Netflix cuts 4K bitrate in half, promises same 4K quality video

@lgans316 I agree with you, and I am absolutely an AV enthusiast. I find it incredible that people think the best 4K streams are still sub Blu-ray quality, but equally I don’t think you’ll ever change their minds. The elephant in the room of Blu-ray discs never magically upgrading to a 4K disc on your shelf for free seems to be completely glossed over as well.

Agree especially on the bolded words. If I post a comment in another forum on how a 4K stream looked, there are a bunch of folks to gang up and bully you into saying streaming is shite and it is not a good indication of how the disc will look like. If you politely tell them use the 4K iTunes/MA stream as a guidance then once again complete denial. Its like talking to a wall or an Ostrich that has sunk its head deep down in the sand. People think the difference is massive when it is not. Maybe on bigger screens (77 or above) but not on my highly rated 2019 Panasonic 65 GZ OLED. Btw, I am talking about iTunes/MA. We do lose the highest frequency and edge information on the stream but once again we are talking about something super minor. We can't please everyone and whatever you can afford, just go with it as the physical vs digital argument will continue even from our deathbeds lol :)
 
Absolutely. I’m using a JVC N5 on a 110”+ screen and the best Apple streams are gobsmacking, but obviously I’m deluded because actually they’re sub BR quality and the sound is the equivalent of using two baked bean cans and some string!

To be fair I do agree that 4K discs have the edge in picture and sound, but that difference is grossly exaggerated when it comes to Apple content. I don’t have MA.
 
The audience is not captive though, there are competitors.
The infrastructure capacity will take time to build up as well.

Not strictly true. If you want to watch Stranger Things for example, it's Netflix or don't watch it.

I wonder how much stuff is available on more than one streaming service? I'm guessing probably not the majority? So whether it's competition or not probably comes down to what you want to watch.
 
My 4K iTunes/MoviesAnywhere streams are much better than the Blu-ray. Period.
Just to provide an alternative point of view, a disc doesn't just disappear off you shelves.
Of course you can mix both sources.
 
Just to provide an alternative point of view, a disc doesn't just disappear off you shelves.
Of course you can mix both sources.

It doesn't but I have got about 6 or 7 discs that won't play (aka disc rot) no matter what I do. Its okay as long as you can easily pick up the disc from your shelf and play it without any issues. The convenience with playing a movie from my digital locker (iTunes/MA) far outweighs the pain I have to go through to locate the disc in my physical locker which still has 600+ discs, most of them gathering dust and occupying precious space.

Aforementioned, I will still buy some discs but at 15-20 per year instead of 100s of them. :)
 
Just to provide an alternative point of view, a disc doesn't just disappear off you shelves.
Of course you can mix both sources.

With all due respect I think the aspect of disappearing titles has been very much exaggerated also, it has happened to a microscopic amount of titles and the main story it related to was because the person in question moved countries (I think). But I absolutely agree that a mix of the two is the best way to go.
 
When you say Blu-ray are you referring to standard Blu-ray or UHD 4k Blu-ray?

Standard HD 1080p Blu-ray Vs. 4K stream.
Based on my numerous A-B between 4K Blu-ray and the 4K stream, it is clear that you lose the highest frequency information on the stream but this is a minor compromise we have to take to embrace convenience.

The MA / iTunes have bit rates ranging between 13 - 32 Mbps averaging at 24-25 Mbps. Nowhere near the disc bit rate but good enough for a stream.
 
With all due respect I think the aspect of disappearing titles has been very much exaggerated also, it has happened to a microscopic amount of titles and the main story it related to was because the person in question moved countries (I think). But I absolutely agree that a mix of the two is the best way to go.
No, Netflix will delete stuff from your watchlist without warning when their rights to it expire. Last year, I had 3 queued-up films disappear overnight, and I lost one last Friday. I get the rights issue, but it's bloody rude not to give you any advanced warning that they're about to go.
 
Ah I see what you mean with Netflix etc, I was referring to purchases on the Apple store.
 
