Increasing streaming video buffer

[d2g]

Streaming video is difficult/impossible due to poor internet connection.

Does anyone know a way to increase size of buffer to allow smooth video?

I wouldn't mind starting video and coming back later to watch uninterrupted program.

Recording streaming video to play back later would be better but I assume its more difficult.

Thanks in advance for any advice/assistance.

[KhunBENQ]

It would help, if you could specify which sources/streams you refer in particular.

Many streams can easily be downloaded with tools (download as another word for "recording").

Many but no all, some are really diffucult.

youtube e.g. is trivial.

I use the Firefox browser with an add-on named "DownloadHelper".

It fetches a lot of streams and allows download.

After the download starts: stop viewing the stream/close tab, otherwise amount of data transferred is doubled.

I use this or tools even with my fast internet. Simply more convinient and I can archive the files if I wish so.

But please give examples of what you want to watch.

[ukrules]

What the internet needs is an in browser player which makes multiple simultaneous connections to build the buffer to get around the ISP throttling.

There are programs like the 'free download manager' which do this for static downloadable files but in my opinion it would be a big step forward to build this same functionality into something like the JW Streaming player which is used on so many websites where streaming video is available.

The basic idea has been around for at least a decade yet nobody has written this software for streaming video that I'm aware of. They all appear to make a single connection to the source server and download it at the ISP dictated speed for a single http connection. This is where the fail lies - in the software.

[phazey]

I think Popcorn Time does this - it streams videos, but uses multi peer torrent style connections.

[d2g]

PBS, BBCiplayer and occasionally Hulu are the program sources for streaming video that I try to watch.

Seems there should be a better solution than being forced to use file sharing sites.

The concept of increasing buffer size seems simple to me, hoping someone knows how to do it and willing to explain the procedure.

It would benefit many in the land of poor internet connections.

I would be very appreciative for any assistance.

[KhunBENQ]

? PBS and BBCiplayer are both restricted to be viewed in UK only (officially).

So this means, that you use some kind of tool (VPN, proxy) to bypass.

Could you tell which one?

Now to me its quite clear that not the internet connection as such is the problem, but the tool which limits speed.

[KhunBENQ]

BBCiplayer requires a UK IP address.

I tried with my VPN and it didn't run smooth.

But the video that I watched had a "download" option,

Have you tried that?

PBS org requires a US IP address.

Again tried with my VPN and it ran smooth (but picture quality not too impressive).

But download is not trivial. No idea.

At least for BBCiplayer there should be other threads in the forum.

[d2g]

Zenmate with the Chrome browser is the method I have been trying to use.

BBC downloading is another defective issue by itself.

I will try the suggested downloader app for Firefox.

I will also try another VPN or DNS spoof program.

Thank you for your time and suggestions.