I read online that the Netflix instant streaming movies throttle the quality based on connection speed. I am on a 2Mbit connection. Not blazing, but it should stream at least some decent quality videos. However, every movie I've tried to see looks horrible, even worse than youtube, with blurry faces and gigantic blocks. I've streamed Hulu videos in their own HD resolution (480p?) without any issue and they look great for the bandwidth.
Yes, me too. As of last night, 4K was not possible with any shows listed UHD! Only 1080p, ramping up from 720P.
After calling for the 3rd time, someone on Netflix customer service actually did some real work and took me seriously. He told me that they are now aware that it's a real issue and are working to fix it asap.
I have a Sony XBR-65X930C. Uploaded recent software update today, but didn't nothing any changes.
I have At&t fiber optic straight to my house and Cat5e cables throughout the house. I'm pulling 900mb download wired!
Sorry if this has been discussed somewhere on this long thread: what is the data rate for Netflix streaming for Dolby Digital Plus, 192 kbps or 384 kbps?
I know form the Netflix blog from this thread that Dolby Digital NON plus was at 384 kbps. Just curious whether Netflix kept this rate for DD Plus. Thanks in advance.
Dolby Digital Plus from Netflix is at 192 kbps, the theory being that the 'Plus' is a much more efficient compression system allowing for 384 quality in a 192 stream; saving space while maintaining quality.
Thanks Mike (and keenan) for the speedy reply. Is that 192 kbps rate something that's confirmed with 100% certainty? How is it confirmed please? From Netflix, or from AVS members who use a computer to connect to Netflix and could read the rate and post result here?
I've known about Netflix bit rates for so long I forget about where I learned them. I believe that the change from 384 to 192 Kbps 5.1 was announced in a Dolby PR but I can't locate it. However, one test that you can do is to run the Win8 Netflix app which is capable of 5.1 output, play a title with 5.1 sound and select the 5.1 track. Left click the video to give the app keyboard focus and type CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-D to bring up a debugging info overlay. There will be a line labeled "Playing bit rate a/v" which will show the audio and video bit rates in Kbps. On my PC the audio number is 192 (I would post a screenshot, but my PC is having problems ). Curiously that app uses the 64 Kbps stereo track (only ever used by PC and web apps, I believe), whereas the the HTML5 player running in Edge or IE11 uses the 96 Kbps stereo, as do embedded apps.
Mike, you are spot on - thank you. I checked with my Win 8 Laptop and got the same number 192.
Question please: how does a Win 8 Laptop computer decode that DD+ stream? Is it software or is it actually a decoder chip just like in a BD player/Roku/etc.?
Just to add some humorous perspective. I was having all kind of streaming problems with my newly upgraded TWC 30 Mbps plan. Added brand new dual band router, top line modem but tests would register very low single digits, as low as 1. Tech guy came out and found that all the equipment and technical aspects were fine. What he found was that a squirrel had chewed a 1" gap in my outside line. Replaced it and now I am at steady tests of 25-28 Mbps all day. He says spend a little more money for an essential piece of AV equipment-a BB gun.
The Netflix app on my Samsung smart tv just received an update today, which has added "Categories" to the toolbar row above the introductory Home screen (which features a recommended title followed by My List or Recently Watched). The Categories option takes you to a genre listings screen with primary genres listed in a column- much like Netflix's Android app, with two rows with 5 titles each displayed under the large thumbnail picture. Scrolling these rows is up/down, not across as under the main UI. There were more than 40 rows of titles under Action alone, which will make casual surfing/ discovery much faster than before. Redundantly, the Genre list can now also be found under the Search box, prior to typing in a title or actors name.
The Samsung tv must not have the processesor power to handle the new Auto start feature that is being slowly rolled out. Checking the PS3, which I don't use for Netflix much anymore, both features are now present on it's Netflix app. The Auto start feature starts playback of an episode or movie once you select it, with the details column overlaid onscreen, slowly fading out as the title plays.
I welcome the addition- or return, if you remember previous iterations of the Netflix UI, of broader genre selections on a dedicated page. As commented on in early posts, the Auto start function would work best if it could be manually activated for those that may like it, or turned off for those that wouldn't.
The Auto start feature starts playback of an episode or movie once you select it, with the details column overlaid onscreen, slowly fading out as the title plays.
the Auto start function would work best if it could be manually activated for those that may like it, or turned off for those that wouldn't.
