Is it me or is it Netflix?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Seeking some other experiences and techinical advice.

We have Netflix (watch on-line unlimited and 4 DVDS at a time) and watch both via the computer and via a Wii (we have wireless from our modem, which I use all the time on my laptop to do OTHER on-line shit with NO problems).

Periodically (noticably certain hours or days) it is virtualy impossible to watch a film or show without NUMEROUS interruptions for (on the computer) “your internet connection has slowed…we are adjusting playback to prevent further interuptions”…the fact that we have it MEMORIZED gives some indication of how often it happens, often several times during a single film or episode of a series. :mad:

On the Wii, it goes to “Retrieving” every 15 minutes or less throughout and takes 5-10 min. per incident to resume. :mad: ( I cannot properly express how frustrating it is to try and enjoy and/or ANAYLIZE a 2 hr film under such circumstances. Few things are more infuriating than “cinema-interuptus”.

Now, this doesn’t happen all or even MOST of the time. MOST of the time, we can watch for hours on end w/o any interruption. But it always seems to happen (and BEGIN happening) at what are likely prime viewing times…9 pm on a Saturday, Holidays, etc…)

We have a DSL connection (qwest) of sufficient speed/power, so I have been assured, to more than handle our usage (which CAN amount to simultaneous downloading of music on the desktop, watching a movie on the laptop, and watching or playing something else on the Wii, but usually amounts to only one or two, at most, of the above. And we have been doing all at once many times and had NO problems).

SOOO…is it MY connection or THEIR insufficient server that is the issue? They evade and suggest it is my connection if I call about it (and in the text of their notices…“YOUR connection has slowed…”) but I am dubious.

Feeling even more irritated since they just jacked up my rates $4 a mth or so to, according to them, “procure more new movies”. Hell, if they had put it as “invest more in our server capacity” I wouldn’t be so miffed.

But maybe I am just wrong and it IS my internet connection (I KNOW it is not the settings…have already been down that route and they are fine). Any words of wisdom?

ETA, I cannot get rid of Netflix, since I need it for school (Film major) and am generally happy with it WHEN it fucking WORKS.

2

I don’t know if this has an effect but I think someone here linked to an article that said that during prime time hours, netflix consumes 20 % of the US’s bandwidth. That’s a lot of fucking bandwidth.

3

It could be anywhere on the Internet. Any bottleneck could cause it. If any point between you is operating at capacity, or approaches it, your connection will likely suffer.
Edit: bad explanation hopefully partially fixed.

4

I suggest attacking this from two angles: Netflix and your service provider. After you have eliminated your own system, of course.

Yes, you are most likely going to get someone from a foreign country reading a prepared script and who knows nothing about technology, but sometimes I have been pleasantly surprised.

A few years ago I had some problems with Netflix – I had a super-fast connection, way faster than they claimed was needed, yet I got similar messages to yours. Once I escalated the problem to Netflix’s techies, we ran some tests and determined that there was a severe latency problem on the cable connection. So next I went to Charter and presented the tests and evidence. Didn’t get very far there at first, but about 2 weeks later I was talking to a Charter tech who told me that the company just did a new install in the central location for the state, and the equipment was majorly upgraded. The problem went away about that time.

5

I’m going to go with your ISP. We’ve successfully streamed 4 netflix movies simultaneously during Friday and Saturday nights (I’m trying to get the dope) without a glitch in any of them. But at my parents’ place (ironically? in Silicon Valley), we get the adjusting picture quality while streaming just one film. But on testing speed theirs wins, but over time the pulse really slows down (I do a lot of data up and down “from the cloud” and watch my transfer rates incessantly). So I really think it is your ISP and their degrading of your bandwidth for long “transfers”.

6

Thanks. I have gotten a lot of equivication and bullshit from both sides (my carrier and Netflix…I figured out real fast that neither would dare say a damn thing about the other or offer any really helpful advice; I got the runaround for days trying to find out how to set up my Netflix streaming…first NF said to call my provider, then my provider said to call NF, etc, etc…:smack:) but some feedback I’ve found useful and considered more likely reliable from both as well (including the surly old guy who installed my current connection who insisted there should be no reason for slow-downs due to the connectivity itself, since it was more than ample and not affected by geographic or atmospheric conditions like some) and one Netflix tech who confided that yeah, it WAS a matter of their servers being overwhelmed and really had nothing to do with MY connection or anything on my end.

I’m not going back to Comcast…too expensive (I was with them for 3 yrs, full package, and after my 1 yr deal expired, they kept jacking it up and up and UP AND I had issues wit connectivity due to my geographic location) PLUS I get WiFi included with Qwest for WAY less $$$.

I would be a little more OK with it if Netflix would just be fucking HONEST and say, “Our servers are overwhelmed in your area/at this moment, please bear with us” instead of trying to pretend it is MY fault. :rolleyes:

7

ETA (got interrupted/distracted) OR if my ISP would do the same (be honest about wtf is really going on) :mad:

And I will add that YouTube (another huge bandwith user, I asssume) has also been practically down for the count all day. Meanwhile, I have been here and elsewhere with no issues. “my connection”. Bullshit.

8

I have RCN cable internet, and have been streaming Netflix today since about 2pm. Haven’t had a hitch. I’ve had RCN since the end of May and I think I’ve had the “connection has slowed” message twice. I’ve watched many hundreds of hours of stuff in that time. I use a desktop dual core computer exclusively.

When I had NetZero DSL prior to the RCN, I had it for three years at a different apartment and got the “connection has slowed” message at least three times a week. That was with a slower (pentium 4) computer, too.

I really don’t think the problem is on the end of Netflix, unless it’s a regional issue.

9

Usually we have zero problems, and we watch a LOT. Then we started to experience that whole stutter thing - turned out to be a connection in our internet cable on its way into the house.

10

Back in August consumerist.com invited us to ask them. I don’t know if they are still interested or not. Send [Q]uestions You Want Netflix To Answer - The Consumerist

11

We just started up with Netflix recently and had this problem (also through the Wii) at first. The thing we did that has (so far) completely ended the problem was changing the channel the wireless router broadcasts on. The higher we went, the better the connection seemed to get.