Focus!
I wasn’t that interested in the launch of the new Xbox 360 interface. I didn’t care about their new Mii-wannabe Avatars, the ripped-off-from-iTunes “coverflow” navigation, the pointless party system, any of it. Seemed like just another example of Microsoft copying someone else’s success and calling it innovation. And then I heard about streaming Netflix movies and changed my tune rather quickly.
You have to understand, I love movies. Used to get out to the theater once a week, minimum, and have been a Netflix subscriber for the past five years or so. I’ve also been a Mac user for all that time as well, so the Netflix streaming service has long been denied me. Even their recent “solution” to make it available to the Mac world requires you to have an Intel chip Mac (I don’t) and install Microsoft’s Silverlight (I won’t). So hearing that I could at long last watch movies instantly, with the push of a button, essentially for free, was a time of great rejoicing.
I downloaded the Xbox update, ignored the Avatar creation screen, and dove straight for the Netflix launcher. Linked my Netflix account to my Xbox and started scrolling through my possible viewing options. Pan’s Labyrinth? In HD? That sounded like a pretty good test case. I selected the film, waited through the handshaking, the connection speed test, and finally the movie started. And it looked great.
For about seven seconds.
After that, the connection choked out, the movie froze, and the system slowly reconnected me at a lower quality to ensure I wouldn’t have any more delays. Sadly, to ensure that, they gave me a movie with a picture quality that I would refer to, generously, as “donkey ass.” Soft edges, heavy artifacting, muted colors, minimal contrast range, it was a true disappointment. I’ve tried several times since then, watching at off-peak times, making sure no one else in the house is using the Internet connection, adjusting my router, all to no avail. Apparently streaming movies are always going to look like I just fried some food and have a thin film of oil spattered all over my glasses.
Maybe I’ve been spoiled by true HD from my Blu-ray collection and 1080p television. Maybe I’m expecting too much from a streaming movie service. I guess I should just be thankful for the convenience, being able to push a button and watch the movie of my choice without ever getting off the couch. I should, but I’m not. There’s no point watching a sub-standard downloaded screening of Ratatouille when I can wait a day for a disc to arrive and see it in perfect clarity. I think I’d rather suffer a little delay than spend two hours feeling like I’m watching TV through a piece of cheesecloth.
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5 Responses to “Focus!”
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December 6th, 2008 at 10:33 am
So it’s basically streaming? No option to download the thing to your hardrive? Granted, I’m use to watching programming through pieces of cheesecloth (it’s a fetish disorder for which I’m seeking therapy) this doesn’t seem right.
Gaming is usually fine, but I’ve noticed that pretty much anything else done through XBL doesn’t really give you the type of speed that you get just pulling down something using your PC.
A good test might be to go to one of the major network’s sites and try to do an HD stream for one of their programs (for instance, the entire first four seasons of LOST are available to stream HD from ABC.COM) and see if that produces similar results. It behaves in somewhat the same manner when I do it, the quality of your stream dictates the quality of the picture. There’s even a little meter at the bottom of the player that tells you if your speeds are giving you true HD or not.
I hate it when technology launches well before it’s ready, but unfortunately, that’s a Microsoft Mantra in the their quest to have every piece of technology on the planet run on a Windows based platform. Someday, I expect to go into the hospital and see the “Windows Vista” logo on the pacemaker they are about to install in my chest. I guess when that happens, if you pass away after the installation of device they will start saying that the patient “Blue Screened”
December 7th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Very nice piece. I think I’m going to have to try this out soemtime and see how it goes. I certainly thought 1080p would be hard pressed to push down through a tiny pipe so I’m curious as to your internet connection? I would think that the 1080p streaming would be reserved for people with fat pipes only, as in.. what… 10 MB or more?
December 8th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
I think with FIOS and Cable Wideband (with the Docsis 3.0 standard fully implemented) we’re on the cusp of that bandwidth being pretty much readily available for those that want it. I’m still not convinced though that when we come across the XBL or even PS network (though I personally have no experience on the PS network) that there’s not other factors involved with throttling your speeds or at least your ability to stream. Playing games is no longer a real bandwidth sucker, so performance in game is not really an issue, but when you start using the console for things previously reserved for PCs, then that’s something to consider. But I can tell you this, using the VOD services from my cable provider, I can stream gorgeous HD pictures down over that same cable pipe. The tech is there, but if I were paying per flick (which I assume you’re NOT with Netflix online) that would piss me off fiercely to order up a big old heap of 1080 goodness only to get a half-assed YouTube clip quality I would be an unhappy camper.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:25 am
I had read an article just yesterday saying there was a glitch with the Netflix streaming recently that affected the picture quality with Netflix streaming from Xbox Live. Have you tried another movie and does it seem any better?
December 20th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I’ve tried several more times. HD just ain’t happening and the SD, to me, simply isn’t of high enough quality to sit through and watch for two hours. I love the idea, but the execution is just leaving a little to be desired.