The time when people went to the store to buy a cassette or disc with their favorite movie or waited for a TV show near the screens has long ended because there is no way to watch a replay. Today, we can easily manage our favorite videos when the Internet has everything and even more. As a result, every year, there are more and more streaming platforms with more video and audio content. The problem is that not all of them provide high-quality services. So, many users are not happy that the video takes a long time to load or is interrupted at the most crucial moment. The owners of such platforms can avoid this if they conduct complete comprehensive testing. Today we want to discuss what problems testers may face when working with streaming sites.
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Why do streaming platforms need testing?
Streaming platforms, like any other software, need testing. It allows you to check how correctly it works, whether it can perform essential functions, and much more.
An integrated approach to OTT testing has several advantages, and this allows you to make sure:
- Ability to process significant Internet traffic;
- Flawless data streaming in slower network conditions;
- Be stable and without breakdowns;
- Compatible with all devices without responsiveness problems;
- Stream without any cross-browser compatibility issues when used on desktop and more.
Until testing web pages, you cannot be sure that your product works well and will be liked by potential users.
What should you pay attention to when testing such platforms?
There are several common problems that developers of streaming platforms face. Today we want to discuss what metrics you need to pay attention to in the first place. Fortunately, many outsourced testing teams do exactly what they find and fix various errors that were made during the development process. If you wish to learn more about the work of such dedicated teams just get a useful reference.
Bitrate
It allows you to evaluate the actual quality of video and audio content. The better this indicator, the better, because everyone likes to watch movies and listen to good music.
Filling the buffer
Buffering is a gray bar that appears on your screen that fills up before the video starts playing. The faster your content loads, the better. Nobody likes to wait. If your content takes too long to load, users will most likely leave your site and watch the videos from your competitors (although the video quality will be worse here).
Delay time
Ideally, video or audio content should play without delay. After the content buffer initially fills up, the audience should be able to stream smoothly as long as the download speed matches the average bit rate. The problem is that this doesn’t always happen. It may lead users to use more stable competitors.
Lag factor
Essentially, it is the ratio of watch time to wait time. This indicator should tend to zero but cannot be equal to it. The lower this figure, the better.
Platform Compatibility
Users will broadcast your content on different devices (smartphones, tablets, personal computers, and smart TVs; each has its operating system). You need to make sure your content plays correctly on all devices.
You must also understand how your platform works across different browsers (Opera, Chrome, Safari, UC, and many more).
Synchronization and localization of subtitles
In some cases, users want to see subtitles in their native language. It is most often useful for users who are learning a foreign language or want to watch a new product before it is translated into their native language. It is crucial that the subtitles for each region are in a convenient language and fully display the test of the video itself (do not rush and do not slow down).
What problems do testers face?
When testing streaming sites, testers most often face the following problems:
- Unavailability of devices for cross-device testing;
- Problems with cross-browser compatibility;
- Long response time in different network
- Problems caused by user interaction and much more.
Once errors are identified, they need to be corrected very quickly. After making all the changes, you need to do additional testing to ensure that the changes did not lead to new errors. It is worth saying that testing must be carried out not only before the release of the software but regularly during work because the load will gradually increase.
Conclusion
If you own a streaming platform and want it to be as popular as Netflix, you must ensure that you provide an excellent service to your users. In this case, you can not do without complex testing. It will allow you to find out how long it takes users from different regions to download content, video and audio materials quality, and much more. If you eliminate possible problems, you will immediately see the number of your customers.
