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Topic: datastorm and any VOIP ( like Skype ) (Read 3 times) previous topic - next topic
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datastorm and any VOIP ( like Skype )
Yahoo Message Number: 58504
While I don't have a datastorm, my brother does and we've talked pretty extensively about it. We also know a little about how the internet works.
 There's essentially two components to how fast an internet connection is: Throughput and latency. Internet data traffic, including voice traffic like Skype, is broken up into smaller bits and addressed to the reciever. They're then routed to the destination via  a series of hops where they're reassembled into the original data. Lost chunks are normally re-requested.
Throughput is the amount of data that's delivered in a period of time.
Latency is the "response time" of that data, basically how long it takes to deliver each individual packet of data. Satellite systems have a very good throughput, but a poor latency that is essentially unavoidable due to physics.
 Since this data travels more or less at the speed of light, plus some delay for the routing, most latency ( if you have a broadband connection ) lines is under 90 milliseconds, or less than one tenth of a second, which works pretty well for voice traffic. Most of us don't really notice that short of a delay in a conversation, so Voice over IP like Skype works pretty well most of the time.
 Data sent over a datastorm system has to travel up to a satellite in geosynchronus orbit about 22,000 miles over the equator and back. From North America, let's call it 35,000 miles, give or take a few thousand, so a round trip of something like 70,000.   That trip takes the radio signal just under half a second, so if you add in the delays inherent in the internet and the satellite system, you end up with a delay of about 6-7 tenths of a second under ideal conditions. Once the data is flowing, it flows pretty fast, but you can see how a delay of more than half a second could affect your phone conversation.
 So, without a major change in the location of the satellite, or a repeal of the laws of physics I wouldn't expect VOIP to work much better than it does over a satellite connection. However, if a free internet "walkie talkie" works for you, then I encourage you to use it. If nothing else, the price is right.

Eric Udell

Big Pine Key, FL
1987 Tioga 26'
Re: datastorm and any VOIP ( like Skype )
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 58507
Quote
While I don't have a datastorm, my brother does and we've talked pretty extensively about it. We also know a little about how the internet
works.

Would your brother be Sterling?  He has a good website.  Miss his updates.  Hope all is well.
 ahemm, to make this LD related, Sterling has managed to get a DS and several solar panels on his camper, and seems very knowledgeable, answered questions about what I might need to think about, in future, with an LD.

Shirl
 
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Sterling Udell
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 58513
Sterling is one of my 'geek' heroes. From your post, I can see that you are just as smart as he is. It was a great post, elegantly and simply explained.
I miss Teresa's updates on their web site and Sterling's active presence on the datastormusers forum. Please wish them well for me and tell them they are missed over here on this side of the pond.

Jonna, 2001 RB Tortuga
 http://map.datastormusers.com/user2.cfm?user=1013