Compared with other delivery media, web standards for delivering video and audio content are varied and inconsistent. Audiences view content over the web using a variety of software and hardware configurations that support a wide range of data bandwidths. For this reason, there are numerous codecs designed to make video web‑friendly. With its export settings, Adobe Premiere Pro includes a number of presets that aid in formatting a movie suited for particular audiences, according to their system’s capabilities. Many formats employ the following technologies:

Progressive downloadable video

A progressive download movie can begin playing before it is completely downloaded. The movie player software (such as QuickTime Player, Windows Media Player, or Real Player) calculates how long it will take to download the entire movie, and then begins playback once enough of the movie has been downloaded so that it can play back uninterrupted.

Streaming video

Streaming media delivers video over the web or other network without downloading a file to a hard disk, comparable to the way a traditional broadcast works. The bitrate—and therefore the quality—of streaming video is constrained by the bandwidth of the network or modem. When streaming video over the web, you can specify a higher bitrate if you know your audience has broadband Internet access, such as DSL or cable modem service. To provide versions tailored to the bitrate limits of different viewing scenarios, you can use the encoder’s Audiences or Alternates feature. Streaming video is most effectively deployed over an office’s intranet, where high‑speed bandwidths are more common and consistent. Adobe Flash Video, QuickTime, Windows Media, and RealMedia file types include streaming media formats.