BBC iPlayer goes HD, time to drop STM

cook1984 · 22-04-2009, 21:29

BBC iPlayer is now available in HD. Even for non-HD programs, the quality has been improved to rival that of Freeview.

A 1 hour standard definition program is now 600MB. Anyone on 2MB will be throttled with STM and prevented from watching the whole show. Increase that to 2 hours viewing and anyone on 10 meg will have their connection decimated to unwatchable speeds.

It's even worse for HD programs. Users on M/L (2 meg or 10 meg) can't even watch a single 1 hour program. Users on XL can watch for about 1:40 before being cut off.

Hopefully people will start complaining en masse when they realise what is happening. Until then, thanks to Virgin and other ISPs, broadband growth in the UK will be severely retarded.

This also debunks the "5% of users" myth - iPlayer is used by far more than 5% of the user base.

v0id · 22-04-2009, 22:19

You'd have thought Virginmedia would make iplayer exceptions to the STM, as they have the VOD deal

Gary L · 22-04-2009, 22:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by v0id

You'd have thought Virginmedia would make iplayer exceptions to the STM, as they have the VOD deal

All traffic looks the same. they wouldn't be able to differentiate it.

DABhand · 22-04-2009, 22:24

Well people do have to hit the DNS servers first

But I noticed this subject on the newsgroup also. The only time they will change STM to more reasonable percentages or drop it from a specific site, is when customers declare their dislike over it.

And as ive said, the 5% excuse is to put people at ease when they phone up and have no idea whats going on so they dont feel targeted, when in essence everyone will get throttled if they overstep the limit.

Ignitionnet · 22-04-2009, 22:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by v0id

You'd have thought Virginmedia would make iplayer exceptions to the STM, as they have the VOD deal

Nope the fact they've the VoD deal there is even more of a reason to STM the Internet version.

Gary L · 22-04-2009, 22:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by DABhand

And as ive said, the 5% excuse is to put people at ease when they phone up and have no idea whats going on so they dont feel targeted, when in essence everyone will get throttled if they overstep the limit.

It's patronising when the person they're telling it's for the benefit of, is the same person who's going to be affected by it.

BenMcr · 22-04-2009, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by cook1984

Increase that to 2 hours viewing and anyone on 10 meg will have their connection decimated to unwatchable speeds.[/

No they won't.

The STM for 10Mbit drops the download speed to 2.5Mbit. The HQ Streams on the iPlayer are 1.5Mbit

So once the BB M upgrade to 10Mbit completes only BB S will have any issues (and that service isn't for Video watching anyway)

---------- Post added at 23:39 ---------- Previous post was at 23:37 ----------

Quote:

It's even worse for HD programs. Users on M/L (2 meg or 10 meg) can't even watch a single 1 hour program. Users on XL can watch for about 1:40 before being cut off.

XL STM drops the download down to 5Mbit - the HD streams are 3.5Mbit

Gary L · 22-04-2009, 22:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

No they won't.

The STM for 10Mbit drops the download speed to 2.5Mbit. The HQ Streams on the iPlayer are 1.5Mbit

the HD streams are 3.5Mbit

DABhand · 22-04-2009, 22:47

yeah Ben Said HQ is 1.5mb not HD

But still STM is bad :P

cook1984 · 22-04-2009, 23:05

Have you actually tried using the connection when it's STM'ed? I can assure you that in every test I tried on L, streaming HD stops working once STM'ed. A friend of mine has M and he reports similar issues with SD once throttled.

Anyway, at the very least the advertising will have to change, since the service clearly isn't "unlimited" and clearly does not only affect "5%" of customers.

BenMcr · 22-04-2009, 23:08

Yes. HD on L and SD on 2Mbit M will be affected

Isn't it good then that Virgin are upgrading BB M customers to 10Mbit where they won't be affected streaming SD iPlayer

Gary L · 22-04-2009, 23:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Yes. HD on L and SD on 2Mbit M will be affected

Isn't it good then that Virgin are upgrading BB M customers to 10Mbit where they won't be affected streaming SD iPlayer

You keep changing SD/HQ/HD.
The HD will affect 10MB users.

BenMcr · 22-04-2009, 23:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary L

You keep changing SD/HQ/HD.
The HD will affect 10MB users.

Yes because you got confused when I talked about HQ/HD. So from now on I will say SD/HD

Yes HD on 10Mbit will be affected for streaming

Jonathan90 · 22-04-2009, 23:19

Ben i think it uses a little more other then 3.5 mbit

That screen is me watching HD Stream as you can see around my 10mbit limit.

Gary L · 22-04-2009, 23:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Yes because you got confused when I talked about HQ/HD. So from now on I will say SD/HD

I wasn't. I only got confused after you started changing it to different abbreviations.

Quote:

Yes HD on 10Mbit will be affected for streaming

But you used SD as an example earlier for 10MB that wouldn't be affected.