Author Topic: Annihilation on Netflix (Read 11634 times)

increasingdifficulty · « **on:** March 12, 2018, 13:14 »

I watched Annihilation on Netflix today, just released. The technical quality was quite bad, with overexposed skies and overall really bad dynamic range.

I watched the trailer (same browser), and it looked much better. Didn't have the same problems. What could have happened to the Netflix version? It's not a low budget film so I'm sure it doesn't really look like this.

Anyone with Netflix care to take a look? I'm just curious to see how this could happen.

By the way, other movies and TV shows look fine.

increasingdifficulty · « **Reply #1 on:** March 12, 2018, 13:25 »

Wish I hadn't watched the bad copy. It really annoyed me and took away from the film.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #2 on:** March 13, 2018, 13:58 »

I think Netflix adapts the compression rate on the fly depending on your download speed at that moment, so if your internet connection is suffering, so will the image quality.

Great book, looking forward to watching it.

increasingdifficulty · « **Reply #3 on:** March 13, 2018, 14:11 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on March 13, 2018, 13:58

I think Netflix adapts the compression rate on the fly depending on your download speed at that moment, so if your internet connection is suffering, so will the image quality.

No, that is 100%, beyond doubt, not the case, as:

1. This is not something compression would do.
2. I have a great 200mbit/sec connection.
3. Everything else on Netflix looks fine.

But how does it look for you?

Zero Talent · « **Reply #4 on:** March 13, 2018, 14:23 »

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on March 13, 2018, 14:11

Quote from: fotoVoyager on March 13, 2018, 13:58
I think Netflix adapts the compression rate on the fly depending on your download speed at that moment, so if your internet connection is suffering, so will the image quality.

No, that is 100%, beyond doubt, not the case, as:

1. This is not something compression would do.
2. I have a great 200mbit/sec connection.
3. Everything else on Netflix looks fine.

But how does it look for you?

I can't find "Annihilation" on the US Netflix.
I can only find:
- Annihilation: The Destruction of Europe's Jews
- Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
- American Ninja 4: The Annihilation.

Isn't maybe a HDR stream viewed on an non-HDR display or something like that?

increasingdifficulty · « **Reply #5 on:** March 13, 2018, 14:33 »

This is a special case as far as film releases are concerned. I think it might still be in cinemas in the US.

It was only released on Netflix outside the US (no cinema release), as the producers got nervous and thought it would flop.

There is no HDR on Netflix. But maybe someone uploaded the wrong copy. Well, I'm quite convinced someone uploaded the wrong copy actually, but how could this happen... I'm just curious to know.

cdwheatley · « **Reply #6 on:** March 13, 2018, 14:40 »

I didn't see it and this is just a guess, but it could be something went wrong if they had to change codec for streaming. Maybe file was done with data levels with 0-1023 then converted to video levels 60-960 for streaming and the conversion did not go well, which would leave highlights blown and blacks crushed. Or maybe this is just how the Netflix player views that codec. Try different browsers and see if its the same. Take a screen shot of the Netflix clip and put it on the scopes in software and see what it reads. I get this same effect when I play any renders done to photo jpg and played on windows 10 media player, they look terrible.

cdwheatley · « **Reply #7 on:** March 13, 2018, 14:49 »

Video is just nuts, I see differences on every player, browser, software. The stock sites all display different, some washed out, some with more contrast, color shifts. Be nice if they could come up with a universal codec and player

increasingdifficulty · « **Reply #8 on:** March 13, 2018, 14:51 »

It's the same in all browsers. And keep in mind, it's just this movie, not the others.

Clearly someone messed up big time and sent the wrong copy to Netflix, or they messed up encoding it.

I have never seen changes this big with video in any browser, or any site.

cdwheatley · « **Reply #9 on:** March 13, 2018, 15:05 »

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on March 13, 2018, 14:51

It's the same in all browsers. And keep in mind, it's just this movie, not the others.

Clearly someone messed up big time and sent the wrong copy to Netflix, or they messed up encoding it.

I have never seen changes this big with video in any browser, or any site.

Right, i agree, netflix usually looks pretty good. Bet there are a few people pissed off about that...lol.

Zero Talent · « **Reply #10 on:** March 13, 2018, 15:10 »

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on March 13, 2018, 14:33

There is no HDR on Netflix.

Actually, I have HDR on Netflix, through FireTv.

If I remember correctly, I watched "A Series of Unfortunate Events" and "Marco Polo" in HDR.

increasingdifficulty · « **Reply #11 on:** March 13, 2018, 15:14 »

Quote from: Zero Talent on March 13, 2018, 15:10

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on March 13, 2018, 14:33
There is no HDR on Netflix.

Actually, I have HDR on Netflix, through FireTv.

If I remember correctly, I watched "A Series of Unfortunate Events" and "Marco Polo" in HDR.

