Netflix is one of the biggest movie streaming services on the planet. It may not have the biggest or most up-to-date library of content you've ever seen, but when it's constantly being updated with reams of new TV shows and blockbuster films, you're sure to find something you'll want to watch. Here we've rounded up everything you need to know about Netflix, whether you're an occasional subscriber, a brand-new customer, or a long-term film buff, including the latest Netflix news to how much it costs and where you can start your weekend viewing binge.
BT TV is first to offer 4K Netflix
BT has announced that it will become the first TV service in the UK to offer 4K Netflix. Using their new Ultra HD YouView+ boxes, BT TV customers will be able to watch all of Netflix's biggest shows in Ultra HD, including House of Cards, Narcos, Marvel's Jessica Jones and Better Call Saul. They'll still need to be on Netflix's Ultra HD plan, of course, which currently costs £8.99 a month, but it now makes BT one of the best destinations for native 4K content.
For added convenience, BT will also add new Ultra HD Netflix subscriptions to a customer's current bill, allowing them to pay for their BT TV, Infinity Broadband and Netflix subscription all in a single bill. Likewise, streaming Netflix through their Ultra HD YouView+ box won't eat into their monthly download allowance. All you need is a compatible Ultra HD or 4K TV and to sign up for BT TV's Total Entertainment package for £15, and new customers will then receive a YouView+ Ultra HD set-top box.
Ultra HD and 4K: The definitive guide and what you can watch
Delia Bushell, managing director of BT TV & BT Sport said: “This is bringing our BT TV customers the best drama series married with the highest quality viewing experience now available. Our Ultra HD package will enhance the experience and provide unmissable content at great value, including must-see new Netflix shows like Narcos, and original series like Orange Is The New Black available, alongside live action from the Barclays Premier League and UEFA Champions League and Europa League. We’re delighted to be offering our customers a wide range of incredible Ultra HD content with the convenience of a single bill.”
Better quality, lower bitrates - Netflix unveils new encoding recipe
Netflix has unveiled plans to re-encode its entire catalogue of films and TV shows in an attempt to cut down on the amount of bandwidth it uses, delivering an identical, if not improved viewing experience without hogging a country's national bandwidth allowance.
It aims to achieve this by using what it calls a brand-new "recipe". At the moment, everything you watch has been pre-encoded to run at various bitrates depending on your internet connection speed and available bandwidth. In other words, the Netflix client on your device automatically selects the best encode recipe to maximise video quality while minimising playback interruptions such as buffering and loading times.
According to Netflix, this isn't as easy as it sounds. "For example, assuming a 1 Mbps bandwidth, should we stream H.264/AVC at 480p, 720p or 1080p?" Netflix said on its blog. "With 480p, 1 Mbps will likely not exhibit encoding artefacts such blocking or ringing, but if the member is watching on an HD device, the up-sampled video will not be sharp. On the other hand, if we encode at 1080p we send a higher resolution video, but the bitrate may be too low such that most scenes will contain annoying encoding artefacts."
As a result, this one-size-fits-all approach isn't quite as efficient as it could be, so Netflix has decided to re-encode its catalogue using a brand-new per-title bit rate ladder recipe. For instance, animated content doesn't need to run at a high bit rate in order to look good. In an episode of Bojack Horseman, for instance, Netflix says that it currently uses a 1,750 kbps bit rate for its 480p encode. With the per-title recipe, however, it will be able to deliver 1080p video at 1,540 kbps, delivering crisper, sharper visuals at a higher resolution without using as much bandwidth.
^ On the right you'll see Netflix's current 1,750kbps stream of Bojack Horseman, while the left shot is the new, crisper 1,540kbps stream
Shows with "average complexity" such as Orange is the New Black will also benefit from the new bit rate ladder according to Netflix, as the new per-title encoding can assign 4,640 kbps for the highest quality 1080p encode, delivering a bit rate saving of 20% compared to the current 5,800 kbps bit rate using Netflix's fixed bit rate ladder.
This has a number of advantages, as it means users don't need to use as much data when streaming videos over their mobile network, and it will also allow Netflix to bring its service to more countries which don't have as much bandwidth to play with or such stable internet connections. Unfortunately, the new recipe doesn't apply to 4K content, but hopefully it will only be a matter of time before we start seeing Ultra HD videos that don't completely cripple your home internet.
Everything you need to know about Netflix
How much does it cost? You can try Netflix free for one month, but you'll then need to pay £5.99 per month for streaming content in standard definition to one device, £7.49 a month for streaming to two devices simultaneously in HD, or £8.99 a month for streaming to four devices simultaneously in both HD and Ultra HD if you want to continue using the service. You can cancel your subscription at any time, though, without worrying about any kind of charge or cancellation fee, and join up again when it's convenient.
Where can I watch Netflix? You can watch Netflix on all Android and iOS devices, as well as your PC or laptop, games console (including the PS3, PS4, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One), Blu-ray player, smart TV, media streaming devices or set-top box.
You'll find a full list of compatible Netflix devices here, but as long as your smart TV is made by LG, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, Sharp, Samsung or Toshiba, then you should be covered. Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku and Google's Nexus Player also support Netflix, and set-top boxes from BT, Philips, Sony, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and YouView are also likely to have a built-in app. As for Blu-ray players, current models from LG, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, Samsung and Toshiba will also have Netflix built-in.
How to watch American Netflix using a Virtual Private Network
How fast does my internet need to be? Netflix requires a minimum broadband connection speed of 0.5 megabits per second, but faster internet connections will improve the quality of your video. 3.0 Mbit/s is recommended for SD quality content, 5.0 Mbit/s is recommended for HD quality, and a massive 25 Mbit/s is recommended for Ultra HD. Provided you sign up for Netflix's HD subscription plan, you'll need to make sure your video quality is set to High in your account's Playback Settings.
