Digital technologies are developing rapidly, especially the field of Internet services. Today, almost every person has access to a high-speed Internet network. This allows you to quickly download large files and watch high-definition videos online. Many people are interested in what Internet speed is needed to watch 4K. After all, providers are not always able to organize a connection that would ensure comfortable viewing of such high-quality video.
4K - high resolution that conveys perfectly clear images with the smallest details
Watching videos on the Internet in 4K format: advantages and disadvantages
Video quality is constantly improving. Until recently, the most common resolution was Full HD. However, with the advent of new models of televisions and monitors, video quality began to improve. Nowadays, 4K videos with a resolution of 3840 X 2160 pixels are increasingly found on the Internet.
It is worth noting that to watch such a video you will have to acquire high-speed Internet. You will also need a suitable TV or monitor with high-resolution support. On older models without 4K support, you don’t have to watch such videos, as the differences from FullHD will not be noticeable.
Videos shot in 4K have a number of advantages and disadvantages. The main advantages of such a video include the following:
- Detailed image. One of the main advantages of video in 4K resolution is a clearer picture in which you can easily see even the smallest details. To notice how much clearer everything looks in 4K, such videos need to be watched on a TV with a diagonal of at least 50 inches.
- High frame rate. Videos recorded in 4K can have a frame rate of 120 FPS. This allows for a very smooth image.
- Clear display of dark areas. This is achieved due to the fact that when shooting in 4K, the dynamic range of colors increases significantly. Also thanks to this, the image looks more natural and natural.
- Improved sound. Many people think that 4K videos only improve the picture, but this is not true. The changes also affected audio. Such videos have higher quality sound due to multi-channel support.
High frame rate is one of the main advantages of 4K videos
Despite all the above advantages, 4K videos also have disadvantages. The main disadvantage is that to view them online you will need a high-speed Internet connection. Not everyone has the opportunity to connect to such Internet.
Another drawback is the high requirements for playing equipment. The fact is that not all TVs now support 4K. Only top models with Smart TV will be able to demonstrate all the advantages of 4K.
Additional Information! People who decide to buy a TV to watch videos and movies in high definition should take the choice of equipment seriously. You need to pay attention only to TV models that have a sticker with the inscription “UltraHD”. This indicates that they support 4K resolution.
Benefits of 4K video
4K (UltraHD, 2160p) is the highest quality video standard at the moment (with the exception of 8K, since watching video in this quality requires equipment that is not available in the middle price segment, and the price of such screens starts from half a million rubles). The advantage of this resolution is the extremely high detail of the image. This technology goes well with huge TVs whose diagonal exceeds 60-75 inches.
High image detail means that the picture is perceived naturally, and square pixels do not catch your eye. Old films recorded on film look great digitized in 2160p resolution. Of course, such detail plays into the hands of gamers, as it contributes to deeper immersion in the gameplay. And considering that 4K video can be produced not only at a standard frame rate, but also at 60 fps and even 120 fps, the effect of realism of what is happening on the screen increases significantly.
Internet speed for viewing Full HD and 4K content: minimum recommendations
When choosing a new provider, many people are interested in what Internet speed is needed to watch movies online in 1080 and 4K. Today, many are accustomed to watching videos without any delays or loading.
If the video pauses during playback, then the Internet speed is not enough to quickly load the streaming video. To avoid such problems, you need to determine the optimal download speed.
30 Mbit is the minimum speed for watching videos in 4K resolution
Before deciding on speed, you need to understand how it is measured. Previously, kilobits were used for measurement. However, over time, the quality of the Internet has improved and because of this, the speed has increased significantly. That is why data transfer is now measured in megabits.
To watch a regular video online in FullHD resolution, an Internet connection running at a speed of 5 Mbit/s is sufficient. In this case, the video will load without problems and will not slow down. However, for videos shot in 4K, this will not be enough. To prevent them from slowing down, you will need to ensure that the speed does not drop below 30 Mbit/s. Ideally, it will be at the level of 40-50 Mbit/s. In this case, the video will definitely not slow down and load periodically.
How much is one Mbit?
We will not delve into discrete mathematics to study in detail what a measure of Internet speed is. It will be enough to say so as not to mislead some people that Mbits and MBs are different units of measuring information. And since users are more familiar with the usual megabytes, we present the following analogies:
- Internet speed of 512 Mbit is equal to the speed of downloading any 64 kilobyte file in 1 second.
- 6 megabits of speed declared by the provider will be equal to about 750 kilobytes per second.
- Internet with 16 Mbit will download 2 megabytes per second of information from the network.
