The Ultimate OTT Glossary: 70+ Streaming Terms You Actually Need to Know

If you’re building or managing an OTT streaming platform, you’ve probably come across terms like ABR, DRM, or CDN. Whether you’re overseeing platform development, monetisation, or the viewer experience, this glossary breaks down the most important OTT acronyms and terms you need to know.

In this article, explore the essential OTT acronyms by category—Delivery & Playback, Security, Monetization, Content Processing, User Experience, Quality & Performance Monitoring and Business Success Metrics—so you can feel confident talking shop, selecting vendors, or just understanding what’s really happening behind the scenes.

Jump to a section:

• Delivery & Playback
• Content Processing
• Security & Rights
• Monetisation & Analytics
• Billing, Access & Support
• User Experience & Front-End
• Quality & Performance Monitoring
• Business Metrics & Success Indicators

Delivery & Playback

OTT – Over-the-Top
Video delivered over the internet, bypassing traditional cable or satellite. The foundation of services like Netflix, Disney+, and niche streaming platforms.

CDN – Content Delivery Network
A global network of servers that cache and deliver content based on user location, minimising latency and buffering.

Edge Server
Part of the CDN, these are servers closest to the viewer’s location, ensuring lightning-fast load times.

Origin Server
The “master copy” of your content lives here before being distributed across the CDN.

DASH – Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP
A streaming method that adjusts video quality in real-time based on network performance, like ABR (Adaptive Bitrate Streaming).

ABR – Adaptive Bitrate Streaming
Automatically shifts video resolution and quality depending on a user’s bandwidth, ensuring smooth playback.

HLS – HTTP Live Streaming
An adaptive bitrate protocol developed by Apple that breaks the video stream into smaller file chunks for better playback performance.

Latency
The delay between user action (like hitting play) and actual playback. Critical to get right in live streaming.

Buffering
Temporary loading interruptions—often the result of high latency or poor network conditions. No one wants to see the spinning wheel of doom.

CMAF – Common Media Application Format
A standardised format that simplifies the delivery of streaming media across different devices, reducing the need for multiple versions of the same content.

Content Processing

Transcoding
The process of converting a video from one format or resolution to another to ensure compatibility across platforms.

Encoding
Compressing raw video data into a digital format suitable for efficient storage and streaming.

Codec
A device or program that compresses (encodes) and decompresses (decodes) video or audio data. Examples include H.264, H.265, and AV1.

Bitrate
The amount of data transferred per second in a video stream. Higher bitrates generally mean better quality but require more bandwidth.

Frame Rate
The number of frames displayed per second (fps) in a video. Higher frame rates provide smoother motion.

HDR – High Dynamic Range
A video technology that expands the contrast and color range for more lifelike and vivid images.

SDR – Standard Dynamic Range
A traditional video standard with a more limited range of colors and contrast compared to HDR.

Resolution
The number of pixels in a video image (e.g., 720p, 1080p, 4K). Higher resolutions provide clearer images.

Rendition
A version of a video at a specific resolution or bitrate, used in adaptive bitrate streaming.

VMAF – Video Multi-Method Assessment Fusion
A quality metric developed by Netflix that combines multiple quality indicators to assess perceived video quality.

Security & Rights

DRM – Digital Rights Management
Technologies used to prevent unauthorized copying, sharing, or playback of digital video content.

Tokenisation
The generation of time-limited, encrypted access tokens to control user access to video streams.

Geo-blocking
The restriction of content availability based on a user’s geographical location, often due to licensing agreements.

Monetization & Analytics

SVOD / AVOD / TVOD

• SVOD: Subscription-based (e.g. Netflix)
• AVOD: Ad-supported (e.g. YouTube)
• TVOD: Pay-per-view (e.g. Prime rentals)

VOD – Video on Demand
Content that users can watch at any time, as opposed to a scheduled broadcast.

PPV – Pay-Per-View
Users pay a one-time fee to watch specific content, often used for live events.

EST – Electronic Sell-Through
Users purchase and download content to own permanently.

HVOD – Hybrid Video on Demand
A model combining elements of subscription and ad-supported content.

HYBRID

DAI – Dynamic Ad Insertion
The real-time insertion of video ads into a stream, tailored to individual viewers.

CSAI – Client-Side Ad Insertion
Ads are requested and inserted by the user’s device during playback.

