Is there a difference in Netflix streaming?

Glowrdr · January 2011

So I am looking at setting up a Netflix account either tomorrow or Tuesday. The question that I am curious about is how I should get my Netflix. I'm running an Oppo-93, and will have a networked Panny 50VT20 delivered on Tues.

Does anyone know if there is any difference between units? I'm curious whether it would be better to stream via the BRP, or the TV.... or does it make no difference? Would there be any differences in the user interface, or is that standardized now?

The obvious would tell me to just try them both and see what happens. I'm just looking to see if anyone else has run into this when having more than 1 networked component. (I'll be throwing a networked receiver into the mix in the near future too)

danger boy · January 2011

stream Netflix on both.. and see which one is more user friendly.

My BRP is a little slower to load up streaming like Netflix and Pandora... so I use the Wii instead. both do the job.. but the Wii allows me to search Netflix and the BRP does not.

mantis · January 2011

I have found the Xbox 360 to provide a beautiful menu system and streaming picture. Better then most Blu ray players I have seen and Tv's with built in streaming.

Other then that I suggest taking danger boy's advise. You do have up to 6 or 7 streaming devices on one account.

Glowrdr · January 2011

Yeah - I'll have to check it out for myself I guess. I do have a 360, but unfortunately it will not become part of my main system. I've got a mini-setup in the basement, where all of my retired equipment goes just for gaming or hanging out after the wifey goes to bed.

I'll research and get back to anyone that is interested for future reference.

TNHNDYMAN · January 2011

Unfortuately the Netflix interface is not the same for all platforms. Some are limited to only streaming what is in your instant que which you set up online, while others have more of a category based search and choose option. My LG550 has a nice interface but I don't have any experience w/ the Oppo or the Pana plasma. You may want to research the interface implemented into Pany's BDP like the 65 or 85 series and maybe the TV will have the same? Good luck and let us know what works better for you.

HHStuart · January 2011

I just hooked up my Wii to stream. Picture quality is pretty good. You can download from your queue or you can find other choices. Since my Wii goes straight to the TV, the sound is over the TV which is OK but not great.

Earthy · January 2011

I stream from a PC, PS3 and Samsung TV. The only issue I have is when you pause the TV, it resumes an you loose a second or so of dialog. PS3 gets used the most. Picture quality is comparable on all three.

NeilGabriel · January 2011

I had been reading about Netflix and Roku today. I am confused. I thought that at one time, Roku and other TV/Internet streamers, allowed all video content coming across a wireless router to be shown on the TV....now, it sounds like only certain programming can.....this down't sound right...I know I can stream all video playing on my computer hardwired to my TV, but aren't there GOOD wireless ways of streaming either from my router or from my PC/laptop..

why have something that is dedicated to only a few video Internet sources?

heiney9 · January 2011

Please explain Neil, I have a Roku box and there are no limits as far as what content it streams from the services is supports, like Netflix and Amazon. If you are talking about streaming your own content; that can't be done via Roku.

But there is an alternative that works very well.

H9

NeilGabriel · January 2011

http://www.roku.com/roku-products

Netflix advertizes this on its site and the Roku site (which I checked out several years ago) now only talks about "channels", including NetFlix, that it offers. It does not mention that ability to stream any Internet content. However, back when Roku was this weird looking tube, I thought it was intended to stream all audio Inet content wirelessly.

H9, please see my post on the Altona product.

heiney9 · January 2011

Roku supports everything it states. Nexflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus, MLB, Pandora,

There are free and premium entertainment channels on Roku. Free channels include music services (like Pandora, RadioTime), major network news (Roku Newscaster), original programming on current events and culture (Revision3, Twit.tv), photo and video sharing (Flickr, Facebook Photos, Vimeo), and much more.

Premium channels include subscription movie, TV, sports, and music services (like Netflix, Major League Baseball, MP3Tunes, Hulu Plus) and on-demand services (Amazon Video On Demand). Many of these channels provide free trials or make parts of their service available for free. Some even enable you to use them on other devices like mobile phones and computers.