Ah, nice, but this is just on my computer. No options for HDR. Could still be that they encoded an HDR copy by mistake though.

cruzo^ · « **Reply #12 on:** March 14, 2018, 17:48 »

Hi All,

Just wanted to strengthen what was written on this post, as I recently became really frustrated with the crappy quality I stumbled upon in Netflix for some of the content. This mostly happens with Movies (although I bet there are shows with the same crappy quality as well)

Pressing CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+D while playing content will reveal some technical stuff, as well as the video resolution.
Annihilation maximum resolution is 853x480, which is 480p, meaning *S*H*I*T* quality. Pretty impressive for a new movie that was bought by Netflix for it's customers.

Everest is another movie with the same resolution. This crappy resolution appears a lot more than you think on Netflix. I'd understand if it happened with old content, but what, Annihilation is TOTALLY NEW.

(Another secret key combination is CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+S. In this menu you can make netflix use the highest bitrate/resolution ratio possible regardless of your internet speed. It won't help when the content's original resolution is already crap)

I tried to watch Annihilation with my 110" projector. At some point I almost threw my flipflop at the wall. This is not acceptable. Thinking about canceling my subscription really soon.

C.

Zero Talent · « **Reply #13 on:** March 14, 2018, 18:51 »

Quote from: cruzo^ on March 14, 2018, 17:48

Hi All,

Just wanted to strengthen what was written on this post, as I recently became really frustrated with the crappy quality I stumbled upon in Netflix for some of the content. This mostly happens with Movies (although I bet there are shows with the same crappy quality as well)

Pressing CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+D while playing content will reveal some technical stuff, as well as the video resolution.
Annihilation maximum resolution is 853x480, which is 480p, meaning *S*H*I*T* quality. Pretty impressive for a new movie that was bought by Netflix for it's customers.

Everest is another movie with the same resolution. This crappy resolution appears a lot more than you think on Netflix. I'd understand if it happened with old content, but what, Annihilation is TOTALLY NEW.

(Another secret key combination is CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+S. In this menu you can make netflix use the highest bitrate/resolution ratio possible regardless of your internet speed. It won't help when the content's original resolution is already crap)

I tried to watch Annihilation with my 110" projector. At some point I almost threw my flipflop at the wall. This is not acceptable. Thinking about canceling my subscription really soon.

C.

Where is your projector connected to?

When I run Netflix through my built-in Android app, on my Sony TV, I get UHD resolution and HDR (when available).
The same goes for the new FireTV 3 (aka "pendant")

Using your tips, I checked a Marco Polo on my Desktop (4K HDR originally). It is running on 720p. Obviously the desktop quality is not maximized.
The same goes for mobile devices. I can certainly confirm that, on mobile devices, Netflix has a native resolution of 420p (even if BingeOn is switched off, not that it matters for such small screens)

increasingdifficulty · « **Reply #14 on:** March 15, 2018, 01:04 »

Quote from: cruzo^ on March 14, 2018, 17:48

Pressing CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+D while playing content will reveal some technical stuff, as well as the video resolution.
Annihilation maximum resolution is 853x480, which is 480p, meaning *S*H*I*T* quality. Pretty impressive for a new movie that was bought by Netflix for it's customers.

The resolution depends on the browser. Maximum resolution in Chrome is 720p, but 1080p in Safari and IE, and 4k in Microsoft Edge.

I get 1080p for Annihilation in Safari and 853x480 in Chrome, but that still doesn't fix the bad colors and dynamic range (blown out highlights).

How are the highlights on your Netflix?

I'm perfectly happy with movies in 1080p, but the colors can't be off... They can't expect to compete with piracy if their paid product is 10% of the quality...

quintin89 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 06, 2018, 08:08 »

Got my answer, thanks!

MarcvsTvllivs · « **Reply #16 on:** April 07, 2018, 15:29 »

Quote from: quintin89 on April 06, 2018, 08:08

This is strange. When I use my home connection, the image quality on Netflix is crap. But if I connect though a VPN such as SneakFlix I get HD quality. Isn't a VPN slowing connections down most of the time?

Sounds like your ISP is throttling Netflix.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #17 on:** April 08, 2018, 07:37 »

Quote from: MarcvsTvllivs on April 07, 2018, 15:29

Quote from: quintin89 on April 06, 2018, 08:08
This is strange. When I use my home connection, the image quality on Netflix is crap. But if I connect though a VPN such as SneakFlix I get HD quality. Isn't a VPN slowing connections down most of the time?

Sounds like your ISP is throttling Netflix.

Yes it does. There's a possible example of net neutrality not being observed.

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Author Topic: Annihilation on Netflix (Read 11634 times)

increasingdifficulty

increasingdifficulty

fotoVoyager

increasingdifficulty

Zero Talent

increasingdifficulty

cdwheatley

cdwheatley

increasingdifficulty

cdwheatley

Zero Talent

increasingdifficulty

cruzo^

Zero Talent

increasingdifficulty

quintin89

MarcvsTvllivs

Uncle Pete

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