Bandwidth question

TikkiRo · 06-01-2012, 19:40

Hi all
Haven't been on for a while but hit a small problem tonight that has provoked me to wonder about bandwidth. I'm on the XL pkg (20 Mb) and as a disabled, semi-housebound user, I do tend to download a fair few programmes I've missed on TV for one reason or another, alongside being a webmaster so uploading a lot etc. In other words I'd consider myself a fairly heavy user and my downloads for this month thus far scare me, yet so far I've not been traffic managed ever as far as I can see, maybe because I do tend to stick to doing my heaviest usage overnight.

However, tonight I ran into an issue while trying to watch programmes on Catch Up on a couple of different players and platforms - kept getting an insufficient bandwidth error msg.

Just wondering if this is likely to be from Virgin, or the programme site? And in particular if it is from Virgin, is it going to be something that will be a continual issue until I quit downloading for a week or two? I've read the TM information but still unsure about the difference with regard to bandwidth over data etc.

Someone have patience to clarify the likely situation for me? Appreciate it's probably not the first time this type of Q has been asked, but as you can imagine, when I ran a search on here for "bandwidth" it would have taken me hours to wade through the hits, so hope you don't mind my asking.

Thanks

Andrewcrawford23 · 06-01-2012, 20:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by TikkiRo

Hi all
Haven't been on for a while but hit a small problem tonight that has provoked me to wonder about bandwidth. I'm on the XL pkg (20 Mb) and as a disabled, semi-housebound user, I do tend to download a fair few programmes I've missed on TV for one reason or another, alongside being a webmaster so uploading a lot etc. In other words I'd consider myself a fairly heavy user and my downloads for this month thus far scare me, yet so far I've not been traffic managed ever as far as I can see, maybe because I do tend to stick to doing my heaviest usage overnight.

However, tonight I ran into an issue while trying to watch programmes on Catch Up on a couple of different players and platforms - kept getting an insufficient bandwidth error msg.

Just wondering if this is likely to be from Virgin, or the programme site? And in particular if it is from Virgin, is it going to be something that will be a continual issue until I quit downloading for a week or two? I've read the TM information but still unsure about the difference with regard to bandwidth over data etc.

Someone have patience to clarify the likely situation for me? Appreciate it's probably not the first time this type of Q has been asked, but as you can imagine, when I ran a search on here for "bandwidth" it would have taken me hours to wade through the hits, so hope you don't mind my asking.

Thanks

its generaly the program site, esicpally if ti bbc or channel 4 etc there catch up services dnt have enogh bandwidht for those using it so it sys you dnt have neough because your getting the stream at 1mb but not because of yoru conenction ebcause there 1000 of people getting the streams and there bandwidth cant cope, if it aint one of hte big 5 say who it is ill do some checking see if they have bandwidht issue otherwis ei say ther emighte be a problem on your line

bandwidth is the amount of data that can flow in particular seocnd, think of it as a water pipe, bandiwdth is the size of the water pipe, data is the water

TikkiRo · 06-01-2012, 20:40

Aye you guessed right - was indeed the primary channels - IPlayer first, then Ch3 and then an online US based viewer (knew that one would be slow anyway). So do we have a large "water pipe" or otherwise likely to need to be concerned about bandwidth rather than data downloaded? I only ever seem to see info on the latter hence haven't thought about the former until now.

Thanks for your speedy response

Andrewcrawford23 · 06-01-2012, 20:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by TikkiRo

Aye you guessed right - was indeed the primary channels - IPlayer first, then Ch3 and then an online US based viewer (knew that one would be slow anyway). So do we have a large "water pipe" or otherwise likely to need to be concerned about bandwidth rather than data downloaded? I only ever seem to see info on the latter hence haven't thought about the former until now.

Thanks for your speedy response

20mb is plenty of bandwidht for even the hd stuff, data you could say is the size of the video yoru streaming, and bandwidht id the quickness ot downlaod it, 20mb plenty fine, ive had it say not enough bandwidth form iplayer and im on 50mb runa speed test from there own diagnostic hey hey ive got 50mb so i had neough bandwidht it jsut bbc didnt

---------- Post added at 21:46 ---------- Previous post was at 21:46 ----------

basically bbc needs abigger pipe

qasdfdsaq · 07-01-2012, 09:17

Nah, it's usually VM who needs a bigger pipe, but not neccessarily at the home.

If it happens again I'd run a speedtest, and also call VM to check if you're traffic managed. TBH it's pretty easy to tell yourself if you have a bandwidth monitor application running (e.g. DU Meter)

Andrewcrawford23 · 07-01-2012, 09:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by qasdfdsaq

Nah, it's usually VM who needs a bigger pipe, but not neccessarily at the home.

If it happens again I'd run a speedtest, and also call VM to check if you're traffic managed. TBH it's pretty easy to tell yourself if you have a bandwidth monitor application running (e.g. DU Meter)

virign needa bigger pipe to, but bbc needs a bigger one as well