Netflix poor quality

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20.7.1 Release Notes

Back in March.

 

That fits as the right time period, that's right about the time I started noticing the problem with Netflix. Which is not good, I have much more confidence in Netflix updating a faulty app than I do in TiVo fixing whatever they did to screw it up. In fact, based on their utter failure to address the audio problem I have zero confidence it will ever be fixed.

Which is okay as my $52 bid for a Sony BDP-S6700 won, now I have a backup Netflix streamer(1080p/24 output), and if TiVo does fix the Netflix issue I can give the BD player to my mother!

 

That's an amazing price. I have a S6500, which, as you said, makes a good backup for Amazon too. BTW, expect a 90 second wait before 24fps kicks in. It's ok after that.

 

Thanks for that tip. I wonder why it does that?

BTW, there's an S7200 at 32.11 with 50 mins left right now.

 

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I have a Roamio OTA. It's still doing it for me too. Since I can't watch Netflix on any other unit, I cancelled Netflix until Tivo gets this fixed. Of course, how will I know it's fixed? I won't.

 

I have exact same problem, Netflix streaming fluctuates from 7.12-0.12Mbps. Awful ... even my 18 month old pointed at the picture and said "Broken"

I contacted Tivo support 3 times and sadly i have to say: they are worthless. They cant even listen to what the problem is. Suggestions were: from connecting to the Tivo Service (several times), to removing/re-adding NetFlix App and of course restarting Tivo & my router. I tried to explain that my Amazon Streaming and You tube work just fine, that i un-plugged the network cable from Tivo and plugged it into AppleTV and my laptop. It works just fine & picture quality is awesome and clear.
That means something is wrong with Netflix App on the Tivo.

Who is responsible for Netflix App on Tivo? Netflix or Tivo?

 

Netflix, but that's not to say that all the responsibility lies with them to fix it. Something TiVo may have done might have "broken" how the app communicates with the TiVo's Ethernet interface, or it might even be how the TiVo caches the data on the HDD while streaming.

If I were a betting man, I'd say that TiVo is the guilty party here and not Netflix. And from a practical standpoint, given that the number of Netflix subscribers who also access the service via a TiVo device is going to be extremely small I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for Netflix to fix the problem if they are in fact at fault.

 

And it can totally take you out of a movie (in this case, Planet of the Apes). If you're catching up on an old film you've never seen, the drop in bandwidth at the worst possible time can ruin an important reveal.

What is that? Why is he so upset about it? Is it a giant guitar?

 

I'd say this is 100% a TiVo problem. Streaming Netflix on my PS3 (wireless), PS4 (wired), Samsung SmarTV (wireless) are all flawless. TiVo Roamio is a this awful ride from 1080 down to 240 and back. TiVo broke it, they should fix it.

 

The Netflix app that's loaded on the TiVo comes from Netflix, whenever you see a change in the UI, the way content is displayed for example, that means that Netflix has loaded a new app on the TiVo, it's not coming from TiVo itself. These apps are often specific to the platform, the app that's on the TiVo will likely not work on a PS3 or Roku for example.

That said, I tend to think this is a problem created by TiVo as well, it seems lately that every time there's a new software update they break something that was working before. It's the same story with the audio dropout issue, it was fine, and then it wasn't. With Netflix, it was working fine for years, and now it doesn't, extremely annoying. It's annoyed me to the point that I purchased a used Sony BD player just to use the Netflix app on it as it will output 1080p/24Hz, a playback format that's not possible on my Oppo 103D, Roku 3, Fire Tv Stick or Chromecast.

 

This is getting very annoying. We were trying to stream an episode of Friends last night, and the quality dropped down at least 4 or 5 times.

 

I hope you're right. I've been using a Sony BD player for my Netflix viewing for the last week and it's been perfect. I have 3 episodes left of the show I've been watching so I'll try the TiVo tomorrow and see how they play.

 

Also having a better experience the last few days. Watched the latest season of House of Cards and a few other things. Slow start at 480p but within a minute it was up to 1080p where it remained for the entirety of each episode.

