Despite the fact that streaming media was a foreign concept to most people only a few short years ago, it has quickly become the norm. Today there are countless ways to stream your movies and music and they come in all different shapes, sizes, and prices. In this article, you’ll find more than just a round up of the various ways you can get the job done – it’s also a guide that’ll help you pinpoint the setup that’ll best suit your needs.

First things first, you need to assess what you’re going to stream. Do you only want to stream audio or do you want both audio and video streaming capabilities? For audio only, keep reading. For both audio and video, jump to the Audio and Video section.

You should also consider how you’d like to stream things. If you’re streaming video, you’ll need a wireless network in your home. If you’re just streaming audio, you can do it with or without a wireless network, but each method has it’s pros and cons.

If you don’t want to stream video to your TV, but you’d still like to wirelessly beam tunes to your speakers, you can sometimes save a bit of money by installing an audio-only streaming solution. Just how cheap it’ll be depends on what streaming method you intend to use. Essentially, you have two choices: you can stream via a wireless network, or via Bluetooth.

Bluetooth wireless streaming is good for short distance streaming, so it’s better suited for users who won’t travel too far from the receiver or those who don’t have a wireless network in their home.

Streaming audio over your home wireless network allows you to stream over longer distances without experiencing a large drop-off in quality you get when using Bluetooth.  If you’ve already got a wireless network running in your home, this is typically the best option.

For the full streaming experience, you’ll need to get your hands on some more sophisticated equipment.

For other good options and more detailed descriptions, check out our roundup of the best media streaming devices.

[Image credit: Flat screen – Angela Waye/Shutterstock]