Netflix streaming quality - Page 8

I own PS3, Samsung 2550 and Roku. All support HD streaming if you have the required bandwidth.

As far as I was aware, all embedded devices (meaning everything other than PCs) support HD streaming. Where did you read that some Blu-ray players don't? EDIT: I forgot that Roku has introduced a budget model without HD video or surround sound outputs, called the "Roku SD". Nice for a kid's bedroom, I guess.

It's probable that you can't get the HD streams on PCs due to the deals they've made with their content suppliers, who are always worried that if they stream HD to PCs someone will write a program to capture it .

you mean that someone wouldn't?

Well, yeah, someone would. The paranoid part is their belief that this would have some significant effect on their business.

I hardly doubt that a few people not being able to figure out which devices get Netflix HD is going to hurt their stock price.

Try dropping they hyperbole and you may get people who are happy to try and help.

Here - http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevices

It lists all the devices which support streaming - follow the links for more detail - but you'll find they all support HD streaming (if you have the bandwidth) apart from the SD only entry level Roku player.

Note PCs are not listed - as the man said it isn't that complicated. Of all the streaming services Netflix is the one I would use most. Zune smooth streaming and Vudu are great - but the cost per movie/show is too high. The monthly 'buffet' pricing for Netflix is the the best business model. I may (very rarely) rent a movie on Zune smooth streaming - but I'll watch a lot on Netflix 'watch instantly'.

Maybe I'm missing something but I followed the 'Learn More' links for all devices and found no reference to HD streaming. The LG "Learn More' link states that the LG devices support SD but no mention of HD. The hyperbole comes from frustration with having to track down this type of info. I shouldn't have to dig deep into a forum to get basic information from Netflix about how the technology works. I am a paying customer using a PC connected to my TV. I should be told through Netflix Help pages that PC's do not get the same level of service of streaming as other devices. I have been wondering why others have been telling me that streaming Netflix looks great when my experience has not been so great (which is why I came to AVS looking for answers). Also, consumers shouldn't need a decoder ring to figure out which device supports which service at what level of service. It needs to be clear and easy to understand or the product will have difficulty gaining widespread acceptance.

I agree that as a new person trying to figure it out, they don't offer enough info on their site.

Long story short, the PC doesn't support HD. Any other device listed on their site does (XBOX, PS3, all Blu-Ray players, Roku, etc).

The only other "device" I know of that doesn't support HD is using the PlayOn media server (which is bascially the PC anyways, but it's another "device" you'll see capable of streaming Netflix).

There's also the brand new Roku SD box that I mentioned above, which doesn't support HD streaming and has no HD video outs. They've recently introduced the SD and HD-XR, which adds wireless N. Those are in addition to their existing model, which they now call the Roku HD.

Thanks. This info really helps. I guess I'm in the market for a Blu Ray player with Netflix streaming. Glad I didn't pop for the Blu ray drive for my living room PC.

has anyone here tried ( boxee ) with netflix ?

I'm having large differences in streaming quality between my computer and 360. The 360 is streaming w/ 4 bars, no problem, but my computer only streams @ 1 and has to constantly stop to buffer. Both are connected to the same router,which is connected to a 10Mbs internet connection. Any suggestions on making the computer streaming bearable?

After going through this forum seeking information about Blu-Ray players which will stream Netflix, there are two questions that I still am not seeing answered and that are not answered at the Netflix site. I have listed them in order of importance of the answers to me:

1. Which Blu-Ray players do NOT require an add-on device? In other words, which will stream Netflix when they come right out of the box? The reason I ask is that other forums talk about people who bought Samsung players only to find out that they needed another $80 add-on.

2. Which Blu-Ray players that work right out of the box without add-ons also have wireless capability so that I can stream through my LAN without a computer anywhere near the player/tv?

Where did you read this? I'm certain that it's wrong. Those people probably bought Samsung BD players with no Netflix streaming capability and the "$80 add-on" was the bottom-of-the-line Roku SD box. All of the BD players listed here at Netflix's site should stream Watch Instantly out of the box. According to the information there, the Insignia NS-WBRDVD, LGE BD390, Samsung BD-P3600 and BD-P4600 all have built-in WiFi. The others couldn't use a PC if you wanted to, but they do need some form of network connection, a hard wire to a router or into a wireless bridge of some kind.

I read it in the reviews of the Samsung BD-P1590 which is the model sold by both Sam's Club and Costco. It says right on the box that it is Netflix streaming, and the Samsung website says the same. Then when I went to Specifications page at the Samsung site, it stated "Wireless Lan Adapter not included." The Wireless Lan Adapter costs $80. My understanding from looking at Blu-Ray boxes in stores and then reading in forums and reviews is that a box that says it offers Netflix streaming cannot be trusted. They say that and say that a subscription is necessary, but they do not mention on the box that something else may be needed. I'm trying to find something at a "reasonable" price. (I define that as about $180 or less.) I'm not a gamer, but I wonder why it wouldn't be better to buy a PS3 player than buy the BD-P3600 at the same or a higher price?

