We at Webafrica have long since said goodbye to regular, scheduled programming (old school TV).
We stream now.
We stream on Netflix, we stream on Showmax, we stream on Hula, DSTV on Demand, Google Play, Amazon prime, Deezer, Tidal, YouTube, you name it, we’re streaming from it (as long as it’s legal, of course).
In short: we like to stream on-demand movies and series and we like to watch them under the best possible conditions. We also stream our music now, but more about that in the next post.
So, what kind of internet speeds do you need to stream in Standard Definition (SD)? What internet speeds do you need to stream in High Definition (HD)? What line speed do you need to stream in Ultra High Definition (UHD)?
To answer these burning questions we did some research, pooled our collective experience and flick-watching expertise, and this is what we have found:
To stream seamlessly you need at least a 10 Mbps line
- For DVD quality (standard definition viewing) you will need an 8 – 10Mbps internet line
- For HD quality, you should go for a line between 10 Mbps – 20Mbps
- For UHD or 3D quality streaming, you should get a line that’s more than 20Mbps
- If you have multiple users (more than 3 or 4 people) streaming in HD (or gaming) you want to look at a 50 Mbps – 200 Mbps Fibre line – depending on how many people are making use of the line at once.
Needless to say, it’s not impossible to stream on lines smaller than 10Mbps. In fact, a number of our Moms and Dads are doing it. The thing to remember is that if you’re using a 5Mbps line to stream, you can’t do anything else online while streaming (like browse the internet). You will also experience lag times while your movie buffers and you could have glitchy sound to video correlation.
It all comes down the entertainment quality you’re looking for.
Please note: All Webafrica deals and packages are subject to change without notification. These include our terms and conditions as it relates to costs and deal/package structures for all of our service providers.
