Live sports are more important than ever, and streaming services like Amazon Prime Video are playing a crucial role in how fans consume their favorite games. As the exclusive home of Thursday Night Football for the third year running, Amazon is facing the challenge of delivering a seamless streaming experience to millions of viewers across the country. This task is complicated by the sheer volume of data required for live broadcasts, the need to manage bandwidth effectively, and the varying capabilities of internet service providers (ISPs).
Amazon’s VP of Technology, BA Winston, highlights the complexity of the ‘pipeline’ involved in delivering live content. This pipeline involves everything from capturing the video feed at the stadium to transmitting and compressing it before it reaches viewers’ screens. Winston emphasizes that Amazon’s focus is on ensuring a high-quality experience, even if issues arise outside of their direct control, such as last-mile connectivity problems with ISPs.
To mitigate these potential issues, Amazon employs a strategy of forecasting and optimizing bandwidth consumption based on location and ISP. The company also works closely with content delivery networks (CDNs) to ensure efficient routing and delivery of data.
Another crucial element of live streaming is latency – the time delay between a live event happening and viewers seeing it on their screens. Amazon is focused on minimizing this delay, aiming to provide a ‘glass-to-glass’ experience of just 10 seconds. This dedication to low latency ensures that viewers can enjoy the game as close to real-time as possible.
Amazon Prime Video’s commitment to a seamless viewing experience extends beyond just ensuring low latency. The company also ensures that the stream is synchronized across all devices, eliminating any potential drifting that can disrupt the viewing experience.
While Amazon Prime Video faces many technical challenges in delivering live sports content, they are committed to providing a smooth and enjoyable experience for viewers. Their dedication to innovation and collaboration with ISPs and CDNs ensures that viewers can enjoy their favorite games without interruption, even during peak events like Thursday Night Football.