I've been wondering for a while now why netflix on my ps3 would start a show before i clicked play. I hate the auto start feature & desperately want to turn it off because i don't want the show starting automatically. I'd prefer to hit the play button to make my show start. As for the category feature i love it, it makes it easier for me to find a show that i'd enjoy watching. If anybody knows how to disable the auto start feature on PS3 please share it with me.
Netflix better come out with some more 4K content really quick before I cancel it. Same with the expensive Sony X10 media server I bought. Gives you access to horrible overpriced movies. Why aren't new movies in 4K? They are saying the new 4K Blu-Ray player will be available for Christmas but there won't be any movies for it!
Yep. The life of being an early adopter. Got a DVD player early, got a blu-ray player the first year, got into home 3D the first year. I am DONE. I may buy into 4K in 2016, but they better have players and blu-rays.
My guess would be that most movies and lots of television series have been shot in 4K or higher resolution digital over the past few years and 4K disc and streams can readily be created from them. We'll see what effect the availability of disc players will have on the studios' production of 4K media.
I don't know if the sparsity of 4K content on Netflix is their fault or an inability to make reasonable deals with the rights holders for streaming titles at 4K. All of their long term exclusive serial dramas have been in 4K for the past few (Marco Polo, Daredevil, House of Cards, etc). Amazon has much more UHD film content but it can only be purchased at pretty high prices.
That categories thing is on all of the platforms that I just briefly tried: TiVo Roamio, Roku 3, Fire TV Stick. I'd assume that it's on everything else I have with that UI. It's interesting because only Roku 3 and my Xbox 360 and Xbox One got the inane auto-play feature, which gives me hope that maybe none of the others will get it, since they're getting another new feature without getting that one first (I primarily use Netflix on my TiVo Roamio).
It seems like just another, superior way of viewing some of the genre rows in the main UI, in which you can examine twice as many titles at a glance. I wish they'd add "My List" as a "category".
Great. Not. Rasing prices for there originals. Not pleased with this. I said this again and I don't care if I get bashed for it you can ignore me for as much as you want but I am ticked paying more for there stupid "mature rated" originals I can't watch "offensive". They can raise rates for that but at the same time more good "classic TV" and "kids programs" expire as the horrible CEO is too cheap to renew those days lets instead waste more cash on a new "original"
There is my rant. Take it or leave it.
We’re writing to let you know about an update to our prices. As a thank you for being a valued Netflix member, nothing is changing for you right now. Your price is staying the same and is guaranteed not to change for one year. In order to continue adding more TV shows and movies, we are increasing our price for new members from $8.99 to $9.99 for the 2 screens at a time plan.
I can see more people using the multiple profiles feature to share a single netflix profile with multiple people because they don't wanna pay the extra dollar to have their own account.
Netflix is spending $5 billion on content- only a small portion of that is designated for the original programming they need to fill in the gaps created by the content owners gouging them on licensing fees for those classic tv and childrens shows you're jonesing for. If Netflix can't acquire something because, A) somebody else bought exclusive rights to it, B) the studio that owns it won't sell it to them, C) they were outbid for it, doesn't make them too cheap.
We're paying more because it's costing more to run the darn service eavh year. And it's still a bargain compared to the monthly cost of a basic cable subscription.
Well, I'm sure too soon all of us who "cut the cable" because we were spending too much for "nothing to see" will again be paying too much. Thought that was the point to have a less expensive entertainment bill.
I'm fine with the $1. Their original content is outstanding. I mean I see what I pay monthly just for FX, for a few shows a year of good programing. Or the $10/month I pay for HBO for a few series a year. I a m not a cord cutter, I am a fan of quality original programming.
Charter has a similar deal: $10 to add HBO/SHO/MAX and several other non-premium HD channels. And of course you get HBO Go, Showtime Anytime, etc. with that. Not a bad deal.
I pay $9 a month for Showtime via Hulu+. I might pop for HBO if they were the same price. Thinking back over the years I actually watched more on Showtime than HBO when I had cable.
what is the audio quality of netflix streaming? i am sure, for the shows, it might not be that good... but for movies in 1080p, do they offer hometheater worthy sound? don't know anything about it as in my country it is not available....
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