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ISP throttling bandwidth for Apple TV

I'm at my whit's end here... I've been experiencing several hour downloads for movies, and even longer downloads for HD movies. After extensive research, I decided to call my ISP and ask them if they were throttling my bandwidth... they told me that they don't throttle, but they have "filters" which make it fair for all internet users. However, we all know this is throttling - just with a better name.

Anyway, it seems as though there is no way around this... either I switch ISPs (which I can't because DSL is not available where I live yet) or deal with the fact that I can't get movies on my Apple TV (of even TV shows for that matter - they take forever too).

Is there ANYTHING I can do to bypass the throttling? Movies and TV shows download at blazing speeds in iTunes, likely because it is on an HTTP protocol. So why is Apple TV being confused with BitTorrent downloads?

I realize I can just download TV shows in iTunes and sync them to the Apple TV, but this still means that rentals are off the table... and there's nothing I can do about it.

Someone please help me 😟

PowerBook G4 1.5GHz & Apple TV Take 2, Mac OS X (10.5.2), 1GB RAM

Posted on Mar 18, 2008 7:15 AM

Reply
31 replies

Mar 18, 2008 8:17 AM in response to Chenks

if you by
"(which I can't because DSL is not available where I live yet) "

mean you use old analog 56K internet then it dont really matter if they trottle you can only recieve 5Kb/s and hd movies being about 3.0-4.5GB
it would always be an issue even if you were they getting all the bandwidth from the isp

Mar 18, 2008 10:29 AM in response to Tim Meesseman

It is indeed an unfortunate position to be in. All I can suggest is that you manage rentals with your restrictions in mind. Perhaps rather than ordering a movie before you watch, you could order one immediately after watching it, so that it's available the next day or when ever you want to watch it (within 30 days), onc you've watched that one order another immediately afterwards.

I've just changed my service today (well ordered it anyway) my current ISP capped my service at peak times this month because I'd used more than 40 GB of bandwidth the previous month, I wouldn't mind if my usage was unfair but on an 8 Mbps connection if I download for more than 20 minutes per day I hit the 40 GB per month. I wouldn't even mind if you could pay more to raise your limit, but that's not an option.

As it happened it turned out to have been well worth the move. My new service is 16 Mbps, contention ratio of 1:1 with no capping of any kind, best of all this will cost me £ 10.00 per month, my current provider is costing me £ 35.00 per month.

Mar 18, 2008 10:35 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill wrote:
I've just changed my service today (well ordered it anyway) my current ISP capped my service at peak times this month because I'd used more than 40 GB of bandwidth the previous month, I wouldn't mind if my usage was unfair but on an 8 Mbps connection if I download for more than 20 minutes per day I hit the 40 GB per month. I wouldn't even mind if you could pay more to raise your limit, but that's not an option.

As it happened it turned out to have been well worth the move. My new service is 16 Mbps, contention ratio of 1:1 with no capping of any kind, best of all this will cost me £ 10.00 per month, my current provider is costing me £ 35.00 per month.


sky broadband by any chance ? 😀

Mar 18, 2008 10:41 AM in response to Tim Meesseman

TMeesseman wrote:
Is there ANYTHING I can do to bypass the throttling? Movies and TV shows download at blazing speeds in iTunes, likely because it is on an HTTP protocol. So why is Apple TV being confused with BitTorrent downloads?


This statement makes me think something else is up. If it is fast on your computer downloading, it should be the same speed via AppleTV...it is going out the same way/protocol.

What type of WiFi do you have setup. I am thinking the ATV is just not getting the same speed from it (router, airport, etc). For example, I thought I read in some posts here that due to the older airports (before the new ones that just came out) the Apple TV wants a certain type of WiFi (n or what not) and the Airport doesn't support so it downgrades to another standard which has a slower data rate.

More details of your setup can help.

Mar 18, 2008 11:14 AM in response to Winston Churchill

I can only assume you mean 'up to 16Mbps' as it is unlikely you will actually get 16Mbps unless you live right next door to the telephone exchange. Don't fall in to the trap that ISP's in the UK are laying at the moment. All the speeds quoted are UP TO and now way do they guarantee that you will get that speed.

