brad
join:2007-09-06
Etobicoke, ON | reply to Guspaz
Re: Netflix Super HD/Open Connect said by Guspaz:Hulu Plus? Amazon Prime? iTunes? VOD services? Traditional television services? Rental stores? PVRs? IPTV startups? Aereo? Piracy? RedBox Instant? HBO's upcoming VOD service?
Depends on perspective..
A lot of these services lack hardware support which is where Netflix has done a great job. They might be fine if you're Ok sitting in front of a PC.
Some of these are limited in regional availability or limited by the ISP such as IPTV (.e.g. Zazeen).
VOD requires cable/IPTV.
Rental stores stores are not streaming, don't count.
So almost all of these are not competition for me.
I see you included piracy. I consider legal services as competition. Of course you could pirate practically everything.
Provide a service like Netflix with the good hardware support and widespread availability and I would consider that competition. RedBox Instant has the possibility of being that second option but they'll need to work on the hardware support, lot more content and of course actually being available here. |
|
| reply to El Quintron
I'll go along with all the numbers speculation and reasoning behind supporting or not supporting various platforms. I don't think the Flix has nearly the problem people think they do of being available on a software app vs one black box or another. It's all moot if they would simply allow proper apps on the multitude of media players such as XBMC, all the variants of XBMC, and all things technically capable. It costs them nothing to do it.
The classic examples are Boxee and SageTV. Both applications are dead after finally admitting that things such as Netflix will never be allowed. The PC and now even the smart phone is more capable than a black box for things like Netflix. It isn't a technical issue and it's not about a perceived small market segment. |
|
 GuspazGuspazPremium,MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC
kudos:20 | reply to El Quintron
Am I missing something? Boxee supports Netflix, and SageTV doesn't exist anymore...
--
Developer: Tomato/MLPPP, Linux/MLPPP, etc »fixppp.org |
|
| said by Guspaz:Am I missing something? Boxee supports Netflix, and SageTV doesn't exist anymore...
Boxee the software app that runs Boxee *Box* doesn't exist anymore. That's an entire saga in itself. |
|
brad
join:2007-09-06
Etobicoke, ON | said by vikingisson:Boxee the software app that runs Boxee *Box* doesn't exist anymore. That's an entire saga in itself.
No, it's Boxee the software that runs on Windows. It was out of their hands anyway. |
|
|
|
brad
join:2007-09-06
Etobicoke, ON | reply to vikingisson
said by vikingisson:I'll go along with all the numbers speculation and reasoning behind supporting or not supporting various platforms. I don't think the Flix has nearly the problem people think they do of being available on a software app vs one black box or another. It's all moot if they would simply allow proper apps on the multitude of media players such as XBMC, all the variants of XBMC, and all things technically capable. It costs them nothing to do it.
The classic examples are Boxee and SageTV. Both applications are dead after finally admitting that things such as Netflix will never be allowed. The PC and now even the smart phone is more capable than a black box for things like Netflix. It isn't a technical issue and it's not about a perceived small market segment.
It costs them developer time to develop the apps. That is not nothing. Go find some developers that will work for Netflix with no salary and see how that goes.
I don't care about a smart phone for Netflix and I don't want to sit in front of my PC to use Netflix. I don't use a smart phone as a media player. Then I would need two phones. |
|
| So there's no way to access SuperHD with US Netflix correct? Just the Canadian one?
Also what annoys me is that you can't actually tell if the SuperHD video in Canadian netflix which you're watching is actually in SuperHD/1080p or whatever like you could with a TV signal.
If the internet speed for example slows down or struggles then I know that netflix automatically switches the feed to a lower quality one and it's hard to tell.
Anyways it'll take some time and I shouldn't complain too much. The fact that we have 1080p via streaming is pretty amazing even if it's not working the way we want now. |
|
1 edit | reply to brad
said by brad:It costs them developer time to develop the apps. That is not nothing. Go find some developers that will work for Netflix with no salary and see how that goes.
I don't care about a smart phone for Netflix and I don't want to sit in front of my PC to use Netflix. I don't use a smart phone as a media player. Then I would need two phones.
So Netflix is writing the dozens of apps on dozens of platforms now? I don't think so. They give out the spec and API and most importantly the blessing to actually work.
They do not and never will allow the same thing on a software media centre. Technically it is the same thing as every other black box where it does work except perhaps even easier.