The very reasonable presumption is that you have some way to connect your BD player to the network, inasmuch as Netflix streaming is implicitly from the Internet (there are other BD player functions which use the network as well and it'd be a good idea to have it connected even without Netflix). You do not need to buy Samsung's $80 wireless adapter if you already have a network interface to plug the player into. Should they include a broadband modem and router as well ? You're assuming that the people using these players will have a wireless networking in their home.

If you have wired Internet running to your entertainment equipment, like me and many other people, you don't need or want built-in WiFi and anything that it adds to the price of the equipment is a waste of your money. I have a TiVo, Xbox 360, PS3 and a PC in my entertainment system (all of which can stream Netflix, though I generally use my TiVo for it); only the PS3 has built-in wireless and I have never used it. My cable modem and router are co-located with the system; the router is connected to the modem and there are wires running from the router into each of those devices.

I've noticed (last night) while scrolling through my XBOX queue that I have several movies in my instant queue that are expiring on Jan 1.

However, the website (in my Instant Queue) isn't reflecting that like it used to. Strange, as that's how I was checking each month to make sure I watched anything that was expiring. I wonder why they aren't showing this on the website anymore.

You're right--there are a few things in my queue which expire soon and they don't show up on the web page either. In fact, the Xbox is the only thing which shows them--neither TiVo or the PS3 gives any indication of expiring titles.

They really ought to create a psuedo-queue (like "Watched Recently") called "Expiring Soon" for the Xbox and PS3 interfaces (and any future interfaces created or updated to have multi-queue browsing like those devices).

WTF!

I put Quantum Leap into view instantly but can't watch the first 3 episodes because they are only available on dvd
Duh!

That IS weird...wonder why?

What I've always hated is when Netflix has only 5 of 6 disks of a TV show available -- often the 6th disk has mostly "extras" on it, but I know of at least 1 TV series that had the last episode of that season on that 6th disk -- but Netflix didn't offer it to rent so I had to buy that episode and watch it. Just a bit of a PITA, but it makes no sense...ah well.

DGK

I think it's something do with the the rights, or the fact that they don't want people ONLY using streaming.

The studios are trying to protect physical media. Of course, the silly part is that the content is available to all Netflix subscribers anyway... it just means that the revenue that could be going to the studio goes to the USPS instead.


I should point out that in the case of "extras" it may be that the rights to distribute digitally may not have been secured when the DVD was authored.

They are on Hulu.

lots of streaming videos expiring on 1/1/10 for some reason. Heads up, if you wanted to stream those movies. Check your queue. I think I have 10 old classics that are going away.

I totally agree - I just got a LG BD390 which does have Wireless-N built in - but which I don't need as I will use a wired connection. I got it because it was the only Blu-Ray player with Netflix and Vudu streaming, good quality Blu-Ray and DVD plaback and 5.1 analog out. I would have preferred a cheaper 'Wireless'-less BD390 - but it doesn't exist.

ok, i'm trying to stream It Happened One Night on my PC, Firefox (and also tried Firefox w/IE tab). After about 15-20 seconds the image squishes so it's really tall after a green flash, and then the audio is off as well. Tried a few times. First time this has happened. What gives?

I tried it on the PC too, and exactly the same thing happened. Tried it on TiVo and the Xbox (which use the same encoding, different from the PC) and it works fine. The PS3 would use a third encoding, but I didn't feel like swapping discs in order to try it.

Sorry--it seems like a screwed up encoding for the PC. Be sure to complain to Netflix about it; on your account page there's a section labelled "Instant Watching Activity" showing the most recent six streams you've watched with a "Report Problem" link next to each. There's a link to see a list of every stream you've watched under your account which also has problem report links.

thanks a lot for testing it for me, good to know. I'll just watch it on my TV instead. I'll make sure to notify them!

De nada. I use the same panel that my TiVo, Xbox and PS3 are connected to as the monitor for this PC; I sit about seven feet away with a wireless keyboard and mouse on a laptop cart and my trusty Harmony remote. I tested all three devices in a few minutes without getting up off my butt, which I would have had to do to test it on the PS3, or I'd have done that too .

I have a Sony KDL40W5100 and stream video from Netflix. I have streamed many movies and TV shows in SD and HD quality and always find the color depth/resolution to be less than via other sources. The sharpness of the video is fine and it streams flawlessly (e.g., no rebuffering, etc). But, blacks are quite noticeably crushed. I tried a demo HD stream from Amazon and saw the same thing.

If I am watching DVD/BluRay or DirecTV (via HDMI) or TV via off-air antenna the picture is beautiful with full color depth and no crushed blacks.

I have a 6Mb DSL service and get a consistent 5Mb.

I called Netflix and they were able to verify from their end that they were delivering their highest HD quality w/o any issues to my TV. They said a consistent 4Mb was the requirement and my service exceeded that. They suggested calling Sony.

I called Sony and they were not much help. They said that since the TV delivers the proper color depth from sources other than streaming that the issue can NOT be with the TV. I questioned whether the TV's video processing is identical with input via its LAN connection versus HDMI, RF, etc. The Sony rep said "yes." But, I don't have 100% confidence that he really knew that to be true.

In any case.... Have other experienced crushed blacks via streaming? Thoughts?

Thanks, Tim