A beginner’s guide to streaming services

First the world had the TV listings so you could catch your favourite shows, then came programme recording to keep hold of them. Now there are streaming services full of content nothing more than a press of a remote away. If you own a smart TV you’re already halfway there.

Sounds great, but there are a couple of things you’ll need to know to get the most out of your streaming adventure, namely what you can watch.

So, before you go looking for the best 32-inch smart TVs on the market, read this guide and get acquainted with the world of streaming services.

What you need to stream

A decent internet connection is a must to reliably use streaming services. Netflix requires five megabits per second (Mbps) for example to stream in High-Definition and many other services require a similar speed.

As such it’s worth checking how quick your internet speed is. Check both your contract and an independent speed checker online (Google runs a good one) to see whether you’ll get a reliable signal. You may well want to upgrade to a quicker connection if you’re after better streaming quality.

Secondly, you’ll need a device capable of streaming. There are three routes you can go down: a smart TV, a streaming device or a modern games console.

A Smart TV is a popular choice for unlocking streaming services and you may unwittingly already own one. Most TVs sold in the last decade have some form of internet connectivity . The downsides to smart TVs is the upfront cost and the fact that there’s no guarantee your preferred streaming service will be included.

Streaming devices are the cheapest way to unlock streaming services. Often attached via  TVs USB port, these devices have the best selection of streaming services available. The only downside is that it’ll mean there’s another TV remote littering your coffee table.

Games consoles are another excellent way to stream but are only worth buying if you plan on using it for gaming. Otherwise, it’ll just be a larger, costlier streaming device.

Each has its positives and negatives, but a streaming device (like Amazon’s Fire TV stick) will carry the most streaming services and will cost significantly less than a new TV or games console.

What streaming services are available

Now that you’re all set up with the means to stream, it’s a good idea to break down the larger streaming services available.

Netflix is the undisputed king of streaming. Offering a rich library of both TV shows and movies, Netflix offer both original and hosted content and is a good starting point.

Amazon Prime Video also offer a solid selection of films and TV shows with an increasing amount of original content. It’s also included with an Amazon Prime subscription so worth checking out for that reason alone. Be warned however, some content requires renting and that’ll cost you extra cash.

Now is another top choice for the size of its library. Owned by Sky, Now also allows you to stream Sky channels live too. Extra bundles include children’s shows, films and Sky Sports.

The terrestrial TV channels all have catch-up services which often means you can watch anything televised on those channels in the last 30 days. For older content, BritBox features content from the BBC, ITV, Channel Four and Channel Five