56kbps mp3 on dialup - do they stream?

[chagzuki]

It's a long time since I was on dialup but I remember that lofi mp3 clips never used to stream without buffering every 20 seconds or so. I don't really understand the concept of bit rate properly. Seems like with broadband maximum data transfer is around 47kbps and with dialup it's around 4 or 5, so what exactly does mp3 bit rate have to do with connection speed?

[mauseoleum]

32 and 40 kbps is safe for streaming.

56 and 64 is ok for buffering/loop playback in flash presentations.

[cron]

Seems like with broadband maximum data transfer is around 47kbps and with dialup it's around 4 or 5, so what exactly does mp3 bit rate have to do with connection speed?

MP3 bitrate is measured in kilobits (kb) per second, and those internet speeds you've mentioned are kilobytes (kB). Just remember that there are 8 bits in a byte and you should be able to make your decisions off that depending on which connections you're targeting. I'd say knock at least 40% off the theoretical max speed of each connection if you want to be safe with streaming though (e.g., 56kb dial up, 512kb broadband etc).