Home
 » ISP News » 
Sponsored Links

Netflix Boost Mobile Video Quality Without Needing Faster Broadband

Wednesday, Dec 7th, 2016 (10:45 am) - Score 1,320

Internet video streaming giant Netflix is constantly trying to improve video quality over low-bandwidth (slow) broadband connections and a new change looks set to deliver more efficient video encodes (higher quality), albeit without needing a faster Mobile Broadband service.

Earlier this year we ran an article that examined the dramatic impact of advanced video compression methods on video streaming quality and broadband speeds (here), which among other things showed how today it’s possible to stream a much higher quality video online and all without needing a faster broadband connection. This is important because online video content accounts for around 70% of consumer Internet traffic (here).

In keeping with that Netflix has just moved to improve its video encoding on mobile platforms by introducing two new methods (AVCHi-Mobile and VP9-Mobile), which bring improvements to compression, optimal encoder settings and per-chunk bitrate optimization.

Advertisement

Netflix’s Anne Aaron said:

“Last month, we started re-encoding our catalog to generate the new mobile bitstreams and the effort is ongoing. The mobile encodes are being used in the brand new downloads feature. In the near future, we will also use these new bitstreams for mobile streaming to broaden the benefit for Netflix members, no matter how they’re watching.”

According to the streaming giant, all of the above changes combine to result in “better video quality for the same bitrate” compared to their current streams (AVCMain).

Netflix’s Video Encoding Methods

* AVCMain: Our existing H.264/AVC Main profile encodes, using per-title optimization, serve as anchor for the comparison.

* AVCHi-Mobile: H.264/AVC High profile encodes using more optimal encoder settings and per-chunk encoding.

* VP9-Mobile: VP9 encodes using more optimal encoder settings and per-chunk encoding.

Netflix will tend to choose either AVCHi-Mobile or VP9-Mobile, depending upon the type of video content being shown (i.e. they each work better for different things). Generally AVCHi-Mobile streams were found to deliver the same video quality at 15% lower bitrate via one measure and at 19% lower bitrate according to Netflix’s own measure of Video Multimethod Assessment Fusion (VMAF) test.

By comparison the VP9-Mobile streams showed more gains and can deliver an average of 36% bitrate savings according to both tests that were run. As a result even somebody who suffers a Mobile Broadband (3G or 4G) speed of 1Mbps should benefit from “noticeably better visual quality“.

netflix_video_compression_vs_bitrate

Incidentally some may ask why Netflix has yet to support the arguably more favourable H.265 standard and the reason has to do with support and restrictions on certain platforms. For example, Android (Google) somewhat requires VP9 for Netflix’s new download feature and some Internet-connected TV’s only support up to H.264 etc.

Advertisement

Likewise H.265 needs a faster processor (not always present in many Netflix supporting TVs etc.) and there can also be issues with royalties and licensing.

Mark-Jackson
By Mark Jackson
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and .
Search ISP News
Search ISP Listings
Search ISP Reviews

Comments are closed

Cheap BIG ISPs for 100Mbps+
Community Fibre UK ISP Logo
100Mbps
Gift: First 3 Months Free
Sky UK ISP Logo
Sky £22.00 - 26.00
100Mbps
Gift: None
Youfibre UK ISP Logo
Youfibre £23.99
150Mbps
Gift: None
Virgin Media UK ISP Logo
Virgin Media £23.99
132Mbps
Gift: None
NOW UK ISP Logo
NOW £25.00
100Mbps
Gift: None
Large Availability | View All
Cheap Unlimited Mobile SIMs
Talkmobile UK ISP Logo
Talkmobile £11.95
Contract: 12 Months
Data: 120GB
iD Mobile UK ISP Logo
iD Mobile £16.00
Contract: 24 Months
Data: Unlimited
Smarty UK ISP Logo
Smarty £18.00
Contract: 1 Month
Data: Unlimited
ASDA Mobile UK ISP Logo
ASDA Mobile £19.00
Contract: 24 Months
Data: Unlimited
Three UK ISP Logo
Three £20.00
Contract: 24 Months
Data: Unlimited
New Forum Topics
By: Lucian
By: The Wee Bear
By: clivejo
By: AbsolutelyRidiculous
Cheapest ISPs for 100Mbps+
Community Fibre UK ISP Logo
100Mbps
Gift: First 3 Months Free
Gigaclear UK ISP Logo
Gigaclear £19.00
300Mbps
Gift: None
Sky UK ISP Logo
Sky £22.00 - 26.00
100Mbps
Gift: None
toob UK ISP Logo
toob £22.00
150Mbps
Gift: None
Beebu UK ISP Logo
Beebu £23.00
100 - 160Mbps
Gift: None
Large Availability | View All
Promotion
Sponsored

Copyright © 1999 to Present - ISPreview.co.uk - All Rights Reserved - Terms , Privacy and Cookie Policy , Links , Website Rules , Contact
Mastodon