Comments on: Usability of Streaming Video Interfaces http://dangreenblatt.com/blog/2009/01/12/streaming-video-interfaces/ :: lost at the intersection of technology, design and user experience Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:49:00 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Dan http://dangreenblatt.com/blog/2009/01/12/streaming-video-interfaces/comment-page-1/#comment-11147 Dan Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:19:21 +0000 http://dangreenblatt.com/blog/?p=322#comment-11147 Hi Brian - I lived in an apartment building with a shared trunk (I don't remember what my speed was), so my network connectivity really fluctuated at different times of the day - it was worst at night when everyone got home from work and was presumably surfing the web, etc. I would say that, for the most part, Netflix streaming was not reliable -- but I don't know if this was a factor of the service or my connectivity. There were times when it would take about an hour just to buffer enough to be able to smoothly start playing a movie. If I knocked it down all the way to the lowest quality, it would work ok, but that was actually pretty poor quality, affected the viewing of the show, IMHO. I would say that you should sign up for a month - you can probably even get 30 days free trial - and see how it works out for you. Hi Brian -
I lived in an apartment building with a shared trunk (I don’t remember what my speed was), so my network connectivity really fluctuated at different times of the day – it was worst at night when everyone got home from work and was presumably surfing the web, etc. I would say that, for the most part, Netflix streaming was not reliable — but I don’t know if this was a factor of the service or my connectivity. There were times when it would take about an hour just to buffer enough to be able to smoothly start playing a movie. If I knocked it down all the way to the lowest quality, it would work ok, but that was actually pretty poor quality, affected the viewing of the show, IMHO. I would say that you should sign up for a month – you can probably even get 30 days free trial – and see how it works out for you.

]]> By: Brian Wimberly http://dangreenblatt.com/blog/2009/01/12/streaming-video-interfaces/comment-page-1/#comment-11126 Brian Wimberly Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:55:07 +0000 http://dangreenblatt.com/blog/?p=322#comment-11126 I read this post with interest, because I live in a part of rural Connecticut where my only high-speed internet options are (a) overpriced cable modem (Comcast) and (b) basic DSL (AT&T). I don't watch enough TV to justify (a), so about a year ago I dumped Comcast and signed up for basic DSL. Unfortunately, AT&T can't tune my DSL speed even to their guaranteed minimum speed: I usually measure only ca 200-300 kbps. This has meant that Hulu and other sources of free streaming TV and movies (e.g. PBS) are often unwatchable, or barely watchable, even with manual pausing. So, for some time I have been wondering whether there is a free source of TV and movie content that does a better job of buffering than Hulu does, so that it's watchable with such a slow connection. How fast is your connection? Any idea which of these options would be best for my speeds of 200-300 kbps? Or has anything changed since January? If Netflix would work well at my speed I might be willing to pay $8/month for it. Thanks for any advice, Brian I read this post with interest, because I live in a part of rural Connecticut where my only high-speed internet options are (a) overpriced cable modem (Comcast) and (b) basic DSL (AT&T). I don’t watch enough TV to justify (a), so about a year ago I dumped Comcast and signed up for basic DSL. Unfortunately, AT&T can’t tune my DSL speed even to their guaranteed minimum speed: I usually measure only ca 200-300 kbps. This has meant that Hulu and other sources of free streaming TV and movies (e.g. PBS) are often unwatchable, or barely watchable, even with manual pausing.

So, for some time I have been wondering whether there is a free source of TV and movie content that does a better job of buffering than Hulu does, so that it’s watchable with such a slow connection.

How fast is your connection? Any idea which of these options would be best for my speeds of 200-300 kbps?

Or has anything changed since January?

If Netflix would work well at my speed I might be willing to pay $8/month for it.

Thanks for any advice,

Brian

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