Netflix Streaming and HD - What Gives?
#1
Netflix Streaming and HD - What Gives?
I decided to check out the Netflix streaming service and I am teh confused. Simply put, not all content labeled "HD" streams in HD. I'd been pulling my hair out trying to figure out why as I suspected it was my setup, but I'm 99.99% sure it's not.
I have a Samsung BDP-1590 Blu-Ray player that I'm using to stream Netflix using the built-in app. It has the latest firmware update. It, along with my Xbox and Dish receiver connect to a wireless bridge to give them Internet access.
Connecting a laptop to the wireless bridge and running speed tests yields ~14Mbps down, ~4Mbps up, and ~40ms ping. This should be sufficient for Netflix HD streaming, no?
FWIW, clients hard-wired to my network yield 20Mbps+ down and ~20ms ping. Although the wireless bridge is a bottleneck, it should still be sufficient.
Here's where it gets weird. I've selected a random set of items to stream, all with the "HD" notation. Here's what happens:
I have my "Manage Video Quality" preference set to "Best Quality". When a given selection refuses to stream at HD, I can select one I know works and it streams at HD no problem. I even went as far as running a long Ethernet cable from my office to my Blu-Ray player and that didn't seem to make any difference...this was when I decided that the issue is not bandwidth/latency related. I'd try streaming from the Xbox but neither I or my wife have an Xbox Live Gold membership (we're too cheap ).
I don't know if this is related, but when I go to "Manage devices and computers" nothing is listed. Shouldn't I see my Blu-Ray player here?
Anybody have any idea what gives?
I have a Samsung BDP-1590 Blu-Ray player that I'm using to stream Netflix using the built-in app. It has the latest firmware update. It, along with my Xbox and Dish receiver connect to a wireless bridge to give them Internet access.
Connecting a laptop to the wireless bridge and running speed tests yields ~14Mbps down, ~4Mbps up, and ~40ms ping. This should be sufficient for Netflix HD streaming, no?
FWIW, clients hard-wired to my network yield 20Mbps+ down and ~20ms ping. Although the wireless bridge is a bottleneck, it should still be sufficient.
Here's where it gets weird. I've selected a random set of items to stream, all with the "HD" notation. Here's what happens:
- The Big Lebowski - Watched it in HD on Sunday, will no longer stream at HD.
- Dumb and Dumber - Streams in HD every time I select it.
- Dirty Dancing - Streams in HD every time I select it.
- Super Troopers - Has never streamed at HD.
- Parks and Rec - Has never streamed at HD.
- Food, Inc. - Has never streamed at HD.
- Office Space - Watched it at HD on Saturday, will not stream at HD since.
- Black Hawk Down - Sometimes HD, sometimes not.
- Ghostbusters - Has never streamed at HD.
- Scary Movie - Has never streamed at HD.
- Hot Tub Time Machine - Has never streamed at HD.
- Serenity - Has never streamed at HD.
- You get the idea...
I have my "Manage Video Quality" preference set to "Best Quality". When a given selection refuses to stream at HD, I can select one I know works and it streams at HD no problem. I even went as far as running a long Ethernet cable from my office to my Blu-Ray player and that didn't seem to make any difference...this was when I decided that the issue is not bandwidth/latency related. I'd try streaming from the Xbox but neither I or my wife have an Xbox Live Gold membership (we're too cheap ).
I don't know if this is related, but when I go to "Manage devices and computers" nothing is listed. Shouldn't I see my Blu-Ray player here?
Anybody have any idea what gives?
#3
Sanest Florida Man
Yeah I've noticed it acting a little odd lately but other than that it's been running great for years.
#4
is right...
Last night (after posting this) I tried streaming stuff on my Mini and nothing would stream in HD...not even the select few that reliably streamed on my Blu-Ray player. All of my browsers and the Sliverlight plugin are up to date. Bandwidth was not an issue either.
Could the problem be account specific? Maybe I'll give them a call just for the heck of it...
Last night (after posting this) I tried streaming stuff on my Mini and nothing would stream in HD...not even the select few that reliably streamed on my Blu-Ray player. All of my browsers and the Sliverlight plugin are up to date. Bandwidth was not an issue either.
Could the problem be account specific? Maybe I'll give them a call just for the heck of it...
#5
Az User
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i stream though my PS-3 (hdmi to tv) with a wireless connection, never had a quality issue
#6
The sizzle in the Steak
HD streaming works 98% of the time for me
#7
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HD streaming is fine for me too through the PS3 and Apple TV
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#8
14Mbps should be more than enough, I think max Netflix needs is 8mbps to avoid any buffering... ((Though real HD content needs min of 25mbps..but that's for videophiles))
Test your router, not just a speedtest, you probably have bottlenecks with long latencies, one way to test it, is to directly connect the ethernet wire; once you rule that out you can then yell at the blueray player and netflix, they may even give you free few months
Test your router, not just a speedtest, you probably have bottlenecks with long latencies, one way to test it, is to directly connect the ethernet wire; once you rule that out you can then yell at the blueray player and netflix, they may even give you free few months
#12
Senior Moderator
I watch through wifi on my PS3. What I notice is that when it first starts playing, it looks pretty crappy and then it starts looking better after about a minute. Have you tried that?
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