4 chapters across the catalog
The hosts open the program from Tokyo, Japan, discussing technical difficulties involving Skype latency and internet routing. One host switches from a Sonic.net connection to Comcast to improve the ping times to Asia. They note the irony of the connection failing only after the pre-show ends and the recording begins.
John C. Dvorak reports ongoing technical issues with Comcast, citing significant packet loss despite high advertised speeds. He switched to a DSL connection from Sonic.net, which proved more stable for broadcasting despite lower bandwidth. The hosts conclude that cable infrastructure is often unreliable for real-time protocols like Skype due to intermittent connectivity and latency.
The technical challenges of recording a podcast between the United Kingdom and the United States involve significant Skype latency, often resulting in 0.8-second delays and conversational overlaps. Plans are discussed to transition to a dedicated ISDN setup using AAC codecs to improve audio quality and reduce buffering issues. One host has already installed ISDN capabilities at a property in San Francisco to facilitate this change.
Skype Latency and ISDN Connection Technical Comparison
The hosts compare the technical performance of Skype versus ISDN for remote broadcasting. Adam Curry notes that ISDN provides a 60-millisecond delay due to dedicated circuits, whereas Skype typically has a 600-millisecond latency. John C. Dvorak mentions his recent Comcast speed boost to 16 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up, though he notes performance drops when connecting to international servers in England.
