Technical
What internet speed do you need for IPTV? By quality and screens
Internet speed needed for IPTV in SD, HD, Full HD and 4K, by number of screens. Built-in calculator and tips to measure your real speed.
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- Reading time
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The speed you need depends on two things: the picture quality of each stream and the number of screens playing at the same time. But raw speed is not enough: a fast but unstable connection gives worse results than a more modest, steady one.
Typical figures by quality
The values below are common averages for streaming video. The actual bitrate of a channel depends on how it is encoded and can vary from one programme to another.
| Quality | Average speed per stream |
|---|---|
| Standard definition (SD) | about 3 Mbps |
| HD 720p | about 5 Mbps |
| Full HD 1080p | about 8 Mbps |
| 4K / Ultra HD | about 25 Mbps |
These figures add up: two TVs in Full HD need roughly twice as much speed as one.
Estimate what you need
The calculator adds up the streams, includes your other usage and applies a safety margin to absorb variations on your home network.
Estimate the speed you need
Video calls, gaming, downloads…
Recommended download speed: 11 MbpsEstimate includes a 30% margin. Measure your real speed on the device you use, ideally in the evening.
Measure your real speed
For the comparison to make sense, measure in the right place at the right time:
- On the playback device, not on another one: a TV far from the router often receives much less than a phone sitting next to it.
- In the evening, when your internet provider’s network is busiest.
- Several times, to spot variations: a speed that drops regularly explains dropouts better than an average does.
When the speed is not enough
Before changing your internet plan, try the free fixes:
- Connect the device to the router with an Ethernet cable or switch to 5 GHz Wi-Fi.
- Lower the picture quality in the player for the channels concerned.
- Avoid large downloads during playback.
Choosing between Wi-Fi and cable is covered in Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable for IPTV. If dropouts continue despite enough speed, follow the troubleshooting guide.
