Yesterdays post has identified an issue regarding the amount of bandwidth OpenView needs to receive 1080p streams.
Here is a list of the Internet speeds recommended by several popular streaming services
Netflix
- 1 Mbps for viewing on a laptop computer
- 2 Mbps for SD video on a TV
- 4 Mbps for 720p HD video
- 5 Mbps for "the best video and audio experience" (according to Netflix)
Note: If a TV show or movie repeatedly needs to buffer, Hulu Plus will stop streaming the video and recommend that you downgrade the video quality.
- 1 Mbps for SD video
- 2 Mbps for 720p video
- Over 3.2 Mbps for best quality HD video and audio
Note: All Vudu movies are streamed with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 audio.
- 1.0 - 2.3 Mbps for SD video
- 2.3 - 4.5 Mbps for 720p video
- 4.5 - 9.0 Mbps for HDX 1080p video
- Over 9 Mbps for 3D HD movies
If your connection isn't fast enough, streaming video can sometimes stall as it fills the buffer in the receiving device.
What many refer to as "Internet speed" is actually the bandwidth available to accept data from the Internet into your home. Measured in megabits per second (Mbps), it's the amount of data that can be transferred from "the cloud" to your connected devices in one second.
All of the Internet-connected computers and devices in your home network share the total bandwidth you're paying for. Some of the bandwidth might be used by others in your home who want to stream to their TV or play online games.
Normally, a huge video file with 3D and 1080p resolution and Dolby Digital Plus audio requires less than 10 Mbps. Still, if you want to stream 3D or 1080p videos, we recommend opting for an Internet speed of at least 20 Mbps. This takes into account that others might use the Internet at the same time.
At 20 Mbps or more, video streaming of most content will usually run as smoothly as live TV. Yet, several factors could still cause the video to stall and buffer. Popular streaming services could have too many people trying to access the same video at the same time. Perhaps you're streaming in the evening when demand for bandwidth is high in your neighborhood, or others in your house might also be streaming HD content.
