Random question of the day: Fast Forward Speeds

Is there an algorithm for figuring out how fast fast forward is?

1x - real time
2x - double time?
3x - ?
4x - ?

Is it all just arbitrary? Do different streaming services have different speeds?

This all stems from having to fast forward through a whole episode of Ted Lasso at 4x and it being quicker than 12.25 minutes.

I thought Ted Lasso are approx 30-35 minutes long, so true 4 times speed would be approx 8-9 minutes.

seems the last two were longer.

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And we are better off for it lol.

Either way, 4x the speed got us through it in less than minute, which is the reason I started pondering this random question.

I’m not a fan of Beard After Dark.

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“Fast-Forward” is a bit of an analog-world concept where RPMs are a real thing, maybe. Spin the tape faster.

If you’re running a stream, or playing from a local buffer, it could be that the user experience of “fast forward” depends on how quickly the device can buffer the signal from the server. Just guessing.

Too bad Apple TV doesn’t support directly advancing the stream to a specific hh:mm:ss point.

The eternal question: how rapid is rapid :grin:

It’s relative, isn’t it. :running_woman: :running_man:

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:clap: :clap: :clap:

20 characters for this post. but I liked the joke.

Marco wrote up something about this as it relates to podcasts. Think it’ll interest you.

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So it’s all made up and the speeds don’t matter. :nerd_face: