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Broadband and 4k streaming


Rocky4510

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I've just brought my first house and currently deciding which broardband/TV package to get. Soon I'll be purchasing a 4k TV mainly to watch the 4k bits and pieces on Netflix.. I'm just wondering will I need fibre optic broadband (38mbs+) to keep up with the streaming or will a normal broadband line (17mbs) be good enough?

 

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The answer is that it depends on the quality of what you're trying to stream. Netflix ask for a minimum of 25meg, which you're never going to get on ADSL so yes, you will need fibre.

 

However, I would suggest that you'll actually want double speed fibre (76meg and up) for a reliable service. I would also suggest that buying a 4K TV specifically for 4K stuff is a bad idea until we see just how/if it ever takes off. My gut feeling is that it's just another 3D, a gimmick to convince up to keep buying new TVs when the content isn't even there yet. Also bear in mind how far you sit from the TV, as unless you're up close you won't actually see much benefit of 4K at all.

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Defiantly recommend running cables. I hard wired my house with cat 6. Everything I watch on tv is streamed and I have never had it buffer. If you can do it, it's so worth doing. Won't be long till all tv is able to be streamed.

Edited by jimboy2
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TV streaming over wifi is not the issue really, it's more down to the quality of the stream. Right now all online content in both HD and 4K is of such a low bitrate that wifi has no issues streaming it whatsoever (signal strength allowing, of course). It's when you want to watch something in genuine full-bitrate HD with DTS-HD sound that you'll struggle. A wifi connection or even a 10/100 Ethernet connection simply doesn't have the bandwidth to carry the data, so you end up with buffering/stuttering problems.

 

Granted, for most people who are happy to watch in stereo with a compressed image that's okay, but if you really want to make the most of the format (or may want to in the future) then you really will need gig Ethernet at the very least.

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TV streaming over wifi is not the issue really, it's more down to the quality of the stream.

 

Even a 1080p with DTS surround sound will buffer occasionally over Wireless G, if someone's going through the effort of streaming 4K then I would've thought the bitrate would be high enough to actually make the most of the 4K? Anyway, if I'd just bought the house, I'd chase network, speaker and cable (sky/virgin whatever) cables in to the walls before decorating, it doesn't take too long. :)

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Im on virgin media in Ireland. I have 240mb connected to the TV via cat 5e cable and speedtest confirms that I'm getting the full 240.... However, virgin are throttling connections to netflix leaving me sometimes to not even get 1080p

Edited by delz0r
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Virgin is far superior to anyone else id say. My brother signed up for the fastest internet. 3 months later they put the speeds up from 100 to 150mbps. No extra cost just upgrading the area. Never has a problem with his TiVo box. When I eventually move into my house I'll be getting Virgin and using the PlayStation, TV straight from the router via CAT6a cable.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just changed from ADSL2 to Fibre Broadband. Massive difference in my opinion. Go for Fibre if you can. Use some of the comparison sites Uswitch, Moneysupermarket etc. They will work out who offers the best deal for you in your local area.

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By 'exchange' do you mean the green box? If so, it's literally right across the road from my house lol

 

How far are you from that green box too? they will run fiber to that green box and then copper from that to your home, the more copper, the more the speed is impacted

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