Streaming data useage

[Jeff Snyder]

Just as a general question for "streaming"... For those of you that streamed last year, what was your data useage during May/June? I've generally refrained from streaming on the fear that my service provider (AT&T) will catch on and either slam me with per-kb useage fees or cut me off entirely since streaming is against the terms of service. I think streaming is against the Spring ToS as well... I haven't run across anyone getting cut off or charged a different rate for streaming, but I have heard of people getting notices for excessive data useage.

I have a non-tethering plan (a general "smartphone connect" unlimited data plan), so I'm trying to be particularly careful about staying under AT&Ts radar so as to avoid the more expensive unlimited 'tethering' plan.

 

[J Kinkaid]

How much data you use is dependent on fast you stream and how many FPS you push. I once used 790 mb in 47 mins with a 500k stream. All you need is the 15$ media net and your good to go for now cause medianet has no limits. Now if you were on a new data card plan you would have to worry about going over 5 gigs cause that changed back in October

 

[Steve Miller]

As James mentions, it's all relative. A couple weeks ago during the ice storm I found I used 57mb of upload through CTV over a period of 4 hours. The encoder we use has variable output according to connection strength and type available to it at any given moment. That said, I probably averaged 40-50k at 6-20fps depending on signal. Scott Bennett might chime in on this as he's the tech guru...
Anyway, at this rate, there should be no reason to approach monthly limits or, in your case, alert the AT&T switch that you're doing anything too crazy.

 

[Jason Foster]

I find that if you wait to stream when there is something to stream there isn't much worry. I've been watching Severe Studios and now ChaserTV a few times and I find a lot of folks streaming low resolution images of being on the highway. Seems kind of a waste of bandwidth. But that's my personal opinion and they may have reasons for doing so.

It just takes some testing. I've been testing myself although I'm on a plan that doesn't have any restrictions I'm still watching in case I have to make other arrangements. I'm more worried about keeping an EVDO signal so that I can stream at high frame rates and better resolution. But I can easily see that if you stream 4 hours a day (from full chase mode to sunset) for say 10 days....you will easily go over at 720x480.

But I too am curious to see how others are doing it.