A method of transmitting a digital content stream through a network between at least one content server and a content player, the method comprising communicating with the at least one content server to set up a plurality of parallel network connections on the network between the at least one content server and the content player to transmit the digital content stream, and being characterized by: sending a first data request and a second data request within a first time limit via at least one tested network connection in the plurality of parallel network connections to evaluate whether pipelining the digital content stream is possible for the at least one tested network connection; determining a first response to the first data request and a second response to the second data request; determining from the first and second responses whether pipelining is supported for the at least one tested network connection and, where it is determined from the first response and the second response that pipelining is supported, utilizing pipelining to transmit the digital content stream over the at least one tested network connection; and determining from the first and second responses whether pipelining is possibly supported, and where it is determined from the first response and the second response that pipelining is possibly supported, sending a third data request and a fourth data request within a second time limit via the at least one tested network connection in the plurality of parallel network connections to evaluate whether pipelining the digital content stream is supported, determining a third response to the third data request and a fourth response to the fourth data request, and utilizing pipelining to transmit the digital content stream over the at least one tested network connection where it is determined from the third response and the fourth response that pipelining is supported; and otherwise not utilizing pipelining to transmit the digital content stream over the at least one tested network connection. sending a first data request and a second data request within a first time limit via at least one tested network connection in the plurality of parallel network connections to evaluate whether pipelining the digital content stream is possible for the at least one tested network connection; determining a first response to the first data request and a second response to the second data request; determining from the first and second responses whether pipelining is supported for the at least one tested network connection and, where it is determined from the first response and the second response that pipelining is supported, utilizing pipelining to transmit the digital content stream over the at least one tested network connection; and determining from the first and second responses whether pipelining is possibly supported, and where it is determined from the first response and the second response that pipelining is possibly supported, sending a third data request and a fourth data request within a second time limit via the at least one tested network connection in the plurality of parallel network connections to evaluate whether pipelining the digital content stream is supported, determining a third response to the third data request and a fourth response to the fourth data request, and utilizing pipelining to transmit the digital content stream over the at least one tested network connection where it is determined from the third response and the fourth response that pipelining is supported; and otherwise not utilizing pipelining to transmit the digital content stream over the at least one tested network connection. sending a third data request and a fourth data request within a second time limit via the at least one tested network connection in the plurality of parallel network connections to evaluate whether pipelining the digital content stream is supported, determining a third response to the third data request and a fourth response to the fourth data request, and utilizing pipelining to transmit the digital content stream over the at least one tested network connection where it is determined from the third response and the fourth response that pipelining is supported; and otherwise not utilizing pipelining to transmit the digital content stream over the at least one tested network connection.