How fast a network do u need for video streaming?

[ensyed]

My equipment
sony Vaio wmedia pc which records from Sky and also has downloaded files. I have Sky broadband as my wireless router. I have an additional 18mth old pc running XP where I would like to play files stored on the Vaio.

When I try to play files stores on my mediapc (recorded from Sky box) using either windows media player or VLC the software (on my bedroom pc running XP) freezes or just hangs showing a black screen.
Someone on this board suggested it might be my terrible home network. Well the little wireless icon on the bedroom pc shows 54mbp. Is that not good enough?

Do I need some other software?

Thanks for any help

 

[rhubarbe]

Yes, I think it was me but I am not sure since you have started a new thread now.

The little icon may say that the network is 54Mbps but it won't be. A wired 100Mbps network may call itself a 100Mbps network but it won't be that either. If you are lucky you get 20Mbps on a 100Mbps wired ethernet network using CAT5 cable. Crazy but true.

You'll be lucky to see 10Mbps on a 54Mbps WiFi G network. And of course, if your files are 12 - 15 Mbps, well, you do the math, as they say.

 

[hornydragon]

Depends on how your trying to play the files idealy they should be buffered at the local end, you dont particualrly fast network speeds but you do need fast decoding the file format your storing things in may be the issue as may your router most video over IP systems use full duplex managed switches. The file is being converted to TCP/IP packets this may be the bottle neck

 

[ensyed]

2 questions then

1) What format should the files be stored in? Currently they are whatever format windows media player records in and they look like htey are several gigs.
2) How do I control buffering locally?

Thanks

 

[Donkey99]

Hi- hope you don't mind me asking but you're doing something that I was trying to find out about!

How are you linking and recording from your sky box to your PC? I have sky+ being installed soon and want to be able to link it to my laptop so that I can transfer recordings to DVD using the laptops burner?

Many thanks

 

[Petrushka]

@Donkey99: Plkease do not (attempt to) hijack someone else's thread.

A wired UTP ethernet network is technically considered saturated when it is utilised for 30%, whereas other networks (such as e.g. token ring) can support much higher saturation without reducing the network performance.

I wireless network has a much lower saturation level. They usually max out at some 10% - 15%.

A normal video takes approx 4mbps bandwidth, which means that wired 100mbit networks should not have any problems with such streams. A HD video takes between 15 and 30 mbps, depending on the resolution and codec.

I'd say it is virtually impossible to get decent HD streaming quality over (current) wireless connections. A few wires between your storage and your streamer would be a major improvement...

 

[rhubarbe]

My Homeplug Turbo (85Mbps - claimed) won't stream DVD ISO to my PH without audio dropout. I think that this is because the whole lot is going through my router so, tomorrow, I'll search out my little USB powered 100Mbps 4 port switch and (letting the PH power it) plug my NAS and PH inot two of the ports - trying to bypass the router.

If that doesn't work, well....

 

[Ceejayav]

My Homeplug Turbo (85Mbps - claimed) won't stream DVD ISO to my PH without audio dropout. I think that this is because the whole lot is going through my router so, tomorrow, I'll search out my little USB powered 100Mbps 4 port switch and (letting the PH power it) plug my NAS and PH inot two of the ports - trying to bypass the router.

If that doesn't work, well....

If bypassing the router makes a difference then there is a problem with it: it *should* contain several logically separate devices including router and switch.

My experience with an EVA8000 (which has a good network speed tester built in) is that homeplug wasn't good enough (I had Netgear XE104s), though much depends on your particular wiring. It was reporting throughputs of around 13Mbps, which is not enough for playing ISO DVDs without serious glitches.

I got better throughput from wireless (around 17Mbps mostly) which you might think would be plenty - however wireless just wasn't consistent enough and that was enough to cause a few glitches. So I went wired, 100 Mbps, no dropouts since then.

BTW, the point-to-point throughput for a wired 100Mbps connection should be a lot better than the 30% indicated earlier in this thread: it will depend on the wiring but 50% is the minimum you should expect. The lower figure would be more appropriate in a shared multipoint network where many devices are competing...

 

[timtastic_bhoy]

why not get the faster 200mbs homeplugs from solwise..

 

[rhubarbe]

I have got a bit of cat5 running from behind the AV stack to the loft. I ordered a 5 port Gigabit switch today so that, and the NAS, can both go in the loft and I'll just forget about them.

At least, I hope so, 'cos the joists are at 400mm centres and my centre is a tad bigger than that nowadays.

 

[mesajoe]

I have got a bit of cat5 running from behind the AV stack to the loft. I ordered a 5 port Gigabit switch today so that, and the NAS, can both go in the loft and I'll just forget about them.

Make sure the environmental conditions are Ok in your loft, they can get surprisingly hot, cold or damp, not always the best place for your NAS. I have put mine in a cupboard as I don't want it to trash any more disks...

Mark