Treat the option as a capability clue
ABC’s quality help describes 4,500 Kbps as the highest bitrate for available 720p programmes on most supported platforms. It also distinguishes older smart televisions, which it says are limited to 1,500 Kbps. The displayed option is therefore not a measurement of every second of the current session.
Start by noting the programme, device and option shown when the picture looks clear. If it later softens, note the approximate position and whether the option changed. A screenshot of the option records the interface state, while your observation records the picture change. Neither alone establishes the throughput or resolution actually delivered at that instant.
Compare conditions without changing the programme
ABC identifies bandwidth and the viewing setup among the factors that influence adaptive quality. Compare the same scene on the same device at a different time, or compare the same device before and after another large household transfer has finished. Change one condition so the result remains interpretable.
If you compare a newer device with an older television, include the platform limitation in your notes. Otherwise a lower device ceiling may be mistaken for a household network fault. Do not assume that a television’s panel resolution determines the resolution supplied by every app.
Keep data estimates and diagnosis separate
ABC publishes indicative consumption ranges for different programme lengths and quality levels. Those ranges can help plan a data allowance, but they are not a live diagnostic readout. A monthly data total cannot identify the cause of one brief period of soft video.
For a persistent issue, report the exact model, app or browser, programme, approximate playback position and whether another session on that same setup behaves differently. Include the visible bitrate option as one observation. Avoid describing it as proof of a sustained delivered bitrate, because ABC explicitly documents the adaptive exception.