Got Enough Speed for a Great Streaming Experience?

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Streaming services cost a pretty penny these days, so it’s always a bit of a shock to sign up for a streaming service and find out that your picture just doesn’t look like it should. Maybe it’s lengthy buffering, stalls, or just bad picture quality. Before you blame the streaming service itself and become understandably distressed that you’re not getting what you paid for, it’s always better to make sure your internet speed is up to par first. Your internet speed can greatly affect the quality of your streaming services.

Why Speed Matters

Streaming services like Dish Network each have their own way of doing things, and this will cause some variation in the kind of internet speed you need to get a certain picture quality for viewing. Recommended speeds still have some fluctuation and can go a little over or under depending on which streaming service you use. The basics, though, are easy to remember.

Music: 1-10 Mbps
4K video: 25 Mbps
HD video: 5 Mbps
SD video: 3 Mbps

Much like people who first bought HD TVs only to discover that they were SD if you didn’t buy an HDMI cable and hooked them up properly, finding out that your expensive Netflix program looks straight of out 1992 can be distressing. It’s natural to think maybe something is wrong with Netflix. More likely, something is wrong with your internet speed.

If you don’t have the 25 Mbps internet to pick up on the 4K video experience, your streaming experience will look much plainer than it should. Also, keep in mind that services like Dish TV reviews say don’t automatically deliver the best picture quality. You have to put your settings up to 4K before you’ll see that content in all its splendor. Once you’ve verified that your settings are accurate, confirm that your viewing experience doesn’t seem to be as pleasant as you’d like.

How to Resolve the Issue

If internet speed is getting your streaming service – and you – down, then it’s time to take some action. Most folks have two approaches to solving the “not enough bandwidth” issue. If you have a 25 Mbps internet plan or higher, then there might be a problem with the actual equipment you’re using. A tech support agent from your ISP can verify that your router or modem is functioning properly. If they are, and your internet plan is comfortably over the speeds you need for a good streaming experience, then you might want to contact both your ISP and Netflix to see what’s going on.

For some people, they will restart their router to make their wireless internet connection faster or they would get an upgrade for a faster internet plan. Just because you have a 25 Mbps plan doesn’t mean that the entire amount is going to your streaming experience. If there are five phones, two tablets, a laptop, and three video game consoles in a household, 25 Mbps plans aren’t going to work. You’re going to need to upgrade the plan you have with your ISP to something in the 100 Mbps or over range. The more devices in your household, the more likely it is you’re going to need big internet speed plans to handle data.

Read This Also: Pay Less Money on Streaming Services This Year

Time to Binge Watch

If you use these few helpful tips to solve your streaming quality issues, then it’s onto the fun part: binging your favorite shows in full 4K or at least HD (depending on your preferences). The cost of the full online streaming package can be a hefty one to pay, so it’s very wise to meet your recommended internet speeds if you’d like to enjoy your shows the way they’re meant to look. No one loves an eternal buffering screen or a bad picture on what should be a 4K device. Getting a faster internet plan will often resolve these problems entirely, leaving you free to binge-watch.