Roku does not charge extra to access any premium channel. For example, a Netflix subscription that provides access to a streaming library of over 20,000 movies and TV episodes starts at just $7.99 per month. Roku simply works with that subscription -- there is no extra fee

I guess I don't understand your concern?

heiney9 · January 2011

I was never aware of Roku being able to stream "anything from the Internet". Not sure such a device exists.

H9

NeilGabriel · January 2011

There are devices and I posted about the Altona, that are two piece. A sender unit that plugs into a usb port on your computer and a receiver unit that plugs into the TV...even with HDMI...also plugs into audio.

So, what you are doing is sending stuff from your computer to the TV wirelessly, but not directly from your wireless router. Just wireless way of avoiding hardwiring to the TV...I am sure you know about this.

About 5 years ago, ROKU was for audio and receiving wireless streaming online radio stations, and they pregrammed online stations that could be tuned in.

Anyways, H9, do you find the current ROKU to work fine?

damn...back to wikipedia....

Glowrdr · January 2011

Neil - I think you are talking about 1 of 2 things, but I'm not sure which.

There is DLNA, which a lot of stuff is compliant nowadays. That allows you to stream from your network, like you were mentioning in the last post. This is essentially the video/audio version of a Squeezebox (not familiar with Roku)

Otherwise you could also be talking about something like Google TV. That USED to stream anything you wanted. Then a lot of sites started blocking googleTV, even though you can access the site from a PC. I think this is what you are talking about - unfiltered internet video viewing on a TV. Unfortunately Google came out with a decent product and everyone else wanted a piece of the pie. Now it is a crippled version of the internet at best, and some of the sites have created "premium" memberships because of this (can we say Hulu anyone?)

stangjason · January 2011

Streaming Netflix to my PS3 has ok sound quality just comes up as stereo but I use PL II THX (something like that) and the video quality is pretty decent (I'd say a little grainy but not too noticeable).

samnor · January 2011

HHStuart wrote: »

I just hooked up my Wii to stream. Picture quality is pretty good. You can download from your queue or you can find other choices. Since my Wii goes straight to the TV, the sound is over the TV which is OK but not great.

isnt streaming over wii limited to 480p. I have a wii and am pretty sure it cannot do 720p. Of course, it depends on the content as well and there wasnt that much hd content in the past so I guess ymmv depending on what movie you are trying to stream. I think the oppo or a bdp would upscale to 1080p so I would think that output from a dedicated bdp/oppo would likely be far superior to the wii for hd content.

tonyb · January 2011

stangjason wrote: »

Streaming Netflix to my PS3 has ok sound quality just comes up as stereo but I use PL II THX (something like that) and the video quality is pretty decent (I'd say a little grainy but not too noticeable).

Ok, now I'm not trying to be a smart ****, but....whats the point in streaming Netflix if the picture quality is sub par and the audio isn't up to snuff ? Isn't that why we all invested in BDP, HD TV's, and nice ht speakers ?

To me, in a hobby such as ours, we strive for the best in audio and video that technology can provide. Yes ? So then why put ease of use over quality ? Isn't that the same thing we complain about with people with Bose speakers ? Putting ease of use,austhetics, over quality ?

Just askin' is all, because I'm pretty confused on the whole netflix thing.

ysss · January 2011

Yep, wiis are not capable of 720p. It's a hardware limitation.

samnor · January 2011

tonyb wrote: »

Ok, now I'm not trying to be a smart ****, but....whats the point in streaming Netflix if the picture quality is sub par and the audio isn't up to snuff ? Isn't that why we all invested in BDP, HD TV's, and nice ht speakers ?

To me, in a hobby such as ours, we strive for the best in audio and video that technology can provide. Yes ? So then why put ease of use over quality ? Isn't that the same thing we complain about with people with Bose speakers ? Putting ease of use,austhetics, over quality ?

Just askin' is all, because I'm pretty confused on the whole netflix thing.

