Arch Linux

absentia

Member

Registered: 2019-06-07

Posts: 7

Low Netflix bitrate (below 720p)

I've recently decided to get into GNU/Linux and have tried Ubuntu, Manjaro and now Arch after I got a little experience with how it all works. I've managed to get Arch installed with i3-gaps using X and it's working really well. Except for one weird issue with Netflix streaming. Coming from Ubuntu and Manjaro I didn't notice a problem with Netflix, but I never checked the bitrate, so I can't say for sure (I'm fairly sure I would've noticed if it wasn't streaming in at least 720p). However, when I stream Netflix and use ctrl+alt+shift+D, I have a bitrate of 511 (960x540). Ctrl+alt+shift+S does not give me an option to go higher.

I know of the firefox+other browser limitations, but when I stream from Windows (I'm dual booting, Arch on 1 ssd, windows on another) I get a resolution of 1920×1080, which indicates to me, that it isn't the browser itself that is causing the low bitrate. Youtube videos and other streaming services, like twitch, works fine and plays at 1080p+.

I don't use any extensions other than ublock/adblock plus as well as Netflix 1080p (which I don't think is actually working/necessary?). Disabling them also make no difference.

No themes are installed and the only plugins are OpenH264 Video Codec and Widevine Content Decryption Module.

I've also tried Chromium and Chrome, but they also stay at the same bitrate.

I've spent quite a while browsing google, but to no avail. I frankly don't know where to troubleshoot as it is only Netflix that behaves this way and other video services work fine. Have anyone else experienced this problem and found a solution? I am very inexperienced with GNU/Linux in general, but I will do my best to provide you with any information that might be required to solve the problem.

dockland

Member

From: Sweden

Registered: 2015-06-06

Posts: 861

Re: Low Netflix bitrate (below 720p)

Just a sanity check, have you checked your quality settings in Netflix settings (or "Playback Settings I think it's called)

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absentia

Member

Registered: 2019-06-07

Posts: 7

Re: Low Netflix bitrate (below 720p)

Yep, settings in Netflix are what they're supposed to be.

Tairosonloa

Member

From: Spain

Registered: 2016-10-15

Posts: 17

Re: Low Netflix bitrate (below 720p)

I have the same problem (Mnajaro here) but only in some content, like House M.D. It looks on 1920×1080 on chrome on windows dual boot but only 960x540 on chrome and chromium on Manjaro. But for example, Test Patterns or Black Mirror run on 1920x1080p on chromium on Manjaro. It looks like the old content has different encoding or so. I have the same setup that you have (also netflix-1080p extension).

absentia

Member

Registered: 2019-06-07

Posts: 7

Re: Low Netflix bitrate (below 720p)

I've just checked with Black Mirror and it does indeed run 1920x1080p (6000 something bitrate). That's good to know at least! I'll keep this thread running for a couple of days just to see if someone might have a solution to the problem. Does anyone know if this is a problem exclusive to Arch based distros or is it a problem on other distros as well?

Last edited by absentia (2019-06-09 10:03:19)

absentia

Member

Registered: 2019-06-07

Posts: 7

Re: Low Netflix bitrate (below 720p)

So I checked two shows, Suits and Black Mirror. Suits is 511 - 960x540 and Black Mirror is 6000+ - 1920x1080. I had a friend check with his linux distro (OpenSUSE) where he gets 1750 - 720p for Suits and 3k something - 1080p. That indicates to me that there might be something to do, to get at least 720p for older shows with Arch. What that is, I'm still not sure.

agm28011997

Member

Registered: 2015-05-26

Posts: 79

Re: Low Netflix bitrate (below 720p)

it's happening to me since 3  months more or less. what a shame... for Netflix I mean