Downloading videos

[bixaorellana]

I watch quite a few movies online, but have never downloaded one. Generally I just skip the movie if the quality is too poor or if it buffers too much.

I've tried repeatedly to install DivX on my computer, only to remove it almost immediately because it doesn't work. Tonight I got offered a new version (7, I think), so installed it.

Afterward, I began watching Hideous Kinky on DivX and was stunned by the quality of the reproduction -- slightly better than real life! However, the film kept stopping in order to buffer, so I decided to download it.

(finally getting to the point here!)

What's the deal with downloading? At the bottom of my screen it says, "One active download (__ hours, __ minutes remaining)

The thing is those numbers change radically every few seconds -- from 2 hours and twenty minutes to four hours & something, then to seven, back to three, etc.

What does this mean, & how can I figure out how long a download really takes?

[imec]

The "time remaining" is just an estimate based on current available bandwidth and the ability of the server to satisfy your request. Fluctuations in both bandwidth and server contention will cause a corresponding fluctuation in the estimate.

[bixaorellana]

Ah, thanks, Imec.

In any event, I finally went to bed and left the computer on to continue downloading. At some time in the wee hours I got up and went to turn it off. There was a notice that Firefox had crashed. Yep, when I got up this morning there was no downloaded movie awaiting me.

[Deleted]

What is your purported internet speed?

[bixaorellana]

The lying dogs say I have strong broadband.

The little dooby in the taskbar that tells me I'm connected says my speed is 100 Mbps. It always says that, even when I've woven an entire garment on my loom while waiting for a page to open.

[imec]

It doesn't mean an awful lot when it comes to downloading. Think of the internet as a series of roads, all of different widths, different states of repair, different speed limits and different states of traffic congestion. These roads lead to different buildings (servers). Each building offers a certain set of services. There is a queue (very short or VERY long) for each of these services. Also, think of each building as having a certain degree of efficiency in delivering those services.

When you access anything from the internet, you may very well have a 100MBps connection - but that's just the last little piece of road that leads to your "door". You are actually traveling any number of these roads and requesting service from buildings offering all manner of service efficiency/quality - hence the unpredictability of the experience.

[bixaorellana]

Thank you, Imec -- great explanation!

Am I allowed to sulk over the "unpredictability of the experience"? That is way too much like real life.