Q about Netflix/DSL

14 years ago

We're looking at a new TV/home theater set-up. We have Direct TV, but might switch to Dish when we get the new set. Our present TV is not hooked up to a telephone line. We use DSL for internet (we are in the boonies, but lucky enough to be close to the village so we can have DSL, cable is not an option.)

So here's the question: If we hooked up the TV to our DSL line, is that fast enough to watch Netflix movies? Have never watched Netflix online before. Or is it futile without a higher speed access?

Thanks.

Comments (8)

jimisham
14 years ago
Netflix recommends a DSL speed of at least 1.5 Mbps and preferably a speed of 3 Mbps "for best performance and quality".
I've tested my DSL speed and the best I could come up with was .61 Mbps. So I've given up on the idea.

Here is a link that might be useful: DSL speed test
sushipup1
Original Author
14 years ago
Is that test good for cities within 400 or 500 miles from the closest city listed?

Thank you!
Related Discussions
switching dsl to cable. Modem, router both? which?
Q
Comments (6)
I would think that any name brand wireless router will work fine. I have a DSL modem supplied by the phone company, and a 4-port Belkin Pre-N wireless router I bought separately a couple of years ago. The incoming signal goes to the modem, and then an Ethernet cable goes to the router. Hard wired devices plug into the ports in the back of the modem via Ethernet cable. My router can handle 4 hard-wired devices, and 32 wireless devices. I have 4 PCs hooked up to it (1 wired, 3 wireless), a Roku box (wireless), and a printer (wireless). The only thing to keep in mind about cable is that speeds can vary depending on how many people in the neighborhood are online at any given time. DSL is a constant speed, and since mine is 3 Mbps, that's enough for me. Have you checked to see whether your DSL supplier can provide a higher speed? Last year, my speed was 1.5 Mbps and I asked if they had anything higher in my area. They said they had 3.0 available for the same price. When I asked why they hadn't just bumped up my speed, they said they were only allowed to change my account if I called to request and authorize it first! I said: Who wouldn't want twice the speed for the same price? They said they just wanted to be sure this was something I wanted! At any rate, 10 seconds later I had twice the speed. Lastly, since you're mixing PCs and Macs on your system, I don't know if that would cause any problems. I have have friends with Macs who visit and they can get on my system (when I give them my security code) with no problem. However, if you are switching providers, you should ask first if there could be any problems.
...See More
How do I instantly play a Netflix movie on my TV?
Q
Comments (18)
OK, OK, got a challenge......I have been through 3(not one or two) ROKU boxes....have watched Netflix instantly on my old TV with the 3 plug ins....for months THEN ka-dooie! no connection, connection not found, re-set the box, re-set the modem, turning everthing on & off. I am tired and frustrated with System support(everyone speaks Farsi/English) from ROKU and I went to BEST BUYS and bought LG box....connected it with HDMI adapter I had to purchase seperately....and voila! got the program to show up on my TV screen; BUT am unable to get it to play....got my NETGEAR wireless out to try and facilitate this issue, it recognizes the NETGEAR wireless, BUT will not play. THIS CANNOT GO ON...I HAVE PHONE NETFLIX, ROKU, GO ON LINE FOR NETGEAR SUPPORT....I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO BESIDES BUT ANOTHER TV. HEEEEELLLLPPPPP!!!!!
...See More
Netflix
Q
Comments (5)
Steve- First, I assume you have a subscription to Netflix, correct? Second, to get it on your computer, you need to go into your Netflix account and select movies that go into your "Instant Queue," which is not the same thing as your "DVD Queue." (Also, be aware that not everything Netflix offers as a DVD is available for instant steaming.) I am assuming you are running Windows, and you may also have to download and install a free Microsoft program called Silverlight. Once that is all done, you just go into your account online, select one of the films from your Instant Queue, and it should start to play on your computer. This also assumes you have an Internet connection that is at least 0.5 Mbps, and even faster is better. Now for playing on other tv sets, you can do that if you have the technology already built in to a device like a DVR, a gaming box (like XBox, etc.), or even the tv itself. (If all of your equipment is more than about 2 years old, it likely does not have this technology.) If you are in the situation of not having Netflix technology already, and not wanting to run a cable from your router to your tv, then you need to buy a wireless device from Netflix called a Roku box that plugs into the tv and gets a wireless streaming signal from your router that is sent on to the tv. You control this device with a little remote and a menu that will appear on your tv screen. You may want to also read this similar thread: Here is a link that might be useful: Netflix streaming
...See More
Does Netflix often have these problems?
Q
Comments (10)
I couldn't get it to work one night on Logitech Revue...everything else was working but Netflix...I pulled the plug on the Logitech and when it came back on Netflix was working...go figure...We don't even get movies at home anymore...just watch them thru the tv!
...See More
jimisham
14 years ago
My closest location was Chicago, about 100 miles. That's the one that gave me .61Mbps. I checked Washington and New York to see what I would get and both were worse, about .55 Mbps.
From what I've read on the internet, it takes quite a while to download a HD movie, even with a high download speed.
dadoes
14 years ago
Netflix will throttle back the video quality if the connection isn't fast enough to handle HD. How much it can reduce and still stream a picture, I'm not sure. In a few cases, the pictured paused for a while until enough of it (maybe the whole movie) downloaded to continue playing. Non-HD is not bad by my estimation ... but I've not seen an HD stream far as I'm aware, so can't make the comparison.
albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
14 years ago
I watch old foreign movies from Netflix and my AT&T DSL is fine for this application. I don't know how to test speed.