What to do if the connection speed is low
Often subscribers are faced with such an unpleasant situation when the video freezes. This makes viewing significantly more difficult. To restore an acceptable connection and watch movies in good quality, you can use the following tips:
- Contact your service operator and change the tariff.
- View a recording of the program, not a live online broadcast.
- Download videos in advance before watching.
- During a movie show, turn off additional devices powered by the network. It is recommended to close applications on your PC and programs on your smartphone.
- Download and install a special utility on your PC to increase system throughput.
- Check your computer or laptop for malware.
You can order and install unlimited Internet for comfortable viewing of a movie in full-HD format on our website.
The minimum indicator for HD video files is 20 Mbit. If you are going to view Full HD, you will need 30 Mbit or more.
What else is important to pay attention to?
In the vast majority of cases, the connection speed stated in the tariff may differ from the actual one - when concluding an agreement, it indicates an obligation to provide speeds of up to 200 Mbit/s. That is, there is not a word about the minimum speed.
To avoid making a mistake with your choice, you can study reviews of providers, and if you have already connected and have any doubts, you can easily check the speed using a variety of tools. For example, ours.
In our case, when speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s were promised, the actual incoming speed was 71, and the outgoing speed was 98 Mbit/s, which is quite close to the declared one.
If your testing shows serious discrepancies, file a claim with the provider. There is a high probability that specialists will be able to detect and fix the problem. If they don’t respond to your request, just change your provider.
Mobile Internet
We figured out the speed of the wired Internet. The situation with mobile Internet is similar: there are many tariffs and prices, as well as connection options.
In Russia, operators operate in 2G, 3G and 4G-LTE networks. At the same time, Internet prices are significantly higher than the cost of wired Internet. In addition, there are a number of restrictions on the speed of downloading information.
Basically, the price of mobile Internet depends on the volume of information downloaded and network configuration:
2G (second generation, GPRS)
This is the slowest mobile data transfer technology, developed in the 90s of the last century. It is suitable for sending text messages using phone applications such as WhatsApp, ICQ. Data transfer speeds in GPRS range from 55 to 115 kbit/sec.
3G (third generation)
Faster data transmission technology, the most common today. Suitable for transmitting video calls, downloading various content, movies, music, games, viewing Google maps, YouTube, television channels, downloading large files, communicating with friends via Skype, working with remote control programs (TeamViewer), etc. Speed up to 2 Mbit /sec.
4G – LTE (Long-Term Evolution, fourth generation)
Allows data transfer at speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s. This type of communication appeared at the beginning of 2010 and allows you to do everything that 3G does, but at a higher speed. You can watch 2-3 videos, surf several social networks, communicate in instant messengers - and all this at the same time.
The upcoming introduction of 5G networks promises us to completely forget about the nuances of the current tariff system - the innovation will allow us to instantly transfer huge amounts of information. However, this will still have to wait - the introduction of 5G in Russia is expected no earlier than 2021.
Thus, the speed of your Internet connection will primarily depend on the age of your phone or smartphone. Almost all modern devices support the 3G standard, and the number of models with 4G is constantly growing.
How to test your speed online
If you have already connected to the Internet, but do not know your speed, you can use free services to determine it. Let's look at the instructions for one of the most popular:
- Follow the link: https://www.speedtest.net/ .
- Your IP address, ISP and DNS server are displayed here. Press GO to start the speed test.
- Wait while the site evaluates your connection.
- After the test, you will see your latency to the server, as well as your download and upload speed.
Wired or mobile Internet?
However, let’s return from the “star” perspectives to the existing reality. If you live in an ordinary metropolis or near regional centers, then satellite Internet will be an unreasonably expensive choice compared to wired and mobile Internet.
When choosing between these two options, you can immediately say that it is better to use wired Internet - connecting to the provider via cable. This choice provides greater protection from external (for example, weather) conditions and can provide higher connection speeds.
There are several types of wired connections, the main ones being twisted pair and fiber optic network cable.
Type #1 - twisted pair
A twisted pair is one or more pairs of insulated, twisted wires covered with a plastic sheath. Due to its low cost and ease of installation, it is the most common type for laying wire (cable) networks.
Type #2 - fiber optic network cable
Today, there is no faster technology than optical fiber. It has no limit on the length of channels, which means it can connect objects that are very far from each other. Through fiber optic cables laid along the bottom of oceans and seas, high-speed Internet connects not only cities, but also continents.
There are many advantages of fiber optic cable that specialists will appreciate more (durability, speed of detection of unauthorized access, high level of protection against interference, and so on). For the average user, the most important advantage of this connection option is the high speed of information transfer.
So, let's draw the line - both options can be used for connection, but fiber optic cable has more advantages (although it is less common).
