Netflix quietly rolls out major change to reduce buffering, improve streaming

Streaming service users are all too familiar with the frustrations of waiting for a show or movie to buffer.

Now, Netflix has quietly rolled out an upgrade to help address that annoying problem.

The streaming giant has revealed a major change in how it encodes high-definition videos to reduce buffering and the amount of internet data it uses.

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Even better, the upgrade is free and automatically applied for all premium plan customers.

Premium plan customers can tap into content in 4K Ultra HD, the highest definition available.

While 4K Ultra HD provides better quality than standard definition or high definition, it eats into broadband bandwidth and requires a large amount of data to load.

Netflix’s engineers have reimagined the encoding algorithm to optimise video playback for subscribers.

The new algorithm adapts in real time to adjust the bitrate of the video, based on the viewer’s device and network capabilities.

This means streamers can access uninterrupted streaming regardless of limitations or network speed.

Netflix said the breakthrough has resulted in videos buffering 40 per cent less, as well as faster streaming.

The optimisation of high-definition resolution (HDR) content began in early 2022 and by June 2023, the entire HDR catalogue had been optimised, although Netflix only recently made the information public.

Netflix said implementing the new optimised encodes has resulted in “reducing storage footprint and Internet data usage — and most importantly, improving the video quality for our members”.

“Improvements have been seen across all device categories, ranging from TVs to mobiles and tablets,” it said in an engineering blog update.

The streaming giant said users can now enjoy higher video quality, less variation in delivered video quality and less play delay.

It also reduces the internet data usage required for streaming, especially on mobiles and tablets, potentially resulting in cheaper phone bills for subscribers.

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