How To Improve International Bandwidth

[Hog Head]

I am trying to dump True and watch TV on the internet but the problem is poor and/or inconsistent speeds to the USA.

I am on TOT at an alleged 7Mbs, however an international bandwidth test has this ranging from .47 to 3.5. The Roko internet TV box needs 1.5

Is there any way to get better or more importantly more consistent international internet speeds, such as using a proxy sever in a country like Singapore that should have a bigger pipe to the USA

[negreanu]

not really. you could try unotelly singapore or HK server - but won't assist that much.

[Chicog]

Yep, sadly the 7Mb is only to your ISP, after that you're in the mix with the rest of the plebs. Add to that overuse of satellite connections and the abnormal amount of solar activity at the moment, and you're guaranteed to have a crap connection.

[Pib]

The low international bandwidth/speed can indeed a problem even if on a high speed plan of say 20Mb or more where a person's international speed may be better than a person say on a 7Mb. And with streaming video a "consistent, steady" data flow is needed. Say a streaming video service needs a 1Mb flow and you do a speed test that shows you have 1.5Mb download speed...a person might think the streaming video should work fine, but instead there is a lot of pausing and maybe even disconnects.

The problem is that 1.5Mb result on the speedtest is an "average" of the speeds measured over X-seconds...if a person uses a speedtester like speedtest.net which will also give a graphical indication of the speed a person may see a lot of peak-and-valleys, stop-and-go (say jumping around well below and above 1.5Mb) versus a fairly flat/even data flow hanging pretty close to 1.5Mb. Streaming/live video just won't work a durn without consistent/smooth data flow. When I was on the TOT 4Mb and 6Mb ADSL plans I couldn't get streaming video to work worth a durn....I just had too much pausing due to the stop and go data flow; when I switched to my current True DOCSIS/cable 20Mb plan the great, great majority of my streaming video problems went away. Now, I don't get anything close to 20Mb speed to the U.S./Europe, but I do get international speeds in the 3-6Mb ballpark and this international bandwidth is smooth enough to make streaming video work just fine the great majority of the time.

[Chicog]

It also helps if you can buffer a big chunk before you start playing, which compensates for the occasional blip, but that is application/device specific.

[muratremix]

Watching internet tv in Thailand is a big waste of limited internet rrsources. if you are a tv guy (British, American) get a decent sateliite package.

[TheMysteriousMrTesla]

Watching internet tv in Thailand is a big waste of limited internet rrsources. if you are a tv guy (British, American) get a decent sateliite package.

Many of us, both American and British, would be really happy to subscribe to a 'decent' satellite package.

Perhaps you could enlighten us from which broadcast company such is available.

[jsat]

Watching internet tv in Thailand is a big waste of limited internet rrsources. if you are a tv guy (British, American) get a decent sateliite package.

Many of us, both American and British, would be really happy to subscribe to a 'decent' satellite package.

Perhaps you could enlighten us from which broadcast company such is available.

You can do some research here http://jsat.tv/satellite.html

[chiang mai]

I've got the 3BB 10MB ADSL package that always speedtests at 10MB, watching UKTV is never a problem. The op needs to switch vendors and get away from 3G in Thailand.

[Pib]

I've got the 3BB 10MB ADSL package that always speedtests at 10MB, watching UKTV is never a problem. The op needs to switch vendors and get away from 3G in Thailand.

Most packages sold in Thailand regardless of which ISP and speed package...that is, TOT 10Mb, 3BB 10Mb, True 10Mb, etc., will speedtest at 10Mb to "in-Thailand" servers. It's the international speed that the problem. Now if your speedtest results to UK/international servers has been giving you results of 10Mb along with "low ping times" say in the 15ms to 75ms ballpark those are bogus results. That speedtest result is caused by an "in-Thailand" cache server...the speedtest was really just to that in-Thailand server although it looked like it was to the UK/international server. Heck, on my True 20Mb/2Mb plan I can get 20Mb download speeds to most every speedtest server on Earth along with 15ms ping times which violates some laws of physics like the speed of light; unfortunately, they are bogus results. My 15ms ping times makes it look like that far off server is right here in Bangkok; well, it probably is and that is where the speedtest test files are coming from. I can get real world results by turning on a True proxy server which somehow prevents the bogus/skewed speedtest results....it doesn't really slow anything down...it just prevent the bogus results.

