Star Trek (Netflix) Picture quality>??

[kevintomb]

I watched several episodes of not only the original Star Trek, but also Star Trek Next generation, about a year or so ago.
They were in stunningly good quality original aspect ratio of 4X3 HD on Netflix.

Yesterday I went to watch a few more, and not only are they no longer the original aspect ratio of 4x3, but they appear very oddly stretched to fill the screen, but the actual picture quality is FAR worse.


Has anyone else had or seen this issue??

 

[Dingman]

I know what you mean about the increased quality - I've been enjoying that for a few years. I even think they inserted new planet-scapes, as the Enterprise passes by, the planets are so crazy beautiful.
I haven't watched for quite a few months, I'll check it out tonight if I remember.

 

[Eric H]

They are fine here. Possibly something changed in the settings of your TV, or whatever you are using to stream?

Netflix is showing the versions with the updated FX, they did a good job of it, improved, but not so much they stick out.

 

[kevintomb]

Just checked right now.

Not a TV setting, as all THREE of my TVs it looks the same.

But there is a difference today. The picture looks far better, but still stretched out to Fill the screen.

Oddly my computer playing them, they look right. IN 4X3 and great looking picture...maybe my comcast streaming somehow??

 

[whoaru99]

At this very moment I have Star Trek S3:E9 (Tholian Web) playing on Netflix (Roku streaming stick). PQ is good and it's in 4:3 format on a 16:9 TV.

Spot-checking a couple others from S1 and S2 I get the same results, PQ is good, considering, and format is 4:3.

To me it suggests something on your end. Aspect ratio setting(s) somehow changed?

 

[kevintomb]

] [

At this very moment I have Star Trek S3:E9 (Tholian Web) playing on Netflix (Roku streaming stick). PQ is good and it's in 4:3 format on a 16:9 TV.

Spot-checking a couple others from S1 and S2 I get the same results, PQ is good, considering, and format is 4:3.

To me it suggests something on your end. Aspect ratio setting(s) somehow changed?

I thought that at first also, but all 3 tvs changed. It appears to be my Xfinity box or something not truly on my end, as OTHER 4X3 shows DO play in 4X3.

Very perplexing. It works and looks right on my computer. Will hook up another device (Xbox 360) with apps and see how it looks.

What gets me, is ONLY star trek looks different. I could see if it truly was all 4X3 aspect shows suddenly changed.....

The picture is for sure HD quality now, the first time I saw the original issue, the picture was barely even SD quality and unwatchable.

This is not THAT important to me, but just want to fix the problem. Very odd..lol

This pic is an actual photo of my comp screen versus how All Three tvs now look...

 

[gadget73]

Original series and TNG were all re-mastered a few years ago to be proper hi-def. Since most of it was done on film, basically that involved transcribing the film over to a higher quality digital format, but they also re-did a lot of the special effects, planet shots, etc with the intent of selling them on Blu-Ray. DS9 and Voyager were not done on film, so there was no high definition original source material.

Is there an aspect setting for Netflix? I've been re-watching Star Trek on Amazon Prime and it doesn't stretch like that. Its the 4:3 with the side bars like you'd expect.

 

[Bill Ferris]

Original series and TNG were all re-mastered a few years ago to be proper hi-def. Since most of it was done on film, basically that involved transcribing the film over to a higher quality digital format, but they also re-did a lot of the special effects, planet shots, etc with the intent of selling them on Blu-Ray. DS9 and Voyager were not done on film, so there was no high definition original source material.

Is there an aspect setting for Netflix? I've been re-watching Star Trek on Amazon Prime and it doesn't stretch like that. Its the 4:3 with the side bars like you'd expect.

That`s my viewing experience, as well, gadget73, when watching the complete re-mastered original series on BluRay, on my OPPO UDP-203, that I bought some yrs. back..
It displays 4:3 on all house`s 5 room`s 16:9 flat screens, & the living room`s Sony 4K projector with the expected black side bars, though some of my TV`s allow some 4:3 up sizing picture resizing(Dot for Dot, is one decent option, IIRC) capabilities with minimum picture distortion, if desired for full frame TV screen display viewing.

It`s been around 5 yrs or so since I binged that series, so I`ll check it out next time..

 

[gadget73]

kind of interesting just how good film actually is in terms of picture quality. Things done to standard def TV resolution really look shabby on an HD set but 50 year old plastic ribbon with chemical burns on it can look amazing if its scanned in properly.

 

[kevintomb]

Original series and TNG were all re-mastered a few years ago to be proper hi-def. Since most of it was done on film, basically that involved transcribing the film over to a higher quality digital format, but they also re-did a lot of the special effects, planet shots, etc with the intent of selling them on Blu-Ray. DS9 and Voyager were not done on film, so there was no high definition original source material.

Is there an aspect setting for Netflix? I've been re-watching Star Trek on Amazon Prime and it doesn't stretch like that. Its the 4:3 with the side bars like you'd expect.

Had car issues, most of the day, so really did not look any further.

I will for sure figure this out...!
Maybe a Comcast setting, as my netflix is coming from an app in their box.

I will also hook up my xbox 360 and see what its netflix app does.

As soon as I get a good portion of free time, this must be solved!

 

[kevintomb]

Found out this is an issue many have had.

https://forums.xfinity.com/t5/X1/Netflix-app-issues/td-p/3337118 (and several other similar threads)

Seems to be something between Xfinity and Netflix, with no solution to be had.
If affects all shows originally in 4X3 format, and displays them in some odd stretched out look.

I hooked up 3 other devices and they do NOT do this on any of my TVs.

 

[PPstereo]

Found out this is an issue many have had.

https://forums.xfinity.com/t5/X1/Netflix-app-issues/td-p/3337118 (and several other similar threads)

Seems to be something between Xfinity and Netflix, with no solution to be had.
If affects all shows originally in 4X3 format, and displays them in some odd stretched out look.

I hooked up 3 other devices and they do NOT do this on any of my TVs.

Your not alone with weird odd ball issues like this. I hear stories about how some movie or
show say amazon is streaming, is in some weird aspect ratio, or upsampled/stretched to some
mutation from the original. Or strange audio mixes being used. A such and such cut of a film
vs what one was expecting.

IMO so much of this stuff is a byproduct of all these streaming services receiving their content
from X entity. And X might have X version of the content. Same thing happens with music streaming.
Only with music theres fewer "things" to get wrong.

Now you add even more complication with all the different hardware found in the many different boxes
being used for playing the content, firestick, apple TV, Roku, Sling, PC, Mac, Linux, 1 of the 30 different
China knock off devices, Smart TVs running the app, BluRay players running the app, cable boxes running
the app. And all these devices often use different decoder hardware and software to get the job done. IMO
its nothing short of a miracle more crap like your experiencing doesnt happen more often with all these
different services and devices.

I simply bring this up as someone who dealt with all this same nonsense in many forms supporting computer
hardware for decades. Now that damn near everything running on electricity has a computer beneath it I
am not surprised by all these weird quirks. I brought this up in general in another thread here.

Oddly enough I was helping a VERY elderly friend try and figure out how to get Spectrum cable TV in another
room of his condo. AT&T has wireless TV boxes for their service. Well guess what, Spectrum CABLE doesnt see
the need to adopt now nearly 10 year old wireless HD boxes for their, again, CABLE service. Your choice is run
coax into the room you want another box, or use an Apple TV box to run their app and get their Spectrum TV
service. BTW their app is not available on FireStick tech, which he had. And if anyone here thinks an app has
the exact same content of a cable, dish, AT&T whatever conventional TV service, yall aint been around this crap
enough. Let alone the interface, especially with older folks knowing how their cable box interface looks.

Yup this is where its all heading. Is what it is. Just expect bumps in the road to deal with. My hunch, in another
10 years most of these odd ball problems will be laid to rest. Just we are the guinea pigs for the transition period

 

[PPstereo]

It will get worse not better. With net neutrality, out the window, ISP's can throttle anything. Anything that takes more bandwidth than their own content can and will be throttled.

I currently live in the middle of nowhere, with a local ISP that doesn't do any of that but there are other issues living here . The National ISP's are just greedy bastards.

Yeah I remember that theory going around when neutrality went out. Along with stiff data caps
coming out. Im not saying it cant happen. Just so far it hasnt. Hopefully it stays that way.

I also like to think, possibly naively, if they ever went over the line with such efforts it would be
called out and put a stop to. But I also never thought the day would come that cities would be
looted and burned to the ground. So you never know what crap will be allowed to go on.

Being in the middle of nowhere what is your ISP and data rates you get? Do they have a data cap?

 

[Bill Ferris]

I have to smile to myself, while reading this thread, as it confirms, and validates "my choice/decision", of well over 10 yrs ago, to not rely on the whim`s of my ISP( I don`t desire, nor need higher speeds than the 450 kbs that I`ve had for yrs), and any streaming services, both audio, & movie/TV series for my evening`s TV enjoyment, by being totally independent of them, and that also includes no cable, or satellite delivered services to my home, as well !
Being a never married solo act, I have no pressures from a wife, or children`s demands for outside services/ high ISP speeds, which is helpful for my mindset, I imagine.

It has been computed by others, that my multiple per yr. purchasing, storage costs, & it`s logistics, that my use of only optical physical media is less expensive than paying for higher download speeds, & streaming subscription`s costs, + I have total control over the original media`s transfer quality(aspect ratio, resolution), as it will not be altered when played back, whether a DVD or BluRay disc, as setup by the media`s authoring transfer company, unless I wish to play with my viewing flat screens aspect display settings(stretch, full screen, dot for dot, etc.), in which I don`t ever feel the need to.

Good luck, and try to enjoy with what you`re dealt, folks.

Ciao

 

[GChief]

I live in the sticks with old, old, needs replaced ISP Infrastructure and have zero problems streaming Video (I have nothing that plays 4K) or Hi-Res Audio. With mine it either works or it doesn’t meaning no service because something broke. Can even do both at the same time while the GF is working from home using up band width.