125M Struggling to get 4k on Netflix

ShadowTD · 24-09-2015, 18:17

Evening everyone.

Back with VM after a break of a good few years, but we've cut the cord for TV and are relying on FTA and Netflix. All is well after a self install - speedtests are good and so far the SH2 is performing well. The only problem I've got is my Netflix app in our TV won't seem to get to 4k quality. Just like YouTube, it tends to start on the lowest quality and quickly ramp up. A lot of the time on Infinity 2 it would start straight away in 4k. I've left videos running for over ten minutes waiting and it still seems resolutely stuck on 1080p. The app in the TV has no way to 'force' the higher res - any suggestions?

jcm193 · 24-09-2015, 18:54

Some content on netflix 4k is not actually 4k for example house of cards series 1 was not filmed in 4k it was part the way through series 2 there is other content on there thats was also only filmed in 4k for later series that could be why your not getting 4k

ShadowTD · 24-09-2015, 21:44

Hi Jcm. I'm aware of that - this is content I know should be in 4k and would work if I hooked it back up to my Infinity connection.

Sephiroth · 25-09-2015, 06:57

My Samsung 4K TV (2015) model is connected wirelessly to a SH2ac in an adjacent room. Using the TV App, and taking YouTube as the case, 4K material always displays as such on the TV.

The TV is meant to upscale lower resolution but I've no idea whether that's happening except to say the it looks good.

I've never had a 4K film on YouTube start off at a lower resolution than 4K. Why should it and how can it? I wouldn't expect a non-4K filem to be of 4K quality even if a 4K button was available.

In terms of Shadow's issue, I don't fully understand where he think the problem lies; if in the VM system, why he thinks it's there. If the TV is wirelessly connected to the Internet, a poor connection would make films etc stutter, I'd have thought.

jcm193 · 25-09-2015, 07:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShadowTD

Hi Jcm. I'm aware of that - this is content I know should be in 4k and would work if I hooked it back up to my Infinity connection.

Let me know what your having issues with i will try it here for you i normally dont have any issues with netflix 4k

Kushan · 25-09-2015, 07:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

I've never had a 4K film on YouTube start off at a lower resolution than 4K. Why should it and how can it? I wouldn't expect a non-4K filem to be of 4K quality even if a 4K button was available.

In fairness, that is actually how Netflix works - it dynamically changes the quality of the content depending on your connection at the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

In terms of Shadow's issue, I don't fully understand where he think the problem lies; if in the VM system, why he thinks it's there. If the TV is wirelessly connected to the Internet, a poor connection would make films etc stutter, I'd have thought.

Not so much, not with netflix. A really poor connection would do that, but a slower but stable connection will just cause netflix to stick to a lower quality stream. I must admit it's frustrating that netflix don't allow you to override this and I do sometimes get VHS quality in the middle of a film for a minute or two and can't really do anything about it, but it's fairly rare. I don't have a 4K TV so I can't comment on 4K.

Seph does bring up what I was going to suggest looking at - wireless. It's entirely possible that the connection is fine, but the wireless is the trouble. I don't know how "good" Infinity's wireless is, but it's reasonable to assume it could have been configured better than Virgin's. Is it possible to connect your TV via ethernet? Even just temporarily to test the theory.

Sephiroth · 25-09-2015, 07:33

Kush,

The OP also mentioned YouTube, so I locked onto that aspect.

Kushan · 25-09-2015, 07:54

I know, sorry if I wasn't being clear

alanbjames · 25-09-2015, 08:35

i never play 4k res videos on youtube as they always stutter with my connection even tho speedtests say my connection is fine.

Sephiroth · 25-09-2015, 08:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanbjames

i never play 4k res videos on youtube as they always stutter with my connection even tho speedtests say my connection is fine.

Is that wireless TV connection via a TV App? Or is this through the Tivo or on a tablet or PC?

DaMac · 25-09-2015, 09:17

YouTube changed their encoding on 4k files from hevc to vp9, if your hardware doesn't support vp9 ( I think only 2015 Samsungs or older Samsungs with evo kit do) then you are not getting 4k, you are just getting up scaled 1080p.
As for 4k Netflix, this regularly happens to me where it can't quite get upto 4k and it is usually at heavily congested Internet times, such as Sunday afternoon/tea time, this is why I still think there will be a demand for satellite 4k broadcast going forward, imagine if everybody bought a 4k tv this Christmas and cut the cord (yikes).

Sephiroth · 25-09-2015, 09:53

Good explanation.

muppetman11 · 26-09-2015, 13:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaMac

YouTube changed their encoding on 4k files from hevc to vp9, if your hardware doesn't support vp9 ( I think only 2015 Samsungs or older Samsungs with evo kit do) then you are not getting 4k, you are just getting up scaled 1080p.
As for 4k Netflix, this regularly happens to me where it can't quite get upto 4k and it is usually at heavily congested Internet times, such as Sunday afternoon/tea time, this is why I still think there will be a demand for satellite 4k broadcast going forward, imagine if everybody bought a 4k tv this Christmas and cut the cord (yikes).

Works day and night on my BT Infinity 2 connection I've never had any issue with 4K content.

DaMac · 26-09-2015, 14:59

Just wait till all your neighbours get it too...

muppetman11 · 26-09-2015, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaMac

Just wait till all your neighbours get it too...

It's been available here for quite a while my speeds have never fluctuated day or night , it's been extremely reliable.