Netflix comes to the Hopper with Sling

[Rod Williams]

So how do I get rid of the cursor arrow on the screen? I have tried all the direction buttons to no avail.

 

[kevinsickles]

So how do I get rid of the cursor arrow on the screen? I have tried all the direction buttons to no avail.

Exit all of the way out of Netflix app and restart

 

[Deadlocked]

your saying that blockbuster@home is included with AT250........at no charge?

No I'm saying BB@H needs to be merged with 250 and stay at the same price point. At/50 has been depleted in the past year or so.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[KAB]

I like how it does not take 15 seconds or so to ramp up to full resolution like on Roku, which surprised me.

 

[monroef]

That's a bummer. It might have something to do with the fact that Netflix streams in Dolby Digital 5.1 Plus and the Hopper probably only supports standard Dolby Digital 5.1 since cable and broadcast channels don't use the DD Plus codec.

I know that this is a problem for some Roku users. Roku chose to save some money by not paying Dolby Digital to license their DD Plus codec. Rokus are able to pass the Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 signal along to your receiver just fine but the Roku can't decode it by itself. That means if you have an older audio receiver that doesn't decode Dolby Digital Plus you are limited to stereo PCM for Netflix content.

Other Netflix devices that paid the Dolby Digital Plus license fee like the PS3 are able to decode the DD+ 5.1 audio and convert it to standard DD 5.1 so it's not a problem for older audio receivers.

Looks like it doesn't do 1080p either. For now, I guess I will still use my AppleTV.

 

[king3pj]

Looks like it doesn't do 1080p either. For now, I guess I will still use my AppleTV.

That's still my preferred Netflix device too.

 

[Hall]

I like how it does not take 15 seconds or so to ramp up to full resolution like on Roku, which surprised me.

That's fully bandwidth-based, isn't it ?

 

[Hall]

Could there be something more in the future for two companies?

Reports recently emerged that Netflix was making a refocused push to get Netflix on the set tops of the biggest cable operators. While Netflix has had luck getting smaller companies like RCN and Suddenlink to sign off on the idea, bigger cable operators have resisted Netflix's advances for fear of directing their subscribers to cable alternatives.

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/...TV-Provider-to-Add-Netflix-to-Set-Tops-132004

Looks like it's just part of Netflix's (growth) plan....

 

[king3pj]

That's fully bandwidth-based, isn't it ?

It depends on the device too. My Roku always starts instantly at a lower bitrate and ramps up. In my case it's at full bitrate by the time the opening credits are over and the show actually starts.

My Apple TV is different. It takes 2 or 3 seconds to start the video but it always starts at full bitrate 1080p. I prefer the way the Apple TV does it. I'd rather wait 3 seconds and not see the blurry start up.

Edit: for reference, I have 60Mbps cable internet. Bandwidth is not an issue for Netflix.

 

[syphix]

Absolutely loving this. Great addition, Dish. Looking forward to what's next!

 

[mitchflorida]

My Roku and Hopper are both plugged into the AVR via HDMI. When I play Netflix from Roku I get full 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, when I play Netflix from the Hopper it just plays plain stereo. What's up with that?

 

[rjfrandle]

My Roku and Hopper are both plugged into the AVR via HDMI. When I play Netflix from Roku I get full 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, when I play Netflix from the Hopper it just plays plain stereo. What's up with that?

Yeah.... I have the same setup in my theater room. That's kind of a bummer. Do you think it will ever be possible for the Hopper to pass 5.1 Dolby using Netflix? For those of us with a home theater, it means we won't be using the Hopper to watch Netflix.

 

[mitchflorida]

Yeah.... I have the same setup in my theater room. That's kind of a bummer. Do you think it will ever be possible for the Hopper to pass 5.1 Dolby using Netflix? For those of us with a home theater, it means we won't be using the Hopper to watch Netflix.

I don't know, but I think this whole new "improvement' is much ado about nothing. I won't ever be using Dish Netflix. How about puttting Ovation and Fox Movie Channel in HD, or adding the Smithsonian channel? I have no interest in Dish Netflix and doubt anyone else will who cares about good movie sound. I heard they are raising my bill $5 next month while playing games with Fox News Channel and FBN, which is one of the 30 out of 350 channels that I actually watch.

 

[JM42]

Yeah.... I have the same setup in my theater room. That's kind of a bummer. Do you think it will ever be possible for the Hopper to pass 5.1 Dolby using Netflix? For those of us with a home theater, it means we won't be using the Hopper to watch Netflix.

Hopefully they'll fix it, but I wouldn't count on it. Folks with 5.1 surround systems that actually know the difference are probably not the target market - they more than likely already have Netflix if they want it.

For Netflix, this is a simple "one remote" option to open the Dish user base to Netflix.

For Dish it's great marketing fodder now, and probably more importantly a marketing partner for the OTT product.

 

[king3pj]

My Roku and Hopper are both plugged into the AVR via HDMI. When I play Netflix from Roku I get full 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, when I play Netflix from the Hopper it just plays plain stereo. What's up with that?

Hopefully that's fixed in a future update. No 1080p and no 5.1 would be a no-go for me.

Back when Netflix first started rolling out 1080p and 5.1 there were lots of devices that couldn't get those features. That included things like blu-ray players that definitely had 1080p and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 capabilities built in. Many of these devices never got updated to take advantage of those features. I haven't heard of any Netflix devices added in the last couple years that had those limitations though.

 

[Hall]

It depends on the device too.

Didn't realize they'd make them different. I do notice it on my Roku but can't say I've seen it on my Panasonic smart TV. I don't look for it, mind you .... maybe I will pay extra attention now.

 

[Ronnie-]

That's fully bandwidth-based, isn't it ?

I would say no (as others have now said I see).

Some of mine delay then start up full fez and , some ramp up. I didn't pay attention to how the hopper operated.

 

[mitchflorida]

I can't imagine Charlie is making this move without being paid by Netflix somehow. This is a money maker for Dish. He isn't doing it as a "public service", any more than he is carrying HBO as a gift to Time Warner.

 

[sethwell]

I assume that streaming devices like the Roku and Apple TV will continue to be better options. Maybe things have changed drastically but my smart TV's streaming apps are so clunky and slow compared to devices built specifically for that purpose.

That being said, this is still good for both Dish and Netflix customers. It saves people from having to buy additional hardware and works with the same input and remote they are already using to watch TV. Even people with a standalone device may not have them in every room. This just allows those people to use Netflix on every TV even if they prefer the Roku on their main set.

Dish should get with Apple and make a Hopper/AppleTV. That would awesome. Let the Hopper side do the sat stuff and let the AppleTV do all the apps. I'm using my AppleTv more and more for my entertainment.

 

[bobvick]

There were shadows of this back earlier this year. Does anyone remember, back about May or June, Dish, for a short while, offered Netflix free for six months as a promotion to new subscribers. I remember it came up in the thread about that (the free Netflix) as to whether or not a Netflix app might come to the Hopper soon.