Netflix quality HORRID after update

It could be that Netflix figured that the best way to avoid ATV folks from calling and complaining that their other devices stream in HD fine ... Is to get muck up it up for all the devices ... So now they all look the same. LOL.

BTW ... I did some tests on my TIVO premiere at 6pm eastern today (weekend). 6 out of 10 times it starts off at 1080 right away. 2 out of 10 times it starts at 480p and climbs up to 1080p. The other 2 out of 10 times it starts at 480p and drop to 280 after a few seconds but then starts climbing up to 1080p within a couple of minutes. Of those 10 times ... 4 times in the middle of a stream it would drop from 1080p to about 480 or 720p but then climb up again.

I noticed the above behavior on my PS3 as well. That's what adaptive rate is all about.

So ... Here is my conclusion - there is bug in the way ATV and Netflix are negotiating speeds. Netflix server is not receiving speed info from ATV and so dropping to lowest rate and never adapting to higher rates. This also could be limited to only certain Netflix servers not talking correctly to the ATV (which explains why we don't see this problem sometimes when we restart a session).

Also I would like propose that folks who posts here ... Should

- indicate number of trials they ran

- time of the days

- ISP provider

- speed provisioning (e.g. 27Mb/s)

- other streaming devices tested at same location

So here is my info ...

- 10 trials run

- prime time tear on weekend

- Comcast

- 27Mb/s

- TIVO works: PS3 works; LG TV netflix app works fine.

dogboy714 wrote:

For me, everything I watch looks good for 2-3 seconds, then clearly blips down or pauses and blips down to SD (or probably worse - very fuzzy). I'd guess Comcast sees what the data is being used for and then limits the bandwidth for the feed. Just a guess...

Yes that is quite typical of what most people who see the netflix Apple TV issue see.

On Comcast at 10:30 tonight PST

Apple TV 375 kbps!

Chromecast ramps quickly to 5800 kbps.

So Comcast doesn't seem to be the limitation.

Tonights online viewing.

Vudu HDX on Blu-Ray Player 'Winter's Bone' from their 99c daily deal from about a week ago - great movie and great video and audio quality (1080P HDX 3-bars throughout the movie).

Netflix on Chromecast 'Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries' - excellent video quality on 1080P Super HD (5800 kbps throughout - although a shame that it is only stereo sound).

Hulu+ on Apple TV - watched a couple of old British Sci-Fi shows which again looked surprising good.

Netflix on the Apple TV pixelated 375 kbps 240P!

All on Comcast

Called Netflix earlier today - it was a discouraging experience. After initially saying they had no reports of similar issues they then said it was a known issue with the Apple TV and Comcast - and I should call Comcast ask them to adjust my settings....

The online reps were really useless - my guess is they were telling me that I should ask Comcast to be an Open Connect ISP - but they really couldn't articulate what they wanted me to do.

We see from this thread it isn't limited to Comcast.

If the Chromecast worked with my Harmony remote I would be out of his thread.

One thing that I have not seen anyone mention is that, starting around the same time as the pixilation problem, certain programs became unavailable from Netflix if I am using Apple TV, but they are available if I am using my iPad. The two that I have noticed are the original "Star Trek" series and "Adam 12," but there are probably others. If I select one of those programs, I get a message saying "We're having trouble with this title right now. Please try again later or select a different title. (ATV-ui511:atv/nextGPS2/mdp)"

I think it's obvious from all that I have seen and all that others have said that the problem is with Netflix, not Apple or Comcast. I am frustrated and annoyed that they don't own up to it and haven't fixed it by now. Just an acknowledgement that they are having a problem and are working on a solution would go a long way. I don't expect perfection, but honesty would be nice.

I vaguely remember reading long ago, when iPhones were brand new, that services such as Netflix stream different formats to different categories of devices, which might explain why the pixilation problem is on some devices but not on others. It might also explain why those programs are not available right now on Apple TV while they are available on iPad. (Curious as to whether those programs are available on Roku, since people using those devices are reporting the same pixilation problem that we are seeing on Apple TV).

John Barnes1 wrote:

I think it's obvious from all that I have seen and all that others have said that the problem is with Netflix, not Apple or Comcast. I am frustrated and annoyed that they don't own up to it and haven't fixed it by now. Just an acknowledgement that they are having a problem and are working on a solution would go a long way. I don't expect perfection, but honesty would be nice.

I agree. If only they would at least acknowledge the problem and say they are working on it.

