Netflix Now supports AV1 code to stream on some selected TVs and also PlayStation 4 Pro. The announcement came directly from the company a few days ago.
Here are all the details.
Netflix supports the AV1 code but only on some TVs
Netflix shared the following list of supported devices con The Verge:
- Samsung 2020 UHD Smart TV;
- Samsung 2020 UHD QLED Smart TV;
- TV Samsung 2020 8K QLED Smart;
- Samsung The Frame 2020 Smart TV;
- Samsung The Serif 2020 Smart TV;
- TV Samsung The Terrace 2020 Smart;
- Any TV connected to a PS4 Pro with the Netflix application;
- Amazon Fire TV devices with Fire OS 7 and above;
- Android TV devices with Android OS 10 and above.
Netflix pointed out in its blog that “we are working with external partners to enable more and more devices for AV1 streaming”, so hopefully more hardware they will soon be compatible with the code. Furthermore, the company has revealed that it is “exploring” the possibility of AV1 streams with HDR.
AV1 can rely on modern high-power processors to transmit higher quality video with more compression than other video codecs. During its testing Netflix noted that AV1 delivered higher quality video at the same bitrate of other formats and that testers have noticed fewer noticeable drops in video quality.
However, this move is probably not entirely motivated by wanting to achieve better streaming performance; since AV1 is a codec open-source, Netflix you will not have to pay royalties to use it. The codec has extensive industry support and is managed by the Alliance for Open Media which has Apple, Amazon, Facebook (now Meta), Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Samsung and other members.
Netflix first supported AV1 videos in its Android app in February 2020. At the time, he claimed to have seen a 20% improvement in compression over the VP9 codec. In a blog for that announcement, the company said its goal was to “launch AV1 on all of our platforms”. At the moment, however, it has not revealed when the codec will be available on all its devices and platforms.