Image from Spooks: The Greater Good, courtesy of Pinewood Pictures
Getting the Best Experience
When it comes to watching films and TV shows, there are a few things you need to know to get the most out of your experience:
best-experience
Check your kit out
Make sure you’re getting the most out of your TV and other devices by checking to see if you’ve got HD TV or smart TV capability, Blu-ray players or access to content from your digital TV provider.
Wired for sound
Enhancing your sound system is a great way to instantly upgrade your home cinema experience. With audio options available for all budgets from Sound Bars for as little as £49+ to full surround sound Dolby Atmos® speaker systems to create breath taking 3D sound quality, there’s an audio option available to suit all homes.
Get online
You need an internet connection to stream and download films and TV shows – both through your smart TV or digital TV box, and for your other internet connected devices. The average broadband speed is now over 22MB* which is plenty to easily stream and download HD video on your devices. If you’re not sure of your speed or have problems downloading content, check with your provider.
The recommended minimum speed for downloading to own a Digital HD copy is 5 Mbps.
The recommended minimum speed to stream (rent) a Digital SD copy is 2.5 Mbps.
Further advice: The picture may freeze for buffering if the broadband network or device you’re streaming on is using too many apps at the same time.
You can check your broadband download speed here: SPEEDTEST
* Ofcom Q1 2015 average UK download speeds
Know your (download) limits
Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) now provide unlimited download packages, which means you can download and stream as much film and TV content as you like (within reason). But to be on the safe side it’s best to check your usage policy with your broadband provider to avoid any usage caps or unexpected charges. If you’re streaming and downloading films on your smartphone while on the move, make sure to check the data allowance on your phone tariff too.
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The average data allowance on a smartphone tariff is 2GB. This would allow you to watch around 17 hours of standard video streaming a month or 7 hours of HD video streaming a month.
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If you’re planning to watch a lot of film and TV on your smartphone, it’s best to watch over a Wi-Fi connection to avoid using up all your data or facing extra charges, or think about getting an unlimited data plan.
Protect your devices
You should always have up-to-date virus and malware protection on your devices.
Secure your Wi-Fi connection
Make sure your Wi-Fi is password protected to avoid other people using it without your permission.
Find film and TV legally
There are hundreds of legitimate websites where you can find great value films and TV programmes at the click of a button. Visit FindAnyFilm to start exploring your options for film and TV.
To verify a website and check whether it is legitimate or not check it’s listed on www.getitrightfromagenuinesite.org/genuine-sites/
Know the difference
Not all film and TV websites are legal. Make sure you know how to spot a rogue website from the real deal with these handy tips
- Don’t be fooled by well-known brands and logos
Just because a site charges for music, film or TV programmes and carries advertising from well-known brands it does not always mean it’s legal. - Use your common sense
If the film or album you’re looking for hasn’t been officially released, it’s unlikely to be available on the internet legally. - For more details on how to spot a rogue site and other tips on ensuring the content you access is from legal sources check the handy hints here
Explore how to use parental controls
If you have children at home, parental controls can be set on your web browser to block certain websites and also on digital film and TV services to restrict access to age-rated content. For more information on parental controls visit http://www.childnet.com/resources/parental-controls