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Netflix Enables Streaming Quality Control To Reign In Mobile Data Usage (hothardware.com)
MojoKid writes from a report on HotHardware: Netflix wants to put users in control of their mobile data usage when it comes to its iOS and Android apps. Up until today, Netflix held all the cards and adjusted video quality settings on its end (and how much cellular data was consumed) when users were on a cellular connection. Now, Netflix is opening up user-selectable settings that allow you to sip data (at the expense of video quality of course) or gulp it down if you're one of the few with an unlimited data plan. Making the adjustment is as simple as navigating to App Settings and then selecting Cellular Data Usage. From there, you will be able to select from Automatic (Default), Low, Medium, High, or Unlimited options. If you're on a Wi-Fi connection, these quality settings are disabled altogether.
REIN
REIN IN, like SLOWING DOWN A HORSE - THROTTLING
REIGN is something a king or emperor does.
So it's basically useless for wifi hotspots then? Great.
Does it let you watch Downton Abby, but not sitcoms and reality shows?
I still have a grandfathered Verizon unlimited plan, so I suppose I could use the setting to shift to unlimited bandwidth, but I really don't notice the difference in picture quality when I'm on cellular vs. on WiFi at home, so I'll probably leave it as it is.
Now, if only Amazon would remove the restriction that makes it impossible to download shows to your device (not stream, download) over cellular networks. Works just fine over WiFi, but it's impossible over cellular. I get why they have the restriction (someone hits download, and 600MB of wireless data zip by without them actually watching anything, and they get pissed off), but it should be an option that I can turn off (leave the default to "no download over cellular, certainly). It's not a bug or flaw, it's a conscious policy decision.
If I'm traveling, and want to download something on the way to the airport to watch on the plane, the inability to do so is pretty annoying.
Well YouTube for the iphone app at least does allow you to change your settings.
but 720p is a lot for a lot of mobile stuff.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
I do not think you are aware how Netflix actually distributes content.
Every reasonably-large ISP is offered a Netflix-cache which is a physical box they provide. The ISP then installs the box in their network, and the Netflix customers in that ISP now get their content from the box. Unless the content is too rare to be in the cache, in which case it flows over the regular network, like before. Now, for many smaller ISP's this is not worth it, since the box itself eats quite a large amount of bandwidth just to keep its cache updated. But for the medium-sized ISPs it is a great way to save on transit bandwidth, and Netflix loves it because they get the bandwidth for free as well.
The neat thing is that for participating ISPs, Netflix has no extra expenses when a customer picks a high bandwidth stream, and for the ISP it is great as well because they only have to transport the stream in their own network, which in many cases is close to free. As an extra bonus for the ISP, the customer might have a data quota or even pay per gigabyte.
Finally! A year of moderation! Ready for 2019?
I don't have that problem - their originals look spectacular in 4k.