Video streaming and data consumption Change playback settings
If you are a regular Netflix user and an Android smartphone owner, you most certainly know that the streaming service is a big data consumer. If you do not want to end up with a salty bill or a blocked connection from the 10th of the month, here is a tip to reduce data consumption of Netflix..
Video streaming and data consumption
Streaming services dedicated to mobile phones have continued to increase in recent months. So certainly it is very practical to spend time away from home. By cons it consumes a lot of data as shown in the following figures.
One hour of HD videos represents around 3 GB of data consumed. If you opt for a film or a series in Ultra HD it is downright 7 GB per hour. That's a lot especially when you have a package with only 3 or 5 GB of Fair Use. Netflix data consumption should therefore be carefully monitored..
Change playback settings
Netflix has implemented a nice feature to choose the type of video compression. You have the choice between 3 levels. The low with poor video quality (0.3 GB per hour), the medium corresponding to the resolution of a standard film (0.5 GB per hour) and finally the high level. The latter allows viewing videos in HD or Ultra HD format also called 4K.
Obviously if you choose the lowest level, the quality of the video will be affected. On some images you may see some pixels appear. Similarly, some details may be unclear. In return, this mode consumes very little bandwidth..
- Launch the Netflix app
- Click on the Menu button at the top left (3 overlapped lines)
- Then select Application Settings
- Press the switch at the top of the Cellular Data Consumption window to deactivate automatic mode
- Then choose the video quality you want
This method will allow you to save precious MB on your mobile internet plan. If you know of other tips, don't hesitate to share them with other readers.
