What do I need to know about the quality of streaming TV programmes?

BBC iPlayer Click to Play (streaming) programmes are now offered by default as 800kbps h.264 format. However, you can also increase or decrease the quality if your computer's graphics processor and internet connection can handle it. To test the quality, see the BBC iPlayer Diagnostics page.

Increasing the quality

In addition, if your connection is able to handle our new higher quality 1500kbps stream you can get this by using the adjustable window tool and selecting the large window size.

Decreasing the quality

We know that not all internet connections can handle this, and if so it should automatically switch to the lower quality 500kbps format. Once BBC iPlayer has dropped down to a lower bandwidth stream it will stay with that lower bandwidth version for the rest of the programme you're watching.

Alternatively, your computer's processor and graphics card may not be able to handle higher quality, resulting in a chopping image and freezing video while sound continues.

To manually select a low bitrate version, at the bottom of each TV programme page underneath More Like This you should see the Use lower bandwidth version switch - click this to ensure that you only ever get programmes offered in 500kbps.

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For further help you can Contact Us, or you can discuss this issue at the BBC iPlayer messageboard.