Downloading films via broadband

It’s unsurprising that downloading media is one of the main reasons people go online – the internet has become the biggest video shop in the world, allowing people to buy, rent or download directly to their media player, TV box or PC.

There are two ways to get video content from the net. You can download it (save it to your computer) or you can stream it (watch it online). Lots of sites and providers offer video for streaming and downloading.

If you're looking for a broadband package that will allow you to download or stream lots of high-quality films, you'll need a quick speed and a large download allowance.

For information on download times for certain files, including low quality, high quality, DVD and BluRay, read the uSwitch guide to Download Times.

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How to watch movies online

Check with your provider

Your internet provider might offer downloads – BT Vision and Virgin Media both offer downloading services with their fibre-optic packages. And at discounted prices.

Click to compare super-fast broadband and TV packages packages from Virgin Media.

Click to compare fast broadband and TV packages from BT Vision.

Streaming

Using a service like 4oD, YouTube or BBC iPlayer, you can watch films and TV but they won’t be saved to your device.

Low quality video streams on most connections, but if you want HD quality then you’ll need a quick, reliable internet connection. Internet speeds never run as advertised, so if you have an 8Mb connection it’s realistically going to struggle with HD streaming.

Unsure how fast your current broadband connection is? Use our broadband speed test to find out.

Want to switch to a faster broadband package? Check what’s available in your area switch using our broadband postcode checker.

Downloading directly

Using a dedicated service like iTunes or IWatchFilm, you can purchase films and save them to your PC, portable hard drive, or burn them to disc.

Only ever download something when you are sure you have the right permissions. If you are not sure about the integrity of a film, it’s best not to risk it.

P2P

P2P technology seeks to minimize download times by changing the way the files are downloaded – instead of trying to get one file from one person, it downloads multiple pieces simultaneously from multiple people and puts them back together when they’ve all been downloaded.

This is a great technology and speeds can be huge, but it is largely used for illegal file-sharing and should be used with extreme caution.

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The future of downloading films

As technology has got better, devices have become more multifunctional. TVs now act as PC displays, and surround sound systems connect every piece of lounge-technology into one, giant multimedia hub. Even telephones play video.

With super-fast broadband speeds, it will only be a matter of time before everything is bought, downloaded, played and watched from one central location in your home - your armchair.

A few tips for staying out of trouble...

The internet is a minefield of copyright infringement, and it's important to stay up to speed. Remember that your provider can block your service and you can get taken to court for copyright infringement.

• Download only from reputable sources
• Avoid illegal file sharing
• Don’t duplicate anything without permission! Think of it like a DVD or VHS tape.
• If in doubt, always err on the side of caution