Netflix quality HORRID after update

I made the mistake of updating to latest firmware, 6.0.2. Ever since, Netflix quality *****. SuperHD used to be so sharp and crisp. Now it's pixelated and NOT hd in the least bit!


How can I undo the software change? Has anyone else had this issue?

Posted on Nov 15, 2013 7:17 PM

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1,356 replies

Nov 26, 2013 6:16 AM in response to bodosom

With so much evidence piling up that the problem is time-of-day related, I'm inclined to agree with you that this is an Apple problem. As you point out, other iOS clients handle the congested times of day just fine (as does OS X).


In my case I have eliminated WiFi issues (using ethernet and/or comparing two WiFi devices side by side) and have verified that the ATV problem usually occurs when demand is high, during prime TV viewing hours, and is not evident at all on weekday mornings, when I can easily get 5800 kbps. During prime time my iPad still streams at its highest rate (3000 kbps), while the ATV has dropped in some cases to 256 kbps.


-dan

bodosom wrote:


DanH wrote:

... it is making diagnosis more difficult when it works some times and not others.

-dan

I don't see it that way. What makes it difficult to diagnose is the dearth of information about the Netflix algorithms but when every other device outperforms the ATV client it *could* mean that once inside the Netflix CDN cloud Netflix is punishing just the ATV or it could mean that a recent iOS update broke the client (whoever wrote the client could be blamed in that circumstance unless Apple tweaked a framework on the down-low).


I remain inclined not to fault Netflix. They not only have a lot of working clients they even have another/other working iOS 7 client(s).

Nov 26, 2013 6:27 AM in response to STriola

I agree with you. Netflix on PS3 is far superious to ATV. Too bad PS3 is a sloooooow hunk of junk. Going from watching TV to fireing up PS3 to get to netflix is like a 5 minute process. At best. haha


I'm in Boston as well. Both hardwired in. Getting superior HD on my ATV right now. Just with the UI and options were better for Netflix on ATV. Actually, I wish the whole UI on ATV was better.

Nov 26, 2013 9:50 AM in response to ericfromin

Well apple nice took ATV to apple store logged into Netflix worked fine on my box

Logged out tried their ATV 6.0 gen 3 again worked fine both using wireless apple store

Only difference was my ATV hooked up to a small demo LCD but it was displaying correctly

They also opened this thread and read everyone's responses felt bad and gave me a new ATV to try out

Nov 26, 2013 10:40 AM in response to GaryJR4

If you you the thread carefully you'll see that I (and many others) are not seeing a time of day issue.


In my case I could get 5800 kbps on Netflix on my Apple TV any time of day up until two weeks ago.


Since then I can never get 5800 kbps on my wired Apple TV - again at any time of day (it struggles to get 1750 kpbs even at quiet periods). I continue to be able to get 5800 kbps (again at any time of day) on my wireless Chromecast.


Many people have reported similar behaviour here and on other forums. Something got broken on Netflix /Apple TV playback about 2 weeks ago.


Now there are certainly people who see time of day issues which has been reported for months (years actually) on a wide range of Netflix Platforms and different ISPs (usually non-Open Connect ISPs). This issue seemed to get worse in September when Netflix openned Super HD to non-Open Connect ISPs.


It would however be wrong to group the two issues together. I am lucky in that it seems I can get reliable Netflix streaming 24 hours a day (evidence my Chromecast). I am disappointed that something was broken two weeks ago on the Netflix / Apple TV playback as my preference is to use the Apple TV for Netflix.

Nov 26, 2013 10:48 AM in response to DustyStorm

Same here, not a time of day issue. Has been happening all the time for two weeks on my Apple TV no matter the time of day. Very disappointed they have not addressed this thus far. I called Netflix this morning and the tech I spoke with said this was the first he was hearing of the issue and blamed it on my internet connection, which is NOT the culprit. If this continues into next week I am getting a Roku 3. As far as I know that supports Super HD. I love Apple TV but I can't watch Netflix in that bad of quality.

Nov 26, 2013 11:08 AM in response to DustyStorm

I've been having this problem for weeks. Netflix on AppleTV is pretty much unbearbale at this point. Like sandpaper on my eyeballs.


• I played the suggested test video clip on Netflix last night and got a rate of 235kbps

• Within 10 minutes of the Netflix test I streamed Walking Dead from iTunes with excellent picture quality

• I have a new-model AppleTV, running 6.0.2

• My ISP is Comcast, and when I test their speed it comes in around 17-22Mbps


I already have Amazon Prime.

Another week of this and I'm gonna have to switch to Roku + Amazon.

Nov 26, 2013 2:34 PM in response to DustyStorm

UPDATE


Spoke to a senior tech at Comcast who told me they have fielded lots of calls about this issue and actually mentioned this thread to me where I could read about others having the same experience. He assured me the problem is NOT Comcast and they do not throttle any services. He also doubts the problem is the Apple TV and is pointing at Netflix and thinks it is related to the rollout of their new servers and UI.

Nov 26, 2013 4:33 PM in response to DustyStorm

Add another disappointed user to the list. It seems to be happening to us mainly watching Breaking Bad. I watch a few other Netflix series, like Orange and Brothers, that seem to behave okay. But Breaking Bad goes back and forth between great HD and horrible fuzzy picture. Sometimes, it seems like just stopping and restarting the show, just back out to the menu, resolves it. Other times not. But it definitely affects only Netflix, not HBOGo or Apple features. We also noticed it a couple of weeks ago, it was working great before that. I have 18 mbps down with AT&T U-Verse, and speed checks lately, including when this happens, have been coming in at 22 mbps down. The ATV is hardwired to our router, as are the set-top box, the PS3, and the new Panny plasma TV itself.

Nov 26, 2013 4:51 PM in response to neilkna

I'm yet another with this issue. Exactly as everyone is describing. I have extremely fast internet (up to 50MBps) with comcast, everything looks outstanding on my ATV *except* Netflix. Shows look OK for a few seconds then pause and start showing me roughly SD quality. How many of us does it take calling both companies to make them realize this is a technical issue somewhere on their end, not a problem with our devices or our connections???

Nov 26, 2013 5:00 PM in response to garivera

Whew! And here I was thinking it was Netflix. I am a Netflix subscriber and use the ATV as my primary device to watch it. Until recently, it was streaming HD fine. I started to note the drop in HD quality and thought that it was due to Netflix hitting peak output and thus the drop in quality.


Another thing I've noted is that while streaming Netflix or tv shows purchased on the iTunes store, if I hit pause and shortly after resumed play, the content will fast forward with the audio playing out of sync. If I hit pause again to stop this, ATV wouldn't respond to the command. I would have to repeatedly hit pause and menu to make the fast forwarding stop. After a few repeated pressings of all the buttons on my ATV remote, the fast forwarding would stop then I would have to rewind back to the spot I was, hit play, and all would be well except that then the HD would come and go or just stay at a lower definition.


Has anyone have this happened to you?

Yes, about two weeks ago, I also began to have problems with horrible resolution streaming Nexflix on apple tv. This is also one of the problems that I encountered. If I pause the video, when I unpause it, the audio will be in normal speed, but the video begins fast forwarding. I have to try to exit the video and then reload it for it to restart in the normal speed with the audio synced up.

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Netflix quality HORRID after update

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