Netflix to cut streaming quality in Europe for 30 days

LabR@t · 2 Apr 2020 at 09:44

What's with all the foreign films and TV shows with terrible dubbing?

The quality is going down hill fast, I don't mind if the dubbing voice acting is good but it is he terrible.

Screeeech · 2 Apr 2020 at 10:19

Psycho Sonny said:
I think isps should be held to account. Forced to upgrade their networks in all areas. They should be able to handle this situation with ease. However profits matter more to them. So they buy the bare minimum and then when it hits the limit they do nothing.

You're saying we should FORCE all ISPs to upgrade their networks, just so we can all watch Netflix in 4k in the middle of an unprecedented global pandemic, that's going to kill millions?

rp2000 · 2 Apr 2020 at 10:33

Psycho Sonny said:
They say isps are struggling but I'd say certain isps in certain areas in which they are oversubscribed are struggling.

I'm having zero issues getting my full bandwidth.

So for me I could watch Netflix in 4k on 25 TV's at the same time using my single connection.

People saying that they are struggling must be in very densely populated over subscribed areas.

I'm okay though so in reality there was no need to downgrade me. However I don't think they could have allowed people like me access to the proper bit rates and others the ones that have been halved.

I'm still downloading game updates at ridiculous speeds from origin, steam and battle net.

I don't think 15Mbps is a lot of bandwidth but I do have a nearly 400MB connection.

I think isps should be held to account. Forced to upgrade their networks in all areas. They should be able to handle this situation with ease. However profits matter more to them. So they buy the bare minimum and then when it hits the limit they do nothing.

Is 5G the answer and will it solve this problem?

Or will that network also crumble when under load?

Relax bro, your 400mb may seem fast to you in the UK. In Europe its slow

I have 600MB symmetrical FTTH for probably less than you pay!

As with all shared things in life, they need to go with the lowest common denominator, which I guess is around 50MB in the UK.

rp2000

LuckyBenski · 2 Apr 2020 at 10:40

rp2000 said:
As with all shared things in life, they need to go with the lowest common denominator, which I guess is around 50MB in the UK.

Plenty of people on copper getting 14-16Mbps!

Psycho Sonny · 2 Apr 2020 at 10:46

Screeeech said:
You're saying we should FORCE all ISPs to upgrade their networks, just so we can all watch Netflix in 4k in the middle of an unprecedented global pandemic, that's going to kill millions?

No they should have been forced to do it long ago. Before the pandemic. Now they should definitely be forced to do it to keep the country running.

I'm no longer allowed to do video conferencing at work because of bandwidth. Voice only. Our VPN can't handle it.

Roar87 · 2 Apr 2020 at 10:55

rp2000 said:
Relax bro, your 400mb may seem fast to you in the UK. In Europe its slow I have 600MB symmetrical FTTH for probably less than you pay!

As with all shared things in life, they need to go with the lowest common denominator, which I guess is around 50MB in the UK.

rp2000

Oh come off it, you live in Barcelona, there's millions of people living in what's essentially a desert in Spain who probably struggle to get more than 2mb, where as someone in rural England probably has at least 30mb fibre.

Screeeech · 2 Apr 2020 at 10:57

Psycho Sonny said:
No they should have been forced to do it long ago. Before the pandemic. Now they should definitely be forced to do it to keep the country running.

I'm no longer allowed to do video conferencing at work because of bandwidth. Voice only. Our VPN can't handle it.

We don't need Netflix at 4k to keep the country running, if some networks are seeing levels of Netflix / Youtube traffic which are impacting all other traffic and customers, we can just turn down non-essential stuff a little bit, to lessen the load. Thankfully Netflix have done this anyway, before it's forced upon them.

LuckyBenski · 2 Apr 2020 at 11:35

Psycho Sonny said:
No they should have been forced to do it long ago. Before the pandemic. Now they should definitely be forced to do it to keep the country running.

I'm no longer allowed to do video conferencing at work because of bandwidth. Voice only. Our VPN can't handle it.

That's your VPN's problem not the ISP's :confused:

Psycho Sonny · 2 Apr 2020 at 11:37

UnLuckyBenski said:
That's your VPN's problem not the ISP's

I know that. Which is why they were forced to upgrade it.

The isps should be forced to upgrade their networks too

beachBOYken · 2 Apr 2020 at 11:42

robfosters said:
Just turned on Ozark S03E01 (Not a show I watch, but just to compare) and showing as 2160p, 5.1, 7.62Mbps for me. I don't think I can make it 1080p on a 4k TV, to compare equally Dolby Vision auto activates for this show, but not sure what that does in terms of bitrate.

rp2000

I watched Ozark recently on my apple tv 4k and B6, it activates Dolby Vision, picture looked good but I can see its not quite as good as can be.

rp2000 · 2 Apr 2020 at 12:09

Roar87 said:
Oh come off it, you live in Barcelona, there's millions of people living in what's essentially a desert in Spain who probably struggle to get more than 2mb, where as someone in rural England probably has at least 30mb fibre.

