Online video

Discussion:

Online video

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Lloyd Parsons

2009-03-04 22:29:55 UTC

I've been researching online video to bring it to my TV at home. I
subscribe to Netflix, so that is the first thing I looked at. From my
computer, on a 3Mb DSL service, the quality is all over the place. Some
very good, others suck badly, but what all of it seems to have is
stop-motion often enough to be irritating.

Is it better with a Roku box or other hardware? At this point in time,
I've relegated the 'watch now' at Netflix to preview something I think I
might want to rent, vice watching it online.

Hulu seems fine, a bit of stop-motion, but nowhere near like Netflix.
But so far I've not seen something in hardware to get that to my TV, is
there something?

I have recently purchased an Apple TV because they have a broad
selection of things I can buy that I like, and since it downloads to my
system, it doesn't suffer from poor video quality nor stop-motion.

I would like to add something to get the internet streaming video to my
TV in addition to the Apple TV, but am still looking.

Roku looks nice, but it doesn't do anything more than Netflix and
Amazon. Amazon's video is better than Netflix overall, but it still
suffers from stop-motion.

Lloyd

2009-03-05 02:00:51 UTC

Permalink

Post by Lloyd Parsons
I've been researching online video to bring it to my TV at home. I
subscribe to Netflix, so that is the first thing I looked at. From my
computer, on a 3Mb DSL service, the quality is all over the place. Some
very good, others suck badly, but what all of it seems to have is
stop-motion often enough to be irritating.
Is it better with a Roku box or other hardware? At this point in time,
I've relegated the 'watch now' at Netflix to preview something I think I
might want to rent, vice watching it online.
Hulu seems fine, a bit of stop-motion, but nowhere near like Netflix.
But so far I've not seen something in hardware to get that to my TV, is
there something?
I have recently purchased an Apple TV because they have a broad
selection of things I can buy that I like, and since it downloads to my
system, it doesn't suffer from poor video quality nor stop-motion.
I would like to add something to get the internet streaming video to my
TV in addition to the Apple TV, but am still looking.
Roku looks nice, but it doesn't do anything more than Netflix and
Amazon. Amazon's video is better than Netflix overall, but it still
suffers from stop-motion.
Lloyd

I used to get stop-motion or slow frame rates with Netflix on a slower
computer. I now have a Roku box. Your frame rate will be smooth, but with
a 3meg connection your picture sharpness will be poor.

Lloyd Parsons

2009-03-05 02:58:09 UTC

Permalink

Post by QN

I used to get stop-motion or slow frame rates with Netflix on a slower
computer. I now have a Roku box. Your frame rate will be smooth, but with
a 3meg connection your picture sharpness will be poor.

Thanks for that info. I'm surprised that a 3Mb DSL connection would
cause poor sharpness. Oh well, the Apple TV is looking better and
better. It'll be here next week.

Lloyd Parsons

2009-03-05 15:02:17 UTC

Permalink

Post by Lloyd Parsons

Post by QN

I used to get stop-motion or slow frame rates with Netflix on a slower
computer. I now have a Roku box. Your frame rate will be smooth, but with
a 3meg connection your picture sharpness will be poor.

Thanks for that info. I'm surprised that a 3Mb DSL connection would
cause poor sharpness. Oh well, the Apple TV is looking better and
better. It'll be here next week.

I just tried Netflix and Hulu with Firefox instead of Safari 4. Smooth
video and very good quality. I thought that Safari 4 was faster than
Firefox. But I guess it isn't for video.

Mike Ray

2009-03-05 19:27:18 UTC

Permalink

Post by Lloyd Parsons

Post by QN

I used to get stop-motion or slow frame rates with Netflix on a slower
computer. I now have a Roku box. Your frame rate will be smooth, but with
a 3meg connection your picture sharpness will be poor.

Thanks for that info. I'm surprised that a 3Mb DSL connection would
cause poor sharpness. Oh well, the Apple TV is looking better and
better. It'll be here next week.

I just tried Netflix and Hulu with Firefox instead of Safari 4. Smooth
video and very good quality. I thought that Safari 4 was faster than
Firefox. But I guess it isn't for video.

I have been trying this also. I watched some old SD missed TV shows
(Bones) using Hulu with Firefox on a 512Kb (yes .5Mb) connection and it
was good with only a few very brief glitches. I was pleased and
surprised. I used an Acer Aspire 5672WLMI with a DVI out to my HDTV.

Lloyd Parsons

2009-03-05 19:42:20 UTC

Permalink

Post by Mike Ray

Post by Lloyd Parsons

Post by QN

I used to get stop-motion or slow frame rates with Netflix on a slower
computer. I now have a Roku box. Your frame rate will be smooth, but with
a 3meg connection your picture sharpness will be poor.

Thanks for that info. I'm surprised that a 3Mb DSL connection would
cause poor sharpness. Oh well, the Apple TV is looking better and
better. It'll be here next week.

I just tried Netflix and Hulu with Firefox instead of Safari 4. Smooth
video and very good quality. I thought that Safari 4 was faster than
Firefox. But I guess it isn't for video.

That is interesting. I would have expected it to be pretty bad with
that connection speed. I can't hook a computer to my HDTV 'cause it
doesn't support connecting to a computer (and I tried anyway).

More than likely I'll get a Roku box somewhere along the way as I like
tech toys. With it and Apple TV I would have iTunes, Netflix, Amazon
and YouTube covered. Hulu seems to not want to come to your TV at all
unless you do what you've done. Roku was supposed to get it at one
point, and Boxee was too, but as of now, neither will.

metspitzer

2009-03-05 21:14:01 UTC

Permalink

On Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:42:20 -0600, Lloyd Parsons

Post by Lloyd Parsons
That is interesting. I would have expected it to be pretty bad with
that connection speed. I can't hook a computer to my HDTV 'cause it
doesn't support connecting to a computer (and I tried anyway).

It won't give you HD, but have you considered using an S Video cable?

Lloyd Parsons

2009-03-05 21:31:40 UTC

Permalink

Post by metspitzer
On Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:42:20 -0600, Lloyd Parsons

It won't give you HD, but have you considered using an S Video cable?

I've seen video on my 61" HDTV from an S Video cable. It isn't pretty!
:(

I'm contemplating setting up a media center with a Mac mini to allow for
those sites I can get to online. So far, I've not found a solution that
makes that work too well for good SD and HD. But that is a somewhat
expensive solution, even if I get it to work.

I have an Apple TV coming that will fill many of my wants in this arena,
but doesn't connect to Amazon or Netflix. Amazon isn't a big deal as
most of what they have, iTunes has. Netflix is the bigger part and the
Roku box will do that just fine. Cheaper than doing a media center.

I would like something to do Hulu and others with. And as I found out
today, I may have to add a windows box to the mix somewhere along the
line as some sites won't work from the mac. Like tnt.tv. Can't play
full episodes there because of the FSCKING DRM they are using. :(

I'm retired so time isn't of the essence in this.

Lloyd

m***@gmail.com

2017-07-24 11:50:03 UTC

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ITunes cannot connect to iPad I cannot get to my Acer computer and ***@mail.com can I do