https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/hevc-video-extension/9n4wgh0z6vhqFeature update to Windows 10, version 1709 this is what I have installed on my pc, when going to store to check for HEVC it says it is free. Is this a regional thing? I live in U.S.

tsunami231:

intresting i remeber runing netflix off my 3mbit connection that barely got 2mbit and 1080p ran fine it even look nice in comparsion to most "hd" from sat/cable back then. this was 5 years ago

At best. It drops to about 1-1.5Mbit max, when no one is using the internet. I could only get access to the lowest quality setting, and it was terrible.

NewTRUMP Order:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/hevc-video-extension/9n4wgh0z6vhqFeature update to Windows 10, version 1709 this is what I have installed on my pc, when going to store to check for HEVC it says it is free. Is this a regional thing? I live in U.S.

HH told it twice. Only fresh Fall Creators installations stop providing it for free. NOT upgrades from older ones.

scatman839:

Wouldn't mind this, have to use my tv to see 4k now. So much quieter tho

welp, never mind, only brand new cards can do it i'll stick to using my tv netflix app

Tested it on my Acer XB281HK. Can't really say I'm impressed with the 4k quality(using the Netflix app), it does look a lot crisper than the 1080p but I still notice some artifacting in darker areas of the picture or really dark scenes in general. I don't think the bandwidth for the Netflix 4k is high enough to get a "perfect" picture ala UHD Bluray. Some nature documentary about Colombia did impress me though, well the sharpness of the picture in lit up scenes. 4k on Netflix might look be a bit better on 4k tvs than monitors, since monitors usually don't have all the image image processing done like on tv's, can't be sure though since I don't own a 4k tv.

warlord:

HH told it twice. Only fresh Fall Creators installations stop providing it for free. NOT upgrades from older ones.

And yet we don't have any indications yet of it actually costing something, or how much.

Evildead666:

At best. It drops to about 1-1.5Mbit max, when no one is using the internet. I could only get access to the lowest quality setting, and it was terrible.

yah if it did drop below 2 it did get iffy in quality verizon dsl??? i use to have them, and it use becoming dialup speed 6 out 12 months every year for 8 + years we had it

warlord:

HH told it twice. Only fresh Fall Creators installations stop providing it for free. NOT upgrades from older ones.

made it fresh on 2 of 3 Pc, both can download it for free. The thirds got it automatically. Any official source where Microsoft claims it is no longer free? Looks like they modularized it like the MPEG2 for Store applications. If there is something to complaint about, it is the lack of 10-bit decoding which is a core feature of the HEVC standard (not a big deal for third party applications since libde265 is LGPL and not GPL lie x265)..

I really wish there were more flexible solutions for hardware decoding. It's shit that each new format requires new hardware and leaves out all older GPUs.

Yxskaft:

I really wish there were more flexible solutions for hardware decoding. It's crap that each new format requires new hardware and leaves out all older GPUs.

hardware decoding is required for DRM, not for computational power itself..

Alessio1989:

hardware decoding is required for DRM, not for computational power itself..

Ok, but still, HEVC and VP9 decoding can really chug on older CPUs. It would be great if older GPUs still could handle parts of the decoding. People are saying Nvidia's and Intel's hybrid decoders aren't good, and only certain GPUs got the hybrid decoding anyway.

Yxskaft:

Ok, but still, HEVC and VP9 decoding can really chug on older CPUs. It would be great if older GPUs still could handle parts of the decoding. People are saying Nvidia's and Intel's hybrid decoders aren't good, and only certain GPUs got the hybrid decoding anyway.

Video hardware decoding requires custom FPGA or similia to be efficient, otherwise software (shader) decoding could be less efficient then using a traditional CPU. Older GPUs can only help a lil with framebuffering (which is better then nothing, try to do full software frame buffering even on the lastes CPU and see what happen!). Most 4K demos runs fine on my old overclocked nahlem system with MPC-HC... But yes, weak CPUs are not going to anywhere outside full-hd...

haha what a crock of shit. In order to do this I would need a new GPU (still perfectly happy with my 980Ti), new monitor (don't know what HDCP 2.2 is), need to use edge browser which I don't like and never use currently (or reinstall the windows app store which I like even less and get this netflix app bullshit), pay for an additional codec, AND physically unplug my other monitors because they aren't HDCP capable. All just to stream video. There can't be more than like 2% of netflix subscribers that can use this.