I used to think the same. But, Spain has some of the highest Fibre penetration in Europe. Of course you're right that in the sticks some people are on S/V/ADSL, but in all the cities and towns which is the vast majority of the population its all fibre or DOCSIS (cable) at worst. I think recently even the prime minister recently announced that there is more Fibre in Spain than UK, Germany and 1 other country in EU put together!

Anyway, it wasn't meant as a sleight to people's speeds in the UK, nor a brag! Apologies if it came across that way!

rp2000

Psycho Sonny · 3 Apr 2020 at 09:18

Here's an issue with network operators not upgrading their networks.

Let's say I need a security access code. I get this by text message or email. And it's timed. So I only have 2 mins to type it in.

Now because the isp or mobile operator hasn't bothered to use sufficient hardware to deal with surges in high demand I can no longer get my access codes.

So now important stuff which requires said access codes cannot be done.

The ones that are struggling to cope with demand should be investing profits back into their infrastructure.

LuckyBenski · 3 Apr 2020 at 09:35

Psycho Sonny said:
Here's an issue with network operators not upgrading their networks.

Let's say I need a security access code. I get this by text message or email. And it's timed. So I only have 2 mins to type it in.

Now because the isp or mobile operator hasn't bothered to use sufficient hardware to deal with surges in high demand I can no longer get my access codes.

So now important stuff which requires said access codes cannot be done.

The ones that are struggling to cope with demand should be investing profits back into their infrastructure.

Is it text message or email? One uses internet and one doesn't.

robgmun · 3 Apr 2020 at 10:12

Interesting, I've noticed that YouTube has defaulted all their videos to 720p, overriding my chrome plug-in for max res for everything. I have to manually change it to a higher resolution now.

malachi · 3 Apr 2020 at 10:31

robgmun said:
Interesting, I've noticed that YouTube has defaulted all their videos to 720p, overriding my chrome plug-in for max res for everything. I have to manually change it to a higher resolution now.

Yeah, YT announced they was doing that last week I think.

jpaul · 3 Apr 2020 at 10:38

Psycho Sonny said:
Let's say I need a security access code. I get this by text message or email. And it's timed. So I only have 2 mins to type it in.
Now because the isp or mobile operator hasn't bothered to use sufficient hardware to deal with surges in high demand I can no longer get my access codes.

we use a hardware key, to provide the 'next' login code, but, personally 3g/text is unreliable so have downloaded backup codes for google 2fa
... am in the market for a personal hardware key too.

https://www.ncta.com/COVIDdashboard
for the usa .. but the upstream growth +27% is greater than download growth ??? people are uploading 'stuff'

MOOGLEYS · 3 Apr 2020 at 10:42

I was getting quite a bit of artifacting last night watching B99 on Netflix. My internet is fine and plenty fast enough so I imagine it’s just load on Netflix.....

Psycho Sonny · 3 Apr 2020 at 10:51

jpaul said:
we use a hardware key, to provide the 'next' login code, but, personally 3g/text is unreliable so have downloaded backup codes for google 2fa
... am in the market for a personal hardware key too.

https://www.ncta.com/COVIDdashboard
for the usa .. but the upstream growth +27% is greater than download growth ??? people are uploading 'stuff'

The uploading will be all the morons video calling each other.

Where voice calls take far less bandwidth.

Even the media are bad for this. Where they were streaming 2 people on screen at the same time clogging up bandwidth.

Unless you really need to see the persons face or screen you shouldn't be using a video call.

People are holding mass video calls with pub quizzes, gin tasting events, craft beer clubs, etc.

Psycho Sonny · 3 Apr 2020 at 10:53

UnLuckyBenski said:
Is it text message or email? One uses internet and one doesn't.

Which is why I mentioned both ISP and mobile operators.

It's texts and calls I'm having issues with my Internet and ISP is fine in my area.

rp2000 · 3 Apr 2020 at 10:54

Psycho Sonny said:
Here's an issue with network operators not upgrading their networks.

Let's say I need a security access code. I get this by text message or email. And it's timed. So I only have 2 mins to type it in.

Now because the isp or mobile operator hasn't bothered to use sufficient hardware to deal with surges in high demand I can no longer get my access codes.

So now important stuff which requires said access codes cannot be done.

The ones that are struggling to cope with demand should be investing profits back into their infrastructure.

It's worth checking if your company or whomever is making you use 2 factor Authentication supports an App based verification. Google Authenticator or something else. SMS is a really insecure method for receiving 2 factor stuff anyway, but with app based systems they work off the clock/app on your phone, even if there are data or 2g/3g connectivity issues.

rp2000