[opendtv] Re: Netflix quality
- From: "Mike Tsinberg" <Mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:43:41 -0500
So by this small survey it seems that Netflix implementation varies
significantly. Probably company does not insist on any implementation rules
or certifications. Maybe it is faster to the market but in my opinion
damages the brand. I agree as TV series content provider you did not have
time to watch its great especially without commercials!
It is always amazing to see this near HD content streaming through 1 Mb/s or
so channel. I remember when we were struggling to put together ATSC in late
80-th and used MPEG2 at 20 Mb/s.
Mike Tsinberg
<http://keydigital.com> http://keydigital.com
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of dan.grimes@xxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 1:18 PM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Netflix quality
It is interesting to hear of your response to Netflix streaming, especially
compared to the three unique devices that I have been using to run Netflix
applications (four if you count the computer): a PlayStation 3, two Vizio
VXT TVs, and a Logitek Revue which just got new firmware which completely
revamped how it operates.
The PS3 is probably the best device. It has almost never hung or stopped and
controls are very responsive. However, having no QWERTY keyboard, even with
the optional Sony remote for using it as a media player, makes it slow to
search for specific media. What is really great is that the PS3 keeps track
of everything you have watched and where you are at in a program, making it
really easy to go back to a program you didn't finish or to watch the next
program in a series. Media is high-def almost from the start of the
streaming.
The Vizio TVs are very slow to log into Netflix and very slow to initially
start a selected program (apparently a long lag before it starts buffering).
Once the video starts, it almost never glitches. The fast forward and
reverse are near impossible to use with long buffering delays. The video
starts in a very low quality and gradually gets better. The TVs have QWERTY
keyboards built into the remote and searches are simple and quick. On the
other hand, the main menus often change and the "Recently Watched" menu
often goes away. Also, it doesn't not do a good job of keeping track of what
has been viewed.
I haven't logged in on the Logitech since the recent firmware update. But
the Revue has a full sized QWERTY keyboard, touch pad and mouse controls,
giving excellent control, allowing efficient interfacing with a website,
albeit, not as good as a regular mouse due to the need to switch to several
control areas to mimic the mouse.
I recently wrote a bit about the GoogleTV on the Logitech Revue device. With
the new firmware, it is a completely new device in many respects. First, it
now has access to Android Apps. Of course, there are limitations to what is
applicable for a device meant only for displaying media. The menu's
useability is slightly hindered. But it is easier to get to GoogleTV now.
But GoogleTV is still a non-starter and cannot compare to a MVPD. Meanwhile,
it lost several other apps that weren't working. And the Revue still only
outputs 720P and still has black bars around it. This makes websites just
slightly too small at 10' from a 42" screen. I have to choke up on it a bit
to get the small details.
As far as Netflix is concerned, it is still very limited in content but it
is great to see so many new things added from mainstream media, especially
TV series from the big media congloms as well as from around the world.
Dan
From: "Mike Tsinberg" <Mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
I had different experiences playing Netflix on different devices:
...
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