Netflix Canada announces new bandwidth management settings for capped users

[Bikpik]

I wasn't sure whether to put this under tech or not, but good news for Canadian Netflix users

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/28/n...%28Engadget%29

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget....lix-canada.jpg

The second bit of news for Canadian Netflixers in less than 24 hours deals with the other pressing issue facing the service in the Great White North: bandwidth caps. While they exist in the U.S., many Canadian ISPs have set the max amount of data allowed at much lower levels and they may cut further if a recent CRTC decision on usage-based billing stands. In response, starting today Netflix.ca accounts all have a new Manage Video Quality setting that lets users select Good / Better / Best bitrates as defaults for their video streams. According to CPO Neil Hunt's blog post, previously watching 30 hours of Netflix would typically consume up to 30GB of data, while now it can be as low as 9GB under the "Good" setting. Of course, dropping bitrate means lowering picture quality accordingly, despite promises that "the experience continues to be great." Even with HD and 5.1 audio available, PQ probably isn't your highest priority if you've turned to streaming, but it remains to be seen if customers find the compromise suitable, and whether a similar option comes to U.S. users facing similarly limited connections.

[Bikpik]

Also, more movies as well

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/28/n...o-paramount-m/

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget....03-28-2011.jpg

So far Canadian Netflix users have had to deal with a far more limited streaming library than their US cousins, exacerbated by the lack of a DVD / Blu-ray library to fall back on, but that's about to change. Netflix has struck a deal in Canada with Paramount for premium pay TV window access covering "exclusive subscription television rights to all first-run films." Currently in the US Netflix's deal with Epix gives it access to many of the same movies (Iron Man 2 -- already available since the 25th in Canada, while not currently ready for streaming in the US -- Titanic, Zoolander, The Last Airbender) eventually, but that's clearly not exclusive. While it's previously cut deals with smaller distributors like Relativity Media and Nu Image/Millennium Films for pay TV window access, the combo of exclusive and a major studio like Paramount makes Netflix a pay TV channel competitor in a whole new way. This backs up its earlier move in that direction by signing up for a new original show to debut on the service in 2012 and potentially adds a new edge to rumored negotiations for the Miramax back catalog, press release follows after the break.

[GentaiShinigami]

Never used Netflix, but man that seems like an option that should have been in the service from day one.

[Bikpik]

Well the better option would be higher bandwidth caps for Canadian ISP's I have a 95Gb cap, and I'm 4Gbs away from it this month, and that's just from using Netflix.

[Takedown3]

bikpik how much bandwidth do you estimate you use per hour when watching a typical movie? i've heard people say about 1gb per hour for 1080 is that accurate?

[Bikpik]

bikpik how much bandwidth do you estimate you use per hour when watching a typical movie? i've heard people say about 1gb per hour for 1080 is that accurate?

Probaby more with 1080, I turned on HD the other day when I was off sick and watched 16 episodes of Heros and used over 21Gb of bandwidth

[dejet]

bikpik how much bandwidth do you estimate you use per hour when watching a typical movie? i've heard people say about 1gb per hour for 1080 is that accurate?

netflix claims right there its over 2gb/hr with HD so ~_~

[shaddix]

5mbit for 1080p is terribad. Cancel your netflix subscriptions now!

[Alvein]

I stream stuff in 720p with 3mbit connection speed without any problem. I've been very happy with Netflix, great streaming content library.