As an example I called a few ISP's about me changing from my Virgin Media Cable service on which I currently get 4Mbps (and I usually do get that speed). I was interested in the 8Mbps or 16Mbps offers that are around especially as they are cheaper than my current supplier.

Guess what? When I ask what speed I might expect to receive from a new ADSL connection they all stated that I would be unlikely to get more than 1.5Mbps due to the distance from the telephone exchange. Now I live in a town centre, not in the country so I was surprised at this.

I have since used a website at http://www.samknows.com/broadband/ it is great and gives you a lot of information about your local exchanges, distances, speeds, etc.

Ian

Mar 18, 2008 11:16 AM in response to DaVBMan

See, I assumed the same thing, so I ran a new coax outlet to my living room JUST so I could put my router next to my TV and plug the Apple TV in via ethernet - and there was no difference at all.

I am using a Linksys router with DD-WRT firmware on it. My laptop is on 802.11g, so if anything, you'd think iTunes would run slower, but nope.

Message was edited by: TMeesseman

Message was edited by: TMeesseman

Mar 18, 2008 11:25 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Also don't for get that Unlimited is not really 'Unlimited' they apply a Fair Use Policy, which has no rules and they can interpret anyway they like. The Sky one is as follows :-

FAIR USAGE POLICY

If you subscribe to a Product that does not have a Usage Cap, our Fair Use Policy (“FUP”) will apply to you and anybody that you allow to use Sky Broadband. Why have a Fair Use Policy?

Sky is committed to ensuring that our systems and network (“Sky Network”) and Sky Broadband are fast, reliable and great value for all of our customers. Our FUP is designed to help us keep that promise to you.

The bandwidth that is available on our network is shared by all customers that are active on the network at a particular point in time.

So, Sky relies on our users being fair and considerate of others in their broadband usage. If one person takes up too much or all the bandwidth, this results in a loss of service quality and speed for other users, and in some cases where one customer’s usage is excessive in the extreme, this can have a long-lasting detrimental effect on the rest of our users and the Sky Network.

Am I going to be affected by the Fair Use Policy?

Our FUP normally has little or no effect on the average broadband user. For example, if you do not excessively use file sharing software (including peer-to-peer) or regularly download very large files, you will most probably never be affected by the policy.

However, if your use of Sky Broadband becomes consistently excessive and has an adverse impact on the Sky Network and/or other users, our FUP enables us to intervene.

How can I manage my usage?

There are a number of ways to manage your usage, however the most effective is to keep your use of file sharing software (including peer-to-peer) and uploading and downloading of very large files reasonable. You should also only the e-mail accounts for e-mail purposes and not, for example, for as a storage facility.

How will I know if my usage is excessive?

Our aim is to provide a fair broadband service to all our customers. Therefore, we think to impose an actual figure on what we consider to be “excessive” use is not necessarily helpful and may penalise users unfairly. What is deemed excessive will be determined by a number of factors including (but not limited to) the length of time which your excessive usage continues for, as well as the amount of bandwidth being used.

If, in our reasonable opinion, you have breached this FUP, we may immediately suspend the relevant email account or we may contact you by email to let you know that your usage is excessive and is affecting the Sky Network and/or other users.

If after we have sent you the first email your usage continues to be excessive, we will contact you again by email to ask you to reduce you usage. If after a reasonable period of time your usage still remains excessive then we may do one or more of the following things by notice in writing:

(a) impose a monthly usage cap on your use of Sky Broadband which you must not exceed;

(b) pair your use of Sky Broadband with other users in the same excessive usage category as you;

(c) charge you fair and reasonable costs for your usage (and any reasonable administration costs);

(d) suspend your use of Sky Broadband for the relevant month;

(e) end your Contract in accordance with Condition 11 of your Contract; or

(f) suspend some or all of your Email Tools.

ISP throttling bandwidth for Apple TV

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