SSAI – Server-Side Ad Insertion
Ads are stitched directly into the video stream before delivery, creating a smoother viewing experience.

SSP – Supply-Side Platform
A platform that allows publishers to manage and sell their video ad inventory.

DSP – Demand-Side Platform
Used by advertisers to buy video ad space across multiple sources through automation.

DMP – Data Management Platform
Collects, organises, and analyses user data to support targeted advertising.

CPM – Cost Per Mille (Thousand Impressions)
A pricing model that charges advertisers per 1,000 ad impressions.

IAB – Interactive Advertising Bureau
An industry organisation that sets standards for digital advertising, including video formats.

CMP – Consent Management Platform
Manages user permissions and privacy preferences to ensure GDPR and CCPA compliance.

TCF – Transparency and Consent Framework
A standard framework for communicating and managing user consent in digital advertising.

IFA – Identifier for Advertisers
A unique ID assigned to devices for ad tracking and targeting purposes.

VAST – Video Ad Serving Template
A specification that standardises communication between ad servers and video players.

VMAP – Video Multiple Ad Playlist
Defines when ads should play during a video (pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll).

VPAID – Video Player-Ad Interface Definition
Enables interactive video ads but is being phased out in favor of SIMID.

SIMID – Secure Interactive Media Interface Definition
A secure standard for interactive ads, replacing VPAID.

ADR – Average Daily Revenue
The average revenue generated per day. Useful for forecasting and tracking platform performance.

MAU / DAU – Monthly / Daily Active Users
Tracks viewer engagement. A high DAU/MAU ratio indicates strong stickiness.

ARPU – Average Revenue Per User
Measures how much you’re earning from each user on average.

Billing, Access & Support

CRM – Customer Relationship Management
A system for managing subscriber data, preferences, and interactions to support retention.

CMS – Content Management System
Enables management of video files, metadata, categories, and publishing workflows.

Entitlement System
Controls which content users can access based on their subscription level or purchases.

Billing Engine
Handles the processing of payments, renewals, refunds, and invoicing.

SMS – Subscriber Management System
Manages authentication, account settings, and access permissions.

Cloud DVR (cDVR)
Allows users to record and store live content in the cloud for later viewing.

nPVR – Network Personal Video Recorder
A server-based recording system enabling viewers to record programs without hardware at home.

User Experience & Front-End

UI / UX – User Interface / User Experience
UI refers to the design and layout of the service, while UX is the overall user journey and satisfaction.

EPG – Electronic Program Guide
Displays scheduled or available content in a visual, navigable format—especially for live TV.

CTA – Call to Action
Prompts such as “Subscribe Now” or “Watch Free” that encourage user engagement.

SEO – Search Engine Optimization
Optimizing platform and content metadata to improve search engine visibility.

Play Rate
The percentage of visitors who click play after landing on a video page.

Quality & Performance Monitoring

QoS – Quality of Service
A technical measure of service performance, including delivery speed, uptime, and reliability.

QoE – Quality of Experience
How the user perceives the playback quality, buffering, video resolution, and responsiveness.

Engagement Rate
The frequency and intensity of viewer interactions with content, such as likes, shares, or time watched.

Average Watch Time
The average time viewers spend watching a single piece of content.

Completion Rate
The percentage of users who finish a video from start to end.

Buffering Ratio
The proportion of time spent buffering versus time spent watching.

Peak Concurrent Users
The highest number of users simultaneously streaming content on your platform.

Business Metrics & Success Indicators

NPS – Net Promoter Score
A metric measuring user loyalty and satisfaction based on likelihood to recommend your service.

CAC – Customer Acquisition Cost
The total marketing and sales cost required to acquire a single paying subscriber.

CLTV – Customer Lifetime Value
The predicted total revenue a subscriber will bring throughout their time with your platform.

Churn Rate
The percentage of subscribers who cancel their service during a specific time frame.

MRR / ARR – Monthly / Annual Recurring Revenue
Metrics that track predictable revenue from subscriptions.

Ready to Simplify the Streaming Stack?

Whether you’re just getting started with your first VOD service or scaling an established streaming platform, understanding the building blocks—from CDNs to DRMs—is key to long-term success.

Ready to put this knowledge into action and simplify your entire streaming stack? Talk to our team and discover how we can help you build a seamless, scalable, world-class streaming experience.

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