From what I hear, netflix does have 5.1 dolby surround on certain hd movies and 1080p content too and at the moment I Think thats only on the PS3; plus 9$ a month for an all you can eat buffet... I think people are willing to sacrifice quality given how cheap it is.

for those who are interested, here's a link on the 5.1 sound/1080p movies on netflix http://playstationlifestyle.net/2010/12/02/netflix-5-1-movie-list/

Having said that, I totally agree with you on not being able to compromise on the audio side. I havent gone the netflix route as I am still waiting for it to be a full HD streaming entity (not some limited set of titles). But full HD will also severely tax the bandwidth and in my experience, unless you have fios or the pricier cable variants, netflix will end up compressing your streams automatically bringing you back to square one...

BlueFox · January 2011

tonyb wrote: »

To me, in a hobby such as ours, we strive for the best in audio and video that technology can provide. Yes ? So then why put ease of use over quality ? Isn't that the same thing we complain about with people with Bose speakers ? Putting ease of use,austhetics, over quality ?

Exactly. Plus, it isn't as if clicking on a movie, and having it show up in your mailbox 1-2 days later is really that difficult. Then again, maybe it is for some people. :rolleyes:

HHStuart · January 2011

samnor wrote: »

isnt streaming over wii limited to 480p. I have a wii and am pretty sure it cannot do 720p. Of course, it depends on the content as well and there wasnt that much hd content in the past so I guess ymmv depending on what movie you are trying to stream. I think the oppo or a bdp would upscale to 1080p so I would think that output from a dedicated bdp/oppo would likely be far superior to the wii for hd content.

I'm sure that the picture is not as good as it would be if upscaled by my OPPO but it looks fine on a 58" Plasma. It depends on what you are watching. There are a lot of movies that look fine to me at 480p. I'm to0 cheap to get the bluray option for Netflix anyway. I'm surprised how few movies are available for download. On my queue of over a 100 there were only about 15 that were downloadable. They have a long way to go.

treitz3 · January 2011

tonyb wrote: »

Ok, now I'm not trying to be a smart ****, but....whats the point in streaming Netflix if the picture quality is sub par and the audio isn't up to snuff ? Isn't that why we all invested in BDP, HD TV's, and nice ht speakers ?

While I can't speak for others on this subject, I can answer that from my walk of life.

It is a matter of convenience. Let's say it's raining or snowing outside and even though you have satellite that has 900 channels on [850 of which are useless channels or infomercials], there's not one damn thing on that sparks your interest. Then you remember that movie "Office Space" that you forgot to purchase years ago and you are due a good laugh. So, you get on the 'puter and set the movie in your instant queue. Moments later, you are watching it.

Sometimes you get lucky and it's available in HD, so the sound is really the only thing being compromised....and for $7.00 a month....what do you expect? There are movies and shows that you may have to wait a couple of days for the DVD or Blu-ray, but then you have no sacrifice in quality.

BTW, I do have "Office Space". It's a must for any movie collection, I was just using it as an example.

heiney9 · January 2011

tonyb wrote: »

Ok, now I'm not trying to be a smart ****, but....whats the point in streaming Netflix if the picture quality is sub par and the audio isn't up to snuff ? Isn't that why we all invested in BDP, HD TV's, and nice ht speakers ?

Subpar compared to what? It's dvd quality and if it's avail in HD then it streams in HD. Perhaps those that want the latest, greatest 7.1 processing, streaming (not just Nexflix) comes up short. The limitation is mostly with the ISP or the streaming device. Roku offers 3 streaming boxes depending on the quality you want.

If you want the best possible sound and Blu-Ray, then streaming isn't for you right now. I admit HT is low on my list compared to my 2ch and I get the exact same quality streaming as I do if I rent a dvd (non Blu-ray) from a B & M store. I listen to movies on my 2 channel rig w/SDA's and frankly it sounds better than great.

Tony, you make it sound like streaming gives you mono, vhs quality, I have the Roku device that streams in 1080p the picture is fantastic as is the sound.

The convenience and choice are off the charts for me. If I ever do the Blu-Ray thing then I may have to find an add'l outlet to get BDR discs.

H9

heiney9 · January 2011

I use Netflix for about 40% movies and 60% TV shows and documentaries. Of the 40% movies I watch, only about 10% are new enough they aren't available in streaming. I always have a newer physical disc here to watch or I stream. I have 96 discs in my mail queue and 125 titles in my streaming queue, enough for the rest of the year if I didn't add anything else.