Good to hear watching UKTV is not a problem for you....this means you are probably getting good international speed to the UK....probably in the 2-5Mb ballpark....but you are not getting 10Mb (except in bogus/skewed speedtest results).

[Hog Head]

Is there an answer to my OP

[bangkockney]

No HH, your Internet speed is limited to what it is at source - layering anything else on top will just degrade the speed further.

Your only solution is a better int'l rated connection from your ISP (if they exist that is).

[bangkockney]

Your only theoretical solution is to run your own caching server in say Singapore, with the box connected, and then you stream from that, with pre-caching for the viewer managed by software, probably custom built.

Cost greatly outweighs reward IMO.

[chiang mai]

I've got the 3BB 10MB ADSL package that always speedtests at 10MB, watching UKTV is never a problem. The op needs to switch vendors and get away from 3G in Thailand.

Most packages sold in Thailand regardless of which ISP and speed package...that is, TOT 10Mb, 3BB 10Mb, True 10Mb, etc., will speedtest at 10Mb to "in-Thailand" servers. It's the international speed that the problem. Now if your speedtest results to UK/international servers has been giving you results of 10Mb along with "low ping times" say in the 15ms to 75ms ballpark those are bogus results. That speedtest result is caused by an "in-Thailand" cache server...the speedtest was really just to that in-Thailand server although it looked like it was to the UK/international server. Heck, on my True 20Mb/2Mb plan I can get 20Mb download speeds to most every speedtest server on Earth along with 15ms ping times which violates some laws of physics like the speed of light; unfortunately, they are bogus results. My 15ms ping times makes it look like that far off server is right here in Bangkok; well, it probably is and that is where the speedtest test files are coming from. I can get real world results by turning on a True proxy server which somehow prevents the bogus/skewed speedtest results....it doesn't really slow anything down...it just prevent the bogus results.

Good to hear watching UKTV is not a problem for you....this means you are probably getting good international speed to the UK....probably in the 2-5Mb ballpark....but you are not getting 10Mb (except in bogus/skewed speedtest results).

If you say so, all I know is that every speedtest site I test against, nationally and interenationally, gives me approximately the same numbers, 9.57 up, 1.0 down and ping typically around 50 or 70ms. But perhaps more interesting is the fact that I can watch UKTV uninterupted whilst downloading multiple torrents at the same time, no matter what I load my PC up with my UKTV link never so much as flickers.

[Pib]

If you say so, all I know is that every speedtest site I test against, nationally and interenationally, gives me approximately the same numbers, 9.57 up, 1.0 down and ping typically around 50 or 70ms. But perhaps more interesting is the fact that I can watch UKTV uninterupted whilst downloading multiple torrents at the same time, no matter what I load my PC up with my UKTV link never so much as flickers.

Exactly as I mentioned in my post...your 50-70ms ping results to any server confirms the bogus results....results are from an in-Thailand cache server and not from that far-off speedtest server you think you are connected to. If you want to try a speedtest that shouldn't be fooled/skewed by local cache servers then give the Microsoft Online Services speedtester to the U.S., Ireland, or Singapore at try at this Link.

Don't feel bad when you speedtest to Ireland only gives you a couple of Mb's (or less) and a valid ping time around 300-400ms. Glad your connection to UKTV works good for you; just don't want you to believe your are getting 10Mb speed all over the world....but you are definitely getting enough (probably a couple of MBs) to make the UKTV work OK...many people are not that lucky. Tons of posts on ThaiVisa about bogus/skewed speedtest results from various speedtesting programs/sites.

