Fed up with Netflix.

[Pyrrho]

I was wondering if any of you knew of a decent streaming video service.

To give some background, I have been using Netflix for some years now. But their service is unreliable. When trying to watch a show, very frequently, it loads in HD, but after a short time, it drops out and reloads in a very low resolution form, and will not come back in HD. Netflix, of course, tries to blame anyone and everyone else, but when I use the same equipment to stream other HD materials, like the Smithsonian Channel and Vimeo, they work fine, even though both immediately before and immediately after, Netflix will not load in HD. So I know that it is BS that my equipment isn't up for HD, or that my network is at fault, or my internet connection is at fault. Also, whenever I have checked my internet speed when Netflix drops out, the online speed measurements (no matter which one I use) ALWAYS tells me my speed is vastly better than Netflix claims is necessary for HD. My guess is that Netflix is just not keeping up their server capacity for people to get HD during peak use times, but they, of course, admit nothing, and blame things that I know are fine.

So, are there any decent alternatives, or do I just need to give up on streaming much TV and movies?

 

[Irvrobinson]

Netflix streams just fine for me in HD on the Roku and on my Mac desktop. I watch only in the evening, which I assume is peak time, and I've never noticed a drop in quality. Amazon, on the other hand, pisses me off by not supporting HD at all to the Mac. Much to my surprise Amazon has a limited list of supported devices for HD, and the Mac isn't on it.

I agree with you about Netflix blaming everyone one else about quality issues, as I found out when I had problems streaming to my Sony BD player. Unfortunately in that case Netflix was right, and the Roku eliminated the problem.

What device are you using for streaming?

 

[fuzz092888]

I've never had trouble with Hulu with movies but it can be pricey. Amazon supposedly is the same or nearly the same as Netflix, but I've almost never had a problem. Amazon prime might be worth a try if you end up finding their service more reliable than netflix.

 

[lsiberian]

Sounds like your streaming device or internet connection is at fault. I assure you Netflix has plenty of bandwidth. Your ISP may be anti-netflix.

 

[Pyrrho]

Netflix streams just fine for me in HD on the Roku and on my Mac desktop. I watch only in the evening, which I assume is peak time, and I've never noticed a drop in quality. Amazon, on the other hand, pisses me off by not supporting HD at all to the Mac. Much to my surprise Amazon has a limited list of supported devices for HD, and the Mac isn't on it.

I agree with you about Netflix blaming everyone one else about quality issues, as I found out when I had problems streaming to my Sony BD player. Unfortunately in that case Netflix was right, and the Roku eliminated the problem.

What device are you using for streaming?

I use a Roku. As I stated in the opening post, as a test when Netflix dropped to crap quality tonight, after trying to reload it a couple of times, with nothing but crap quality (and even tried a different show on Netflix, with the same crap quality instead of HD), I then immediately used my Roku to watch a couple of things in HD on Smithsonian and on Vimeo. No problems with either. Nice, clear HD, no dropping out. I then tried to reload my show on Netflix, still with crap quality, no HD.

This has been an ongoing problem, but recently it has become intolerable. Other things stream in HD perfectly, through exactly the same equipment.

 

[Pyrrho]

I've never had trouble with Hulu with movies but it can be pricey. Amazon supposedly is the same or nearly the same as Netflix, but I've almost never had a problem. Amazon prime might be worth a try if you end up finding their service more reliable than netflix.

How are they on picture quality?

 

[lsiberian]

How are they on picture quality?

It's just as good IMO and you do get the 2 day shipping too.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Sounds like your streaming device or internet connection is at fault. I assure you Netflix has plenty of bandwidth. Your ISP may be anti-netflix.

He has a point, Your ISP maybe throttling netflix traffic and now since Net neutrality is officially dead, it's even 100% legal. Welcome to US internet 2014.

Who's your ISP btw and have they singed peering agreement with netflxi ? aka SuperHD?