It's absolutely the best scenario for me, no going out, no planning ahead of time, no standing in front of a Redbox or driving from Redbox to Redbox to find something to watch.

H9

dkg999 · January 2011

I don't have any issues with Netflix online PQ or SQ via the Roku box. I use the digital optical output on the Roku box into my AVR and it sounds great. I've got 2 Roku boxes so I can have 2 dvd/BD's out at a time, so between the online queue and discs in the mail I've got more entertainment than I have time for!

H9 - I never go to a Redbox where I don't already have a movie reserved. Redbox online and mobile save you the trouble. I just hate it when someone is taking 20 min to stand at the Redbox kiosk and find a movie.

treitz3 · January 2011

heiney9 wrote: »

Tony, you make it sound like streaming gives you mono, vhs quality, I have the Roku device that streams in 1080p the picture is fantastic as is the sound.

I'm gonna have to get my learn with this Roku device because my sound quality is severely compromised when streaming -vs- DVD and especially with Blu-ray. Turning the volume up helps but there really is no comparison.

In my situation, in my experience, with my gear, I would equate the difference in the sound quality of streaming and DVD/Blu-ray playback to a battery powered boom box and a high fidelity rig.

Most of you know the gear in my rig I'm using and I'd say that part is more than qualified. On the sound output side, I have the new Sony BDP-S570 Blu-Ray player that does the instant streaming. That is hooked directly up to the Dodd pre. I can not think of any other way to improve the sound quality, other than switching the IC's going from the Sony BDP to the Dodd.

Glowrdr · January 2011

^^ What he said. I don't believe for a second that I will be submersed in this awe-inspiring theatre experience by signing up for Netflix and streaming. <edit... I type slow I guess.. what H9 said>

But, at the same time - I realize there is value there. I currently pay pretty close to $100 a month for Dish Network, and half the time I can't find anything good to watch (let alone any movies). I would rather pay $7 for Netflix, than subscribe to HBO for $12 a month, and have 5 more channels that I hope something is on.

Consider it the video version of the radio. I'm not about to stop listening to the radio everyday because there is something better out there. I acknowledge the other formats, and I even own these other formats. Just gotta weigh conveniance and cost into the decision.

NeilGabriel · January 2011

"I've got 2 Roku boxes so I can have 2 dvd/BD's out at a time"....what does this mean...on the 3 at a time plan, can't you have 3 discs out at any one time regardless of the number of ROKU's?

I am sure I misinderstand because I was certain that I could get my 3 out at a time and still stream unlimited video....I am not sure about this code thing I input into my NF account?....

treitz3 · January 2011

H9 and dkg999, I take it that you both have the Roku XD/S? I see that dkg999 uses the digital out, which I can not use. H9, do you happen to use the component outs on yours?

drselect · January 2011

tonyb wrote: »

Ok, now I'm not trying to be a smart ****, but....whats the point in streaming Netflix if the picture quality is sub par and the audio isn't up to snuff ? Isn't that why we all invested in BDP, HD TV's, and nice ht speakers ?

For my 3 year old watching cartoons via steaming netflix throught the WII its everything since she can watch them on the big tv.

For me I for now I will go rent/buy a BR and enjoy the better SQ and PQ. However, I did just get a BDP that will stream Netflix and connected it to another plasma tv I have and was very impressed with the PQ. So at some point I figure it will be worth investing in a device to stream Netflix in my HT system.

NeilGabriel · January 2011

H9...thanks for your summary....I really did like going to BB and wandering around, picking up dvd cases and reading the ratings (looking for extensive nudity)....but I really like the idea of the dual queues....I can stop renting all of the TV series we like to watch without commercials.

Well, I just picked up the "high end" Roku. Even though I am limited as to the content I can put on the TV, the devices that wirelessly stream everything from a PC/laptop to the TV seem a bit iffy...and more expensive...

So, can you help me out? The ROKU and similar devices are essentially tuned to certain URL's so that you can obtain programming from an Inet source like a wireless router through the "channels" programmed into the box? And they add channels from time to time?

Is there a difference in Netflix streaming?

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