Additionally, torrent software/download managers use multistream/threaded operations where you can many times max out your internet plan...but live streaming video and speedtesters (or common browsing) is single stream/threaded operations. I too on my 20Mb plan can many times get 20Mb (2.5MB) download speeds when using a download manager...but I don't do much file/torrent downloading....just basic browsing and some video streaming. Just the way different internet operations/downloads work.

[bangkockney]

C M, ping a UK or US server from the command line and see for yourself what a real int'l ping should be from your location.

[JSixpack]

Seems to me I recall some members reporting better results using 2 providers and a load balancing router.

[HardenedSoul]

If you say so, all I know is that every speedtest site I test against, nationally and interenationally, gives me approximately the same numbers, 9.57 up, 1.0 down and ping typically around 50 or 70ms. But perhaps more interesting is the fact that I can watch UKTV uninterupted whilst downloading multiple torrents at the same time, no matter what I load my PC up with my UKTV link never so much as flickers.

Exactly as I mentioned in my post...your 50-70ms ping results to any server confirms the bogus results....results are from an in-Thailand cache server and not from that far-off speedtest server you think you are connected to. If you want to try a speedtest that shouldn't be fooled/skewed by local cache servers then give the Microsoft Online Services speedtester to the U.S., Ireland, or Singapore at try at this Link.

Don't feel bad when you speedtest to Ireland only gives you a couple of Mb's (or less) and a valid ping time around 300-400ms. Glad your connection to UKTV works good for you; just don't want you to believe your are getting 10Mb speed all over the world....but you are definitely getting enough (probably a couple of MBs) to make the UKTV work OK...many people are not that lucky. Tons of posts on ThaiVisa about bogus/skewed speedtest results from various speedtesting programs/sites.

Additionally, torrent software/download managers use multistream/threaded operations where you can many times max out your internet plan...but live streaming video and speedtesters (or common browsing) is single stream/threaded operations. I too on my 20Mb plan can many times get 20Mb (2.5MB) download speeds when using a download manager...but I don't do much file/torrent downloading....just basic browsing and some video streaming. Just the way different internet operations/downloads work.

I've never watched UKTV but I do have a subscription to ThaiExpat TV. The transmission never skips or buffers because ThaiExpat TV's servers are actually in Thailand. One only needs a 2Mb connection to watch their streams.

There is a delay of anything up to 5 or 6 minutes when watching "live" TV as evidenced by BBC News at 1 or 6pm actually starting at 5 or 6 minutes past the hour when watched in Thailand.

My point is that, if UKTV have their servers in Thailand too, CM is probably only using 1.5 to 2Mb of his line's capacity to watch his "live" stream.

Of course, it's not completely beyond the realms of possibility that, upon contemplating the prestige associated with Chiang Mai's custom, his ISP promptly laid an international pipeline to the rest of the world for his exclusive use.

[muratremix]

Watching internet tv in Thailand is a big waste of limited internet rrsources. if you are a tv guy (British, American) get a decent sateliite package.

Many of us, both American and British, would be really happy to subscribe to a 'decent' satellite package.

Perhaps you could enlighten us from which broadcast company such is available.

i dont watch tv at all so i cant answer your question. However, i download tv shows and watch on tv without any problem. Better to select what you watch instead of sit and wait in front of tv for all day waiting for something decent.

[HardenedSoul]

Watching internet tv in Thailand is a big waste of limited internet rrsources. if you are a tv guy (British, American) get a decent sateliite package.

Many of us, both American and British, would be really happy to subscribe to a 'decent' satellite package.

Perhaps you could enlighten us from which broadcast company such is available.

i dont watch tv at all so i cant answer your question. However, i download tv shows and watch on tv without any problem. Better to select what you watch instead of sit and wait in front of tv for all day waiting for something decent.

Who sits in front of a TV waiting for something decent? Don't most people just do something else until their favourite show comes on?

