TV Schedule
(Click on any programme title below for full programme and purchase details)
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
Broadband Viewing problems:
If you are able to receive the programme in parts, and then rebuffering happens, then it is likely that the problem is purely one of insufficient bandwidth available to you from your Internet Service Provider. The quoted bandwidth supplied by any provider is only a theoretical maximum, and subject to a variety of influences which will markedly reduce the steady-state download speed deliverable... in particular, you are, on a consumer contract, contending with other users - typically 20:1. So if even a couple of other users, sharing the exchange equipment with you, choose to download at the same time, bandwidth available will drop (for all users). This is particularly apparent with video, (unlike software downloads), as it requires a continuous "pipe" fat enough to sustain the stream. The buffering of Windows Media Player can overcome small drops in the flow, but no more.
Our initial stream promo video runs at 200KBps... then we switch to 400Kbps for the live stream. If you get the initial 55 seconds cleanly, and the stuttering then starts, it's likely that your broadband pipe evidently can only supply something between the two on a steady basis.
ISPs are being more than mildly dishonest (as we and many others have been telling them, as well as the Advertising Standards Authority) in advertising broadband speeds which are not actually supplied, nor even sustainable at a much lower level - yet they say you can watch video etc. Typically, the absolute maximum that can be relied upon is about 0.4 to 0.5 x the speed for which you are contracting!
One thing you might try is to ensure that you shut down all other applications on your PC which might need internet bandwidth - so all other internet browser windows, and also any email applications (they use bandwidth even though no mail is actually delivered).
Otherwise, unfortunately, the only real remedy is either to upgrade your broadband speed (if that is possible), or utilise Sky (the £150 one-off installation/setup of "FreeSat" from Sky provides access to our, and many other, channels).
I hope that perhaps one of these solutions works for you, and that you can enjoy the programmes. fred.perkins@information.tv (Satellite channels 167)