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Netflix admits throttling users

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finley83

Banned
Title reads like a murder case.

To be honest, this should be an option in the user settings. It wouldn't be so bad if this was the default and could be changed, but an enforced quality cap doesn't feel good to paying customers.
 

BigDug13

Member
Just let the users choose their own resolution and date usage. I just don't understand why Netflix has been so brain dead about this concept from day one when it should have been a no-brainer option for the end user since the service began.
Let ME choose. Don't choose for me.
 

NH Apache

Banned
This is interesting as a lot of people in the s7 thread are reporting less than HD on their Netflix. That may be due to the device or possibly this.

Papa Netflix knows whats best for you. They are throttling to help out mobile users. ok.
 
Huh. Do they do this to people's internet streams for tv and stuff? I rarely watch it but I swear Netflix's quality is always worse than hulu and Amazon.
 

Aiii

So not worth it
A lot of apps do this, throttling based on mobile or wifi connections.

There really should be an option (turn it on by default of you must), to decide if you want this or not.
 

finley83

Banned
Just let the users choose their own resolution and date usage. I just don't understand why Netflix has been so brain dead about this concept from day one when it should have been a no-brainer option for the end user since the service began.
Let ME choose. Don't choose for me.

Netflix is a good service let down by terrible, unchangeable settings.

For example: When I start Netflix on my Roku2 or PS3, it starts autoplaying the highlighted show or movie after about 5 seconds. Sometimes the baby is sleeping and I haven't turned down the volume from earlier, so this is really inconvenient. Also I don't particularly want to see the Daredevil S2 trailer for the 5th time.

Also I don't like the way the Netflix UI minimises the credits the second they start rolling. Sometimes I want to take a few minutes to think about what I've just watched, but the second the UI pops in I'm immediately snapped out of it. Just let me untick a box for the post play thing please. I have a plugin in Chrome that does this but there's no way to do it on PS3, Roku or iPad (where I actually watch things).
 

BigDug13

Member
Netflix is a good service let down by terrible, unchangeable settings.

For example: When I start Netflix on my Roku2 or PS3, it starts autoplaying the highlighted show or movie after about 5 seconds. Sometimes the baby is sleeping and I haven't turned down the volume from earlier, so this is really inconvenient. Also I don't particularly want to see the Daredevil S2 trailer for the 5th time.

Also I don't like the way the Netflix UI minimises the credits the second they start rolling. Sometimes I want to take a few minutes to think about what I've just watched, but the second the UI pops in I'm immediately snapped out of it. Just let me untick a box for the post play thing please. I have a plugin in Chrome that does this but there's no way to do it on PS3, Roku or iPad (where I actually watch things).

Netflix lack of customer options to tune our own experience as well as complete lack of offline play causes me to still find some stuff through questionable sources. I still pay for Netflix but don't always watch the stuff on its service.
 

Hoo-doo

Banned
Isn't there a key combination you can press to bring up a drop down menu of streaming quality options?

It's

CTRL + SHIFT + ALT + S

Give it a shot. Or am I just not understanding what this throttling is about? Is it just for mobile data?
 

Complex Shadow

Cudi Lame™
Isn't there a key combination you can press to bring up a drop down menu of streaming quality options?

It's

CTRL + SHIFT + ALT + S

Give it a shot. Or am I just not understanding what this throttling is about?
They are throttling mobile users because they don't want users to go over their data caps while using mobile data. And aprently the carrier's are mad. Because of course they are.
 

AlteredBeast

Fork 'em, Sparky!
That checkbkx appeared in my netflix stream yesterday for an IASiP episode I watched on mobile. On an LG G4,btw.

Didn't notice a visible change in quality once I checked the box, though.
 

BigDug13

Member
Isn't there a key combination you can press to bring up a drop down menu of streaming quality options?

It's

CTRL + SHIFT + ALT + S

Give it a shot. Or am I just not understanding what this throttling is about? Is it just for mobile data?

