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Netflix Executive: Offline Viewing 'Never Going to Happen'
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As far as I know, it does not buffer content. You can definitely watch Netflix on a 1.5 MB connection with good image quality but you won't stream that at the highest quality possible. To watch crystal-clear content (Full HD) you must have at the very least a 5 MB connection, 10 MB is preferable.
At least that's what I remember.
Bingo!
Or travelled abroad and wanted stuff for the kids in the car (without paying horrendous roaming charges for data)
Aye, I still happily torrent some shows or films that aren't available in the UK or after a long delay. In an age where people and companies can communicate spoilers over social media instantly we're going to need much closer air dates.
But yeah. I love Netflix just because it syncs where I'm up to on my various devices+TVs. That's what torrent's can't do (at least not with my setup). Wish the UK had more content, though it's good enough for me to subscribe.
True, but for the occasional supplemental offline need (going on a plane trip or somewhere there's no reliable internet) it's a legal option.
Totally true. I travel a lot in Europe, and streaming rarely works. Never in flight, rarely in hotels, usually it's way too slow. And even then the WiFi is often not free. On top of that, many countries in Europe don't have Netflix so you can't access your home service from them when travelling. Offline would be a great answer to that.
They should take a cue from Spotify. Since that came out here I've never downloaded music anymore as they have everything in great quality and their offline features work super.
But anyway, netflix' content offer in Europe is way too limited to consider anyway. We get mostly British shows on it here in Ireland.
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Or stream on a 2GB cellular data cap. Or go to a hotel where they charge $ for WiFi.
And as others have pointed out, there are other options ranging from DVD/BLU-RAY to Apple/Google/Etc. However none of them are UNLIMITED for $7.99 a month. At the low end you might see $2.99 per movie. Netflix is a streaming service, it's their business. If you can't utilize them due to this, I suggest you utilize one of the alternatives. You can only vote with your wallet.
Riiight. Public wifi is totally going to take off and be ubiquitous. Over the next five years. Because just look how much it's expanded over the last five years. No brainer.
Streaming video on shared, public networks?
While I know that most WiFi flights block stuff like Netflix, only a complete ******* streams video on a shared, public network, mobile or not.
Don't be an *******, save your streaming for when you're at work or home.
While I know that most WiFi flights block stuff like Netflix, only a complete ******* streams video on a shared, public network, mobile or not.
Don't be an *******, save your streaming for when you're at work or home.
Huh?
How would offline viewing NOT affect your data plan?
Movies require the same bandwidth whether they're downloaded all at once or streamed.
How would offline viewing NOT affect your data plan?
Movies require the same bandwidth whether they're downloaded all at once or streamed.
This is exactly the kind of thing he's talking about. More and more airlines are starting to offer WiFi.
Now, most of them tell you that Netflix isn't allowed because they lack the bandwidth. But, much like the transition from modem to broadband in the home, such shall eventually need to occur in the air as well.
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Clearly they were referring to downloading when they have WiFi access, for viewing in times when they don't. Most people don't have unlimited cellular access.
Riiiiight
And I bet every other person trying to browse the internet HATED you for doing that.
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Clearly they were referring to downloading when they have WiFi access, for viewing in times when they don't. Most people don't have unlimited cellular access.[/QUOTE]
So buy the movie and download it. This problem has already been solved.
And I bet every other person trying to browse the internet HATED you for doing that.
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Clearly they were referring to downloading when they have WiFi access, for viewing in times when they don't. Most people don't have unlimited cellular access.[/QUOTE]
So buy the movie and download it. This problem has already been solved.
Just like clean air, cheaper cost of living and other things that are better on the rural areas.
How quaint the choices we have to where we live.
Yep
Yep. If you want the services that are available only to densely-packed geographic regions, feel free to move there.
Yep. If you want the services that are available only to densely-packed geographic regions, feel free to move there.
That is completely false, many people who download torrents are willing to pay for content.
However, when rights holders put DRM or rights management above usability or availability, more people will go with torrents instead of paying.
Edit: Yes, there are those people who can't afford or refuse all paid options, but they are in fact a minority.
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Its easy to provide a carefree distribution model when you don't have to worry about the pesky business of spending $200 million making the movie.
Plenty of torrenting advocates are happy to push blame onto the various service providers but I don't think any of them have ever produced a non-laughable alternative model that explains how a service can be better than 'whatever you want, for free' and raise enough revenue to cover to cost of making the content in the first place.
I live in one of the largest cities in Colorado and the only ISP I can get is Century Link. When the development was built the HOA signed an exclusive agreement with them to cover the cost of wiring the buildings. Now the agreement has expired but no one will run a line to our buildings because it isn't cost effective. Century Link has no motivation to upgrade the line they gave us since they already have 100% of the business here. So we are stuck with a 5 MB connection that really only gets 4 MB.
We only have Netflix for tv (since the HOA also signed a deal with DISH), and I can tell you that Netflix works well most of the time. The only time it really gives us an issue is if we want to use the internet for anything else at the same time. Netflix feeds adjust on the fly for bandwidth so you can occasionally see a shift resolution. However if you try and load an HD video from someplace else, especially YouTube, it runs into issues almost every time. The ads run fine, of course, but the content doesn't buffer fast enough.
I would love to be able to queue a TV series by downloading it so could maximize playback quality. I have no reason to believe that my service will be any better in the next 5 years.
Didn't you know about the HOA's exclusive deal when you were looking to buy? If so, why did you buy?
But why couldn't Netflix have an "offline queue" for those times when you simply cannot be online?
You're still paying your $8 a month... but once in a while you need to watch some content without an internet connection.
It does happen... and will continue to happen... no matter how good public WIFI and/or 4G happen to be.
Spotify has an offline mode... so it is technically possible for a "streaming" service to also offer an "offline" component.
No, that information was only provided after I signed my lease, and after multiple inquiries as to why I was unable to get a faster connection. The agent told me it had Comcast, but never so in writing. Silly me, I was told the place had high speed internet, and having lived in three other places here that always had Comcast I simply assumed. I'm a student, and have been so for some time, so I am always looking for someplace cheaper and quieter. It was my mistake to not ask. I should state though that my limited choice of ISP is really my only complaint.
My point before was that I doubt that I am the only one who sits in a city with above average speeds that doesn't have access to them. There is a need for being able to download, or buffer content even if the bandwidth technology improves.
Edit: I should add that Century Link advertises much faster speeds than 5MB, but refuses to upgrade their equipment for my community to support them. When I called Century Link to set up 50MB plan the guy I set up my service told me I had access to 7MB. Being my only option I took it. When I called in because I was rarely getting more than 3 MB, they told me that while I was on a 7MB plan the equipment that managed my location only supported up to 5MB. They kindly offered me an email address that it seems no one ever checks.