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Netflix on 360 questions

darkenedwingdarkenedwing Registered User regular
edited July 2009 in Games and Technology
I have been thinking about trying out Netflix on 360, but i've got a few questions about it. The biggest problem before I get it would be the speed, I am on a 512kbps connection, so around 64KBPS. Is this even practical with netflix, or would I need a faster connection? I heard that Netflix's quality depends on the speed of your connection, so would the quality of the picture i'm getting be noticeably bad because of my connection?

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Posts

  • SageinaRageSageinaRage Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    It tests the speed when you start watching something, if it's not getting good speed it reduces the quality of the picture. It probably won't be jerky or anything, but it will be more grainy and full of artifacts.

    Having said that, I don't know the speeds at which it begins to do that. I believe I have 1.5mbps down, and I can usually watch it on the highest quality (if nothing else is downloading).

    SageinaRage on
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  • ArikadoArikado Southern CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Picture quality would be bad, yes. But from all the shows/documentaries/movies I've seen on my 360 with 1/4 bars, the quality isn't that bad even with a bad connection. Some shows do stream in HD and you'll only get that with a good connection.

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  • brynstarbrynstar Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    I'll echo the sentiments here. HD Streaming is tough even with a fast connection, it depends just as much on overall Netflix traffic as it does your own connection. If you're not looking for HD, you should be okay, but don't be expecting anything better than your average Internet video.

    brynstar on
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  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    You get a free two week trial from Netflix, so give it a shot and see how well it works. If it sucks, drop it.

    I think you'll be fine. You'll probably get at least 2 bars.

    urahonky on
  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    I currently use it with 3 bars (I imagine a lot of reason for that is because, while I am on a cable modem, I use a wireless connection to my Xbox 360).

    It's definitely watchable, if not spectacular. Don't expect DVD-quality stuff in any case.

    Synthesis on
  • JihadJesusJihadJesus Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Wow, I feel like a sucker with my 10Mbs connection if you can get HD streaming with such a slow line. Other benefits, I guess. Still totally worth the extra $10/month.

    JihadJesus on
  • bobmyknobbobmyknob 3DS Friend Code 4553-9974-2186 Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    I have a related question, will it cache parts of the video if you pause it at the beginning of the movie? So that way even if I have a slow connection it'll download the rest of the movie so I can come back to it and watch it without lag.

    bobmyknob on
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  • PatboyXPatboyX Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    bobmyknob wrote: »
    I have a related question, will it cache parts of the video if you pause it at the beginning of the movie? So that way even if I have a slow connection it'll download the rest of the movie so I can come back to it and watch it without lag.

    I do this when I intend to watch a movie. I don't know how far it caches but I do know that if I don't pause and wait a couple minutes, within the first 10 minutes of watching I get a "your connection speed has slowed" message and I have to re-buffer.
    I should point out that even if this message does occur - it only happens the once - no matter the length of the movie or show.

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  • VeganVegan Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    It bugs me that Netflix on the 360 gets HD while Netflix on the PC tops out at the initial "just below DVD quality" release. There's no reason they can't unroll the same stuff for PC.

    <--- does not have a 360

    Vegan on
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  • brynstarbrynstar Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Vegan wrote: »
    It bugs me that Netflix on the 360 gets HD while Netflix on the PC tops out at the initial "just below DVD quality" release. There's no reason they can't unroll the same stuff for PC.

    <--- does not have a 360

    Even as a 360 owner, I agree with this. It's probably the result of some weird exclusivity deal or something. Aren't there other set-top boxes that can stream the HD content?

    brynstar on
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  • MC MysteryMC Mystery Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    A friend of mine who has a 360 netflix account said to use it you had to have your computer connected in some way to your 360. Is this true? I no longer have a PC and run exclusively a mac, am I screwed on 360 Netflix?

    MC Mystery on
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  • freakish lightfreakish light butterdick jones and his heavenly asshole machineRegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    No. You get a code and register your account with Netflix through the 360.

    freakish light on
  • xzzyxzzy Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    It'd be nice if netflix let us see the numbers behind their stupid "bar" system.. even as just an advanced option or something.

    From what I recall, they figure out your bandwidth, and chop off 40% of that to figure out what kind of video you can safely stream. HD bitrates top out at 3800kbps.. which means you need a 10mbit internet connection to allow the coveted "four bar HD" be any kind of option.

    You can find bitrates of the non-hd streams with a bit of googling, to figure out what your theoretical best will be.

    xzzy on
  • DoctorArchDoctorArch Curmudgeon Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Ideally it would allow you to temporarily "pre-cache" a movie to your HD, so you wouldn't run into the problem of it pausing and ratcheting down the speed mid-movie.

    DoctorArch on
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  • FireWeaselFireWeasel Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Ideally it would be available in Canuckistan.

    Buggers.

    FireWeasel on
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  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Vegan wrote: »
    It bugs me that Netflix on the 360 gets HD while Netflix on the PC tops out at the initial "just below DVD quality" release. There's no reason they can't unroll the same stuff for PC.

    <--- does not have a 360

    contractual obligations to prevent piracy.

    DiannaoChong on
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  • xzzyxzzy Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Archgarth wrote: »
    Ideally it would allow you to temporarily "pre-cache" a movie to your HD, so you wouldn't run into the problem of it pausing and ratcheting down the speed mid-movie.

    I kind of like it as is. yeah, it would be neat to see everything at maximum bitrate.. but then I'd constantly be having to guess which movies to cache up, spend all my time downloading, and only when the stars align do I get to watch a movie.

    The current system just works, which I appreciate.

    xzzy on
  • PatboyXPatboyX Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    xzzy wrote: »
    Archgarth wrote: »
    Ideally it would allow you to temporarily "pre-cache" a movie to your HD, so you wouldn't run into the problem of it pausing and ratcheting down the speed mid-movie.

    I kind of like it as is. yeah, it would be neat to see everything at maximum bitrate.. but then I'd constantly be having to guess which movies to cache up, spend all my time downloading, and only when the stars align do I get to watch a movie.

    The current system just works, which I appreciate.

    There is something wonderful about picking a movie and watching it within five minutes. My only complaint is no ability to select stuff via the 360.

    PatboyX on
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