Netflix has changed the way we watch movies, shows, and documentaries. For many people, Netflix is the top choice for streaming multimedia content whenever they want. However, it’s annoying when you’re watching young Bruce Wayne become a guard in Gotham and the video quality isn’t appreciated. See how we can fix video quality on Netflix.
Whether you are watching that content on your phone, PC or Smart TV, it is essential to set a specific quality to enjoy the right content.
1. Check Widevine Permissions (Android Only)
Android users who love to watch Netflix videos on the go must check this out first. Widevine is a DRM (Digital Rights Management) solution from Google for protecting digital content provided by streaming services like Netflix. Why? Piracy, that’s why.
Netflix, like many other streaming services, uses Widevine which has three levels of security. If your Android device supports Level 1 security, it can play HD videos at HD/FHD/QHD/4K resolution. Security Level 3 is used to deliver content with a resolution of 480p or less. Android devices must support either of the above levels to successfully play content from Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other services that use Widevine DRM.
To check the level of Widevine support for your particular handset, you can install the DRM Info app. Download using the link below. The moment you open the app, it will collect data about your phone and display it like this.
As you can see, Xiaomi’s Note 5 Pro comes with L3 security level. That’s why your Netflix video quality is poor. Therefore, you must use the application to check the level of security that your Android phone supports.
2. Check out the Netflix package
Netflix offers three different plans, and the quality of your video streaming can vary greatly depending on your subscription plan. The first plan is Basic which costs $9/month and only offers SD quality video. That means your video only streams at 480p. Now you know what happened!
The second plan is Standard which costs $13/month and streams videos in HD quality. HD video is usually 720p or 1080p, the latter also known as Full HD or FHD.
The third plan called Premium will cost you $16/month, supporting resolutions up to 4K UHD. Ultra High Definition with 2160p resolution displays the finest details with incredible clarity. Please note that not all movies or shows on Netflix are available in UHD, and you need a 4K TV or monitor to view content in that resolution.
3. Check Netflix Settings
Netflix allows users to control playback speed and quality through settings. For most users, playback is set to Auto to adjust streaming quality according to their device, plan, and Internet connection (mobile or Wi-Fi). We always want to enjoy the best quality, right?
Sign in to Netflix and select Account from the menu.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Playback Settings under My Profile.
There are four options with Auto selected by default as discussed above. Let’s understand the meaning of others. The first is Low which will stream video at a quality lower than SD resolution. This will consume up to 0.3 GB of data per hour of video streaming. It is more suitable if you have a slow Internet connection, are using measured bandwidth, or your device configuration doesn’t even support SD.
The media will stream content in SD quality and consume up to 0.7 GB of bandwidth. Finally, having Cao will consume up to 3GB of data for HD and up to 7GB of data for UHD video streaming.
Choose one depending on your plan and the monitor you’re using. It doesn’t help to pay for the Premium plan and choose High when your phone, laptop, TV or monitor can’t play HD or UHD video. Be wise and choose accordingly.
4. Browser Limits
Android smartphones need to have at least Widevine L1 or L3 security certification when it comes to Netflix video quality. Also, not all browsers support Full HD quality. Here’s the ugly truth about the browser you’re using.
Google Chrome, Firefox and Opera all have one thing in common. All three browsers will stream content at up to 720p. That kind of limits how popular and advanced these browsers are.
Microsoft’s Edge browser can stream videos at up to 4K resolution, which is something we all want even if our plans and screens don’t allow it.
Apple’s Safari and even old Internet Explorer support streaming video at 1080p. I don’t know why Google Chrome and Firefox are lagging behind.
5. Browser Shortcuts
Netflix has a ton of options and settings hidden deep beneath its layers. You can access these settings while watching any TV show, movie or documentary. Here are some handy keyboard shortcuts and their functions.
- Ctrl+Alt+Shift+D — Show various audio/video details on the screen as shown in the screenshot above
- Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S — this will tell you the bitrate in the menu where you can change the resolution to improve video quality (no more buffering)
- Alt+Shift+Left click — you can add your own subtitles, disable subtitles, change audio/video sync
- Ctrl+Alt+Shift+L — log all the tech activities going on behind the screen
If some of these shortcuts don’t work, it’s possible that one or more installed applications have blocked them. On my PC, Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S shows a custom screenshot option from the Mouse Without Borders app. So I had to change its settings to get rid of the conflict.
6. Browser Extensions and Add-ons
For Chrome
Here are some Chrome extensions that will help you further improve not only the quality of your videos, but the overall Netflix viewing experience.
- Netflix 1080p — This extension will force Netflix to stream videos in 1080p with 5.1 playback quality. Of course, you’ll need at least a 1080p screen to enjoy that.
- Super Netflix — This Chrome extension will allow you to control video quality, speed, and upload custom subtitles. That’s not all. It will hide images and other spoilers like description to maintain suspense. You can also change the Netflix streaming server if you have buffering issues.
- NflxMultiSubs — Do you have a friend who reads subtitles in another language? Use this extension to display two subtitles at the same time.
- Video Adjustment for Netflix — This nifty little extension will let you control contrast, brightness, and saturation.
For firefox
Similarly, here are some great Firefox Add-ons to control video streaming quality and improve your binge-watching experience.
- Force 1080p — As you can imagine, this will force your browser to stream Netflix content at 1080p.
- Ultrawide Netflix — If you have an ultra-wide monitor, such as in a 21:9 aspect ratio, this add-on will force video to fill the entire screen, so you’ll get the most out of your new monitor .
- Night Video Tuner — Watching videos at night may interfere with your vision in the long run. This handy extension helps reduce stress by reducing blue light and allows you to control other properties like brightness to reduce eye strain.
- Subs Translate — As the name suggests, you can translate Netflix subtitles from one language to another using the Google Translate API.
Netflix and Chill
Netflix is one of the best streaming services available today. It’s a great way to kill (or waste) time when you don’t feel like going out. Although a security researcher has cracked the Widevine L3 DRM, it will not directly translate into rampant piracy.
It’s better to pay for the content you and your family will watch than to take the risk of downloading a pirated file of copyrighted material. Other than that, the originals that Netflix makes are simply amazing. Use these simple tips to improve video quality and get the most out of your subscription.
Next: Netflix on Chrome not working? Can’t watch your favorite shows because the streaming service is crashing? Here are 6 common Netflix errors and how to solve them.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