 

[Irvrobinson]

I use a Roku. As I stated in the opening post, as a test when Netflix dropped to crap quality tonight, after trying to reload it a couple of times, with nothing but crap quality (and even tried a different show on Netflix, with the same crap quality instead of HD), I then immediately used my Roku to watch a couple of things in HD on Smithsonian and on Vimeo. No problems with either. Nice, clear HD, no dropping out. I then tried to reload my show on Netflix, still with crap quality, no HD.

This has been an ongoing problem, but recently it has become intolerable. Other things stream in HD perfectly, through exactly the same equipment.

It could be the ISP, as lsiberian says, but it would seem you have appropriate motivation. I'd probably switch too.

 

[sawzalot]

I am watching Netflix through an ATV and everything works as it should,excellent PQ and the optical out to the PIO works flawless. I actually have not had any problems what so ever.

 

[skizzerflake]

I have intermittent problems with Netflix (stops, loading, etc). It's usually when I am streaming to my TV from a Blue Ray player, almost never from my iPhone or Mac. It seems most likely to happen between 7 PM and midnight. I don't know if it's Comcast or Netflix, but I suspect that it might be Netflix. When I use a bandwidth measure, I am usually getting around 20 mb, which should be more than enough to stream a movie and have a couple other computers doing things on the web. I don't think it is the recent court decision, because I have had the exact same problem for months before the net neutrality decision.

 

[shadyJ]

He has a point, Your ISP maybe throttling netflix traffic and now since Net neutrality is officially dead, it's even 100% legal. Welcome to US internet 2014.

Who's your ISP btw and have they singed peering agreement with netflxi ? aka SuperHD?

If it's the ISP, I would drop the ISP, not Netflix. Find out if it is the ISP, and if it is, drop them with an explanation why. Otherwise you are rewarding them for screwing you over.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Right this minute the status on Netflix says: "now playing in HD", and it looks pretty good. Not anywhere near as good as Bluray, but pretty good.

 

[PENG]

The only problem I have is on the audio side. Once in a while it would not do DD5.1+ for certain shows including TV series. They would tell you it is but it would not do it for hours or days or in the middle of it and then it would come back. I don't think it is my hardware because it has been behaving like that for a few years now and my hardware has gone from 4308 to 7005 to 8801 and from sat box to fibe box, same thing is still happening but it does seem to be happening less frequently.

 

[3db]

He has a point, Your ISP maybe throttling netflix traffic and now since Net neutrality is officially dead, it's even 100% legal. Welcome to US internet 2014.

Who's your ISP btw and have they singed peering agreement with netflxi ? aka SuperHD?

I disagree with this assessment. If the ISP is throttling, then the other apps would be affected too, not just Netflix.....unless the ISP can select which app to throttl eback.

 

[Hocky]

I disagree with this assessment. If the ISP is throttling, then the other apps would be affected too, not just Netflix.....unless the ISP can select which app to throttl eback.

They definitely can.

Netflix sucks on my Chromecast, but works well on my Oppo. I don't typically stream, anyway, because I typically only watch movies and their selection sucks.

 

[jinjuku]

Sounds ISP related. I haven't had any issues there weren't related to TWC. They just gave me half a months credit due to outages.

 

[lsiberian]

I disagree with this assessment. If the ISP is throttling, then the other apps would be affected too, not just Netflix.....unless the ISP can select which app to throttl eback.

ISPs do throttle specific apps. They also are setting up earlier node content with supporting ISPs. Removing potential throttles. Netflix has insanely high bandwidth. It's Amazon level. Given this fact amazon prime is definitely the best alternative. Amazon prime has numerous other benefits.

 

[panteragstk]

I have prime and netflix and never have issues with either. I use my TV, PC, and a Roku without any problems.

 

[jinjuku]

I disagree with this assessment. If the ISP is throttling, then the other apps would be affected too, not just Netflix.....unless the ISP can select which app to throttl eback.

ISP's can certainly throttle specific traffic. I've setup ISP's before. Everything from servers to routers to concentrators. It's a piece of cake.

Netflix offers a service to ISP's in that they will install a server, at Netflix's cost, so there is no back bone data on that ISP's pipe. TWC refuses to do this.