Does it matter how long you watch a video when it comes to data usage?

[Amateurlaborer304]

For example, if I click on a 15 minute video, does it automatically eat up data or does it depend on how long I watch the video?

[Long]

it depend on how long
eq

[steve -]

Since the video is streamed, it will go by the length. It doesn't queue up the entire movie in one shot. It goes by the amount sent to you. So you may notice if you watch Netflix and you lose Internet, it will play for maybe 15-20 seconds.. that is the video already sent and buffered on your end. Once it hits the end, it terminates.

[Doctor]

Your question is a little bit confusing!
If you mean the data will be lost, then NO!

Video data has two main parts the video (The images which change rapidly) and the audio part.
Simultaneously, both of them are been converted into machine codes and stored in the memory, then processed by the CPU and then sent to the video card -> Screen and audio card -> speakers.
depending upon the RAM you have the data will stored in memory for process.

If you are watching a video on-net then the data will be downloaded the cached in sent to the RAM, this iis known as buffering.

So, it is most likely that not all the video file is processed at once.

[Ryu]

It's based on however much the video buffers.

If the whole video buffers immediately, then that's all the data you're using.

Streaming live video however, is different. Streaming takes up data the longer you watch.