OT: i-player

PBo

does anyone know.....

does it take more/less/the same of my monthlybandwidth allowance to download a programme from i-player, or to stream it?

ta

davis

The same, I'm betting. Why on earth would you want to know? Are you really that close to your limit?

Their desktop player is an Adobe AIR app, which suggests it's going to use Adobe Flash video, the same as the streaming tool. Assuming the resolution is the same (a big assumption, but I don't use the desktop app) then it's very likely to be the exact same video feed.

sketchley

Some time ago desktop i-player was a P2P app so it continued to download and upload when off line and took up bandwidth. It isn't anymore. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_iPlayer section on Computer Platforms.

Edit: To answer OP it will be the same size download so would take the same out of your monthly allowence. The only reason to download rather than stream is if you do not have enough bandwidth to stream. That being said if you download you download the whole thing, if you stream and decide to stop you haveon ly downloaded to that point.

Also I would advise against video over a mobile connection unless you are very careful on who much data you use as goind over acceptable use limits on mobile can be expensive.

If this is you home connection find an ISP that doesn't limit the data you can download. I'm with virgin, they don't (but they do turn the speed down in the evening if you download too much during a day).