Save your battery and use HTML5 instead of Silverlight to stream Netflix

[ha1o2surfer]

This is more of a "You should know" than an actual guide as this guide is only a few steps. (Guide at the bottom of this post) Netflix, by default, uses Silverlight to play DRM protected streaming content. Silverlight is very CPU intensive and can cause massive battery drains (as shown below). Switching to HMTL5 takes just a couple seconds but saves you hours and hours of precious Netflix time in bed! Longer is better.. ok ok back on topic. This may or not be public knowledge but I figured I'd show everyone the power savings!

 

Below are a few screenshots of the power savings of switching Netflix to HTML5. 

 

 

1) My Laptop at idle:

 

Discharge Rate of Around 8-8.5 Watts

 

http://i.imgur.com/5t7tFm9.jpg

 

 

2) Netflix Using Silverlight

 

Discharge Rate around 16-17 Watts

 

http://i.imgur.com/puodrGa.jpg

 

 

3) Netflix Using HTML5

 

Discharge Rate around 11-12 Watts

 

http://i.imgur.com/FgDnMNN.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

So let's do some estimates of battery runtimes..

 

Silverlight: 4 Hours

HTML5: 5.7 Hours

Idle: 7.8 Hours

 

HTML5 is worth it! Now onto my specs and how to configure Netflix to use HTML5.

 

Specs: 

Asus G46VW

3840QM @ 4GHz

GTX 660M

69wH (63wH due to battery usage, I used this figure to calculate battery runtimes)

 

 

How-to!

 

Req: You will need the newest Version of Chome (x86 or x64), Safari that comes stock with Mavericks or Yosemite or IE 10 or 11. This also works in Linux! I have not tested Firefox but will do so soon. 

 

1) Log into your Netflix account the menu below is to the top right of the window.

2) 

Click the Red Arrow to bring up a menu 

3) Click "Your Account"

4) Near the bottom of the page you will see a section labeled "YOUR PROFILE" Click "Playback Settings" in that section

5) A little popup will appear and you should check the setting that states "Prefer HTML5"

 

That's it! Have fun saving power!

[TheKDub]

Does changing it to HTML5 have any effect on the video loading speed or quality?

[Toddwjp]

Does changing it to HTML5 have any effect on the video loading speed or quality?

 

usually gets better

[ha1o2surfer]

usually gets better

 Yes, my loading speed appears to be much faster both loading up a netflix video (because it doesn't have to load the bloated silverlight plugin) and in actually starting the stream straight in HD rather than in low quality and slowly ramping up. 

 

As far as quality goes, I don't notice a difference. 

[Pugs501]

usually gets better

Then why not use it always?

[minimoose]

Then why not use it always?

Always use it!

[Lays]

 I think this is enabled by default, atleast it was for me.

[Pugs501]

Always use it!

*Permanently Changing Settings*

YOU ARE^

[Rekx]

Some shows like x-files doesn't support html5 so even if you choose to use html5 player you still have to install sliverlight.

[ha1o2surfer]

Some shows like x-files doesn't support html5 so even if you choose to use html5 player you still have to install sliverlight.

I don't see why this would be the case. What is different about that particular show? In any case, I loaded up some X-Files and it plays in HTML5 for me.

[Mindtrickz]

I disabled Silverlight and enabled HTML5, but whichever show I pick it is asking me to install Silverlight.

[ha1o2surfer]

I disabled Silverlight and enabled HTML5, but whichever show I pick it is asking me to install Silverlight.

Be sure your browser is fully up to date. If you have any doubts, redownload your browser of choice from it's download site and try again. 

[Mindtrickz]

Be sure your browser is fully up to date. If you have any doubts, redownload your browser of choice from it's download site and try again. 

 

Latest Firefox.

[ha1o2surfer]

Latest Firefox.

I am trying with the latest version of Firefox as well as some betas and I am having trouble getting it to use HTML5. This is why i dind't include Firefox as a req since it apparently have support yet. 

[DiffikultD]

Interesting. I'm using latest Firefox, and the 'Prefer HTML5' is apparently checked by default; however, Silverlight is being used as the player. (When I right click on the video, the Silverlight options menu pops up.) I would like to see how HTML5 works, because as of about a year ago, I get a screen tear right across the middle of the frame. The option to enable hardware acceleration is grayed out in Silverlight options.This only occurs with Netflix/Silverlight playback. Any suggestions?

I sheepishly admit that I'm an XP holdover, but every other video format works flawlessly for me. (And Skyrim is...playable!)

 

[ha1o2surfer]

Interesting. I'm using latest Firefox, and the 'Prefer HTML5' is apparently checked by default; however, Silverlight is being used as the player. (When I right click on the video, the Silverlight options menu pops up.) I would like to see how HTML5 works, because as of about a year ago, I get a screen tear right across the middle of the frame. The option to enable hardware acceleration is grayed out in Silverlight options.This only occurs with Netflix/Silverlight playback. Any suggestions?

I sheepishly admit that I'm an XP holdover, but every other video format works flawlessly for me. (And Skyrim is...playable!)

I don't think there is official support for Windows XP. Maybe if you use a user agent faker and tell Netflix you are using Chrome on a Windows 7 or 8 machine lol.. as far as tearing goes, I think it's because of the forced VSync that Microsoft enabled from Vista and above us Vista, 7 and 8 users don't experience that. I may be wrong but I too had issues with screen tearing and web video playback. 

[Opcode]

Does changing it to HTML5 have any effect on the video loading speed or quality?

The loading times for the HTML5 player are a bit faster thanks to super fast Javascript. So in short, the quality cap is higher (Silverlight 720p vs HTML5 1080p) and load times are a bit better. The biggest plus is removing Microsoft's proprietary software known as Silverlight from your system completely (I assume most people have it installed only for Netflix).