Stream or download films

[Otter Spotter]

Can someone tell me what uses up less Gb streaming or downloading a film to watch later ?

 

[Richard n Ann]

I always download onto a 32gb stick so we can watch while we're away. The files are all different, MKV are usually the smallest size though. The other formats are avi and mp4. Don't know much about streaming

 

[tonka]

Downloading.
Example a 30 min program loaded off Netflix to my tablet take maybe a minute..
My grandkids and myself always download some films and programs onto tablets to watch while away, ready for rainy days or when they go to bed early.

As a very rough rule of thumb if you stream it will take about 1gb of data per hour. So be careful if you have limited data package.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Thanks I think I will be downloading off home WiFi in future

 

[Lenny HB]

Downloading uses less data as with a lot of the services you can chose the quality for the download, Prime for example gives you 3 or 4 diffent resolutions, Netflix 2.
If its for viewing in the van you won't notice the difference on a small screen.

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[kevenh]

Can someone tell me what uses up less Gb streaming or downloading a film to watch later ?

When you stream content it will adapt to a bitrate that your internet & connected device can support. This is called Adaptive bitrate streaming.
So, for smart phones & tablets this will nearly always use less GB than a download of the same content done at home.
There are variables like what download choice you make as outlined by Lenny HB but mostly you'd pic a good quality download format & make the devices' screen be the limitation rather than the internet quality. imo

The question you need to ask is where would you prefer to take the hit on the data needed to watch movies & other programs?
Probably on the home internet for content you expect to watch.

 

[Odd-no-more]

I download from Amazon and Netflix at home I use an old phone , and play it on the tv using a cable. It is possible to download a whole series to watch offline, but turn wifi off before playing

 

[Lenny HB]

There is a quirk/bug with Netflix & Prime downloads is that if Wifi is connected to your device when you play a download it doesn't play the download it streams.

What makes it worse is that you can't connect to Netflix of Prime even to play your downloads without an internet connection. I've not tried it to see if it happens with a hard wired connection, my Android TV box I use hard wired at home but on Wifi in the van.

Two ways around the problem.
1. Open Netflix/Prime with the internet connection turned on, once the app has opened you can turn your Mifi off or disable data on your phone. Then any downloads will then play OK.

2. Open Netflix/Prime with the internet connection turned on, once the app has opened disable Wifi on the device, Android TV box/Firestick/Smart TV etc. Then any downloads will then play OK.
This method allows you to carry on browsing the web as well.

I assume The Ex-Gasman has found this out.

 

[kevenh]

There is a quirk/bug with Netflix & Prime downloads is that if Wifi is connected to your device when you play a download it doesn't play the download it streams.

What makes it worse is that you can't connect to Netflix of Prime even to play your downloads without an internet connection. I've not tried it to see if it happens with a hard wired connection, my Android TV box I use hard wired at home but on Wifi in the van.

Two ways around the problem.
1. Open Netflix/Prime with the internet connection turned on, once the app has opened you can turn your Mifi off or disable data on your phone. Then any downloads will then play OK.

2. Open Netflix/Prime with the internet connection turned on, once the app has opened disable Wifi on the device, Android TV box/Firestick/Smart TV etc. Then any downloads will then play OK.
This method allows you to carry on browsing the web as well.

I assume The Ex-Gasman has found this out.

Prime
Prime playback works as expected when offline for downloads. That's how the kevenh possie have watched media this summer.
I haven't recently checked if having wifi enabled makes it switch to streaming but it did seem to switch to streams earlier this year despite there being offline content.

Netflix
I haven't a subscription going for my Netflix account to test how that works with downloads.

edit: I think I used Prime with the iPad mini 4 but definitely the Fire HD 10 is playing downloads as intended

 

[kevenh]

Prime
<snip>

edit: I think I used Prime with the iPad mini 4 but definitely the Fire HD 10 is playing downloads as intended

OK, I just verified that Prime works offline for downloads on iPad mini 4 (IOS 14.0 (sorry))
There was a popup when I launched the Prime APP about needing to enable "wifi to access data" but I chose "OK" & ignored that.

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[Lenny HB]

OK, I just verified that Prime works offline for downloads on iPad mini 4 (IOS 14.0 (sorry))
There was a popup when I launched the Prime APP about needing to enable "wifi to access data" but I chose "OK" & ignored that.

I use an Android TV box so I don't know how it works on Apple on my box you can't even open the app without a connection.

You can get a 30 day trial of Netflix just with an email address, had loads of trials with them by just using different emails.
Also if you know anyone else with an account you can connect 4 or 5 different devices at the same time. We use my daughters account, interesting she only pays £2 a month in Thailand.

 

[TinaLes]

You guys will know, will it work?
Before I go round the back of the home tele, & pull out wires to test the theory will my VM Tivo digital box, that has loads of stuff downloaded to it, work if I take it out to the van and play via HDMI lead from box to Avtex tele, without being connected to VM broadband.
I bet it wont somehow, but worth a punt on here first
LES

 

[Lenny HB]

You guys will know, will it work?
Before I go round the back of the home tele, & pull out wires to test the theory will my VM Tivo digital box, that has loads of stuff downloaded to it, work if I take it out to the van and play via HDMI lead from box to Avtex tele, without being connected to VM broadband.
I bet it wont somehow, but worth a punt on here first
LES

If it works in the house without the internet connection it will work in the van.

 

[kevenh]

I use an Android TV box so I don't know how it works on Apple on my box you can't even open the app without a connection.

Works OK on Apple OS & Amazon's slim version of the Android OS so looks like you're unlucky & it's not lots of devices that can't work offline for downloaded media.

You can get a 30 day trial of Netflix just with an email address, had loads of trials with them by just using different emails.
Also if you know anyone else with an account you can connect 4 or 5 different devices at the same time. We use my daughters account, interesting she only pays £2 a month in Thailand.

Thanks for the heads up on trials.
I let my Netflix subs lapse after my last free trial.
When there's something on there I can't wait to come to other platforms I may setup a new account but not to test a forum query

 

[Lenny HB]

Works OK on Apple OS & Amazon's slim version of the Android OS so looks like you're unlucky & it's not lots of devices that can't work offline for downloaded media.

Just had a play, Prime now works without an Internet connection but Netflix doesn't.

Come across another problem Prime with now, it will only let you download over Wifi, not with a hardwired ethernet connection. S00o that's screwed me. You wonder where there get the idiots from that configure the apps.

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