Say goodbye to buffering: A guide to better streaming
When it comes to streaming film and video online, quality matters. Whether you are a casual fan or maybe an independent filmmaker looking for inspiration, you will expect a seamless performance worth watching. Never before have so many engaging documentaries, shorts, animations and movies been available to stream, quite literally at our fingertips. So what does it take to keep video streams as vivid as possible?
From speed requirements through to optimisation tips, this guide from the good folks at Broadband Genie focuses on broadband and how domestic connections impact viewing.
What broadband speed do you need to stream films online?
Broadband internet, be it home or mobile, tends to be gauged by bandwidth. Landline, fibre or even cable connections all vary here and will profoundly determine speed. Speed is measured in bits per second, which tells us how much data the connection can shift every second. Most home and mobile broadband will be measured in megabits per second (Mbps) but some will be lucky enough to get much quicker gigabits per second (Gbps).
Simply put, this maximum data transfer speed directly impacts on streaming performance and principally video quality. The higher the video settings you wish to stream, potentially at higher resolutions, the bigger the bandwidth required.
Online streaming services, ranging from BBC iPlayer through to YouTube, recommend minimum speeds for the various levels. As a lowest baseline, this tends to start at 1.5-5 Mbps across the board for the most basic, watchable quality possible. Other specialist services such as AMC’s horror movie streamer Shudder, requires at least 6Mps to access. Popular providers like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video go further to define a hierarchy of speed versus quality rates that can prove helpful when figuring out what you need, and what video quality your connection will be capable of handling:
Netflix
Standard Definition (480i & 480p) = 3 Mbps
High Definition (720p, 1080i, 1080p) = 5 Mbps
Ultra High Definition (4K upwards) = 25 Mbps+
Vimeo
240p = 500 kps
360p = 1 Mbps
720p = 3 Mbps
1080p = 7 Mbps
2K = 12 Mbps
4K-8K = 22 Mbps+
MUBI – At least 10 Mbps bandwidth with network latency below 100 ms (milliseconds).
BFI Player – Requires internet connections of at least 5 Mps.
Some services - such as BFI Player - also feature an “adaptive bitrate” that is worth bearing in mind. This automatically adjusts video quality during streaming to match the connection speed and keep the show running interrupted.
What happens if your broadband is too slow?
Slowdown is definitely a streamers worst nightmare. Even techniques like adaptive bitrate will produce noticeable shifts in video quality and potentially grind to a halt if speed drops below minimum requirements. So what does this look like and why does it happen?
If your broadband connection or device is struggling with a stream, at worst you will encounter stuttering, choppy frame rates and the dreaded buffer. This is as bad as it gets and results in a temporary playback pause and usually an endlessly spinning progress wheel. Yes folks, the dreaded buffer wheel of doom. Buffering is as sure a sign your connection is too slow, with video data download unable to keep pace with playback. If the expected bandwidth should be capable, then available speed is either being throttled across the network or by technical issues with your devices.
What hardware and software do you need for streaming?
Streaming itself demands pretty modest system requirements, with most devices, apps and software boasting robust compatibility. The pervasiveness of video on demand also ensures modern PC’s, smartphones, tablets and even Smart TVs are up to the task. Where you do need to pay attention is on output, so most importantly graphical support and the display itself. Higher quality and frame rates on computers need to be processed and rendered by a suitable video card, in the same way your TV or projector boasts a maximum resolution. Chasing the loftier heights of 4-8K can be more demanding, so keep that in mind.
Typically though, for general web streaming on Mac OS and Windows systems, the software is modest. Here the browser still rules over the kinds of streaming apps preferred on mobiles, with the leading clients recommended. Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and possibly Midori for Linux, are all trusted options and optimised for most applications.
General tips for ensuring the best system performance when streaming include:
Keep operating systems up to date by installing updates across devices.
Similarly, be sure to install the latest updates and/or patches for any hardware drivers, web browsers or streaming client software.
Close running applications that may compromise system resources unnecessarily.
Disable any web browser extensions that may interfere with streaming or use a separate “clean” browser that has no extensions installed.
Optimising your home broadband for streaming
Flipping back to your connection itself, some of those same principles can apply to improving network performance. Critically for home broadband and Wi-Fi setups, the desire is to reduce loads, lower demand, and maximise that available bandwidth. Once you’ve downloaded and installed all those system updates, shut them off. Disable devices or disconnect them entirely so they aren’t unwittingly hogging the connection. Any simultaneous download or streaming activity will hugely impact speed, making it vital to defer other big transfers… or convince the kids to quit Twitch for the night!
If the latter inevitably fails, then a good option can be to download now and stream later. This is ideal when you have time to wait and the service allows videos to effectively preload locally before watching, thus eliminating any streaming issues. Wi-Fi, of course, can present problems that aren’t necessarily indicative of the broadband connection itself. This is why moving physically closer to the router or even using a network cable instead of wireless streaming is a good troubleshooting idea if all else fails.
Subsequent options for optimising Wi-Fi performance:
Move the router to a better, more centralised position that is preferably well away from appliances or walls as this can cause signal interference.
For dual-band routers and supporting devices, try switching to a 5 Ghz network for faster speeds, albeit across a shorter range.
Use a smartphone analyser app to check if local, neighbouring networks are interfering with your signal and switch your Wi-Fi channel if so.
Consider boosting wireless signal by using a Wi-Fi extender or mesh network kit.
Adjust the router’s QoS (Quality of Service) settings router to prioritise streaming traffic (but check with other users in your home as this may impact their available bandwidth).
All of these solutions are hopefully the last port of call to resuming viewing as desired. What we, of course, wish to avoid is compromising quality, but sometimes lowering this setting isn’t the end of the world. Devices and TVs boast admirable up-scaling capabilities, so it needn’t be curtains for enjoyable movie watching if the stream doesn’t quite live up to the screen.