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How do I watch Video available on Amazon Prime over a slow DSL line?

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MikeMl

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My DSL speed is only about 750Kbaud. I could do a slow download after hours.

What box do I use to buffer a download until I get around to watching it?

I have an a Samsung Smart TV (wifi input, USB stick input), old XP Dell computer (no HDMI, have USB 2.0, DVD writer, but with not much disk space), a DSL modem (with a WiFi channel, or spare RJ45 ports).

Can I use the computer to receive the download, write the download to a big USB stick, sneaker-net the USB stick over to the TV? Does the Digital Rights Crap preclude this?

Alternatively, can I use the computer to receive the download, writing it to DVD, then hand carry the DVD to a DVD player connected to the TV?
 
My .... speed is only about 750Kbaud.
Wow there was a time, where in my wildest dreams, I could not think of a number that fast.

In my 1meg days: I had troubles watching on my computer. (speed problems) So I down load to c:\download\ then watch later.
Now I have 10meg/2meg and the trouble is 5 people all doing something. So some time I down to c: and watch later.
 
Before going with my Kodi (StreamTeam) box I used Graboid you can down load movies and then store them on a USB stick.
Max,
 
Wow there was a time, where in my wildest dreams, I could not think of a number that fast.

In my 1meg days: I had troubles watching on my computer. (speed problems) So I down load to c:\download\ then watch later.
Now I have 10meg/2meg and the trouble is 5 people all doing something. So some time I down to c: and watch later.

How do you download streaming video to your HDD Ron?

spec
 
Get all latest run movies as well as shows and more.
Got it hard wired direct into my provider modem.
Just watching the FX special 'Night Manager'.
Max.
 
The question is, will the provider slow down the HD video stream to allow you to buffer the whole HD movie at a much slower than real-time rate?
 
Thanks to all,

The question is, will the provider slow down the HD video stream to allow you to buffer the whole HD movie at a much slower than real-time rate?

I always assumed that on a low bandwidth line, the problem is how long it takes the packets to get to me; not that the sender can't wait around to send a new packet?

Are you saying that the packets have to leave the sender at a fixed rate more often than they can be delivered on a slow line?
 
Audio and Video streaming use UDP packets. They are not guaranteed to even reach the receiver, but will be in order.

TCP/IP packets are. TCP/IP packets can be received out of order. Not so with UDP.
 
In the last 20 years I have migrated from ISP based newsgroups using Newsbin or similar , then from Down folder "send to" VLC. Then I switched to free then paid Graboid which also scrapes using Newsbin and hosts via a simpler interface.

I no longer have monthly fees for phone local & continental free LD, TV or movies and use Kodi Pulse version on Android 2/8 GB , while 1/8 GB is inadequate for most bloated Kodi builds but works great with just a few great addons like TurksUK, Exodus with trakt.tv free registration and Primewire.

It is important to choose an ISP with unlimited DL at least cost. In Eastern Canada, I have used ACANAC over ADSL and now over cable with lower rates than the carrier.

I also have a rooftop OTA antenna with a router connected 2 channel HDhomeRun digital tuner and WMC windows PVR player for local content.

Some Kodi addons use internal torrent engines for movie streams up to 1080p, while other sites use .mp4 files which can be streamed with VLC and a large custom buffer under file> open network stream> advanced> choose time> play?

with only 750k BW you won't be able to stream HD or even SD , but you can DL then play later, using save as in browser or better, use Kodi to DL and play if you can navigate complex menus ok and learn the , after practise, simple procedure
 
...............
I always assumed that on a low bandwidth line, the problem is how long it takes the packets to get to me; not that the sender can't wait around to send a new packet?

Are you saying that the packets have to leave the sender at a fixed rate more often than they can be delivered on a slow line?
On second thought, that probably won't be a problem. I would think the sender would wait as long as needed to send each packet.
 
image.jpeg
image.jpeg
On second thought, that probably won't be a problem. I would think the sender would wait as long as needed to send each packet.

Every gateway has flow control. Receiver, can demand data when local cache is not full, and network routers supply best path to meet demand if not capped by source or ISP. You weak link is the ISP service level of only 750kB/s.

My question is why only 750kbaud/s ?

or is that 750kB/s=6Mb/s which is certainly fast enough for 720p quality video

What does https://www.speedtest.net say?

On my iPad I also have a java hosted Cloud-based browser which can access at much faster speeds then converts to my screen resolution and streams it faster.

This screenshot uses your local ISP test link on Puffin browser on my iPad on a 30/3 [Mb/s] cable connection, but tests on Puffin cloud browser at 90/29 Mbps. My ISP has an affordable plan with no limits on data.
 
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I live in a rural area, where there are not many options for Internet connectivity. CenturyLink (ex QWest) is the provider. The central office is >20 mi away, in which case they have to go through at least two repeaters. AFAIK, each repeater halves the effective rate. If I lived in town I could get ~2.5Mb, but out here Speedtest shows less than 700kb....
 
My DSL speed is only about 750Kbaud. I could do a slow download after hours.

What box do I use to buffer a download until I get around to watching it?

I have an a Samsung Smart TV (wifi input, USB stick input), old XP Dell computer (no HDMI, have USB 2.0, DVD writer, but with not much disk space), a DSL modem (with a WiFi channel, or spare RJ45 ports).

Can I use the computer to receive the download, write the download to a big USB stick, sneaker-net the USB stick over to the TV? Does the Digital Rights Crap preclude this?

Alternatively, can I use the computer to receive the download, writing it to DVD, then hand carry the DVD to a DVD player connected to the TV?

I'm not clear on what you're asking. Are you asking about buffering from typical streaming content providers like Netflix/Hulu/Amazon and downloading the buffered content to storage media? If so, then I am not aware of there being any option to do this. In my experience, these streaming providers only stream, and the DMCA ("digital rights crap") prevents you from doing this. They take every possible measure to ensure that their streamed content is never saved on any media. Even with a satellite set top DVR like the one I have, I can record live TV and it is stored on my DVR HDD even if I set the satellite on fire, but I can never move those video files off the DVR HDD. When your connection is slow, they decrease resolution to maintain throughput. If it slows down to the point that recognizable image cannot even be transmitted, it pauses and buffers, but only a few seconds. I don't think you can buffer a whole movie; when I tried in the past, it would only buffer a few minutes and then stop buffering. You must press play before it starts to buffer more. It was maddening when I had a slow connection. I had to watch a few minutes at a time, taking snack breaks in between. I still haven't got all the weight off.

Your remaining options (torrents, already discussed) are of questionable legality at best, most often downright illegal. If that's something that bothers you then as far as I know all you can do is head to Walmart and stock up on DVDs
 
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