Another question re download speed

laptagal


Joined: 28/05/2008
Posts: 549

Message Posted:
24/08/2011 22:53

I am not at all tekkie but have downloaded a VPN and can now watch BBC on my laptop (result!). I have also had a wireless connection installed with at 2mg connection speed (checked with the on-line checking tool as previously advised). However, the programmes I am watching are very 'stuttery' which spoils the enjoyment. Is this the best I can expect here or should I pay for a greater download speed - and if so, what speed do those who know about these thing suggest?

Thanks in anticipation for your help.

rowan


Joined: 04/09/2008
Posts: 450

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 00:19

Stick with The tried and tested Magic Lantern. That was stuttery and if you remember you never saw the ending either??????

Cassius not Rowan

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 00:44

laptal girl you should be able to watch BBC content in normal quality (not HD) with a 2meg connection. I was usinga one meg connection fine 90% of the time. I did used to use the 'low quality' version. On Iplayer when you goto a given program near the bottom left of the screen, once the play window has fullyloaded therw ill be an clickable option that say 'lower bandwidth' - try that it may help. Another thing that will help a little is at the start of the program , not the 'channel trailer', pause the play for about 30 seconds or so. That will help the stuterring a little bit.



In reality you should be able to watch non HD streaming content from BBC fine with a 2meg connection. That you can not may be down to your iternet connection or it may be down to the VPN service you are using. Both have to perform well for this to work. What ISp are you using and VPN service ?

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 08:34

So erolz, what you are saying is that as long as it is not HD, it is reduced quality and you are not really live streaming but on a 30 second paused dalay for the streaming, with a 2mb connection and all of this whilst streaming through a VPN because the legality of watching this content outside of the UK is questionable (could we say it is a bit of a grey area?).

Alternatively laptagal (not laptal girl) you could find the best quality version of whatever programme you wish to see on the likes of thepiratebay.org and download it at your leisure and without compromising your version of the show because you would watch the whole thing after it has downloaded.

The choice is yours, I prefer to watch good quality by waiting unless it is a live sprting event but then, I am a man and live sports is vital for us

erolz is correct in the way to improve your chances of a better streaming show but it is another compromise to what you would like to see, as is my way but better quality.

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 09:53

proger1 what I was saying I thought was quite clear though given your interpretation of what you think I was saying, maybe it was not. I fear that if I try and explain it again to you I will then be questioned about the 'psycology' of wanting my posts to be understood.



The poster asked about streaming. She asked if stuttering was the best she could expect when streaming. She asked if getting a higher speed net connection was necessary to stop the stuittering when streaming content from the BBC.



I tried to answer her questions. Downloading is always an alternative to streaming, though personally if I were to download content and it was available on the iplayer site, I would download it from there before trying routes like thepiratebay.com.



Getting back to the original questions, you should be able to stream 'strandard' quality BBC iplayer content with a 2mbs connection and VPN, without stuttering, if both are working properly.

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 10:33

Assuming we are talking about streaming and specificaly streaming from iplayer site and not downloading content, which is a different thing, the following are BBC's own figures for what content needs what bandwidth for streaming



TV-HD 3500 kb/s (3.5Mb/s)

TV 1500 kb/s (1.5Mb/s)

TV 800 kb/s (0.8Mb/s)

TV 500 kb/s (0.5Mb/s)

Radio 128 kb/s (0.128 Mb/s)



The three listings for non HD TV are different quality levels. By reducing the quality you reduce the amout of bandwidth needed to stream the contnent. A 2Mb/s connection, working properly, should allow all those three levels of streaming to work without stuttering.



The BBC site has its own speedtest utility which can be accessed here



http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/diagnostics

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 10:45

Hi ErolZ



thanks for this link



I tried it with my UK VPN off and then on .. (of course I'm in the UK - so I can compare...)



There was a 30% reduction in streaming speeds available but still WELL above the min. necessary to stream in HD..





I'm GUESSING this overhead applies to folk outside the UK so this is worth bearing in mind ..

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 10:48

I will again attempt to start this on a seperate thread to avoid hijacking.

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 11:15

proger1 I do not know where this 'antagonism' is comming from. As far as I can see this thread was about streaming. Yes downloading is a viable alternative to streaming, but it is not the same as streaming. If you want to start a thread about downloading content or the pros and cons of streaming vs downloading I would be happy to discuss that with you or anyone else. All I am doing in thsi thread is trying my best to help the original poster with their questions re streaming.

laptagal


Joined: 28/05/2008
Posts: 549

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 14:43

Thanks for all the advice but now my head hurts. Erolzs, I am using Realnet (ISP) and My Private Network (VPN) MPN worked fine when I was using 3G but I went with wireless connecion as it seemed the cheaper option.

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
25/08/2011 15:15

laptagal try the bbc speedtest link (using your VPN service) here



http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/diagnostics



and post you results



You should be able to watch streaming content without stuttering (most of the time) with a 2mbs connection and VPN service, is the bottom line. If you can not without stuttering then something is not working as well as it should. Working out exactly what is causing the problems and getting them fixed may be difficult.