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I wish they would fix Netflix on (desktop) Linux. Most content is limited to ~2Mbps 720x480 resolution (approx DVD quality), for no apparent technical reason. A
by ac29 11y ago
I wish they would fix Netflix on (desktop) Linux. Most content is limited to ~2Mbps 720x480 resolution (approx DVD quality), for no apparent technical reason. A Roku streaming box gets the same content on the same internet connection at ~6Mbit 1080P. This is easily verified with the Netflix secret menus (Ctrl-Alt-Shift-S and Ctrl-Alt-Shift-D) -- quality above 1750kbps 480P just generally isn't available to Linux web browsers, except on Netflix originals and a small handful of other stuff.
Sadly, another area where paranoid content owners have made legally available, paid for content inferior to illegal pirate copies.
- darkmighty 11y agoJust fake your user agent?
- ac29 11y agoNope, faking Win/IE prompts for ActiveX, and faking Windows/Firefox prompts for Silverlight. Mac Safari, Windows Chrome, Android, etc all have similar problems.
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- relix42 11y agoThis has more to do with licensing restrictions than with technology.
- ac29 11y agoThat was my point -- there is zero technical reason HD cant be delivered to desktop linux. Netflix shows do it, and so do a small number of other TV shows and movies. The vast majority of content, however, is limited to 480P. Presumably for licensing reasons only. The most irritating thing is that "HD" now costs extra, and there is zero indication linux clients cant get the paid for HD content. I watch Netflix via Roku maybe 5% of the time, so mostly Im getting less than I pay for.
- revmoo 11y agoFunny too, because the Roku runs on Linux.
- ac29 11y agoToo late to edit, but I contacted support: Netflix on linux is "unsupported" with no time frame for moving it to a fully supported platform. They claimed linux does not support some technology that other platforms do (presumably special DRM), so they cant offer HD quality, even to customers who pay extra for it.