No, Netflix will delete stuff from your watchlist without warning when their rights to it expire. Last year, I had 3 queued-up films disappear overnight, and I lost one last Friday. I get the rights issue, but it's bloody rude not to give you any advanced warning that they're about to go.

Netflix / Amazon prime yes.

iTunes purchases - Very very rare. I heard its 1:1000.
 
Yep, if you own something in iTunes, even if they stop selling it in the store, it's still available in your library.

Netflix/Amazon is different, you don't own those, much like stuff on Sky or wherever, there'll be a certain point in time (unless it's their own stuff) their license will run out and they'll take it off. Sometimes you'll get a warning, I believe Netflix (not sure about Amazon) usually Tweet or put something on FB about what's leaving soon.

I do agree it would be helpful, if they could actually put it on the platform itself somewhere. With all the different sections you'd think they could manage one called "Expiring soon" or something, or at the very least put it in the description.
 
Netflix/Amazon is different, you don't own those, much like stuff on Sky or wherever, there'll be a certain point in time (unless it's their own stuff) their license will run out and they'll take it off.
Are you referring to the Amazon Prime Video streaming subscription, where the selection for non Amazon originals can change month or month, or to Amazon Prime Video purchases
 
Yep, if you own something in iTunes, even if they stop selling it in the store, it's still available in your library.

Netflix/Amazon is different, you don't own those, much like stuff on Sky or wherever, there'll be a certain point in time (unless it's their own stuff) their license will run out and they'll take it off. Sometimes you'll get a warning, I believe Netflix (not sure about Amazon) usually Tweet or put something on FB about what's leaving soon.

I do agree it would be helpful, if they could actually put it on the platform itself somewhere. With all the different sections you'd think they could manage one called "Expiring soon" or something, or at the very least put it in the description.

Amazon do have a leaving soon section. It's always pretty near the top on mine.

Not sure about Netflix though.
 
Are you referring to the Amazon Prime Video streaming subscription, where the selection for non Amazon originals can change month or month, or to Amazon Prime Video purchases

Purchased stuff stays regardless, I'd assume, like iTunes, the streaming stuff will have stuff that goes away after a period of time.
 
Amazon do have a leaving soon section. It's always pretty near the top on mine.

Not sure about Netflix though.

I've never seen one on Netflix, I'm pleasantly surprised that Amazon have actually managed to put something useful and easy to find on there for once :D
 
No different to discs then, except they'd have a job to come to your house and take your discs away :D
 
No, Netflix will delete stuff from your watchlist without warning when their rights to it expire. Last year, I had 3 queued-up films disappear overnight, and I lost one last Friday. I get the rights issue, but it's rude not to give you any advanced warning that they're about to go.

I've seen the opposite happen, e.g. film I added to my list in the UK where I live is removed from UK Netflix, go on holiday to the US and the film is back in my list again without any action by me, because US Netflix has it. I've seen it the other way round as well, after I added some films I thought I might watch whilst in the US that weren't on the UK service eventually reappear in my list when the UK gets them.
 
Netflix 4K prices are going up in the US ($18 a month). Wow that's a lot of money.
 
Prices are going up in the USA. Instead of putting ours up, why not increase the price in countries like Turkey where it's about half of what it is here.
 
The constant removing of films in a franchise is annoying. John wick 2, ip man 2 and 3 etc. I managed to get all of them in whilst I could but having watched jw on amazon I jumped onto Netflix to watch the sequel and only 3 was there. It's so irritating.
 
Comparing a blu-ray with 4K streaming is pointless. You should be comparing with a 4k-HDR disk played back using a 4K-bluray player. Both Audio and Video are amazing. Bitrate goes up to 18Gb/second

Some of the best 4K streaming is from disney+ and the free iplayer-4K HLG streams looked great when they were available.
 
I've found generally 4K netflix streams can look absolutely incredible and go toe to toe with the 4K discs I watch (and this is with MADVR processing).

They do something truly magical re: streaming.

However where I feel they can fall apart, predictably, is dark difficult scenes; but even then, they're pretty pristine.

I think audio might be a different case though.
 

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