STREAMING GLOSSARY
Definitions, examples and related terms for this part of your viewing setup.
TERMS & EXAMPLES
A speed test measures selected network transfer characteristics between a testing device and a particular test service under the current conditions. It can help examine capacity or performance, but it is not a direct measurement of every media server or a guarantee of sustained evening delivery. The device, connection type, destination and time are important context for its result.
Read more →Ping is a diagnostic operation commonly used to test whether a destination responds to particular network echo requests and to measure their round-trip timing. Some devices or networks limit or block such responses. A ping result therefore describes that test's behaviour rather than directly proving that an application, account or video stream is healthy.
Read more →
Traceroute is a diagnostic method that attempts to reveal responding network hops toward a destination. Implementations and networks handle the probes differently, and some routers do not answer consistently. It can offer route clues, but intermediate response timing or missing replies do not automatically show where application traffic is being lost or delayed along the path.
Read more →Cache busting changes a resource identifier or version reference so a client requests a new resource instead of reusing an older cached copy under the previous identifier. It is useful in controlled website or application publishing workflows. It is different from deleting every cache or adding arbitrary parameters to a private stream whose server expects a precise address.
Read more →Character encoding maps text characters to stored or transmitted values so software can interpret them consistently. Correct decoding matters for playlist labels, subtitle text and account-related messages. A file's extension or displayed language is separate from its encoding, and mismatches can produce damaged-looking characters even when the network transfers every byte correctly to the receiving application.
Read more →URL encoding represents certain characters in an address using an agreed encoded form so the address can be parsed and transmitted correctly. It is a text-representation mechanism rather than encryption. Encoded parameters can still carry private information, and decoding or changing them carelessly can alter the meaning of an account-related request sent to a service.
Read more →A query string is the part of a URL commonly used to pass named parameters after a question mark. Parameters can control a request, select a resource or carry authentication-related information according to the server's design. Their meaning is implementation-specific, and altering them can change the response or invalidate an otherwise working private address.
Read more →A port number identifies a transport endpoint used by applications on a host. A server address can include an explicit port when a service uses one, while other URLs use the scheme's normal arrangement. Port information is separate from the account username, and the correct value must come from the actual service or network configuration.
Read more →A firewall applies rules to network traffic according to its configuration and position in the network. It can permit, block or otherwise control certain connections, but a failed request can have many other causes. Home equipment, operating systems and service infrastructure may each apply independent rules, so the relevant layer needs to be identified before changing protections.
Read more →A virtual private network creates a protected connection or tunnel between participating endpoints under its particular implementation. It can change the route and outward-facing address used by applications while adding processing and network considerations of its own. It is not a guarantee of faster viewing, anonymity, service permission or availability of particular programmes in another location.
Read more →LET’S GET YOU STARTED
Install a suitable player, then WhatsApp us for your 24-hour trial.