I have a question about Netflix services.

[llmart]

Maybe someone in this group has experience with this. I have a Roku device that I've used for about 6 years now. I also have only one subscription and that's Netflix. I recently realized that the Netflix subscription is just the basic one and that they have another that's called Standard which is supposedly for HD? I have a Samsung TV that's HD. I decided to try switching to Netflix's Standard package.

Do you actually see a difference in your Netflix picture quality, etc. if you bump it up from Basic to Standard?

[randr]

1. You will notice a difference in shows that are available in HD.

[c-rational]

2. As I understand it, you do not see a difference in picture quality on amaller screens, i.e. 32".

As screen size increases .42"+, HD becomes more apparent.

[llmart]

5. My TV is a 40-inch HD.

I'm wondering if the extra $4 a month is worth it? I have only had the new, Standard Netflix for a day and wasn't watching any Netflix, but did click on one beginning episode to see if I noticed a difference and I can't say I did.

However, I switched my plan online two days ago and I have no idea how long it takes them to switch me over. I'm assuming almost immediately?

[hunter]

3. It may depend upon the quality of your internet connection.

Netflix automatically adjusts the quality of the stream to eliminate (or at least minimize) pauses.

If your internet connection or wifi can't keep up you'll get a standard quality picture whether you are paying for HD or not.

On slower or less reliable internet connections it's often helpful to set up your router to give preference to your video streaming device, and connect the video streaming device directly to the router with a cable. Wifi channels can get crowded. I see more than a dozen wifi servers listed from my laptop. On my desktop I see more.

My wife and I have a 1080p television, but mostly watch 480p quality video, which is as much as our internet connection reliably supports.

Even if your cable company claims to have fast internet you may be sharing internet bandwidth with many neighbors during "prime time."

Our local cable company is Comcast. I simply won't do business with them. We're fortunate to have other internet providers here.

[llmart]

4. Thank you for your in-depth answer.

Couple of points I forgot to mention:

I do not have cable TV. I have a Channel Master antenna high up on my living room wall and that's how I get my over the air channels - about 20 of them.

My internet is 25 mbps. It's been satisfactory for me since I've had it (2011) and has been very reliable (AT&T Uverse). My TV is 1080.

My TV is 40" and I bought it in 2011. My son says that's considered "old".

[hunter]

6. I'm getting 4.2 Mbps on my laptop right now, which is not quite adequate for HD.

My neighbors use wifi for television and everything else, which impacts my wifi speeds.

Our internet is probably fast enough for HD now that our children have moved out, but it wasn't when they were living here, especially when their friends were over. That's when we first started streaming Netflix. That's also when I started setting up my routers to favor the family television.

Truth be told, my vision is not good enough to fully appreciate the difference between SD and HD, or DVDs and Blu-Ray. They're all better than the Blockbuster video cassettes we used to rent.

[llmart]

7. I guess I didn't realize that neighbors could affect your wifi.

My eyesight is fairly bad also. I can't read a lot of the small text on the Netflix blurbs describing shows. I don't have any other devices than my desktop computer (no Kindles, Ipads, cell phones - I have a landline) and I live alone.

I think I have a good enough internet speed and I've never once had a problem with my Roku getting hung up or halting pictures using the few apps I use on my Roku.

I had been thinking about getting a 50" TV only because of the declining eyesight but I don't really like buying something if what I have is quite adequate.