Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Moving from fast (70mb) to slow (2mb) broadband with Apple TV 3

zen

zen

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 26, 2003
1,713
472
So, we are moving house to an area with slow (2mbps) internet. We use the Apple TV quite a lot, as with our current 70mbps broadband we never get any buffering.

So with slow internet, how does the Apple TV 3 fair? I know it has an 8GB buffer rather than internal storage, so if we say wanted to rent an HD movie, would it be a question of setting it to "play", then pausing and waiting for a few hours for it to download? There is no "download" option, is there? As in, everything is streamed, so with slow internet you have to use that buffer and be prepared to wait? (which, effectively, ties up the Apple TV, as you can't do anything else with it unless you want to interrupt the buffer and start it all over again).

Have I got that right?
 
2

2010mini

macrumors 601
Jun 19, 2013
4,698
4,806
zen said:
So, we are moving house to an area with slow (2mbps) internet. We use the Apple TV quite a lot, as with our current 70mbps broadband we never get any buffering.

So with slow internet, how does the Apple TV 3 fair? I know it has an 8GB buffer rather than internal storage, so if we say wanted to rent an HD movie, would it be a question of setting it to "play", then pausing and waiting for a few hours for it to download? There is no "download" option, is there? As in, everything is streamed, so with slow internet you have to use that buffer and be prepared to wait? (which, effectively, ties up the Apple TV, as you can't do anything else with it unless you want to interrupt the buffer and start it all over again).

Have I got that right?
Click to expand...


You can download a rental to itunes and then stream to Apple TV.

2MB?!?? Wow......
 
zen

zen

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 26, 2003
1,713
472
2010mini said:
You can download a rental to itunes and then stream to Apple TV.

2MB?!?? Wow......
Click to expand...

2 megabit... Whatever the correct abbreviation is :p

Do rentals show up in my computer's movies on the Apple TV? Suppose I could test it before we pack everything up...
 
2

2010mini

macrumors 601
Jun 19, 2013
4,698
4,806
zen said:
2 megabit... Whatever the correct abbreviation is :p

Do rentals show up in my computer's movies on the Apple TV? Suppose I could test it before we pack everything up...
Click to expand...

Yes it will show up in itunes
 
APlotdevice

APlotdevice

macrumors 68040
Sep 3, 2011
3,145
3,861
zen said:
2 megabit... Whatever the correct abbreviation is :p

Do rentals show up in my computer's movies on the Apple TV? Suppose I could test it before we pack everything up...
Click to expand...

Mbit is a common abbreviation.
 
W

westrock2000

macrumors 6502a
Oct 18, 2013
524
22
Looking at a video I just bought from iTunes it lists the bitrates as about 4.5Mb/s for a 720p movie. So if that's true, you would have to buffer for about 60% of the actual length of the movie to be able to start watching it and have no stopping for buffering. But you can also just download and watch later.

Music, you will be able to stream that just fine.

Where you might notice it more is going to be something like Netflix where you will probably be limited to "DVD quality" of 720x480p.
 
Q

QWERTYMac7

macrumors regular
Nov 20, 2012
157
14
I have 1.5 Mb and it takes five hours to download a 720p movie.

We have no issues with iTunes Radio and we do not Netflix...

IMHO it's better to rent a movie with iTunes rather than on the AppleTV - it plays better.

Good luck!

BTW - someone asked the OP where he was moving to...I've no idea, but I live 90 miles North of Yellowstone National Park in case you are wondering.
 
Boyd01

Boyd01

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 21, 2012
7,688
4,570
New Jersey Pine Barrens
I live back in the woods where my only option is Verizon DSL. Just clocked it at 1.8mb/s the other day. :( It's a trade-off I am happy to make to live in a secluded natural location... if network speed were my main priority I would move to the city. Neighbor says that Verizon is bringing FIOS soon, but I am skeptical that they will run it to my house which is about 1000 feet from the road.

I don't even try to use netflix or other streaming on my Apple TV. Have watched Bloomberg and some of the other channels a few times, and they worked better than I expected but they can stall at times.

I have concentrated on building up my iTunes library instead, have been ripping my large DVD collection and downloading things. Currently have almost 500 movies and 400 TV shows on a Mac Mini that I use as an iTunes server. I settle for SD quality when I download movies on iTunes. It takes 2.5 to 3 hours typically.
 
2

2010mini

macrumors 601
Jun 19, 2013
4,698
4,806
Boyd01 said:
I live back in the woods where my only option is Verizon DSL. Just clocked it at 1.8mb/s the other day. :( It's a trade-off I am happy to make to live in a secluded natural location... if network speed were my main priority I would move to the city. Neighbor says that Verizon is bringing FIOS soon, but I am skeptical that they will run it to my house which is about 1000 feet from the road.

I don't even try to use netflix or other streaming on my Apple TV. Have watched Bloomberg and some of the other channels a few times, and they worked better than I expected but they can stall at times.

I have concentrated on building up my iTunes library instead, have been ripping my large DVD collection and downloading things. Currently have almost 500 movies and 400 TV shows on a Mac Mini that I use as an iTunes server. I settle for SD quality when I download movies on iTunes. It takes 2.5 to 3 hours typically.
Click to expand...

If verizon can run a phone line to your home, then they can just as easily run the fibre cable also. Did you ever consider using LTE?
 
