Top 10 tips for Online Streaming for Beginners.

The Internet has brought about some amazing things from the ability to find out the answer to just about every question imaginable to being in close contact with friends and family on the other side of the world through video calls. The further we’ve moved into the digital era, the faster the Internet has become and the more people who now have relatively simple access to the world wide web.

This means that more people are demanding certain products and services that they can access from their computers, and increasingly their mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. They don’t just want to be able to do it at certain times of day, however, they want to be able to do things when they want and developments like online streaming has presented this in abundance.

Everyone has their favourite television show or their favourite film, and sometimes you just want a quick fix to see what your beloved TV family are upto. Alternatively, you might have heard huge amounts about a certain film that you never got to see at the cinema and are unsure about buying on DVD in case it isn’t really your kind of thing after all. This is where online streaming and download sites like ErosNow.com have proven to be a Godsend, allowing the public to log on to the Internet at their leisure and instantly find something to satisfy their craving for entertainment.

For anyone relatively new to the Internet and the world of online streaming and on-demand entertainment in particular, it can be quite daunting. You don’t want to click the wrong button and sign up for a lifetime membership to something, yet you don’t want your film interrupted by adverts all the time because you didn’t tick a box. To help, here are ten top tips to help you get to grips with online streaming:

1. What You Need. This is quite simple, you need a web-enabled device like a computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet or even a smart TV, and an Internet connection.
2. Computer / TV requirements. Again, relatively simple. If you’re going to watch a film, for example, you want to do so in the best possible form. This means you need a screen with good quality graphics, and a computer with a fast processor (most modern versions have this, particularly mobile devices). Next you need good sound quality which could either come from your television speakers or an auxiliary device connected to your chosen viewing platform.
3. Getting Started. Choose the site that you’re going to view from, there are all kinds out there including the aforementioned Eros Now which has a particular focus on Indian films, but you also have the likes of BBC iPlayer for on-demand British television. Many are free but others will either require a membership or one-off payment so pay close attention.
4. Genres. A lot of online streaming sites, like Eros, are tailored for a particular genre – like Bollywood movies in this case. It’s often far simpler to find the best site to watch according to a genre that takes your fancy allowing you to focus your search for the most suitable entertainment. Those with a focus on one particular area are significantly more likely to have much more choice in a genre than somewhere – like iPlayer – that covers a variety of topics.
5. Memberships. As touched upon earlier, some sites will ask for membership fees to allow you to watch the films or programmes. This is there way of functioning as a business and recouping the money they have paid to show the content in the first place. By paying these fees you can then watch as much or as little as you like from your own account.
6. Pay-per-View. Some sites will also offer the chance to watch on an individual basis which means you don’t have to commit to any monthly or annual fees, you simply pay as and when you watch a programme or film. It can work out slightly more expensive to do it this way on a regular basis, but for someone looking to watch online infrequently it makes the most sense financially.
7. When to Watch. As you’re accessing the content on the web rather than on your television which already has the listings set out for you, you can watch literally anytime, anywhere. Many watch the content during their lunch breaks, others will watch online in bed at night while some will watch while sat as a passenger in the car to ensure they don’t miss the exciting finale to their favourite show!
8. Pausing and Revisiting. Just because you’ve hit play doesn’t mean you can’t pause it and go to the toilet, make a snack or answer the phone. You have complete control over how much you watch and in how many sittings. A lot of sites, especially those where you have signed up for an account, will allow you to pick up from where you left off which is ideal for someone watching late at night whose eyes are closing after the busy day at work.
9. Parental Restrictions. Parents are desperate to keep their children safe online, and it should still be the case when it comes to what they watch online. As a parent, you wouldn’t let them watch something in the living room that you didn’t feel was appropriate, and that should also be the case with online streaming. You can set restrictions on what content they can and can’t watch according to genre, age and even how much time they spend watching in some cases.
10. Recommend a Friend. Some sites have incorporated social media sharing, allowing you to post to Facebook, Twitter and alike saying that you were watching a certain show or film which lets you comment or tag a friend suggesting that they give it a watch too.