Forum Discussion

BirdDog's avatar
BirdDog
Assistant Professor
7 years ago

Satellite capacity, video streaming and other meanderings

OK, did some simple math here, please correct me if I made any errors.

 

1. Echostar 19 has been advertised as having "up to" 220 Gbps throughput: http://spacenews.com/atlas-5-launches-echostar-19/

 

2. Netflix says 5 Mbps is needed for HD streaming: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/306

 

3. So, divide 220 Gbps by 5 Mbps and you get the max user capacity at that speed which equals 44,000 customers. 

 

4. In my feeble mind that says if 44,000 customers are trying to stream video at HD, at the same time of night, the satellite throughput is already maxed out.

 

I realise there is compression and other things being used but still, 44,000 or even 50,000 doesn't seem like that many users to send things over the edge when talking a half million users at least on each of  the Echostar 17 & 19 satellites.

 

Please tell me if my math or logic is off. Point I'm trying to make is people who think they are an island streaming at the higher definitions are affecting the entire ocean.

streaming
Video
  • MarkJFine's avatar
    MarkJFine
    Professor
    7 years ago

    Your math seems right, but let's say for the benefit of doubt that most people aren't doing HD (really a worst case scenario) and there's a 4:1 requirement for HD-to-SD.

    That would make the requirement for SD 1.25Mbps: 220,000/1.25 = 176,000 simultaneous streamers.

    Now let's split that amongst 95 beams: 176,000/95 = only 1,853 (rounded) needed to max each beam, give or take.

    Makes it seem like the initial assumption that a pileup of cord-cutters might be causing the congestion is more and more plausible.

     

    Edit: Also seems to make sense that it initially seemed to be worse around Sun/Mon/Thus Night Football and on Sat/Sun day games, so I'd anticipate a pileup of fantasy stuff going on, as well as game streaming.

    • BirdDog's avatar
      BirdDog
      Assistant Professor
      7 years ago

      Agree, we honestly don't stream that much Netflix, especially during prime time, maybe a couple times a week. Then it is in low def as I said before.

       

      I think a lot are trying to do HD at night, then they complain here or the call center when buffering. Satellite and gateways trying to parcel out the bandwidth.

       

      Definitely agree the younger cord cutters, we have OTA TV, trying to keep the better half from making us getting satellite TV....lol.

       

      PS: My math problem was worse case. Really don't think 44,000 trying to stream HD during prime time is that outrageous. Many grew up thinking they flick a switch and it happens. God forbid they do streaming in SD.

  • GabeU's avatar
    GabeU
    Distinguished Professor IV
    7 years ago

    And this is what those 44,000 are doing to me.  :(  

     

     

    Granted, I'm still able to browse and Facebook without issue.  

    • BirdDog's avatar
      BirdDog
      Assistant Professor
      7 years ago
      GabeU wrote:

      And this is what those 44,000 are doing to me.  :(  

       

       

      Granted, I'm still able to browse and Facebook without issue.  

      Things are actually getting better for me on ES 17 Gen 4 since people are bailing to Gen 5 ES 19. Things still get bad on weekends and holidays or big sports nights.

       

      • GabeU's avatar
        GabeU
        Distinguished Professor IV
        7 years ago

        BirdDog,

         

        That kinda makes me wish I would have stuck with what I had.  SMH.  

         

        My folks, who live right across the street, still have Gen4, though I don't know what their speeds are.  Probably pretty good. 

         

        With that said, it's going back up now.  Sub 1Mbps speeds for me are VERY rare.  I've only ever had four sub 1Mbps speed since upgrading to Gen5 at the end of March.  That one was 3rd from the bottom.  

         

        And though I don't know about doing so while having the speed I just did, even when it's in the lower, single digit Mbps range I can still normally watch Youtube vids in 480p without issue.  

         

    • MarkJFine's avatar
      MarkJFine
      Professor
      7 years ago

      Thing is, things like web browsing, email, etc. are bursty in nature. Bursts you can at least handle from more sources because they can be interspersed over time.

      In contrast, streaming with any kind of high resolution is a fairly constant demand of resources over the course of the program, making it have more of an impact. Lower resolutions you at least have a chance to handle bursts that can be buffered to last for a period of time.

      • BirdDog's avatar
        BirdDog
        Assistant Professor
        7 years ago

        I just don't understand streaming HD on capped data. Especially the low satellite data caps. Have been accused of being too logical by the other half.

         

        Honestly fine with lower definition. Maybe my TV interpolates better than others but it looks fine at lower def without HD. I'm talking a 55" TV. Then again it seems us older folks have lower standards when it comes to video quality.

         

        Things change but satellite is still not at total cord cutter level.

    • maratsade's avatar
      maratsade
      Distinguished Professor IV
      7 years ago

      Ditto.  :)

       

       

      Perhaps there should be rotas. ;)

       

       

       

      GabeU wrote:

      And this is what those 44,000 are doing to me.  :(  

       

       

      Granted, I'm still able to browse and Facebook without issue.