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Gear / Technical Help => Playback Forum => Home Theatre & HDTV => Topic started by: Gil on February 24, 2011, 11:40:05 AM

Title: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Gil on February 24, 2011, 11:40:05 AM
Am I the only one who's disappointed (or even notices) the fairly poor quality of their streams, both SD and HD? For the most part HD streams look good (sometimes great), but once you get to a dark or low-lit scene--egads!--the compression gremlins come out in full force, mostly in the form of pixelation.

FWIW, I'm streaming from a BD-570 via HDMI at 720p.
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Jimna on February 24, 2011, 12:15:54 PM
No impressed.   I still like the convenience at a reasonable price, but they need more titles.
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Brian E. on February 24, 2011, 12:36:22 PM
you need to stream 1080p/5.1 with a PS3 on a good rip like The Office or Blue Moutain State and then compare.

A lot of it depends on your device.  I find that HD streams like VERY good on my Pioneer Kuro 50" with my PS3.
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Gil on February 24, 2011, 12:44:50 PM
you need to stream 1080p/5.1 with a PS3 on a good rip like The Office or Blue Moutain State and then compare.

A lot of it depends on your device.  I find that HD streams like VERY good on my Pioneer Kuro 50" with my PS3.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree here. I believe it's the compression scheme(s) used by Netflix. I've viewed their streams on a number of different devices, and pixelation has always been an issue in certain parts of the film/show. The Office, I feel, is a poor choice for critical viewing since it's predominantly bright with few dark scenes.
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Brian E. on February 24, 2011, 12:50:18 PM
Netflix has different streams for different devices.  Devices with hard drives, like the Xbox 360, Tivo HD models, and PS3 look notably better than blu-ray players from everything I've experienced and read.  I assume this is because they can handle bigger streams, I don't know.  The PS3 is the only device with 3.8Mbps streams in 1080, and the only device that streams 5.1 sound.

I'm a critical blu-ray guy - I've posted many a review in the PQ thread on AVS, and I like the quality of the HD PS3 streams for the most part.  No, they are not BD quality, but they are the best all you can eat streaming quality out there.
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Gil on February 24, 2011, 01:01:48 PM
Netflix has different streams for different devices.  Devices with hard drives, like the Xbox 360, Tivo HD models, and PS3 look notably better than blu-ray players from everything I've experienced and read.  I assume this is because they can handle bigger streams, I don't know.  The PS3 is the only device with 3.8Mbps streams in 1080, and the only device that streams 5.1 sound.

I'm a critical blu-ray guy - I've posted many a review in the PQ thread on AVS, and I like the quality of the HD PS3 streams for the most part.  No, they are not BD quality, but they are the best all you can eat streaming quality out there.

Very interesting. I knew there were different ones for PC streaming, but I did not realize that they differed by device.
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Jimna on February 24, 2011, 02:00:06 PM
I use a desktop for my HT and I still get the same crappy picture.  Im with gil on this one. 
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Brian E. on February 24, 2011, 02:17:09 PM
I use a desktop for my HT and I still get the same crappy picture.  Im with gil on this one. 

As I've said, different for different devices.  The standalone devices with hard disks seem to get the best streams - the PC has almost always been the worst.  They didn't even have HD on PC until a year ago.
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Gil on February 24, 2011, 02:49:07 PM
I use a desktop for my HT and I still get the same crappy picture.  Im with gil on this one. 

As I've said, different for different devices.  The standalone devices with hard disks seem to get the best streams - the PC has almost always been the worst.  They didn't even have HD on PC until a year ago.

I found PC streaming to be nigh on unwatchable due to constantly dropped frames. That's pretty much what made me pull the trigger on the BD570, which does not suffer from the dropped frames, but still has noticeable compression artifacts.

Funny thing is, my roommate hardly notices any of these issues on either device. Oh, did I mention she's a woman? ;D
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: ts on February 24, 2011, 02:51:19 PM
what about the wii. I'm running it thru my daughters right now on a one month free trial. just started and haven't watched enough to really judge the quality. hopefully this weekend. as far as streaming on the pc or mac, really don't see the point in that other than the selection might be better?? and i agree with a previous post stating the choices are a bit lame.
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Gil on February 24, 2011, 03:00:05 PM
what abourt the wii. I'm running it thru my daughters right now on a one month free trial. just started and haven't watched enough to really judge the quality. hopefully this weekend. as far as streaming on the pc or mac, really don't see the point in that other than the selection might be better?? and i agree with a previous post stating the choices are a bit lame.

The only thing I know about Wii streaming is that it can't do HD.

I may be in the minority but our instant queue is approaching 400 titles. Plenty good selection for our tastes.

As for the point of PC/Mac streaming, you can hook it up to your television with HDMI, VGA, DVI, etc. There's actually a better selection of HD titles available for "tv streaming" than PC streaming.
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: allan on February 24, 2011, 03:01:35 PM
I've got a Roku and the HD stuff looks pretty good through it, especially Blue Mountain State, that looks fantastic, are the only 2 seasons of that show?
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: Brian E. on February 24, 2011, 03:25:15 PM
yep, they just finished the second season.  Spike was putting up the new episode every week the next day on Netflix, pretty cool.
Title: Re: Netflix streaming --- Let's talk quality!
Post by: ts on February 25, 2011, 08:16:12 AM
Thanks, I kinda forgot the wii was not HD. :P It's been a few years since I hooked it up.

So I'm missing out on loads of HD programming and this is probably why I think the current selection available thru the wii is so lame. ??? I have a "New Arrivals" category and there is absolutely nothing "new" in it.

I'll check my account again. Maybe I forgot to select "New Movies", if that category even exists. :laugh:

what abourt the wii. I'm running it thru my daughters right now on a one month free trial. just started and haven't watched enough to really judge the quality. hopefully this weekend. as far as streaming on the pc or mac, really don't see the point in that other than the selection might be better?? and i agree with a previous post stating the choices are a bit lame.

The only thing I know about Wii streaming is that it can't do HD.

I may be in the minority but our instant queue is approaching 400 titles. Plenty good selection for our tastes.

As for the point of PC/Mac streaming, you can hook it up to your television with HDMI, VGA, DVI, etc. There's actually a better selection of HD titles available for "tv streaming" than PC streaming.