As someone who has been doing the HTPC thing for about 10-12 years, I'm the first to push people away from it. The best experience will come with illegal content and even then it's less hassle to u Just yse an external hardware player and leave the PC as a media server. As for legal stuff, after years of hassle I got rid of the HD-DVD and BluRay drives. As previously mentioned, Netflix PC users were treated like thieves for HD content and now again for UHD. The W10 Netflix app is annoying as well, the W8 one was great but still no auto full screen on W10. Saying that, I think this article is wrong as so far it's been impossible to not get this for free, and that is me trying and half a dozen others ive spoken to.

tsunami231:

i to point agree, thought i think 720p and 1080p on netflix worlds better then the supposed 1080p/720p we get from cable/fios/satellite. I just watch VOD of yesterdays episode of gotham that was "hd" that looked like 480p. and what lil i caught of it live showing, barely looked like 720p. to this day the only format i seen true 1080p on is on bluray, cable/fios/satellites/streams dont even come close to true 1080p, but netflix imo is beter then the other options.

Because the cable/fios/satelite are NOT using 1080p/720p but 1080i and/or 720i resolution which is basically exactly half of the one with p. 😉

So to be clear I can now play back 4K content on my 1440p monitor, and not be restricted to 1080p, as long as it has HDCP 2.2 support, I use that garbage Edge, and I have a compatible nVidia card? No more need for Intel's latest gen DRM chips? How can I even find out if my monitor supports HDCP 2.2? I've tried looking up specifications, I've found squat. I also tried looking up test programs. Nothing. Considering testing it with Netflix directly first would require me switching my account type back to the "4K" type, then switching again if it doesn't work, I'd rather find out ahead of time.

Needing to worry about codecs again, what is this? 1998? I am currently using netflix on the HTPC (via browser), and it... leaves stuff to wish for. First of all the interface is horrible, I feel like there is no UI for anybody using it on a PC, it looks like it's built around mediocre smart TV apps. Secondly, since firefox in it's wisdom decided NOT to support it anymore since version 52, I have to use internet explorer again (win7 system because of the "legacy" hardware). Third, it doesn't let me watch every movie because I lack HDCP 2.x because I have a PC and a TV that didn't break down in the past 7 to 10 years? What BS is that? Screw your DRM that prevents me from watching stuff just because I don't buy a new TV / GPU / cable every two years to cater their paranoia, even on 1080p, let alone any "premium" 4K content. I have a registered account, why trying to keep me from watching what I paid for? And now you have to even bother with downloading the codec just to use it on a PC? I mean, I could imagine this working if the apps were great, but I have not seen a single "smart" TV app that made me wish to own such a device. All my limited experience has shown me that it's nowhere near usable, just like the amazon prime video app not working well on most smart TVs. All in all, consuming media on PC is nothing but a PITA, and they are actively trying to make it even worse. I get the feeling they are somewhat trying to kill of the PC as a media platform so that they can promote their lackluster implementations on various android devices / platforms.

Yep, It's more hassle than it's worth to use a PC as an HTPC, particularly with legal content. Many studios just don't want people on PC's accessing the streams. I would love it if i could have it work like Smart TV apps, there is no PC app at all for Prime Video and with the Netflix W10 Store App the UI doesn't property support a remote control, so we have to use the trackpad on the remote, and you have to manually switch it to full screen every time. The lack of a Prime Video app or Chromecast support is why I have not watched a single thing on Prime, as I'm not using a browser on HTPC. I don't find anything wrong with the implementations on Android and other devices though, I just wish the PC versions had the same level of support.

Alessio1989:

made it fresh on 2 of 3 Pc, both can download it for free. The thirds got it automatically. Any official source where Microsoft claims it is no longer free? Looks like they modularized it like the MPEG2 for Store applications. If there is something to complaint about, it is the lack of 10-bit decoding which is a core feature of the HEVC standard (not a big deal for third party applications since libde265 is LGPL and not GPL lie x265)..

I think it's only for new licenses. I did a fresh install of Windows last night and it was already installed when I logged in to the store as well.

nhlkoho:

I think it's only for new licenses. I did a fresh install of Windows last night and it was already installed when I logged in to the store as well.

Any official Microsoft source about this? On the store is still reported as free. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/hevc-video-extension/9n4wgh0z6vhq Like they made for MPEG-2 they made the store extension for HEVC too to enable third party store application to play - some (I am not able to play any 10-bit video with the MS decoders!) - HEVC contents without the need of third party libraries