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Netflix binge on resolution over wifi

Bodycount

Bodycount

Android Enthusiast
I understand that with binge on active with Netflix you are only supposed to get 480p max resolution while using cellular data...

But is that the case using WiFi data as well?

Did some tests tonight and found out I'm getting 720x480 resolution on cellular and WiFi data with my phone. If you search for "test pattern" you will bring up a test video that shows bit rate and resolution (play episode. 1). On my phone I was getting 1750 kbps at 720x480 using 4G and WiFi. I then turned on my TV and brought up netflix and saw 1920x1080 resolution for the same video.

Anyone else seeing the same thing?
 
Check in your Netflix account Settings >> Playback settings. If it's set to Auto you'll experience different resolutions based on online connection speed, or you can specifically select Low, Medium, or High for different video quality ranges.
Is your TV connected to your home network using an Ethernet cable or over WiFi? If it's a network cable than it sounds like it's just a matter of connectivity speed and Netflix servers are just detecting things accordingly.
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/87
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/43701
 
I'm getting full network speed on wifi via speedtest.net. My TV is connected via ethernet but it's the same speed as my wifi.

Also playback settings is for cellular data, not wifi. They added that in to help curb bandwidth for people who don't have unlimited plans. I have it set for unlimited right now because Binge On will just downgrade me anyway.

I understand it defaulting to 480p on cellular data since I do have Binge On turned on. Wifi though it should give me full speed and it's not.
 
I just tried it again on my work wifi which is basically way better than my home wifi. Over wifi doing speedtest.net I'm getting 89 Mbps download and 99 Mbps upload. Way more than needed for netflix even for 4k video yet it still only does 720x480 resolution.
 
Bodycount said:
I'm getting full network speed on wifi via speedtest.net. My TV is connected via ethernet but it's the same speed as my wifi.
Click to expand...
Actually an Ethernet cable provides you with steady, full duplex connection, WiFi is more variable and half-duplex. As far as Netwflix auto-detecting your playback, a wired connection will be a (relatively) fixed constant, wireless always more of a variable. The following will detail the issues involved between wired and WiFi - notably the references about duplex/half-duplex and WiFi noise floor issues.
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/sbiddle/8728
Bodycount said:
Also playback settings is for cellular data, not wifi. They added that in to help curb bandwidth for people who don't have unlimited plans. I have it set for unlimited right now because Binge On will just downgrade me anyway..
Click to expand...
The playback settings do apply to wired, WiFi, and cellular. If you change your setting from Auto to Low that will reflect on your resolution playback no matter how you're viewing it. The only recently introduced setting for reducing cellular bandwidth does apply only to cellular but it's also titled appropriately. Basically it now allows us to have higher quality for wired and WiFi viewing with cellular being limited appropriately without having to mess with our playback settings depending on the situation. But regardless the auto-detect feature will always need to negotiate a 'moving target' because of the inherent variables with wireless connectivity, to prevent irritating buffering issues it will opt for lower, not higher, resolutions. Regarding how Binge On factors into Netflix resolution limitations, I don't use T-Mobile so I don't know what variables that adds into the mix.
 
How about someone with Tmobile and Binge On enabled post their findings?

Even half duplex wifi on my work network at those speeds I posted above, I should not be getting 720x480 resolution. And the android app only has the cellular data connection bandwidth setting. That's all I could find. Nothing for WiFi.
 
Ok nevermind. It looks like my Galaxy S7 Edge isn't supported for HD streaming even though all the S6 models are.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/why-android-and-other-devices-cant-stream-hd-netflix/



"The list of Android phones that can pull down HD in Netflix is even more scant, given how many Android smartphones there are; most are relegated to 480p standard-definition. The exclusive list includes Google Nexus 6, LG G3, Motorola DROID Turbo, Motorola Moto X, 2014 Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Samsung Galaxy Note 5, Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+."

Hopefully they add the S7 soon.
 
How do you check what your speed with Netflix is? Or what resolution your stream is at? I wanna start digging...
 
I'll make it easy for you

Bodycount said:
Did some tests tonight and found out I'm getting 720x480 resolution on cellular and WiFi data with my phone. If you search for "test pattern" you will bring up a test video that shows bit rate and resolution (play episode. 1). On my phone I was getting 1750 kbps at 720x480 using 4G and WiFi. I then turned on my TV and brought up netflix and saw 1920x1080 resolution for the same video.
Click to expand...
 
Okay, now that I saw what I was looking for in that...

Damn, I'm pissed at Netflix now. It already came to light that they arbitrarily gimped ALL mobile clients to 600Kbps unless they updated and disabled that behavior in the app. Now it's only like 8 phones in the world are allowed to view HD streams, when I was already capable of watching 1080p YouTube and Twitch via an HSPA+ only Note 3?

Eff that noise.:mad:
 
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