watching 4k on youtube

[michael23]

I have vodafone broadband, its running at 21mb download according to broadband speed checker.

When trying to watch 4k footage on youtube it always seems to buffer, or stutter or hardly play at all. Does I need faster broadband or is it an issue with something else?

 

[ashtennisguru]

^^^ We get about 16-18mb at home with sky fibre (very bad home wiring!) and can stream netflix 4k no problem, although it suffers if one of us is doing something interwebby at the same time. Not sure whether something is different with YT though.

 

[Ian W]

^^^ We get about 16-18mb at home with sky fibre (very bad home wiring!) and can stream netflix 4k no problem, although it suffers if one of us is doing something interwebby at the same time. Not sure whether something is different with YT though.

As a (slight) aside, how much 4k content is there on Netflix just now? Worth it?

 

[Sharky]

Right click the video as it is playing and click stats for nerds. It'll show the BW the stream is consuming and you'll have an idea if you're maxing out your connection.

Try the same 4k video in Chrome and see if the issue remains too.

@Ian W there is some 4k content on NF but it's mainly their own content e.g. Bloodlines, Stranger Things etc. So it's not extensive but imo still worth it.

 

[Sharky]

Here you go, 4k stuff on NF. Not sure if it's US centric but i've seen plenty of that list on my UK NF.

http://www.whats-on-netflix.com/lists/4k-titles-on-netflix/

 

[Mikesphotaes]

When I first got my 4k TV, I watched plenty of youtube 4k stuff with no bother and I only have around 7Mbps.

 

[michael23]

Thanks guys, I use Google Chrome by default, will take a look at the bandwidth. I didn't realise Netflix had 4k, will try it before my subscription runs out.

 

[Ian W]

Thanks guys, I use Google Chrome by default, will take a look at the bandwidth. I didn't realise Netflix had 4k, will try it before my subscription runs out.

You pay an extra couple of quid a month for the 4k content on Netflix. I only have the standard (ie HD) package just now and was wondering whether it's worth upgrading.

 

[JustJoe]

You pay an extra couple of quid a month for the 4k content on Netflix. I only have the standard (ie HD) package just now and was wondering whether it's worth upgrading.

I recently upgraded to the 4K package after getting a 4K TV. Its ok, the catalogue is slowly building, its only a couple quid extra anyway.

 

[Neilc28]

Netflix requires around 24Mbps for 4K, but don't forget these are adaptive rate video streams, so it may still be 4k but with higher compression and artifacting, also is your processor maxing out? Is this on your PC I assume?

 

[michael23]

yep, its on the laptop, i watched another vid in 4k on youtube and it ran fine, but this is the only one that has run smooth, it was only just over a minute.

 

[Neilc28]

Could it possibly be a mix of 4K videos and 4K 60FPS videos? That would definitely make a difference!

 

[michael23]

One of them was a 4k 60p setting which wasn't playing well at all.

 

[Neilc28]

One of them was a 4k 60p setting which wasn't playing well at all.

That's to be expected unfortunately

 

[michael23]

do you know what causes it? Is it because there more "information" because of the higher frame rate? Would it improve if the broadband was faster?

 

[Neilc28]

Higher FPS will require more bandwidth, but if it struggled (dropped frames etc..) it is likely a CPU bottleneck, there were reports that the 2015 MacBook Pro struggled with 4K 60FPS if that gives you an indication of the level required

 

[Neilc28]

http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/27/8299443/youtube-4k-60fps-videos-star-citizen-k-pop

 

[michael23]

thanks for the link Neil, at least it's not just me.

 

[gman]

I used to have Virgin's 200Mb Internet and 4k would still struggle sometimes on my pc, which is pretty powerful.

I'm now with BT and get around 60Mbps and it can stream 4k sport on the BT box fine.

 

[Neilc28]

The BT Box is designed for that though, in fact Netflix for Windows 10 only supports 4K on Intel's latest CPU, madness....

 

[gman]

I guess it is probably just a YouTube issue then? Sometimes I even get 720p sticking and the odd time the audio in YouTube will suddenly make a loud noise and then the audio will disappear and you have to go back a few seconds to get it back or move forward a minute.