[chiang mai]

The discussion seems to have changed from the OP who has a really poor connection and wants to watch internet based TV, to, moi who has a decent connection who does watch intenet TV sucessfully - the question is now whether CM really does have a genuine 10MB connection, or as one stretcher of the limits infers, a very special and dedicated wide pipe all of his own! R

I don't know and don't care whether the 10BB service I bought is indeed a true 10MB or whether its some other number, 10MB from 3BB is what the OP needs to get if he wants to do what he says at the outset, the rest of it, just chatter and irrelevant and largely like counting angels on the head of a pin.

BTW the microsoft test link provided shows a download speed of 5.64MB, I didn't pay much attention to the other figures. So, I'll write to 3BB and suggest they rename their 10MB offering to 5.64MB so that everything matches and everyone's happy!

[Hog Head]

No CAT, True, BBB, or anything but crappy TOT here in Green Valley Golf Course, Chiangmai. BBB is nearby and I even offered to pay to run a new line to my house but no can do for some mysterious reason.

Seems that I am knackered

[chiang mai]

No CAT, True, BBB, or anything but crappy TOT here in Green Valley Golf Course, Chiangmai. BBB is nearby and I even offered to pay to run a new line to my house but no can do for some mysterious reason.

Seems that I am knackered

That's a bummer, we had a similar situation here a few years ago but then they all started to build out their networks pretty rapidly, I would guess it wont be too long before yoy start to have choices.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The problem is that 1.5Mb result on the speedtest is an "average" of the speeds measured over X-seconds...if a person uses a speedtester like speedtest.net which will also give a graphical indication of the speed a person may see a lot of peak-and-valleys, stop-and-go (say jumping around well below and above 1.5Mb) versus a fairly flat/even data flow hanging pretty close to 1.5Mb. Streaming/live video just won't work a durn without consistent/smooth data flow. When I was on the TOT 4Mb and 6Mb ADSL plans I couldn't get streaming video to work worth a durn....I just had too much pausing due to the stop and go data flow; when I switched to my current True DOCSIS/cable 20Mb plan the great, great majority of my streaming video problems went away. Now, I don't get anything close to 20Mb speed to the U.S./Europe, but I do get international speeds in the 3-6Mb ballpark and this international bandwidth is smooth enough to make streaming video work just fine the great majority of the time.

Pib, I don't agree with part of what you say above, specifically, the notion that an Internet data stream has to be stable and steady in order to support video streaming... It certainly would be better to have that kind of connection, no doubt. But most of the commercial video streaming providers have provisions for buffering their content to the player, meaning it has some tolerance for the ups and downs of Internet connection speeds. In the case of your former TOT connection, I suspect it was simply that your overall speed wasn't fast enough, not that the speed rates bounced up and down.

Rather, it's only when the sustained/average speed gets too low that the video streaming becomes unworkable. Right now, we both have similar True cable internet services... And if you look at the live monitoring of those data connections for video streaming from outside Thailand such as from the U.S., you'll see the speed rates bouncing up and down, second by second, all the time. But as long as the average/sustained speeds are sufficient, video streaming will play fine.

In the end, it all does depend on what kind of video streaming service/app one is trying to use. Many services have either automatic or manual settings that will adjust the quality of the video stream to match with either higher or lower speed Internet connections. With services like Netflix and NFL Game Rewind, you can get perfectly fine, uninterrupted streaming video with an Internet connection that's running at a sustained/average rate of about 400 Kbps. If your average rate is higher, then the player will adjust and deliver a higher quality video stream to make use of that available bandwidth.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

To the OP, do you have any 3G service with an aircard available in your locale?

If your land-line based Internet it bad, 3G might be an alternative...but the 3G plans often have data caps and probably are more expensive than their landline counterparts.