Exactly what is the difference between you watching content from your PS3 or whatever box and me watching on my TV that happens to come from a PC? I've been doing it much longer than Boxee Box, XBOX, Roku, Blu Ray players, etc. it's the same thing, my remote control works just like yours and except for most of the bigger commercial providers such as Netflix I'm doing the same thing.
I agree that media consumption on a smart phone is more limited when it comes to video. But my pc as a media centre works just fine except that pay services won't play (actually they do work but I have to switch to a browser for example, pretty easy). The "developers" write hundreds of "apps" to access everything else, they'd be happy to write one to access Netflix if Netflix would let them. |
|
| reply to nettles
said by nettles :So there's no way to access SuperHD with US Netflix correct? Just the Canadian one?
Also what annoys me is that you can't actually tell if the SuperHD video in Canadian netflix which you're watching is actually in SuperHD/1080p or whatever like you could with a TV signal.
If the internet speed for example slows down or struggles then I know that netflix automatically switches the feed to a lower quality one and it's hard to tell.
Anyways it'll take some time and I shouldn't complain too much. The fact that we have 1080p via streaming is pretty amazing even if it's not working the way we want now.
That's a different subject but yes you can watch Netflix in other markets. If SuperHD is available on your chosen box and in the market you want then sure, it can be done. Just not officially. Test it with a switchable VPN/proxy, it just isn't a topic for this thread. |
|
GuspazGuspazPremium,MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC
kudos:20 | reply to nettles
said by nettles :Also what annoys me is that you can't actually tell if the SuperHD video in Canadian netflix which you're watching is actually in SuperHD/1080p or whatever like you could with a TV signal. You can. On the Windows 8 client, hit CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-S and check the bitrate you're streaming at (3000 was the old "HD", anything above that is the new bitrates, 5800 being the highest). On the PS3, hit the Info button on your remote (if you're using a PS3 remote), or one of the other buttons on the PS3 controller if you use that. That doesn't show you the bitrate, but it does say what quality it's streaming in a text description like "Medium/SD" or "High/SD". Many other Netflix streaming devices also let you see the current quality level.
--
Developer: Tomato/MLPPP, Linux/MLPPP, etc »fixppp.org |
|
brad
join:2007-09-06
Etobicoke, ON | reply to vikingisson
said by vikingisson:So Netflix is writing the dozens of apps on dozens of platforms now? I don't think so. They give out the spec and API and most importantly the blessing to actually work.
Every system/device using Netflix uses a player developed by Netflix.
I have no interest in using a media centre PC for media consumption. They have a whole bunch of issues I have no interest in dealing with.
There is no way Netflix will ever allow 3rd party player development, it makes absolutely no sense at all and they would not be allowed to by the content producers providing them the content. |
|
| Well Brad you might not be interested in a media PC but plenty of us are. Functionally it is the same as a black box. What I'm not interested in buying is a black box. No interest in playing games so a game console makes no sense for me. No interest in blu ray either. Or a smart tv. I haven't met a black box that I like or does things better than what I already have. Except for Netflix. I could get a box but then give up most of what I already do, I'd rather give up Netflix.
They could write an app if they wanted, they create apps for all sorts of cheap crappy blue ray players that surely have a smaller market share than PCs. Or as I think they license access like so many other apps. |
|
 eksterHi there.
join:2010-07-16
Lachine, QC
kudos:1
 ·FreePhoneLine
 ·TekSavvy DSL
| reply to El Quintron
Quick question about Windows 7 vs Windows 8 for Netflix.
if I'm reading this right, Win8 uses an app that supports h.264? So does that mean that the regular HD will also use significantly less bandwidth vs Win7 on my HPTC? Or is it just theory so far and the compression is the same on both systems?
I might actually consider getting Win8 if it really uses h.264. |
|
GuspazGuspazPremium,MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC
kudos:20 | reply to El Quintron
They seem to use the same bitrates regardless of if it's VC-1 or h.264 (either that or the silverlight client actually using h.264).
Quality-wise, there's not that much difference between VC-1 and h.264, and a lot depends on the encoder.
