Netflix streaming - Watch instantly on PC

[tk149]

I'd like to watch Netflix movies streamed to my HTPC, output to my 52" 1080p TV.

What are your experiences with Netflix's highest quality output? DVD quality as claimed?

What is the minimum speed I need for this?

Netflix says:

Q: How does my Internet connection affect picture quality of movies I watch instantly?
A:
To watch movies instantly via your PC or Netflix Ready device, we recommend a broadband connection providing at least 700 Kbps . The faster your connection, the better the quality. For DVD quality video and audio, you need a connection providing at least 2.4 Mbps.

Your connection speed will rise and fall depending on network usage in your home and conditions at your Internet Service Provider.

AT&T U-verse https://uma.att.com/assets/files/explore_hsia.html recommends their package "up to 10 Mbps" for "watching TV and video clips" - not sure if that link is going to work.

What do you think?

 

[tw1164]

It exceeds my expectations, my kids watch episodes of Pocoyo almost everyday. I haven't watched any HD streams yet.

 

[thomsbrain]

It isn't DVD quality, but it's as good any streaming you're likely to find out there. Colors lack saturation and things tend to be noticeably muddier than a DVD, but frame rates are solid, there aren't obvious compression artifacts, and they seem to have adequate server capacity.

When I watch, it buffers in 1.2 MB/s-800 KB/s (bytes, not bits) bursts over my Comcast connection. Netflix's assessment of minimum speed is probably accurate.

Be aware that in the past, some folks have run into copyright protection issues trying send Watch-It-Now over digital video connections. Not sure if there are work-arounds or fixes yet since it doesn't apply to me yet.

 

[pontifex]

definitely not DVD quality, unless its a real shitty dvd player on a shitty tv.

i only watch on my PC so far. Generally speed is good, but quality isn't great. It's watchable but it could be better.

 

[Slick5150]

I've watched a couple of their HD movies now and was pleased with the quality. Its not great, but its good. Titles not in HD are definitely a noticable step down in quality. As someone else pointed out, the colors tend to be washed out a bit, and there's some artifacting in motion scenes. All in all though, I feel its a very good service that compliments the 1 at a time DVD/Blu-Ray service I get from them.

 

[flyboy84]

I've watched all 3 seasons of Heroes on it in HD and it looks great. I did get artifacting during scenes with bright flashes of light (i.e. lightning, etc) a few times. This is streaming via Xbox360 btw, FiOS 20/5 connection.

Edit: updated to include my connection speed

 

[Chapbass]

Ive done streaming of the office both on my pc and on my tivo HD. looks great on my 8mb down / 1mb up mediacom cable connect.

 

[Noubourne]

I stream to my Xbox as well, and it looks very good on a 16MB connection. I always get the full four bars for everything. I have never had any major issues - a couple artifacts here and there during HD viewing, but they are rare and not repeatable.

I would say the DVD quality material is fine. It's hard to judge, because I watch my DVDs on an upscaling HD-A20 which does a pretty good job most of the time of making my DVDs look better than they should. So it doesn't really compete with my actual DVDs, but it would be hard for me to say that is due to the service and not the missing upscaler...

HD quality is also good. I would say it's very close to my DirecTV feed - but it is noticeably less sharp. It looks great, but you probably aren't going to fool anyone who's seen what HD-DVD or Blu-Ray looks like. I have really enjoyed the service, but honestly they need to add more recent titles faster, and they need to upgrade their audio options.