JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN, HOST: While some people watch programs on broadcast television, more watch their phone, tablet or laptops.

Let's learn about streaming.

(Music) GIRL ONE: What are you watching?

GIRL TWO: Some Science Trek.

GIRL ONE: Hey how does the video get to your phone?

GIRL TWO: I'm not sure how it works.

Let's find out.

CARTAN-HANSEN: When you watch broadcast television, your TV is getting a digital signal over the air or through a cable or satellite.

But to get video and sound onto your phone, tablet, laptop, or streaming device on your television, it takes the internet.

And to understand the internet you have to step back in time before computers, before television, before radio.

MAN; Who is that with the deaf boy?

NARRATOR: Him?

Bell's the name.

Professor Alexander Graham Bell.

CARTAN-HANSEN: In 1876, Bell invented the telephone and the first words spoken over the new invention were.

BELL: Mr. Watson, Mr. Watson, come here I want you.

WATSON: Say!

Mr. Bell.

Mr. Bell.

Mr. Bell, I heard every word you said distinctly.

You were perfectly clear.

I recognized your voiced.

You said Mr. Watson, come here I want you.

(laughter) CARTAN-HANSEN: Eventually telephone wires connected the world.

And as computers were invented, they used those telephone lines to send data.

(dial up modem sound) The internet was created in 1969 when scientists from four American universities tied together their computers to share data.

The internet is a worldwide connection of computers all sharing data.

About the same time, wireless networks were invented, so data could be moved through the airwaves.

(Tires Screeching) GIRL 1: Wait, I just want to know how I stream my program to my phone.

CARTAN-HANSEN: Okay, let's ask an engineer.

Dave Starkey is a system performance engineer for Verizon Wireless.

He says it starts with a special app, or program, on your device.

DAVE STARKEY: So basically, when you click the app on your device, the app will then communicate to the server and it'll say, okay, this user wants to watch this movie.

And then the content server and your phone, a data pipe will be connected over the internet, over the network, whether it's a cellular or public internet or WIFI.

And then that movie data stream will start streaming per se, from the server of where the content is being kept to your device.

GIRL 2: A pipe?

CARTAN-HANSEN: Okay, it's not an actual pipe.

It is either a cable, a phone line or, if wireless over a wireless phone connection or WIFI, then its radio waves.

GIRL 1: Okay, then why does the video sometimes stop, and I get that circle thing?

CARTAN-HANSEN: Well, w hen the video stops, there can be a problem..At the provider's server-the data's not getting out or the pipe from the provider is clogged, too much data is being sent, or the pipe to your device isn't big enough to get all the data at once, or your device isn't processing the data right.

STARKEY: Your device is set to where if there's a gap in the clip or just stops, it'll try to buffer, it'll wait.

It's a pause effectively for your device to retrieve the rest of the information that it's waiting for.

So, in this video stream, there's effectively checks as we go along, and if certain checks aren't received, you get that buffering process.

GIRL 2: Is there a difference between streaming and downloading?

STARKEY: Yes.

Downloading is where you would download the data or the content to your phone.

It gets stored on your device and you can watch it there, and then you just delete it when you're done, so you don't fill up your phone.

Streaming.

You have to have an internet connection.

It's a constant back and forth from your device to the server where the content is being held.

It's a constant back and forth.

GIRL 1: What's the difference between television and streaming?

STARKEY: Well, broadcast television, there's a set program schedule.

You know, I know that this show is on at eight in the morning, and if I don't watch it, that show at eight o'clock in the morning, I don't get to see it.

Now with streaming it gives you that on-demand option where I don't have to be tied to my house or I don't have to be tied to a particular schedule.

And that's one of the benefits about streaming.

You can watch things where you want when you want.

Streaming is great that you can pretty much take it with you.

You can watch it when you want, where you want it, but it's also important you put the phone down and enjoy the life that you have.

GIRL ONE: He's right.

GIRL TWO: Okay, basketball or skating?

GIRL ONE: Let's go!

CARTAN-HANSEN: If you want to learn more about television and streaming, check out the Science Trek website.

You'll find it at Science Trek dot org.

(Music) ANNOUNCER: Presentation of Science Trek on Idaho Public Television is made possible through the generous support of the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, committed to fulfilling the Moore and Bettis family legacy of building the great state of Idaho, by the Idaho National Laboratory, mentoring talent and finding solutions for energy and security challenges; By the Friends of Idaho Public Television and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.