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Ok. So, I'd finally gotten a Sony Blu Ray player last Nov. I've used it to play blu rays and even regular DVDs. It does a great job.
But, it's got lots of streaming apps, as do most blu ray players. Netflix, Vudu, Udu, Amazon; tons of them.
What I've found, at least with Amazon Prime, is that streaming movies aren't anything near 720p, much less 1080p in terms of the quality of the picture I see. They seem to be better than standard 480, but not even as good as 720.
Sometimes, the picture even deteriorates to something like a 480 resolution. If there's a lot of action and movement, the picture breaks up into rectangular lines.
Am I the only one who's noticed that? I've never seen or heard any complaints about streaming movies over the internet. Netflix is ruling the world with programming such as Throne of Kings and House of Cards. That must mean that [a] nobody cares about picture quality - or - [b] I'm the only one in the world who's noticed.
Also, video rental stores have almost all disappeared. Renting a blu ray disk, or even a DVD [and playing it in a upscaling blu ray player] would guarantee the highest resolution and quality of picture. But, no one rents anymore. So, that must mean everyone's getting either cable, satelite, or internet streaming. I've heard that cable sends out a low res signal; not anything near 1080p.
So, short of being a Twilight Zone denizen, has anyone else experienced what I'm describing? Is there any remedy? Does anyone even care?
BTW - the clearest, cleanest, most realistic picture that I've seen on my Samsung flat screen is the nightly news over the air broadcast, which comes in at 1080i.
Follow Ups:
You're exactly right. Nobody cares about picture quality. Every one of my guests ask about all my DVDs and why I don't just stream. When I tell them about the PQ issues for me (not to mention extremely limited choices) they say they've never noticed.
I agree with you about Amazon.
Approximately two years ago, regarding Netflix, I would have agreed, too, about lousy picture quality. But today, viewed on our final-generation 65" Panasonic plasma and 60" Samsung plasma (in different rooms), the Netflix picture quality is excellent on most of their movies and TV shows. The picture quality of the original Star Trek series, for example, is very impressive.
Netflix's picture quality, while not as good as a reference Blu-ray disc, often comes reasonably close to that of an average Blu-ray. Luminance and chroma noise levels, and resolution, are quite admirable.
Amazon Prime video quality, on the other hand, is a significant step below that of Netflix. I cannot bear to watch Star Trek via Amazon Prime. In fact, I rarely use Amazon due to its disappointing picture. Hulu Plus, happily, is comparable to Netflix, but the ads are very annoying.
We stream with recent models of Sony and Samsung wi-fi Blu-ray players. The Samsung H5900 player streams a better picture (more apparent resolution and with superior contrast) than does a Sony 5100. High-speed internet is via a CenturyLink modem providing a 10-gigabyte feed.
In my setup using FiOS, the picture quality is like this (in ascending order):
1) local or cable channels;
2) Netflix;
3) Blu-ray.
Blu-ray is the best, but Netflix is better than the channels, probably because the channels compress the signal.
We had a problem w/ Netflix for a year or so when their bandwidth was choked, until they made a deal w/ FiOS.
Starting a Netflix show or movie, it starts out very rough, at around 240p, but within about 20 seconds it ramps up to 1080p.
I've never tried Amazon, so can't comment on their quality.
Mike-
think of it this way;
streaming video is similar to a MP3-type codec for video.
Get a better router. I'm using an Apple router, works fine.
Get a better streamer. Roku 3 is the best I'm aware of.
Test your download speed at speedtest.net.
"Familiarity breeds contempt, and children."
-Mark Twain
As others have already said, streaming in general isn't the highest quality video. Some of it has to do with your bandwidth. I did stream an episode of Doctor Who from Amazon prime (HD). I didn't have any problems and it was quite watchable, though not up to Blu-ray standards. Streaming is about price and convenience, not PQ.
Jack
Need to sit down one of these days and catch up with a TON of newer Dr Who episodes I've not managed to see to this point...
The first episode of the current season with the newest Doctor.
Yea, I started mid-70s.
Jack
You must be the only one in the world that has noticed because my streaming looks perfect, even better than 1080p, maybe like 4K. Just kidding! The streaming in general is low quality to terrible. These companies use so much compression to save bandwidth that you don't get anywhere near HD 1080p quality. Your best bet is probably Vudu for best streaming quality. Netflix is very poor in general, and Hula Plus and Amazon are probably a bit better. I believe you can now get 1080p streaming from both Netflix and Amazon (and a few others) if you pay extra. I think both Netflix and Amazon still rent DVD and Blu-ray movies.
LOL, all my news channels are in 1080i and 720p over-the-air and look fantastic.
Streaming Netflix through my Marantz 7007 Universal Player is excellent.
I use AT&T Fiber Optic Network, no Freezes or Glitches, and
the Player may Up-Convert to higher Rez, which it does with DVD's.
I have a 50" Panasonic Plasma TV, and DirecTv HD.
Blu-Ray is better, of course.
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