different subscription plans of Netflix, among which the ad-free plans allow you to download videos from Netflix app for offline viewing.
Hulu
No matter you are going to stream on-demand movies or TV shows, or watch live TV, Hulu will be your top choice since it provides multiple OTT plans to stream let you stream on-demand contents including shows, dramas, movies, documentaries, etc., and a Live TV package to let you stream live TV. Compared to Netflix, Hulu will be much more appealing since it will upload new episodes only one day after their premiere. But similar to Netflix, Hulu also allows you to watch Hulu offline on its app for offline viewing.
Disney+
Disney+ is another top OTT platform that enables you to access to contents released by Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Disney and National Geographic in one place. Disney+ provides an extensive media library of TV shows, movies, sports, and other programs. This OTT streaming platform provides a specific category for kids, which includes hundreds of classic animated and feature movies. Similar to Netflix, Disney+ is also available on various OTT devices such as Apple mobile devices and TV, Windows and Mac computers, smart TVs, Android devices, etc. You can subscribe to different Disney+ plans according to your needs.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime Video is a world trending OTT streaming service to let you stream movies, TV series, sports, documentaries, dramas, and more in 200+ countries and regions on various OTT devices such as Amazon Fire devices, Windows/Mac computers, Chromecast, PSP, Xbox, Roku, Samsung, Sony, LG, etc. Different from other OTT services that ask you to subscribe, Amazon Prime Video allows you to purchase or rent specific title for streaming.