[Pib]

The problem is that 1.5Mb result on the speedtest is an "average" of the speeds measured over X-seconds...if a person uses a speedtester like speedtest.net which will also give a graphical indication of the speed a person may see a lot of peak-and-valleys, stop-and-go (say jumping around well below and above 1.5Mb) versus a fairly flat/even data flow hanging pretty close to 1.5Mb. Streaming/live video just won't work a durn without consistent/smooth data flow. When I was on the TOT 4Mb and 6Mb ADSL plans I couldn't get streaming video to work worth a durn....I just had too much pausing due to the stop and go data flow; when I switched to my current True DOCSIS/cable 20Mb plan the great, great majority of my streaming video problems went away. Now, I don't get anything close to 20Mb speed to the U.S./Europe, but I do get international speeds in the 3-6Mb ballpark and this international bandwidth is smooth enough to make streaming video work just fine the great majority of the time.

Pib, I don't agree with part of what you say above, specifically, the notion that an Internet data stream has to be stable and steady in order to support video streaming... It certainly would be better to have that kind of connection, no doubt. But most of the commercial video streaming providers have provisions for buffering their content to the player, meaning it has some tolerance for the ups and downs of Internet connection speeds. In the case of your former TOT connection, I suspect it was simply that your overall speed wasn't fast enough, not that the speed rates bounced up and down.

Rather, it's only when the sustained/average speed gets too low that the video streaming becomes unworkable. Right now, we both have similar True cable internet services... And if you look at the live monitoring of those data connections for video streaming from outside Thailand such as from the U.S., you'll see the speed rates bouncing up and down, second by second, all the time. But as long as the average/sustained speeds are sufficient, video streaming will play fine.

In the end, it all does depend on what kind of video streaming service/app one is trying to use. Many services have either automatic or manual settings that will adjust the quality of the video stream to match with either higher or lower speed Internet connections. With services like Netflix and NFL Game Rewind, you can get perfectly fine, uninterrupted streaming video with an Internet connection that's running at a sustained/average rate of about 400 Kbps. If your average rate is higher, then the player will adjust and deliver a higher quality video stream to make use of that available bandwidth.

My steady I mean it don't drop too low or even to zero for X-milliseconds. When I was on TOT and JINET ADSL at 4Mb and 6Mb speeds I would use a bandwidth monitor which gave a visual display of the data flow and many times the data flow looked like a roller coaster that went straight down almost to the ground and then straight up...then kinda flatten out for X-milliseconds...then a big drop...then a big surge up. I guess by steady I mean you don't have these BIG swings although you might still see significant swings but you don't see the BIG swings with some going to zero or close to zero speed..

When I switched to DOCSIS 20Mb and now 14Mb I don't see those swings that go to zero or near zero for X-milliseconds...it's like I always have a "floor speed" good enough for streaming video, but I do see healthy spikes from a floor/mid point speed...it's those swings downward to zero/or close to zero speed for X-millisecnds that can really hurts streaming video....causes pauses...disconnects.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Yes, I too can monitor my streaming speeds in real time. And with True's 14 Mbps cable, I'll still see those "roller coaster" type spikes up and down... and sometimes see the download stream fall briefly to the tens of kbps...before surging back upward. I've always seem that same kind of pattern with international connections via True here in Thailand, both with DSL and cable.

In my experience, even with those kinds of dips, provided they're brief, the streaming will continue intact -- provided that the overall and average running speeds are sufficient with the player's buffering to avoid a stall.

[tinfoilhat]

Watching internet tv in Thailand is a big waste of limited internet rrsources. if you are a tv guy (British, American) get a decent sateliite package.

Many of us, both American and British, would be really happy to subscribe to a 'decent' satellite package.

Perhaps you could enlighten us from which broadcast company such is available.

i dont watch tv at all so i cant answer your question. However, i download tv shows and watch on tv without any problem. Better to select what you watch instead of sit and wait in front of tv for all day waiting for something decent.

Who sits in front of a TV waiting for something decent? Don't most people just do something else until their favourite show comes on?

or download their favourite show and watch when it suits them?

I dont have any trouble with hulu on tunlr, but tunlr doesnt do iplayer.

Also, i cant be bothered, i would rather watch full quality video and sound