Broadband needed, but what type?

Rex Havoc · **Posted:** Thu Aug 10, 2006 8:28 pm

Shorahmin, the page width issue in this thread can only be fixed by Greydragon or Goofy, whose post caused it. (Long URL pushed the width...)

Quote:

The proof of the pudding is in the eating Starfyre, you should give it a try first - then if it's not fast enough for you, you can call it a day

This is an OK plan if you already have broadband. However, I'm not wanting to shell out a lot of money, and probably at least a year commitment, only to find the satellite service does not work for the one thing I want it for...

Starfyre · **Posted:** Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:03 pm

K here is what I am seeing. It takes me 5 minutes just to boot gametap and get to the login screen. That could be on my end though, don't know. But still if its on there end why does it take that long?

Then I went and tried downloading a game. I tried to find something that would be a good size. I tried downloading 'Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego'. A good test as I know its probably the size of a small or medium sized age. It took me 40 minutes to download it, I will see if I can download it else where and see what kind of comparison there is on download.

Lastly I played a couple of the missions. When on the plane, traveling between locales, I experienced sound cutting and just general lag.

Shorahmin · **Posted:** Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:46 pm

OK, we have two data points. It works grudgingly at 256K. It doesn't work at 110K.

Wafna · **Posted:** Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:57 pm

I notice with the changes of the FAQ page that my last shred of hope has disappeared. The wording that was there implied that there would be the possibility of getting Live without Gametap in the U.S. I wish that I had saved that one. Now it says that those who live where Gametap is available will be required to go through Gametap to play.

Rex Havoc · **Posted:** Thu Aug 10, 2006 10:22 pm

Yes, Wafna, that is what we were told by Trent, with GameTap, at Mysterium. Also, if you live in a country that does not currently have GameTap access, you can use the 'other' connection option. However, should GameTap become available, you will need to start going through them, to get to Live.

Rusty_Russell · **Posted:** Thu Aug 10, 2006 10:45 pm

I'm not sure that people are always talking about the same speeds.

512kpbs connection gives a download speed of 60 kbps.
1 Mbit connection gives a download speed of 120 kbps etc.

56k dial-up for me gave a download speed at best of 4.5 kbps but 3.5 kbps was more usual.

Shorahmin · **Posted:** Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:29 am

I'm sorry Rusty but the bps convention is not universal. That's why I usually spell it out when I remember. Some folks think kbps means kilobitspersecond. Others use it to mean kilobytespersecond. Depending on the encoding (are there start and stop bits or not, what overhead exists) the two meanings are off by a factor of roughly eight or ten.

Stevecrox · **Posted:** Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:48 am

just remember all telco's give speeds in bits per second it sounds faster my 2 meg connection is 2 MegaBits, which is a lot slower than 2 MegaBytes.

Oh if I remember correctly Gametap doesn't currently support Satelite broadband

Starfyre · **Posted:** Fri Aug 11, 2006 2:06 am

I have 256k per second. If itts bits then its bits, if its bytes then its bytes. I just know its 256k download with 128k upload. I may check with my phone company though. I was looking at it and their charging $5 more for DSL thats rated for upto 1.5 meg download. They say they don't state minimum's which I wish they would.

Rusty_Russell · **Posted:** Fri Aug 11, 2006 1:16 pm

FWIW all UK ratings are bits per second. I think that's standard going all the way back to baud!

Broadband needed, but what type?

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