What Are The Requirements For Streaming Online TV And Movies?

It used to be the case that we spent time downloading files in order to watch things that we gathered from the internet. This could take hours and hours of downloading for just a couple of hours of entertainment. Nowadays, the internet speeds are generally fast enough that we can stream. All we need is the requisite internet speed and the data allowance from our provider.

The Speed Required
Many of the online TV services state that you require a 2mbps speed in order to stream seamlessly. With high definition movies and streams this level may be up at 5mbps. In reality, it can be possible to stream with slower speeds from around half a mbps, but this can cause graininess in pictures and jittery performance.

Testing Broadband Speed
Have you ever asked, “How do I test my broadband speed?” it is very simple. All you need to do is search for a good provider is Google. Type in –test my internet speed- and you’ll be over-run by potential services, such as speedtest.net.

• The online services will:
• Identify where you are
• Find the nearest server to test with
• Simulate sending a file up and down the stream

You will then be presented with the response rate from the server, which is the latency and the upload and download speeds. If they are far below what you were sold it may be worth looking into your own setup and wireless connection, such as micro filters, positioning of the broadband router and so on. It will also be worth speaking to your internet service provider to see if you have any faults on the line.

Data Usage Streaming
An hour of high definition streaming can take up to around 2.5GB of data. If you’re watching a high definition movie, over two hours, it can therefore take around 5GB of data. It’s important if you’re engaging in streaming activities to have a sufficient allowance of data from your internet service provider. Many streaming hungry internet consumers go for unlimited packages. But it’s also important to ensure that you go for an unlimited package that doesn’t actually have limits.

Fair Usage Policies
Many providers have fair usage policies that state the maximum amount of data that you should be using. Their packages are not unlimited. For example, Tesco unlimited packages have a limit of a 100GB/month and Talk Talk, generally around 40GB.

Top Tip
Shop around and find the speedy connections available to you in your area. You can normally do a postcode search to find out what is available at your local telephone exchange. LLU is faster than normal ADSL and fibre optic broadband is the fastest of them all.

Phil Turner is often asked “Will you test my broadband speed, please?” by friends who consider him an expert in all things relate to the Internet.