Streaming quality A/V

[TankTop5]

Obviously blue ray will currently be your highest quality A/V source, what is the highest quality audio and visual you can get through an ISP? If anyone knows or has an educated guess, what is the expected streaming quality over the next 3-5 years? I stream everything I watch, if I can’t get better than 1080p and 5.1 I can probably get an amazing receiver used rather than pay for bells and whistles I can’t realize a real world benefit out of.


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[GrimSurfer]

You're not getting anything from an ISP other than data. Gigabit service is commonly available. You want more, get T1 or T2 or T3 service. It's just an issue of money and whether your location has the necessary infrastructure to support these services.

Streaming 1080 requires about ~5 MBps. Streaming 4K requires ~25 MBps. These numbers are small considering a Gigabit service is (technically) 1000 MBps.

Now Gigabit service most commonly means that you'll see speeds of up to 1000 MBps. Quality of service determines whether this bandwidth will be available all the time (continuous) or some of the time (peak). Most service providers don't say much about QoS in their sales literature and contracts.

Video drives demand for bandwidth. Audio (or extra audio channels) are very small in comparison.

Content, not bandwidth, seems to be the biggest bottleneck at the moment.

 

[VonMagnum]

I think he wants to know what the highest quality provider there is through the Internet in general, not a question about an ISP.... For instance, iTunes 4K is better than Netflix and probably Vudu as well.

 

[m3incorp]

I would suggest a google search. Only OP knows what streaming services he/she currently has or willing to pay for. If OP is asking if you can get 4K from streamed sources, then the answer is yes. I don't know why the question was asked of what is the expected quality of streamed content in the next 3-5 years. Pretty sure not many here can predict the future. I would guess and say, it will be at least as good as it is now. OP, you can purchase an AVR at a pretty low price point these days, and get many of the bells and whistles. Many only pass-through the video anyway, so that will be left to your TV to upscale to 4K or play 4K native content. These days I would not buy a device that can't pass-through 4K content. Of course, I'm the same person that would not buy a TV that is less than 65", regardless of where I plan to put it.

 

[VonMagnum]

I find it hard to tell 4K iTunes streaming from 4K Blu-Rays on smaller TVs (55-65"). It might be easier to tell at larger screen sizes.

 

[m3incorp]

When 4k first came out, funny how marketing dictated TVs of a large size, but now that 4K is on all sizes, you don't see that marketing anymore. For me, it is just that you can buy a 65" these days at pretty good price points, plus the eyes like not having to strain to read a menu or whatever on screen

 

[TankTop5]

I primarily stream from my Xbox one using Xfinity. As far as I can tell I can only get HD with 7.1 surround. If I wasn’t clear I just bought a receiver that can handle that for $100. I plan to upgrade to an Xbox One X but for now I’ll get surround speakers and a Sub. No point in spending more on equipment that I can’t utilize currently.


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[lovinthehd]

I can't get 4k level service thru my ISP but I'm in the boonies with DSL service. Depends where you are and what services are available to you. In some urban areas you can get service that can handle any streaming needs....