Netflix's maximum resolutions depedant on browser?

[LeChef]

http://www.nextpowerup.com/news/29127/only-microsoft-edge-displays-netflix-in-full-hd-on-pc/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3095259/browsers/confirmed-only-microsoft-edge-will-play-netflix-content-at-1080p-on-your-pc.html

Apparently different browsers limit the netflix resolution to 720p in stead of 1080p (excluding microsoft edge)

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Now, Microsoft has publicized a Netflix support document, showing Netflix streams at 1080p on Internet Explorer and Edge, versus 720p on the other browsers. Using the “secret Netflix menus” unearthed by Reddit users (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+D) to display the resolution and bitrate, we confirmed that Microsoft’s claims are indeed true: You can receive a higher bitrate and resolution when watching Netflix using Edge than you can with, say, Chrome.

I must say I find this really weird. Is this just a marketing thing for Microsoft or is there something wrong with netflix. 
At least we have a reason to use edge for something now haha

[ivan134]

Finally a reason to use Edge

[The Benjamins]

I know that they will not stream UHD to any PC, even ones that use the nexflix App because their is no h265 support yet.

 

Is their a way to see if the Win 10 App can get a 1080p signal?

[LeChef]

I think the app does.
 

Jup
 

Quote

That doesn't mean that diehard Chrome or Firefox fans are out of luck, however:  the Windows 10 Netflix app also renders Netflix in 1080p.

 

[Railgun]

Is there anywhere in the Netflix subscription contract that says you should always be getting the highest resolution? I would love to see someone sue the crap out of Netflix because this kind of marketing scheme pisses me off

[pwn_intended]

9 minutes ago, The Benjamins said:

Is their a way to see if the Win 10 App can get a 1080p signal?

 

7 minutes ago, RikvE said:

I think the app does.

I too am pretty certain that the app does as well.

 

As a side note, while this is cool that edge supports 1080p in Netflix now, the app supports it as well so there is no real reason to use edge for Netflix as the app works quite well too. On the other hand, edge is pretty decent, I have been forcing myself to use it since the beta started and I'm pretty happy with it. It does glitch out every once in a while, but that just keeps things interesting as far as I'm concerned.

[pwn_intended]

2 minutes ago, Railgun said:

Is there anywhere in the Netflix subscription contract that says you should always be getting the highest resolution? I would love to see someone sue the crap out of Netflix because this kind of marketing scheme pisses me off

This doesn't make any sense... what could you possibly sue them over? You get the highest resolution that is available to you with your equipment. Its not Netflix's fault you're trying to access their servers from a toaster (browser) instead of a proper app.

[Railgun]

1 minute ago, pwn_intended said:

This doesn't make any sense... what could you possibly sue them over? You get the highest resolution that is available to you with your equipment. Its not Netflix's fault you're trying to access their servers from a toaster (browser) instead of a proper app.

we are talking about netflix lowering resolutions for superior browsers such as chrome or firefox here

[The Benjamins]

3 minutes ago, Railgun said:

we are talking about netflix lowering resolutions for superior browsers such as chrome or firefox here

They could of done internal testing that shows on average chrome cant handle 1080p well, so they lock it down for QOS. Not all browsers support everything the same. Is netflix still using Silver Light or HTML 5?

[spartaman64]

9 minutes ago, The Benjamins said:

They could of done internal testing that shows on average chrome cant handle 1080p well, so they lock it down for QOS. Not all browsers support everything the same. Is netflix still using Silver Light or HTML 5?

um chrome can handle 1080p and 4k and even 8k just fine since there are youtube videos at those resolutions

[The Benjamins]

1 minute ago, spartaman64 said:

um chrome can handle 1080p and 4k and even 8k just fine since there are youtube videos at those resolutions

you missed my point. If in chrome netflix implementation cant use hardware acceleration then a average users system may not be able to do 1080p which would be a reason to lock it out for QOS reasons. some i3 laptop that is 2 years old with no hardware acceleration cant do 1080p.

[spartaman64]

1 minute ago, The Benjamins said:

you missed my point. If in chrome netflix implementation cant use hardware acceleration then a average users system may not be able to do 1080p which would be a reason to lock it out for QOS reasons. some i3 laptop that is 2 years old with no hardware acceleration cant do 1080p.

im sure thats easy to check for and if its some crappy i3 laptop i dont think it can run 4k even with hardware acceleration

[TrigrH]

M$ back at it again

[Maslofski]

thatll explain why everything looked like dogshit, fucking hell man, i just finished to binge a whole week without knowing this

[alexyy]

Another reason I don't use netflix the quality is awful for a paid media service, bitrate is way too low for me. 

[Centurius]

This has been the case for years. 

