[kwikfishron]

I have 4 mb and have no problems with video, at 1 mb I do though.

You can test your speed here. http://www.speedtest.net/

 

[poppameth]

At your currently level of service you are fine. Speedtest won't do any good on Comcast because their Powerboost or whatever they call it spikes the download speed for the first minute or so. You get really high results that aren't accurate for prolonged transfer rate. Most importantly, Comcast has a 250GB monthly bandwidth cap, which is way more than most other providers. Streaming movies can eat up your bandwidth in a hurry.

 

[user1007]

I use Clear wireless internet. The 4G service is lightning fast and $45/month gets me unlimited service and bandwith with no caps or slowdowns for excess usage. No contract but I had to buy the modem. It is not available in all areas yet. There is also an option to drop down to 3G service when traveling and 4G is not availed. I just cannot justify the need.

 

[Marqed97]

We have charter communications for cable tv/Internet here...my speed tests run 12-18 mb down and 2-3 mb up. However, where I work (middle of no where) my coworkers all have centurylink DSL. They have told me Netflix streams okay at 1.5mb but not if they're using other devices at the same time. I think Netflix officially says 3mb minimum but it will work at lower speeds.

 

[rusty baker]

I had Netflix and ran it thru a Wii to my TV. I was very disappointed in the number of movies that are available for direct screening. Most are older titles. Not worth the money to me.

 

[Marqed97]

I also run it thru my wii. Mostly it's for the kids, but I'm a sucker for American Dad and Futurama, so I watch my share too (shamefaced).

 

[Floor Doc]

if you are on comcast sign up for fancast . it's free , have a lot of good movies and old tv shows .

http://www.fancast.com/

 

[Ironlight]

What would be the lowest down load speeds needed to use netflex.

Comcast just raised my fee to $45.00 per mo.I was on a special rate for six mo.
I don't down load much Just emails and perhaps coupons, I use my search eng.
to look up information. But my wife and I are thinking of buying a newer DVD player so we can order movies through the internet.

I don't know the speed I have now but it is fast.

Robut

Just to confirm, what you're thinking of doing is ditching your existing Comcast service because of expense and get a different, lower cost service, is that correct? (Edit: on re-read maybe you are just trying to find out if you have fast enough service for Netflix. If you have cable internet service from Comcast, you have more than enough bandwidth.)

Regarding your question, Netflix serves up video files at differing resolutions depending on your bandwith when you request a file. I have seen varying specifications but in general you need at least 1.5 Mbps to view the lowest resolution file which I believe is SD, 3 Mbps for DVD quality, and 5 Mbps for HD quality. That said, not all videos on Netflix are HD quality. All the Starz stuff is SD, for example.

So, you can access the Netflix streaming service with DSL which would be generally less expensive than cable, I believe. That said, your performance at the 1.5 Mbps level would be variable dependent on a host of environmental and network factors. You might need to up your service to 3 Mbps for consistent streaming performance.

As someone mentioned, the Netflix streaming library is a little sparse on recent releases. That does not matter to me as I love older movies and there are also tons and tons of TV shows that I watch...literally hundreds of episodes of various crime dramas that we are slowly making our way through. If a new movie comes out that I want to see, I just get the DVD from them. No biggie. It all depends on what your tastes and viewing habits are as to whether Netflix is a good fit. To us, it's an absolute steal.

Lastly, call up Comcast and tell them that you cannot afford the subscription and chances are excellent that they will cut you a deal. It's important that you say "can't afford" as that those are the magic words that unlock their willingness to lower your fees. Otherwise they presume you are just fishing for a deal. Here is an excellent tutorial on negotiating with your provider:

http://www.erica.biz/2009/negotiate-your-phone-bill/

 

[Final Notice]

I am a Comcast CAE right now and i can tell you to try what Ironlight is suggesting here and you could get a good deal, of course you have to qualify for it if notthere isnt much the rep can do to "beat the system"