 

I haven't experienced the random quality drops in the last 6 week or so.

I still have a slow ramp to 1080p when I start shows from the beginning. I've been watching Bloodline recently, and I noticed if I immediately fast forward to about 1:10 (end of opening credits), as soon as I hit play it's giving me 1080p without a ramp.

 

Just to add to the discussion... I haven't used my TiVo for Netflix in a long time due to this issue. I always use my AppleTV.

Really defeats the OnePass feature that adds Netflix shows.

Also, my ATV never needs to "ramp up" as the TiVo dID to watch a show in 1080p. It always starts in HD.

I do use it for Amazin Prime. Never any issues with picture quality.

 

Was watching The Fall last couple of nights and noticed the PQ drops. Tried Netflix through AppleTV and it was flawless. I'll miss the simplicity of having the Netflix interface on the Roamio, but I can wait for the fix...

 

REally thankful I found this thread. I was beginning to think I was the only one even though I have eliminated all other possibilities in terms of what it could be. Gone the phone "support" route. Took my ethernet hub out of the equation. Swapped out HDMI cables. Nope, nope, nope, nope. Did a direct connection from modem to Tivo. Took my surround sound receiver out of the equation. I also have an Nvidia Shield. For those that don't know it is an Android streaming box. It has no issues at all streaming Netflix. Same content coming from the Tivo, with exactly the same wire route does the intermittent drop in quality and back again routine. So frustrating! For those that don't know, if you hit the info button on your remote while watching Netflix you will see the numbers everyone is talking about here. My last contact with Tivo was Sunday the 20th.(day before yesterday) I engaged in lengthy chat conversations with Tivo during which time they tried all of the measures that have already been mentioned in this thread(insert rolling eyes here). Scripted stuff to be sure. The end result was advice that a three way call would be required between Tivo, Netflix and myself but... that could not be done via chat(2nd rolling eyes here). And so I called Tivo. I advised the chat conversation number and asked that he review it. I told him that the end result of that chat was the suggestion we engage in a three way call to resolve the issue. After much prodding that he read that chat and then after answering a battery of questions that had he even glanced at that chat would have been answered,(whew) he made the call to Netflix. Surprise, Netflix is apparently closed on Sunday! Or so he advised(Another rolling eyes). In any case I wanted to add my voice here. I am another thoroughly disgusted Tivo subscriber! Tivo, please make that three way call to Netflix! Please? We are your bread and butter. Either that or get rid of Netflix as an offering! It should work right or not work at all. It would also be nice if you made public that this is an issue. This so your customer base can stop troubleshooting looking for issues in their setups that are not there!

 

Hey guys, I am hearing all this, it hits home with me personally, and I'm going to share my solution, which cost a little cash but I'm now ecstatic.

I was starting to get subjectively dissatisfied with the video quality of the Netflix app in the TiVo Roamio (even on a good day)... especially after I watched home theater at my friends' homes where streaming looked marginally better. (My Roamio's Netflix app was good, but not as good... I felt.)

Since I already have a stable 40/20 internet connection, 1 GB home network on Cat6, and an extra port available in my home theater, I was ready to add an additional streaming appliance. I chose the Roku Ultra 4K, even though my TV is only 1080p, believing the stream appliance was the weak link and I wanted to throw a better output to the TV, at a reasonable cost.

Results: absolutely a transformative experience. (Three months, so far.) Absolutely blows the Roamio player out of the water (even when Roamio has an optimal streaming day.) I've run demos for my guests where I compare Roku's Netflix stream to a Blu-ray of the same film: and my guests are hard-pressed to tell the difference. It's that good. Out of pocket this cost me a little over 100 but I'm thrilled and I'm happy.

I still use the Roamio Netflix player since it makes suggestions for me in the Roamio interface, which I'll add to Netflix and Amazon favorites. But for sitting down and viewing, the Roku is now clearly my streaming player of choice.