Q: Netflix quality HORRID after update

I did another quick A/B test this morning (8:45 EST) with my ATV and PS3. ATV performed "better" and I was able to briefly get up to 4350kbs - though most of the time the video seemed pegged at 3000kbs. Not bad and much better than the 570kbs I usually get.

When I fired up Netflix on PS3 though, the video quickly ramped up to 5800kbs - took about 10 seconds to max out and then stayed there.

For me, Netflix ATV is still hobbled compared to my PS3 but ATV did deliver a (barely) HD image during low traffic times. I'm guessing the ATV will be back to a poor SD image later in the day when traffic picks up.

I'm in the greated Boston area, with >50mbs Comcast internet and both PS3 and ATV are connected to the same router via Ethernet.

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).

Read the thread and see the problems are in prime time.

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.

The problem only occures during prime time viewing, had the same problem when i up dated firmware on f8000 samsung tv. I shoud get my atv back soon & see what happens, also those who use pc3 or other devices with no trouble may be running older firmware.Seems like after a firmware update on anything causes this problem.

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

Once again - the problem is at night (prime time).

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.

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.

Comcast is my ISP, and I'm having issues with Roku and Amazon Prime in addition to the ATV Netflix issues that everyone else is having. More details here: https://discussions.apple.com/message/23923279#23923279

Lukazoid wrote:

 

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

iTunes content is not streamed and its picture quality can't be compared with streamed content.  With a high speed connection it may look like it but it's downloading into the cache.

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.

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???