Q: Netflix quality HORRID after update

Well, I had to experiment (and Best Buy has easy returns). I got a new ATV and it currently has software version 5.3 and the latest update is version is 6.02.

On my old ATV the sample short starts as always at 4300 kbps or better but rebuffers at about 4-6 seconds in and drops to 235 kbs or maybe up to 560 kbps and stays there.

On the new ATV it starts at a low 1050 kbps and then over the course of a minute works up to 4300 kbps. However, it DOES NOT stay at HD levels and will drop to as low as 560 kbps within 2-3 minutes and then ramps back up to 1050 kbps before falling back down again or jumping up to 3000 kbps. it finally returned to a full 1080p level thought only 3850 kbps towards the end of the short.

I will test a few more times to see if there are patterns but the new ATV running an older software version cannot hold onto a high bit rate but exhibits different issues. Most noticeably, it does not rebuffer after a few seconds like those with the Nov update seem to and it will stay at 720p levels or better but is not as consistent as my Chromecast.

Vandergraff wrote:

 

. . . What does seem to be happening  is that the Apple TV is managing the streams differently depending on whether it is initiated by Airplay or the Apple TV. Here the evidence is that the streams seem to be coming from different locations (Limelight / Netflix), are capped at different speeds (4300 for Airplay from iPad / 5800 for Apple TV native app) and that many (although unfortunately not you) get reliable  4300 connections using Airplay while having problems with the native Apple TV Netflix app.

 

I agree it is all speculation - but these differences presumably give Netflix / Apple an indication what is broken and what needs to be fixed. Airplay shows (for many) that the Apple TV platform is still able to get and play Netflix Super HD (albeit limited to 4300 and requiring Airplay to initiate the stream).

It's almost 9:00 pm in Minneapolis, and we just watched all of a very popular movie on Netflix for a bit over two hours, using Airplay from my iPhone 5 to my Apple TV. Not Super HD perhaps, but quite acceptable quality. Bizarre that we have to do it this way, but at least it worked reliably.

Markus Wernig wrote:

 

DLiquid wrote:

 

This is clearly an issue with the Netflix app on Apple TV. Apple, please fix this.

 

Please read this thread before posting. Apple does not make the app, Netflix does. Apple simply provides an SDK to their partners

 

If you want things to change, call Netflix customer service and demand they send a report to their tech department.

I did not realize that, thanks for the correction. I won't be reading the nearly 700 posts in this thread, but I will contact Netflix.

DLiquid wrote:

I won't be reading the nearly 700 posts in this thread, but I will contact Netflix.

I can't blame you ;-)

One important thing when calling Netflix - tell them that other devices on the same network are able to stream HD Netflix without any problems and - yes - you have already power-cycled and reset the Apple TV. And yes, you have tried setting the playback to High and Auto and vice versa (on your Netflix.com account page.)

Do ask them to get on the line with their tech department (they're there 24/7) to monitor your connection while you're getting a blurry stream. They need research data.

But if you you don't insist on that, the customer service rep will make you go through their basic troubleshooting manual (because that's the only tool they have) and chances are that a simple restart might get you a temporary HD stream - in which case the rep will consider this case solved and the tech department will never even hear of your problem.

We all know that this problem can only be fixed by a Netflix update of their Apple TV app.

Thanks.

jimpal wrote:

 

It's almost 9:00 pm in Minneapolis, and we just watched all of a very popular movie on Netflix for a bit over two hours, using Airplay from my iPhone 5 to my Apple TV. Not Super HD perhaps, but quite acceptable quality. Bizarre that we have to do it this way, but at least it worked reliably.

Not sure about the iPhone 5 - but with my iPhone 4S Airplay with the Apple TV seems to be limited to 3000 kps - but as you say acceptable and still better than 560 -750 kbps on the Apple TV native application.

Using my 3rd Generation iPad Airplay with the Apple TV gets 4300 kbps.

Agree it is bizarre we are doing this - for me I'll use my Chromecast (still geting 5800 kpbs and just another button on the IOS app) when I want the best quality - or my old Blu-Ray whose Netflix app only gets 720P / 2.0 (but at least 720P24 output) when I want family friendly ease of use with my Harmony One.

Is it getting any better for anyone?

Just watched a movie on Crackle. It looks remarkably better than what we have been getting on Netflix.

No. Problem persists for me. I have quit using my ATV for Netflix and have been having great results with a Chromecast. Beautiful HD with no hiccups.

I also bought a new ATV which does not have the current update (still on 5.3) and while it does not act the same way (rebuffering after a few seconds) it also cannot hold a consistent HD stream and rarely even hits 1080p resolutions. Quality tends to bounce around a lot. I think the problem is less the Netflix app and more how Netflix is interacting with the ATV app. It is still clearly an issue with the ATV app specifically but not necessarily due to any update in Nov.

What ATV app?

The native Netflix app on the Apple TV. The general focus of this thread.

It looked like you were talking about 2 different apps.

"Netflix app and more how Netflix is interacting with the ATV app."

I tried this yesterday, based on a theory I'm building about the problem.

-Start a program during primetime.

-Pause it while it's still in HD, before it pauses to buffer then switches to low quality

-Wait at least 2 minutes

-Resume the program.

I had success with this twice yesterday. My current working theory is that something in Netflix's housekeeping during the first minutes after launching is messing up streaming.

It would be interesting to see if others were able to repeat my success with this.

Note: No solution available, pending Apple TV software update per Netflix.

If I had to guess, it was around early to mid November when the shows that we normally watch on our Apple TV 3 (in Netflix) started, buffered for a very quick second, played in great quality for about 20 seconds, then dropped to what seems to be well below DVD quality. We have 35mbps down via Comcast as measured by speedtest.net and tried everything there was to try to get the quality better. Of course, nothing worked.

So yesterday, I gave it one more push. We tried using Netflix on our SmartTV but it wasn't the greatest and we tried it on our PS3 which seemed to be normal HD (1080p-ish). I read about certain cable companies throttling the SuperHD streams from Netflix. I then called Netflix and before I could finish my sentence, the rep knew what I was trying to say. He confirmed that the latest version of the Apple TV doesn't properly decode the video stream and that the Netflix engineers are working with Apple's engineers to get that fixed in the next update.

...here's hoping that's soon.

Hope this helps anyone else that has been fighting this issue. You're not alone. ;-)

Note: No solution available, pending Apple TV software update per Netflix.

Someone earlier in the thread posted that if they use the Netflix app on their iPad and use Airplay to view it on the TV, it works fine.

I've watched 2 movies this way and it looks like they come across in HDTV.

I then called Netflix and before I could finish my sentence, the rep knew what I was trying to say. He confirmed that the latest version of the Apple TV doesn't properly decode the video stream and that the Netflix engineers are working with Apple's engineers to get that fixed in the next update.

You got Neflix to admit the issue?  Well heck, that's a big first step right there!

I hope it is fixed soon.  I really liked using my ATV for Netflix because it DID NOT HAVE that ANNOYING POST-PLAY.  Now it is just a paper weight for Netflix.