Hard wire vs wifi for on demand TV

**MyLittleStudPony** · 31-12-12, 13:38

I'm looking at replacing Sky. I'm probably going for Freesat. A lot of the boxes can supply on demand TV (iPlayer etc) as well.

They all seem to use a hard wire (ethernet) connection. You can use a USB dongle to connect using home wifi.

Will wifi be fast / reliable enough or will hard wired be noticably better?

**wheelnut** · 31-12-12, 13:41

If the router is close to the TV then hard wire. If it's not close to the tv I would favour homeplugs over wifi.

Use wifi where it's of benefit, ie devices that move around. Hard wiring a device is always best if it's something that doesn't get moved about.

**Savio Du Funk** · 31-12-12, 13:41

Wireless is considerable less stable. I have ethernet jacked in to my lounge media setup with wireless coming from the hub to 4 other sets. 120mb line and all 5 tvs can cope no problem, however the wireless tvs have more connection:hanging issues.

**jimbojetset** · 31-12-12, 13:42

Depends how fast your download speed is, and how far from your router your telly will be, amongst other things, but if you have a decent download speed, and are not through too many walls from your router, it should be ok.
I have virginmedia Internet, and my measly 120mb download speed and n+ router seem to just about cope!!!

**BananaMan** · 31-12-12, 13:45

We have wifi, and ethernet over power cables, and something else that I can't even remember or understand.

And SkyPlus, AppleTV, and we've had Netflix etc. May even still have it, I'm not sure.

Every few months or so, my Civil Partner tells me he's linking up some of our fifteen or so devices in some kind of slightly different but utterly amazing way ...

Very, very occasionally I notice improvements in sound or picture quality, or internet response times etc.

It's like I've passed into some kind of alien future

**MyLittleStudPony** · 31-12-12, 16:04

Cheers lads.

There's a phone socket where the TV goes so I can put the router there. Some of the wires going into the phone socket (female) are not connected but I guess it can't be too hard to remedy that.

**Daytona Paul** · 31-12-12, 16:26

I was thinking of getting some form of on demand tv but my Internet connection averages around 6.5 Mbps is that fast enough?

Living in Rural Suffolk I can't see it changing anytime soon even though the exchange is only just across the road.

**Superhero Tony** · 31-12-12, 17:22

Originally Posted by Daytona Paul

I was thinking of getting some form of on demand tv but my Internet connection averages around 6.5 Mbps is that fast enough?

Living in Rural Suffolk I can't see it changing anytime soon even though the exchange is only just across the road.

my average dl speed is about 6mb. I stream regularly from netflix and other Internet sources. Should be ok.

**mrlongbeard** · 31-12-12, 18:22

Originally Posted by Daytona Paul

I was thinking of getting some form of on demand tv but my Internet connection averages around 6.5 Mbps is that fast enough?

Living in Rural Suffolk I can't see it changing anytime soon even though the exchange is only just across the road.

It'll be right;
BBC iPlayer - Check your connection speed