If you need more information you might try A Netflix Community. They are a bunch of snarky little b...ards but one may sometimes wrench a useful response from them.

There are a number of persons at General Dish NetworkÂ Discussion who are quite knowledgeable. Often someone there may give useful comments on related subjects such as Netflix.
sushipup1
Original Author
14 years ago
Well, we got the new TV (47" LG LED 24Hz), Samsung Blu-Ray with internet capability, Bose speakers, new DISH, and wireless router all set up this weekend. The Netflix download went perfectly, (2.1 download speed, as tested) so this morning, I changed my account to get Blu-Ray discs when available but only 2 discs at a time, down from 3.

What we can't believe is the improved quality of the old DVDs now played in the Blu-ray player. Amazing!

Thanks to all. We now only need to figure out what to do with the remotes. I like the DISH remote a lot more than the old DirecTV one, but Jim wants to use the Harmony remote that we saw in Costco. That will take us a little experimenting to see if we want to go with the other remote. We really only watch movies about twice a week anyway, so we may be fine with the DISH remote plus the speakers remote fr most of the week.
albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
14 years ago
The Harmony remotes are being discussed over at the Dish users forum linked above. Also, there is a new Harmony coming out that is rumored to be much less expensive. The rumor is that it is WalMart's $79.99 without the little screen and may be less than $40.
Pooh Bear
13 years ago
I have a computer dedicated to watching NetFlix streaming movies. I can be downloading a file, and both my wife and I on our computers at the same time, and watch a NetFlix movie. If we start using too much bandwidth, the movie will stop and adjust the movie quality to match the available bandwidth. This set up has worked well for us for several months now. We don't have an HDTV and my max DSL speed is 1.5 Mbps.

Pooh Bear

Pooh Bear

Q about Netflix/DSL

Comments (8)

jimisham

sushipup1
Original Author

Related Discussions

jimisham

dadoes

albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.

sushipup1
Original Author

albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.

Pooh Bear

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Q about Netflix/DSL

Comments (8)

jimisham

sushipup1Original Author

Related Discussions

jimisham

dadoes

albert_135 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.

sushipup1Original Author

albert_135 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.

Pooh Bear

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

sushipup1
Original Author

albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.

sushipup1
Original Author

albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.