Netflix PS3 streaming comparison PIX

This is dedication


But this is what we need right now especially people around here saying streaming HD is good enough for them or as good as BD discs. You bought your HDTV and your settling for streaming? No sharpness. No fine detail.

Pictures say a thousand words.

Very informative, and very interesting, thank you for this work!

really terrific work. Thanks for your contribution

Good job. I almost missed this thread since it's not in the streaming or Blu-Ray sections, but I guess it's hard to find a good place for it.

Although there's no way to be certain, most of us have been going on the assumption that the 5.1 titles on the PS3 are 1080p, while anything not in 5.1 are still 720p (so 24, Cobra, and the Matrix Reloaded are probably only 720p).

I am very happy with streaming and use it all the time, but have never said it's as good as Blu-Ray, although on my particular setup Zune and Vudu come pretty close IMO. But my days of pausing the screen and walking up and turning my head sideways and squinting just right to notice any minor imperfections are far behind me, but obviously notice the difference. But since streaming (especially the high quality streams on the PS3 or Zune or Vudu) look on par or even slightly above broadcast HD, I am perfectly happy with it as a supplement to my BD rentals.

Anyway to add in a Zune or Vudu comparison shot as well (although that could get expensive )? And I'd like to see some more titles compared (or even more comparison shots in the same titles above).

Perhaps doing something like Inception HDX vs Blu-Ray (I say that because I did watch it last night on Vudu and thought it looked great).

Thanks again for the shots. It does show streaming (at least the higher-quality stuff) is more on-par with broadcast HD and not the blocky/pixelated/macroblocking/banding/blurry mess that's "on par with VHS and makes their eyes bleed" that some here insist it is, although it's obvious (at least for Netflix) that it's a step below Blu-Ray.

Of course, Netflix is also a step below Vudu HDX and Zune, which is why I'm curious to see some HDX shots side-by-side with BD to see how much of difference there is.

Also, I'll be the first to admit that streaming has a ways to go....especially where Netflix is concerned. If Vudu or Zune was more affordable, I'd have no problems using it more.

I have always found the PS3 (all versions including the latest) lacking in streaming Netflix whether it's SD or HD. I have compared it to close to a dozen other Netflix streamers and it comes in very close to the bottom. I use the opening scene of 24 (episode one season seven first 10 minutes or so) instantly switching back and forth...

Hmmm...I've only compared it to the 360 and found the 1080p content on the PS3 blows away the 360's quality on the same title. I do not have access to any other Netflix streamers other than the PC, which I don't have going to my HDTV so it's not a good comparison.

Thanks. I don't think I've ever seen The 11th Hour but think I'll add it to my queue. Doesn't look like it's out on Blu-Ray yet.

Not familiar with the Robocop BD either (my understanding is it's not a good transfer), but definitely lots more grain in the BD shot (not that grain is a bad thing, but at first glance the HDX looks better to me, but not sure if the grain is supposed to be there or if it's a result of a bad transfer). Of course, it is only one shot...

Not to be a nitpicker (or ask a lot), but would be ideal if you could find something you have on BD that is also in Netflix 1080p, and Vudu HDX to post all three shots for easy comparison.

^ Cool. However, your HDX shots for the Elm Street and the last Outbreak shots are not at full quality (only 2 bars).

However as suspected, Blu-Ray is the best, followed by Vudu, followed by Netflix. I am surprised how well Vudu holds up (at least in the screenshots) side by side. Even though I've frequently said that Vudu looks "close" to Blu-Ray on my particular setup to my eyes, I haven't seen them side by side like that.

Thankfully on my 50" 1080p display, I don't notice a huge difference in Vudu and Blu-Ray once things are in motion (and even though my setup does lossless, my ears don't seem to be able to tell the difference...stupid lousy ears, but I am definitely not an audiophile).

Too bad Vudu is $5.99 for a rental though or I'd definitely use it more.