I can't seem to find those buttons on my phone. My computer with those buttons does not run on mobile data.
 

LCGeek

formerly sane
I agree with them considering the reason. For the record any isp against anti bufferbloat technology shouldn't be able to charge for bandwidth fees due to fact not using such tech increases bandwidth and processing towards it. The 2015 article is damning as fuck especially for wireless users.
 
"We’re outraged to learn that Netflix is apparently throttling video for their AT&T customers without their knowledge or consent," said Jim Cicconi, the company's senior executive vice president of external and legislative affairs.

There's a rather large amount of irony in this statement.
 

BigDug13

Member
I agree with them considering the reason. For the record any isp against anti bufferbloat technology shouldn't be able to charge for bandwidth fees due to fact not using such tech increases bandwidth and processing towards it. The 2015 article is damning as fuck especially for wireless users.

I disagree with them considering the reasons. Let ME choose my own resolution and data usage. I can restrict my own bandwidth if you'll LET ME.

They do hint that there will be support to change the settings.

It's great that they are now finally only HINTING at something that should have been a no-brainer option for the end user for the past several years of the service.
 
I don't see the problem. You don't want all your bandwidth going towards that. Lots of sites "throttle" their bandwidth for the user experience on mobile.
 

johnny956

Member
People are against Binge On? I fucking love it, and you can disable it on T-Mobile's website.

I have full unlimited so I disable it but I turn it on from time to time because I can use hotspot data which also fall unders BingeOn to watch Netflix/Hulu on my laptop/iPad
 

jax

Banned
People really waste their mobile data on Netflix? Weird.

Unlimited I can understand, if you're lucky enough to have those grandfathered plans.
 

Goro Majima

Kitty Genovese Member
Throttling was never the issue

It was always about whether or not money exchanged hands and caused the throttling
 

ReAxion

Member
I mean, make it an option Netflix. Inform the consumer.

Fake outrage at possible overages from the carriers is hilarious, tho.
 

entremet

Member
People really waste their mobile data on Netflix? Weird.

Unlimited I can understand, if you're lucky enough to have those grandfathered plans.

Tons of people watch Netflix on phones.

GAF isn't the accurate demographic for behavior as this place has people with crazy home theatre setups, but kids, teens, and even college student consume content in tiny screens all the time.
 
Some gaffers and people thinks is against net neutrality or something.

It kinda of is (since it only is limited services). If you start a new music/movie service people are disinsentivized from using it because they'd have to pay more than netflix or hulu.

if they opened it up to allowing new players in fast I think it might comply or at least be better
 
Does it only throttle if you're on 4g and not on wifi?

That makes it less bad.

But either way there's no reason there shouldn't be options for those with high or unlimited data.
 
Do some of you even understand how streaming video delivery works? The basic tenants of smooth delivery are a combination of throttling and dynamic resolutions. Basically videos are encoded in a bunch of resolutions and based on the network strength, device type, etc the different chunk returned are of possibly different resolutions in order to ensure as minimal buffering as possible
 

Timedog

good credit (by proxy)
All the Adam Sandler movies look pixel perfect every time I rewatch them. No problems here.
 
Netflix is a good service let down by terrible, unchangeable settings.

For example: When I start Netflix on my Roku2 or PS3, it starts autoplaying the highlighted show or movie after about 5 seconds. Sometimes the baby is sleeping and I haven't turned down the volume from earlier, so this is really inconvenient. Also I don't particularly want to see the Daredevil S2 trailer for the 5th time.

Also I don't like the way the Netflix UI minimises the credits the second they start rolling. Sometimes I want to take a few minutes to think about what I've just watched, but the second the UI pops in I'm immediately snapped out of it. Just let me untick a box for the post play thing please. I have a plugin in Chrome that does this but there's no way to do it on PS3, Roku or iPad (where I actually watch things).

The UI minimising is about saving data usage at their end clearly.
 
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