Improving video streaming

GlennB · 2nd August 2012, 03:17 AM

Watching BBC Iplayer I get pretty clunky performance with regular "pink circly arrow wotsits", and I'm wondering if there are any easy tweaks that might improve performance. I have no idea what's really significant, so I'll just say we have:

An old PC with no dedicated video card or vast memory, Windows XP

ADSL broadband, set 'out in the sticks'

speedtest.net tells me my download speeds typically hit around 11.5 mb

the usual (?) collection of background processes that appear to be checking for updates but which seem curiously reluctant to be removed

No huge deal, but any advice gratefully received.

mikeyx · 2nd August 2012, 04:38 AM

Originally Posted by GlennB

Watching BBC Iplayer I get pretty clunky performance with regular "pink circly arrow wotsits", and I'm wondering if there are any easy tweaks that might improve performance. I have no idea what's really significant, so I'll just say we have:

An old PC with no dedicated video card or vast memory, Windows XP

ADSL broadband, set 'out in the sticks'

speedtest.net tells me my download speeds typically hit around 11.5 mb

the usual (?) collection of background processes that appear to be checking for updates but which seem curiously reluctant to be removed

No huge deal, but any advice gratefully received.

try the same thing on a stripped down linux box, and make sure you have a wired connection, not wifi.

When I'm lazy I stream from my netbook over wifi, when not, I have a wired connection that goes through the tv. there is a definite differenc ein favor of wired.

Captain_Snort · 2nd August 2012, 05:07 AM

I'm in a city and get 60MBPS via virgin, and I still get the occasional buffering (though a lot, lot less than when I was on ADSL). If it is not live TV you are watching, why not just download it using the iplayer desktop.

psionl0 · 2nd August 2012, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by mikeyx

try the same thing on a stripped down linux box, and make sure you have a wired connection, not wifi.

When I'm lazy I stream from my netbook over wifi, when not, I have a wired connection that goes through the tv. there is a definite differenc ein favor of wired.

I have an ADSL modem with 4 inputs. One is for my PC and the other is for a wireless modem.

According to speedtest.net, the wireless is slightly faster than the wired connection (although the ping time is longer).

Beerina · 2nd August 2012, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by Captain_Snort

I'm in a city and get 60MBPS via virgin, and I still get the occasional buffering (though a lot, lot less than when I was on ADSL). If it is not live TV you are watching, why not just download it using the iplayer desktop.

Ya, the long story is that your ISP is only part of it -- there's the general Internet that has to route it to you, and the servers with the video, which can hiccup or have their own cloggage problems if many people are trying to download from them at once, like the roads around a stadium after a game lets out.

Stuff like Olympics would be vulnerable to flash crowds.

GlennB · 2nd August 2012, 09:55 AM

Thanks all.

It is a wired connection, but my main interest right now is live (or at least fairly live) Olympic coverage so downloading after the event would test my patience too far

Mmmm ...... should I just accept the reality of living in a remote spot?

malicus · 2nd August 2012, 01:30 PM

In my experience, iPlayer is one of the worst performing on-demand viewing experiences from a major player.

Just yuk.

I'm on 30meg (averaging speeds of 31) and can watch gaming streams at 1080p better than I can watch catch-up BBC tv. Terrible blocky picture and buffering.

Bottom line is - doesn't matter a fig what YOU have, when the content being pushed to you is scrunched up into a little spitball of 0s and 1s.

2nd August 2012, 03:17 AM	#1
GlennB Jellied eel and offal fancier Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arcadia Posts: 8,957	Improving video streaming Watching BBC Iplayer I get pretty clunky performance with regular "pink circly arrow wotsits", and I'm wondering if there are any easy tweaks that might improve performance. I have no idea what's really significant, so I'll just say we have: An old PC with no dedicated video card or vast memory, Windows XP ADSL broadband, set 'out in the sticks' speedtest.net tells me my download speeds typically hit around 11.5 mb the usual (?) collection of background processes that appear to be checking for updates but which seem curiously reluctant to be removed No huge deal, but any advice gratefully received.

2nd August 2012, 04:38 AM	#2
mikeyx Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 3,570	Originally Posted by GlennB Watching BBC Iplayer I get pretty clunky performance with regular "pink circly arrow wotsits", and I'm wondering if there are any easy tweaks that might improve performance. I have no idea what's really significant, so I'll just say we have: An old PC with no dedicated video card or vast memory, Windows XP ADSL broadband, set 'out in the sticks' speedtest.net tells me my download speeds typically hit around 11.5 mb the usual (?) collection of background processes that appear to be checking for updates but which seem curiously reluctant to be removed No huge deal, but any advice gratefully received. try the same thing on a stripped down linux box, and make sure you have a wired connection, not wifi. When I'm lazy I stream from my netbook over wifi, when not, I have a wired connection that goes through the tv. there is a definite differenc ein favor of wired.
mikeyx Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 3,570

2nd August 2012, 05:07 AM	#3
Captain_Snort Muse Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Scotland Posts: 668	I'm in a city and get 60MBPS via virgin, and I still get the occasional buffering (though a lot, lot less than when I was on ADSL). If it is not live TV you are watching, why not just download it using the iplayer desktop.
	__________________ UKLS - 1984-2003, 2007- Girl 6: Besides, it's like he's an absentee landowner... And, I hate slumlords... ;-)

2nd August 2012, 06:00 AM	#5
Beerina Sarcastic Conqueror of Notions Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: A floating island above the clouds Posts: 23,835	Originally Posted by Captain_Snort I'm in a city and get 60MBPS via virgin, and I still get the occasional buffering (though a lot, lot less than when I was on ADSL). If it is not live TV you are watching, why not just download it using the iplayer desktop. Ya, the long story is that your ISP is only part of it -- there's the general Internet that has to route it to you, and the servers with the video, which can hiccup or have their own cloggage problems if many people are trying to download from them at once, like the roads around a stadium after a game lets out. Stuff like Olympics would be vulnerable to flash crowds.
	__________________ "Great innovations should not be forced [by way of] slender majorities." - Thomas Jefferson The government should nationalize it! Socialized, single-payer video game development and sales *now!* More, cheaper, better games, right? Right? Last edited by Beerina; 2nd August 2012 at 06:02 AM.

2nd August 2012, 01:30 PM	#7
malicus Muse Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 701	In my experience, iPlayer is one of the worst performing on-demand viewing experiences from a major player. Just yuk. I'm on 30meg (averaging speeds of 31) and can watch gaming streams at 1080p better than I can watch catch-up BBC tv. Terrible blocky picture and buffering. Bottom line is - doesn't matter a fig what YOU have, when the content being pushed to you is scrunched up into a little spitball of 0s and 1s.
malicus Muse Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 701

2nd August 2012, 05:16 AM	#4
psionl0 Illuminator Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: 31°58'S 115°57'E Posts: 4,792	Originally Posted by mikeyx try the same thing on a stripped down linux box, and make sure you have a wired connection, not wifi. When I'm lazy I stream from my netbook over wifi, when not, I have a wired connection that goes through the tv. there is a definite differenc ein favor of wired. I have an ADSL modem with 4 inputs. One is for my PC and the other is for a wireless modem. According to speedtest.net, the wireless is slightly faster than the wired connection (although the ping time is longer).

2nd August 2012, 09:55 AM	#6
GlennB Jellied eel and offal fancier Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arcadia Posts: 8,957	Thanks all. It is a wired connection, but my main interest right now is live (or at least fairly live) Olympic coverage so downloading after the event would test my patience too far Mmmm ...... should I just accept the reality of living in a remote spot?