[2FA]

2 hours ago, The Benjamins said:

They could of done internal testing that shows on average chrome cant handle 1080p well, so they lock it down for QOS. Not all browsers support everything the same. Is netflix still using Silver Light or HTML 5?

Last I knew it was using Silverlight because I couldn't get Netflix to work on my linux laptop and I remember it saying it needed SIlverlight.

[LAwLz]

This has always been the case. Internet Explorer and Safari supports 1080p Netflix too (but obviously Microsoft won't mention that when trying to promote Edge).

I remember looking into it several months ago and could never find a clear answer why this was happening. The most logical reason I found was that it had to do with DRM and "OS integration" of the DRM. That would explain why Chrome when running ChromeOS supports 1080p streaming, but Chrome in Windows does not.

If that's true (which it seems to be) then there is no technical reason for IE/Edge supporting it but Chrome/Firefox not to. It's just Netflix being stupid and worried about piracy.

[asim1999]

4 hours ago, pwn_intended said:

 

I too am pretty certain that the app does as well.

 

As a side note, while this is cool that edge supports 1080p in Netflix now, the app supports it as well so there is no real reason to use edge for Netflix as the app works quite well too. On the other hand, edge is pretty decent, I have been forcing myself to use it since the beta started and I'm pretty happy with it. It does glitch out every once in a while, but that just keeps things interesting as far as I'm concerned.

It is a pain when I play BF4 as battleog always crashes or lags. I use Firefox for battleog and chrome as my main browser 

[Pesmerga]

I thought it was well known D:

[mvitkun]

2 hours ago, LAwLz said:

This has always been the case. Internet Explorer and Safari supports 1080p Netflix too (but obviously Microsoft won't mention that when trying to promote Edge).

I remember looking into it several months ago and could never find a clear answer why this was happening. The most logical reason I found was that it had to do with DRM and "OS integration" of the DRM. That would explain why Chrome when running ChromeOS supports 1080p streaming, but Chrome in Windows does not.

If that's true (which it seems to be) then there is no technical reason for IE/Edge supporting it but Chrome/Firefox not to. It's just Netflix being stupid and worried about piracy.

Yeah, idk why everyone is making a big deal out of this now.  

I made a post around a year ago trying to get people to check what bitrates they get on different Operating Systems, browsers, as well as the app when I'd realized that it was impossible to get above 720p on Windows 7, and I'm sure I wasn't the first to notice that.

[michaelocarroll007]

5 hours ago, Railgun said:

we are talking about netflix lowering resolutions for superior browsers such as chrome or firefox here

There not Lowering it for just Chrome to help Edge out. I use to Hook my Pc up to a 100 inch projector until i got a chromecast when they were new and the improvement was crazy ( Due to screen size 100" 720p vs 1080p)  i had no idea but at the time that Netflix in chrome browser didnt play 1080p had to look that up.  But anyway my point is  this was a Thing Before Edge even existed so there not playing favorites in that sense as much as some may be thinking  

[ThreePinkApples]

This isn't any secret information. Netflix have had this in their FAQ for years under "Netflix system requirements for HTML5 and Silverlight".

https://help.netflix.com/en/node/23742?ba=GSButtonClick&q=

HTML5

Quote

Supported Browsers:

• Google Chrome version 37 or later on Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later and Mac OS X 10.6 or later (Snow Leopard)
• Internet Explorer 11 or later on Windows 8.1 or later
• Microsoft Edge on Windows 10
• Mozilla Firefox version 42 or later on Windows Vista or later
  • Supported on stable, official release builds from Mozilla. Non-Mozilla builds are not supported.
• Opera version 33 or later on Windows Vista Service Pack 2 or later and Mac OS X 10.9 or later
• Safari on Mac OS X 10.10 or later (Yosemite)
  • Supported on all 2012 or later models and select 2011 models

Resolution: Stream in HD if your Internet connection supports 5 megabits per second or more.

• Google Chrome up to 720p
• Internet Explorer up to 1080p
• Microsoft Edge up to 1080p
• Mozilla Firefox up to 720p
• Opera up to 720p
• Safari up to 1080p on Mac OS X 10.10.3 or later

 

The main reason for the separation is DRM. 

The Windows 8/10 app is the best way to watch Netflix on a PC because it uses Windows internal DRM check thingy. Basically you need official Audio and Video drivers or the Windows will tag it as "not safe" and the Netflix app will not play (Had trouble with this early on with Win 10 since my audio card drivers where not WHQL in the first months). 

 

All of this has been available, and fairly known information for years
I've tried to spread it myself, since so many seem to miss it. But sadly I often get the response of "Nah, don't care that much" aka "I'm used to Chrome, don't want to install an app" 

[PlayStation 2]

when internet explorer can stream in a higher res than chrome

[SansVarnic]

Lol...