Q: Netflix quality HORRID after update

I think you have been watching way to much TV.  Do you have any idea what woudl happen to an ISP if they eer tried doing soenhtign like this.  Do you know how many different people have complianed with different ISPs.  Some here even have private peering with netflix. 

I get 3MB simultaneously to my iPhone and only get a max of about 560kbps and usually more like 375kbps.  I have explained to them this is no a Internet connection issue.  Being a Network Design Engineer for Cable MSO’s I assured them I knew what i was talking about.  The latest I heard from a supervisor is they are aware of the issue but put a fix in around Jan 2.  However I am still seeing the same behavior so she told me too check back and she would let engineering know that the problem still exists.  Don’t hold your breath since they don’t week to get that the iPhone with a little screen is streaming at 3mbps and it does not matter how big the screen is!!

Interesting Apple told me it was Netflix's resposnisbilty and the App is a beta app sicne the relesase of 6.0.2.  They also said the ATV app is Silverlight based and the ipHoen is HTML5.  Not sure who is correct here.

In addition I have found that ATV quality definitely improves after 11pm EST. 

Just checked and my iphone whcih works perfect uses Limelight networks everytime and my Apple TV uses Netflix. 

Bob Hickman wrote:

 

Netflix Kaelani

  Because it is a less internet intensive device. Your Apple TV is way, way more internet intensive than this iPad.

 

 

Where do these people get their info?

"Internet Intensive" should be added to Websters.

Bob Hickman wrote:

 

How about this one when I asked about who created the NetFlex application for the ATV.

Netflix Kaelani

We did not create that application, it's totally down to Apple to not only install the application in their device, but also design the interface and how it works.

 

You

Really, the Netflix application is designed by Apple?

Netflix Kaelani

Yes, that is correct.

 

 

The UI may follow ATV3/Front Row style, but the server APIs should come from Netflix. Who owns the adaptive rate mangement is the question?

There is a preference that can be set under the Player Settings .

I am investing USD50 in a Netgear GS105E which will allow me to measure quality of video at different points in my house.

I agree DNS changes is just a placebo effect. I always use Open DNS. I try Google DNS which is actually worse a few days ago as it connects me all the way to California. I switched it on my PS3 and saw better quality or I thought until the quality turned to garbage which I switched it back to OpeN DNS which at least connects me to NY.

Brian65PLS wrote:

 

Thoughts? - could we generate hundreds of letters?

The post was deleted, but it made it out to some. This implies that this thread is also being monitored. Does it have the same impact as a letter to CEOs? Perhaps not.

Loner T wrote:

[A] post was deleted, but it made it out to some. This implies that this thread is also being monitored.

Terms of Use

E.g. 2.4. Do not post polls or petitions or links to same.

I assume threads are scanned for keywords and interesting posts are reviewed for compliance, not technical content.

I made the mistake of calling Netflix customer support again.  I'd call it a joke if it wasn't so frustrating.  The only thing of interesting I think I discovered is that, allegedly, CSR's no longer have the ability to look at your connection and determine streaming rates.  I have a hard time believing this but it does support my surmise that their reps are just there to tell you to stop trying to stream over WiFi (duh) and to complain to your ISP about any streaming problems.

I'd really like to hear from a former Netflix rep what their training consists of and what they hear.

Netflix's mailing address from their SEC 10K filing is:

100 Winchester Circle

Los Gatos, California 95032

Reed Hastings is the CEO and co-founder

Greg Peters is Chief Streaming and Partnerships Officer

Not clear to me what that actually entails.

boylan wrote:

 

The only thing of interesting I think I discovered is that, allegedly, CSR's no longer have the ability to look at your connection and determine streaming rates.

One suggestion would be to have a three-way conversation between customer, ISP and Netflix, so possible ISP issues could be addressed.

Another option is to have customer, Apple and Netflix three-way. (Netflix has suggested having an ISP tech come to the service address to analyse CPEs).

Complaints directly to a CSR who is unable access anything other than your billing account information may not be very fruitful.

Is there an escalation mechanism in place during chats with Netflix? I have not seen one yet.

Message was edited by: Loner T

I was trying to see if I could get a trouble ticket opened but it's pretty clear at this point (not my first attempt) that they don't have a process like that.

Not sure why one would consider a conference call with another vendor.  It's Netflix's code on the ATV, you can eliminate the ISP by using something like speakeasy speed test to verify you get good bandwidth out to the network backbone and confirm that by streaming HD with something else - sports, HBO, Amazon, etc.  At that point it's Netflix's problem - they are the ones buying (or not) the ports at the cross connect colo site.

I did a little look with google to see if there was any info from former Netflix reps and discovered that apparently you can get hired ($10/hr), trained on Friday and working a shift on Monday so there is not a lot of training going on there...

boylan wrote:

 

I did a little look with google to see if there was any info from former Netflix reps and discovered that apparently you can get hired ($10/hr), trained on Friday and working a shift on Monday so there is not a lot of training going on there...

Perhaps a bit of a digression, but that does not imply that there is no further training or there is no desire on Netflix's part to provide tools to help a customer. For example, even if a CSR cannot see an individual connection, they may have a corporate KPI dashboard and a ticker of on-going problems and escalations.

This is less of a CSR politeness/handling, more of a software issue, IMO, that someone in Netflix Engineering needs to look at.

Don't disagree but I'm pretty convinced that you can't initiate a trouble ticket as a customer so if their network staff doesn't see the problem and isn't working it there is zero recourse.  I've said this before on this thread but I strongly suspect that they don't have enough instrumentation in their streaming service.

The only alternative I see is that they knowingly allow serious bottlenecks (at least with respect to throughput rates, maybe few customers) to occur, at least to Minnesota, for probably business reasons ($$$) and are just letting it slide knowing that most customers won't cancel because the next best alternative has very limited content.

From my own situation, I just wonder is ANYONE able to stream Netflix from my area?!?