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Mon 6 Apr, 2009 10:09 am
A quick consumer question, ladies and lads.
For years now I've just been stealing internet. No longer will that suffice. Today, Opening Day 2009, I shall order high-speed wireless internet so that I can stream every single Milwaukee Brewers game my girlfriend will allow me to watch.
AT&T offers the following grades of high-speed internet: direct basic ($19.99/mo.), direct express ($35/mo.), direct pro ($40/mo.), and direct elite (way ******* expensive/mo.). For those of you who subscribe to one of these, I would like to know which is the cheapest grade sufficient for streaming video. On their site AT&T recommends direct pro for this, but I suspect they're trying to squeeze an extra $60 per year outta me.
Can I watch my Brewers with basic or express?
A tongue bath goes to she/he/he-she with the best answer.
@Gargamel,
Gargamel wrote:
A quick consumer question, ladies and lads.
For years now I've just been stealing internet. No longer will that suffice. Today, Opening Day 2009, I shall order high-speed wireless internet so that I can stream every single Milwaukee Brewers game my girlfriend will allow me to watch.
AT&T offers the following grades of high-speed internet: direct basic ($19.99/mo.), direct express ($35/mo.), direct pro ($40/mo.), and direct elite (way ******* expensive/mo.). For those of you who subscribe to one of these, I would like to know which is the cheapest grade sufficient for streaming video. On their site AT&T recommends direct pro for this, but I suspect they're trying to squeeze an extra $60 per year outta me.
Can I watch my Brewers with basic or express?
A tongue bath goes to she/he/he-she with the best answer.
Do they have bandwidth D/L numbers? That's what we need to know.
Cycloptichorn
Right-o!
Let's see. Uh, Basic has a downstream speed of 768 Kbps. You know, those things. For Express that speed is 1.5 Mbps. 3 Mbps for Pro.
I don't even know if that helps.
@Gargamel,
Gargamel wrote:
Right-o!
Let's see. Uh, Basic has a downstream speed of 768 Kbps. You know, those things. For Express that speed is 1.5 Mbps. 3 Mbps for Pro.
I don't even know if that helps.
Yup!
Definitely go Express or Pro; the more the better, the smoother it will be. Pro seems like only 5 bucks more for double the speed, do it.
Try finding a friend who has internet, and test their streaming video. If it looks good, go here -
http://www.speedtest.net/
To see what kind of numbers they get.
3 mbs/sec should be good enough - though I prefer the 40 mbs/sec I get here at work
Cycloptichorn
@Cycloptichorn,
Excellent answer. You owe Cyclo a tongue bath, Gargamel!
@Gargamel,
I'd go with Verizon FiOS if it's available in your area.
http://www22.verizon.com/Residential/FiOSInternet/Plans/Plans.htm
As to what is the minimum for streaming video it really depends on what video quality. None of the options they give you is enough for serious video. Verizon FiOS is the only thing that comes close to the next generation of broadband in the US.
@Robert Gentel,
Robert Gentel wrote:
I'd go with Verizon FiOS if it's available in your area.
http://www22.verizon.com/Residential/FiOSInternet/Plans/Plans.htm
As to what is the minimum for streaming video it really depends on what video quality. None of the options they give you is enough for serious video. Verizon FiOS is the only thing that comes close to the next generation of broadband in the US.
I've been watching a lot of HD content on my Comcast cable here in the bay area, and the **** is rock-solid - though I see now that it's probably up to 12mbs cap.
Cycloptichorn
@Cycloptichorn,
I can watch "HD" YouTube videos on a 1.5 mbs connection, but what I really meant is true IPTV and the internet in the US is being throttled by cable providers who are worried that broader band will destroy their business models (e.g. ditch cable TV for IPTV).
In Japan, they have customer-grade 160-megabit-per-second service for $60/month!
@Robert Gentel,
Yup, well the whole country is the size of a thimble, it's easy to roll out the good stuff.
Cycloptichorn
Looks like Verizon offers the most Mbpsbpsbspbs for less. As long as Corey Hart isn't a complete blur when he's sliding into home, I'll be pleased.
@Cycloptichorn,
Cycloptichorn wrote:Yup, well the whole country is the size of a thimble, it's easy to roll out the good stuff.
That's true, but read the article. There's a lot more to it.
@Gargamel,
Gargamel wrote:Looks like Verizon offers the most Mbpsbpsbspbs for less. As long as Corey Hart isn't a complete blur when he's sliding into home, I'll be pleased.
But see if it's available in your area, that's the big if with FiOS. If it is, you may want to consider doing the whole phone/TV/internet package with them.
@Robert Gentel,
Robert Gentel wrote:
Cycloptichorn wrote:Yup, well the whole country is the size of a thimble, it's easy to roll out the good stuff.
That's true, but read the article. There's a lot more to it.
Yeah, I did. What can I say? More great American Big Business that we all should support and not complain about!
Cycloptichorn
Just went to MLB.com to check their requirements, as I should have done, um, before posting this question?
Their highest quality HD feed streams at 3Mbps.
@Cycloptichorn,
Cycloptichorn wrote:Yeah, I did. What can I say? More great American Big Business that we all should support and not complain about!
I really do think we should complain about it, I just don't want it legislated (except insofar as keeping the industry competitive). Competition is going to bring the telcome house of cards down one day.
@Robert Gentel,
Robert Gentel wrote:
Cycloptichorn wrote:Yeah, I did. What can I say? More great American Big Business that we all should support and not complain about!
I really do think we should complain about it, I just don't want it legislated (except insofar as keeping the industry competitive). Competition is going to bring the telcome house of cards down one day.
Hmph. Not so long as the monopolies are allowed to hold, as they currently are.
What they did for Comcast was a ******* crime, really.
Cycloptichorn
@Gargamel,
Most current internet video is going to be fine at speeds under 3Mbps. But if you really get into it, and you have you streaming the videos and maybe the gal watching Hulu or Netflix online, then the pipe starts seeming pretty small. If you add an ip phone (you should!) then it gets even smaller...
@Robert Gentel,
Voice traffic is minuscule compared to video.
The biggest barrier to voice has not been bandwidth, but packet delay.
@DrewDad,
DrewDad wrote:Voice traffic is minuscule compared to video.
Yes, but voice traffic is very sensitive to latency as you note, and when someone is streaming a video (even just youtube) on my connection, my latency becomes unacceptable for voice use.
A fatter pipe means less latency for the average home network, and I recommend having more bandwidth if you use ip telephony so that other internet use doesn't interfere with your calls.
@Gargamel,
hehe, offers the most WHAT for less?
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