AT&T To Throttle Your Video Quality In 2017

H

HardOCP News

[H] News
Joined
Dec 31, 1969
Messages
0
The only good thing about this new Stream Saver function from AT&T is that it can be disabled in the settings. My only question is why is this feature automatically switched on? Shouldn't this be an opt-in feature?

The feature is called Stream Saver and will begin early 2017. AT&T will send messages to users when it is activated, and it will also affect users on AT&T's GoPhone prepaid plans as well. Though lowering stream quality will help save on data, watching 480p video is about the equivalent of rubbing sand in your eyes. Fortunately, you can disable Stream Saver when you log into your account.
 
I don't know what the problem is with Internet providers here?!? I just got back from 10 years in Korea, had gigabit internet and everyone there is streaming/downloading/whatever and the companies don't bitch nor find ways to make their service suck even more... sigh! Cell phones also no throttling, super fast...
 
Last edited:
p33k said:
I don't know what the problem is with Internet providers here?!? I just got back from 10 years in Korea, had gigabit internet and everyone there is streaming/downloading/whatever and the companies don't bitch nor find ways to make their service suck even more... sigh! Cell phones also no throttling, super fast...
Click to expand...
That's because here they can with no real repercussions. Even if you leave the companies and go off line there are a hundred "little Johnny's" out there who will just put up with it causes they need their Facebook and Twitter at all times.
 
Bet you 90% of users wouldn't even notice on their smart phones. But yeah fuck ATT because I do hate them.
 
Probably the tip of the iceberg, I assume net neutrality is out of the window soon, so double serving of stagnant infrastructure ahead.
 
Steve said:
watching 480p video is about the equivalent of rubbing sand in your eyes.
Click to expand...

Watching 480p,1080p or 4K video on a 4 or 5 inch phone screen looks the same at 1 to 2 feet from the screen. The compression algorithms used at those different resolutions might account for your pain.
480p on a 65 inch plasma is rubbing sand in your eyes :cry:
 
Apparently, I'm in the minority here, but I would *want* this feature. Unless you've got unlimited data on your phone, anything that helps save data is good. I'm not quite sure why people are complaining about being limited to 480p on even a 6" screen.
 
Not standing up for them in any way, but honestly. 480p on a 5.5" screen ain't murder.
 
Mohonri said:
Apparently, I'm in the minority here, but I would *want* this feature. Unless you've got unlimited data on your phone, anything that helps save data is good. I'm not quite sure why people are complaining about being limited to 480p on even a 6" screen.
Click to expand...

Because people love to whine. It's the same as T-Mobile's BingeOn, and you can disable it if you want to.
 
flashoverride said:
Because people love to whine. It's the same as T-Mobile's BingeOn, and you can disable it if you want to.
Click to expand...

Except that it's not. T-Mobile's BingeOn doesn't count against your cap. AT&T's version throttles you and still counts it towards your cap.
 
panhead said:
Watching 480p,1080p or 4K video on a 4 or 5 inch phone screen looks the same at 1 to 2 feet from the screen. The compression algorithms used at those different resolutions might account for your pain.
480p on a 65 inch plasma is rubbing sand in your eyes :cry:
Click to expand...

This forum has gone so soft, nothing [H]ard about it amymore. Been following [H] since... man, it must have been the late 90s. Help me out guys, [G]eriatric forum is a more appropriate term.

1080p on a 5.5" screen is 400ppi. 480p (853×480) on a 5.5" screen is 178ppi. You really can't tell a difference between the two!? No offense, but you must be nearly blind. We've been able to notice the increased clarity and lack of visible pixel on these 5.5" screens all the way up to and past 300ppi. Yes, 400ppi is a bit overkill and you probably won't notice the difference between that and 300ppi; but 178 vs 400? You gotta be kidding me. Not even close. I can pick out when a YouTube video is playing 480p like non other, its a HUGE difference between 480p and 1080p.
 
Last edited:
Mohonri said:
Apparently, I'm in the minority here, but I would *want* this feature. Unless you've got unlimited data on your phone, anything that helps save data is good. I'm not quite sure why people are complaining about being limited to 480p on even a 6" screen.
Click to expand...

That's like being told that the cable company will only sell me 720p signals for my 1080p TV. Sure, they have programming in 1080p, but their only going to give me 720p. I paid for a high resolution and it should be used as much as possible. Why don't you guys run your desktops at 720p, it's no big deal right?

Realistically, people are most likely complaining because they don't know yet that the "feature" can be turned off.
 
Having grown up watching a 9" B&W TV with a pretty frequent vertical roll, video quality isn't as much of a hindrence as opposed to the storyline quality. Sure, I love HD on a 10' screen when I'm 10' away from it. But on my 5" phone screen? 99% of the time, I'm fine with 480. If I'm somewhere where the bandwidth simply isn't there (and I'd wind up with pauses in the shows), then 480 will do just fine, thank you. I mean, they can't even manage full duplex in the phone calls yet. Wonder how many misunderstandings that has caused in people's discussions.
 
I'd say this is a violation of net neutrality, but with the incoming administration, who knows if that will even be a thing next year...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top