Also, how are you telling that that Pysch and Weeds are 1080p? AFAIK nobody has been able to identify a 720p from a 1080p source from Netflix (they both will show up as "X-High/HD"). We've only been operating under the assumption that 5.1 titles are 1080p, but that's only an assumption.

Apparently each bar represents a better encode (similar to how Netflix works): http://forum.vudu.com/showthread.php?t=23007

Not sure if it'll make any difference though, just pointing it out.


I'll have to trust you on that

These are great comparison shots. I just started using VUDU HDX this weekend and was more than impressed with the quality. I watched the A-team and then compared it to the Bluray. It was suprisingly close to my eyes with Blu winning, but didn't expect it even to be a competition.

The fact that it streams in DD+ is great too. Maybe in the near future they'll be able to run TrueHD or DTS Master.

These captures just prove my point... these companies can claim their signals are HD but it does not mean they are quality HD signals. Welcome to the MP3 world of video. It looks great on a 5" portable device... but it could look like sh!t on my 100" projection screen. Sorry I will stick with BD for quality.

I'd be curious to see how VUDU HDX compares to some of the Warner titles... Batman Begins, Blade Runner, 300, etc...

I love the Netflix streaming. It's not blu-ray, but it is spectacular for most movies that I want to randomly watch at any given time...something I cannot do without purchasing, going out to rent, or waiting for Netflix to deliver a blu-ray to me. I have no complaints.

Great comparison shots. I have to say that Netflix on x-high on my PS3 looks fantastic on my 106" screen. Not as good as the best Blu-ray transfers, but right there with some of the average transfers IMO. I'm actually surprised how good it is.

Dan

Very interesting.

Even if this was available in canada i am still a quality freak and would probably purchase the blu ray for the best of quality.

Curious how a fellow albertan has access to vudu?

I also like how half of us are shocked at how much better blu ray discs look (me included), and the other half are shocked how decent they looked compared to the blu ray.

Yeah The Shining shots look bad for the streaming (definitely doesn't look typical, since you can see jaggies on the sides of the "A" for example). I haven't really noticed that on most titles (including the other Vudu screenshots above that show words). Must be some encoding thing or perhaps an old encode (since it's an old title).

I assume the Vudu Dark Knight is stuck in 2.35:1 for Vudu as well? I know that movie switches aspect ratios back and forth on the BD. Or did the poster crop that to eliminate the Vudu "info" bars that should be on the top and bottom?

Also, it appears to me something is wrong with the brightness setting or something in the the Vudu shots (like in the rooftop shot...the building looks pinkish compared to the BD). That issue goes back through the screenshots (like the Outbreak ones look darker on Vudu for example). This has the effect of bringing out some detail as well (like the manhole cover on the left in the "man on the street" shot from The Dark Knight).

Count me though in the group that's surprised by how good streaming looks comparatively though. As a heavy streaming user I knew it looked good (not Blu-Ray good, but good nonetheless), and wasn't plagued with the banding/macroblocking/stutter that many seem to think it is. I just wish Netflix in-particular would straighten out some of their issues with aspect ratios and things, although this is more due to them getting the encodes from other companies (like Starz for example)...so really, those companies/channels that supply the encodes need to leap into the early 2000's and jump on the OAR bandwagon. Thankfully, this does seem to be improving for many titles (esp now that they are adding more 1080p and 5.1 titles).

But that is the problem with Netflix. The vast majority of movies are in SD with 2.0 sound and do look closer to VHS than they do Blu-Ray.

Hard to complain about Netflix pricing, but the vast majority of their content looks pretty bad on a larger 100-120" screen. I typically only stream from them on my 42" plasma.

Thanks for the pics... Are you outputting to a video card with hdmi in or something? How are you able to take screen shots?

It's obvious that Vudu is not there yet. They can easily one day say "we're doing 50 mbps video", but then they'd have to have minimum hardware requirements or hardware would just have to "max-out" at whatever the hardware is capabale of.

Does HDX depend on your connection speed, or is it pre-downloaded? Just wondering because i saw the bar showed you werent at full bandwidth in that shining shot.