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FYI: iTunes slowdowns with Google DNS
Last night we tried to rent an iTunes movie on our newish Apple TV. Instead of starting right away, the Apple TV said it would be 2+ hours before we could start watching. I’ve got a healthy 15-20Mb/s connection and a clean wire to the Apple TV, so this shouldn’t be happening.
A little bit of research turned up a surprising fix: Don’t use Google DNS.
...iTunes’ video content is delivered by Akamai who has distributed massive datastores around the world so those large files originate from nearby servers and spend less time getting switched around the network. Akamai somehow uses our DNS routing to determine our location. If Google DNS or OpenDNS routes everyone to Akamai the same way, then those Akamai nodes and the pipes leading to them get overwhelmed.
Since most people don’t know what a DNS server is, this problem primarily affects the “tech-vanguard” and those fortunate/unfortunate enough to be inside our circles of helpfulness.
I switched to my ISP’s DNS servers and now HD rentals on Apple TV are ready to watch in 10-20 seconds.
Wow, it had 3.5" floppies. It ran CP/M, but it couldn't read the disks from any other CP/M system on the market at the time. Probably why it failed in the marketplace.
Not that I didn't already believe that Drew was right, but I was talking to a friend last night and he told me that his mom was on her third Vizio TV in a year and a half. :)
Why do you buy Vizio #3 in that scenario? Are they crack-laced?
We've had a LG for 2 years so far, works exactly the same as new.
I'm glad I remembered the Samsung rec, because there were a lot of nice looking Vizios at Costco when I was looking.
I did end up returning the first Samsung I got there. Partly because I realized I probably could fit a bigger one than I had thought, but also because the volume level on the one I got didn't go very high, even for the small room I'm in. I ended up getting a bigger Samsung, but also jumping up a level or two in quality. It's very nice so far.
I just hook my stereo into my TV. I don't even know how loud my TV can go.
I have some sorta-generic TV from Radio Shack I bought a year and a half ago. Crossing my fingers that it will live a long life.
Yeah, I just had to steer my brother-in-law Samsung direction based on this conversation.
Why do you buy Vizio #3 in that scenario? Are they crack-laced?
I think that it's still under warranty, so she keeps getting them replaced.
I'm glad I remembered the Samsung rec, because there were a lot of nice looking Vizios at Costco when I was looking.
I KNOW!
LG has sure improved in consistency and quality since they started coordinating their internal purchasing [link] maybe that also lead to quality controls.
