What Is Streaming Audio?

Streaming audio is the method to send the audio signals on our computer through the Internet. The main advantage behind it; is that we do not have to completely download the audio files such as .wav files or .au files and wait for them to listen before they get downloaded. But because of Streaming Audio method we can directly hear the audio files as soon as we get them on our PC.

How the process actually happens? Let us discuss it in detail: -

When we click on the link of the song, the entire song starts playing right away. As the audio signal arrives it is buffered for a few seconds and then it begins to play. As the audio is playing, more data is continuously coming and as long as you are receiving a continuous stream of data, you will hear the steady audio.

So as long as there is data in the buffer you will be able to hear the audio sound. But due to congestion on the Internet buffer can go empty and it sometimes becomes very difficult and need to be rebuffered again and again.

Let us talk about its benefits which have made it very useful these days: -

1. It is treated as the best mode of communication when large audience is watching the live show on the Internet and can even take part in the live discussions and communications with other participants. Thus it helps in increasing the audience over the Internet.
2. The people who need to listen to particular conference can tune in at their appropriate suitable time and method and thus it helps them in attending the live conference with very little cost.
3. It is also beneficial to converse with the media, public, employees or other analysts.

Thus it helps in live broadcast as in case of live conference, archived broadcast for those who want to converse at their appropriate time and with their own suitable method and it even helps in indexing by just clicking the links to hear audio files.

Audio Streaming requires software Internet Explorer, Java made web browser, Real player or Window Media Player. Regarding hardware, it needs about 16 MB RAM, 28.8 Kbps to 30 (kilobytes per second) modem, 16 bit of sound card and headphones or speakers.

Streaming audio is nowadays added to the websites to increase the user population over the Internet.
The good quality of Streaming audio can be achieved by first shutting down all the other activities going on your PC and then open up the web browser and media player.

Thus Streaming audio is all about listening to the audio files as soon as we get them from the Internet and do not have to wait for the complete file to get download.