Boyd01

Boyd01

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 21, 2012
7,688
4,570
New Jersey Pine Barrens
2010mini said:
If verizon can run a phone line to your home, then they can just as easily run the fibre cable also. Did you ever consider using LTE?
Click to expand...

Home is about 20 years old, electric and phone lines are buried (somewhere). I have no road frontage, property is landlocked and my driveway is a private right-of-way. We will see what happens if they bring FIOS, but they actually contacted my neighbor whose house is on the road and signed him up. They didn't bother contacting me. ;)

LTE would be nice but I can barely get a cell signal at all here on my iPhone 5s. I use an AT&T MicroCell that routes calls over my DSL connection. Anyway, I think there are some limits on LTE usage, aren't there? It is definitely faster than my DSL connection though. :)
 
2

2010mini

macrumors 601
Jun 19, 2013
4,698
4,806
Boyd01 said:
Home is about 20 years old, electric and phone lines are buried (somewhere). I have no road frontage, property is landlocked and my driveway is a private right-of-way. We will see what happens if they bring FIOS, but they actually contacted my neighbor whose house is on the road and signed him up. They didn't bother contacting me. ;)

LTE would be nice but I can barely get a cell signal at all here on my iPhone 5s. I use an AT&T MicroCell that routes calls over my DSL connection. Anyway, I think there are some limits on LTE usage, aren't there? It is definitely faster than my DSL connection though. :)
Click to expand...

I'm sure if you contact them to inquire they can send someone out to you. LTE limits? Only if you have a data cap. There is also satellite broadband which is faster than 2MB. Don't know how affordable it is though.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/homefusion/hf/main.do?&zipRdr=y
 
Last edited:
Boyd01

Boyd01

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 21, 2012
7,688
4,570
New Jersey Pine Barrens
2010mini said:
There is also satellite broadband which is faster than 2MB. Don't know how affordable it is though.
Click to expand...

I had HughesNet satellite here before DSL was available. It was around 2.5mb/s, but the latency was terrible. I would never go with satellite again.

Funny how you seem to want to "sell" me a faster internet connection… you know, there are actually better ways to spend your time. :) I would like something faster if it's available and affordable, but it isn't a big deal. I used to spend hours every day watching cable TV. Haven't done that since 2006 now and I don't miss it.
 
2

2010mini

macrumors 601
Jun 19, 2013
4,698
4,806
Boyd01 said:
I had HughesNet satellite here before DSL was available. It was around 2.5mb/s, but the latency was terrible. I would never go with satellite again.

Funny how you seem to want to "sell" me a faster internet connection… you know, there are actually better ways to spend your time. :) I would like something faster if it's available and affordable, but it isn't a big deal. I used to spend hours every day watching cable TV. Haven't done that since 2006 now and I don't miss it.
Click to expand...

Hahaha,

Good for you. When I emigrated here, I went from 2 tv stations to hundreds. I don't miss the 2. :p
 
zen

zen

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 26, 2003
1,713
472
We are moving from one small village in Cheshire, UK (with fibre broadband) to another small village in Cheshire, UK (with old-fashioned broadband). The local exchange is apparently upgraded for fibre, so it's just a case of waiting for our local box to be done. Hopefully it won't be too long. Until then, it'll be rentals via computer!
 
Julien

Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,835
5,432
Atlanta
zen said:
We are moving from one small village in Cheshire, UK (with fibre broadband) to another small village in Cheshire, UK (with old-fashioned broadband). The local exchange is apparently upgraded for fibre, so it's just a case of waiting for our local box to be done. Hopefully it won't be too long. Until then, it'll be rentals via computer!
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity are you now on DSL (you call "old fashioned broadband") to only get 2mbps download? Hope they get the fiber working soon for you (back to 70mbps?).
 
zen

zen

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 26, 2003
1,713
472
Julien said:
Out of curiosity are you now on DSL (you call "old fashioned broadband") to only get 2mbps download? Hope they get the fiber working soon for you (back to 70mbps?).
Click to expand...

I think it is DSL - we don't move until next Friday. We were on DSL at the current address for about 2 years, then they upgraded the area to fibre and we had that another 2 years. And now we have to move, dammit!
 
Julien

Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,835
5,432
Atlanta
zen said:
I think it is DSL - we don't move until next Friday. We were on DSL at the current address for about 2 years, then they upgraded the area to fibre and we had that another 2 years. And now we have to move, dammit!
Click to expand...

I can empathize. I have 50mbps and my dad has DSL that averages 1mbps to 2mbps. It is so painful when I visit him.

Hopefully you are closer to the switching base (DSLAM). With DSL it's all about how far away you are. If you are close you may get 4mbps to 8mbps. Good luck.
 
betman

betman

macrumors 6502
Jan 15, 2013
272
5
If you take your laptop with you to work or other places then you can download films there in the background via wifi.

I previously lived in a building that wasn't well-connected so I would decide on which films to watch at home but then do the actual download elsewhere. Now I'm on a 500mbps plan (almost went for the 1000mbps one) so everything can be done at home...
 
H

HarryWarden

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2012
608
121
This thread reminds me of how comparably paltry my current 4.5 MB/S plan is. Good news is that my provider is currently upgrading to fiber that will supposedly offer speeds up to 1 TB/Sec. Cannot wait for that to happen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom