“Real-time stats” mean that they are processed quicker and displayed without checks and balances, trusting a single source of information (such as one server, or one player). This is possible for web players (players embedded on websites), but not for TV App platforms for example, where delivery and processing of viewing stats takes much more time.
Lightcast.com is not just a streaming provider for websites with web players, but a multi-platform distribution suite. We also do not just use one, or a few servers, but over 120,000 servers in over 100 datacenters around the globe, all mirroring your contents for global delivery. We also do not rely on one stats source only, but harmonize, and cross-check, viewing data from three different sources before posting them to user accounts.
Lightcast.com is a professional OTT provider and multi-platform OVP, used by media corporations who publish to dozens of properties and platforms, and rely on cross-checked and verified viewership analytics for the purpose of optimizing content, viewerships growth and revenue strategies.
We can therefore not just instantly post the numbers a web player only communicates, but have to process enormous loads of data from multiple sources, and from both web players, native OTT players on TV platforms, players in mobile apps, numerous podcast platforms and smart speaker platforms, as well as our global streaming server network. This is done faster than by anyone in the industry (and there are less than a hand full of comparable services on the market today), but it does take a few minutes, and, in rare cases, when multiple sources have to be trued up, or a discrepancy in reports from different sources (app stores, players, apps and servers) have to be reinvestigated and calculated, it can take up to 48 hours in a worst case situation. That said, 99% of the time, the stats are posted within minutes and within 25-30 minutes at the most.