At best, Netflix has stumbled into this problem, and is working to fix it. At least they could say so.

At worst, Netflix is using us paying customers as levers in their efforts to influence Comcast and the other larger ISP's to bend to their will and use Direct Connect.

Meanwhile, in protest I've just cancelled my Netflix account. $17.98 a month. That'll show 'em!

(Also, I can easily restore it on their website if and when they get this right)

I just had a rather annoying / strange chat with the Netflix helpline, disucssing this issue, and they basically invited me to cancel my service. I've been a loyal customer since about 2000, so it blows my mind they would just say goodbye so quickly.

I am waiting for them to email me the transcript, at which point I'll probably post it for this group to review. The rep suggested that billing through iTunes may be better.

To add more fuel to the fire, this isn't just a comcast issue. I'm on century link and have the same problem - quality jumps from HD to very low SD and back. HD last a short time and SD a long time. Sometimes it never goes back to HD. I have also tested on the same TV and network with an old Roku and a Chromecast and the picture is HD all the way.

Whether it's how Netflix communicates to an Apple TV or how an Apple TV processes the stream I can't say, but it's clearly a Netflix-ATV issue not specifically an ISP issue (although comcast IS evil and probably compounds the problem). As the problem is only observed on an ATV then I'd say Apple/Netflix need to work this out.

EDIT: I am billed through iTunes for whatever that's worth.

John Barnes1 wrote:

One thing that I have not seen anyone mention is that, starting around the same time as the pixilation problem, certain programs became unavailable from Netflix if I am using Apple TV, but they are available if I am using my iPad. The two that I have noticed are the original "Star Trek"

I don't see this problem with Star Trek (1966).

John Barnes1 wrote:

I think it's obvious from all that I have seen and all that others have said that the problem is with Netflix, not Apple or Comcast.

I vaguely remember reading long ago, when iPhones were brand new, that services such as Netflix stream different formats to different categories of devices, which might explain why the pixilation problem is on some devices but not on others. It might also explain why those programs are not available right now on Apple TV while they are available on iPad. (Curious as to whether those programs are available on Roku, since people using those devices are reporting the same pixilation problem that we are seeing on Apple TV).

There's a problem and it seems likely it's in the Netflix app but it may still be the result of something Apple did. The relationship between the app and the update to iOS 7.0.4 is unclear given the reports to date.

Device specific streams don't seem to be particularly related to the problem. A careful reading of this thread should make the issues clear. A more succinct presentation absent the various red herrings can be found on AVS forum.

It's possible that there was some kind of miscommunication, but I did ask them to acknowledge this issue in this forum:

Fwiw, I contacted netflix to try and add another voice in hopes someone actually listens and informs the right people. Here is what I was told.

"Okay yeah I will make a quick note about this and make sure that you all get your voices heard about this issue and make sure we do everything we can so that you all can get back to streaming on the Apple TV devices... I will definitely take a look and have my superior take a look also."

If enough people contact them eventually someone will take notice (maybe they already have) and do something. Would be nice to hear from Netflix or Apple that they are acknowledging the problem and working on it. Wishful thinking, I know.

I've notice that the past month or so that my netflix streaming through my apple tv has been very inconsistent. I'm running 6.0.2 on my apple tv. I'm also getting on average of of 10 to 20mbps when I do a speedtest. I've call apple, netflix and my ISP(Time warner cable) and no one has been able to help. I did the "Example Short 23.976" test and its all over the place. Sometimes I"m getting 2350kbps and higher and other times its as low as 375kbps. Has anyone found a solution to this issue?

section8joe wrote:

Has anyone found a solution to this issue?

Really??? 😉

A few more ways to get their attention ...

- go to Amazon and write a review for Apple TV from the perspective of someone who bought the unit primarily to watch Netflix.

- go to Netflix.com and report video problems with House Of Cards (Netflix owns it).

Here is what I wrote for a bunch of recently tried streams ...

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Does not exceed 320x240 when playing through Apple TV.

However, Apple TV plays all other HD sources just fine.

Also, standard definition shows on Netflix play at a higher resolution on the Apple TV compared to Super HD stream. This clearly indicates that the Problem is with Netflix and it's Super HD labeled streams.

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I called Netflix about this and they gave me a fix that appears to be working for me so far. They told me to go to my account page and change my playback settings from automatic to high. I had to log out of netflix, unplug my apple tv, and unplug my tv for a minute and then replug everything. The picture looks a lot better so far. Fingers crossed that this is a permanent fix.