Internet connection for streaming movies...

[Doug5984]

I'm wondering how fast should an internet connection be to stream HD movies, most likely through Netflix, X-box, or PS3.

We just got Fiber in my neighborhood, offered through our city utilities- and it's a lot cheaper than Cox or Direct TV so I'm making the switch, and I have 3 choices (all speeds are both upload and download). 10 mbps, $28 / month, 30 mbps $45 / month, and 50 mbps $58 / month. Now I know 50 would be complete overkill, but should I make the jump to 30 mbps if I plan on streaming quite a lot of movies through netflix.

[MacroGuru]

I have Time Warner Cable that is around 15 and I use Netflix streaming on my Xbox 360 via wireless connection and it is just fine and streams the HD fine as well.

[terpkristin]

I have FiOS that's 15, use Netflix streaming on my 360 via wired connection. On movies, I get no buffering, but I get the digitization a bit more than I expected. I rarely if ever see that on TV shows that I stream. I mostly stream TV shows. All my streaming is HD if it's available.

/tk

[Tasan]

I have 6 on AT&T DSL and I stream Netflix HD just fine with a very short wait to buffer right at the beginning. Any of those speeds should do just fine.

[gstelmack]

Yup, around 6Mbps is fine for Netflix or other HD. Some of the higher quality ones (VUDU) want around 10.

Note that 6Mbps is about what the typical overcompressed "let's stuff 3 channels in one ATSC stream" HD stuff is, so I'm actually seeing quality on par if not better than what TWC's HD OnDemand was giving me, especially since Netflix / Amazon pay attention to how they do the compression and do a better job of it (backgrounds will blur out quicker, but faces and whatnot have very good detail).