--
Developer: Tomato/MLPPP, Linux/MLPPP, etc »fixppp.org |
|
 addp009Premium
join:2003-03-08
Kitchener, ON | reply to El Quintron
I started a Neflix.ca trial seeing that Teksavvy support "SuperHD". However, using the Windows 8 app, it seems like many movies are limited to 1750kbps and it looks worst than youtube videos. (Tried with Transformers and Ghost Protocol.)
I did see some TV shows with 5800kbps but the never selected those bit rate. It seems to top out at 3800kbps.
Anyone else experiencing the same?
--
Addp009's Site |
|
GuspazGuspazPremium,MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC
kudos:20 | 1750 is the highest standard-def bitrate. It either means the show you're watching isn't available in HD at all (let alone SuperHD), or in the case of movies like Ghost Protocol, are only available in HD on a TV-based device.
You might think the Windows 8 client would count as a TV-based device, but it doesn't support a protected content pipeline. As in, if you hit the printscreen button while running the Windows 8 netflix client, it will take a picture of what you're watching, so somebody could use a screen recorder to pirate a movie. Nobody would ever want to do something so stupid when there are far higher quality sources to rip like blurays and itunes webrips, but hollywood cares about such things.
If you're watching something and Netflix doesn't want to go all the way to 5800, it could be because your connection isn't fast enough, or there's congestion, but you can also force it on the PC-based clients. Click the checbox for manual control, the radio button next to 5800 Kbps, and then click apply. For the rest of that session on that title it will only use that bitrate.
--
Developer: Tomato/MLPPP, Linux/MLPPP, etc »fixppp.org |
|
| reply to El Quintron
Well... if you are going to upgrade to Windows 8,
Do it before Upgrade promo is over. End of the month.
»www.microsoftstore.com/store/msc···Wz3miQ6Q |
|
addp009Premium
join:2003-03-08
Kitchener, ON | reply to Guspaz
said by Guspaz:1750 is the highest standard-def bitrate. It either means the show you're watching isn't available in HD at all (let alone SuperHD), or in the case of movies like Ghost Protocol, are only available in HD on a TV-based device.
You might think the Windows 8 client would count as a TV-based device, but it doesn't support a protected content pipeline. As in, if you hit the printscreen button while running the Windows 8 netflix client, it will take a picture of what you're watching, so somebody could use a screen recorder to pirate a movie. Nobody would ever want to do something so stupid when there are far higher quality sources to rip like blurays and itunes webrips, but hollywood cares about such things. Wow. What BS! Windows Vista/7/8 *has* protected pipeline. The app just needs to use Windows Media Foundation and Protected Media Path with a HDCP monitor. This sucks...
I guess I'll judge from the selection, and then figure out if I want a Netflix enabled set-top box later.
--
Addp009's Site |
|
GuspazGuspazPremium,MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC
kudos:20 | reply to El Quintron
"Available in HD on your TV" is one of the main reasons why my 4x2 matrix switch connects to both my home theatre projector *and* my computer monitor :P
In effect, any of my input devices (currently PC, PS3, 360, cable box) can go to any output (projector, LCD monitor). Still, I miss the inability to alt-tab when I do that; switching monitor inputs is much slower than an ALT-TAB would have.
I kind of wish the U2711 had discrete input source buttons, but then I guess the whole monitor would be covered in buttons (it's got something like 7 inputs, including two DVI for some reason)
--
Developer: Tomato/MLPPP, Linux/MLPPP, etc »fixppp.org |
|
brad
join:2007-09-06
Etobicoke, ON | reply to vikingisson
said by vikingisson:Well Brad you might not be interested in a media PC but plenty of us are. Functionally it is the same as a black box. What I'm not interested in buying is a black box. No interest in playing games so a game console makes no sense for me. No interest in blu ray either. Or a smart tv. I haven't met a black box that I like or does things better than what I already have. Except for Netflix. I could get a box but then give up most of what I already do, I'd rather give up Netflix.
They could write an app if they wanted, they create apps for all sorts of cheap crappy blue ray players that surely have a smaller market share than PCs. Or as I think they license access like so many other apps.
But "plenty of you" are a tiny percentage of the market. Even Windows users over all are probably the smallest percentage of viewers of Netflix compared to all the other devices used to access Netflix.
Anyway, you can do whatever you want. But you still lose. Find me an HTPC that is less than $200, doesn't involve Windows, is as small, quiet and low on power requirements as a media player/Blu-ray player. Then I'll consider even using it at all. |
|
