[Request] AnyStream downloads the worst quality stream from Amazon Prime Video

[Nerzhul]

Hello,

AnyStream currently downloads the VBR stream, but ideally it should download the CBR stream because CBR is almost always superior to VBR.

CBR is superior to VBR in 99% of cases, the quality of the CBR stream is superior even when VBR has higher bitrate. Cases where the VBR stream offers better quality are extremely unusual.


Then the request is that AnyStream should download by default the CBR stream instead of the VBR stream, because there is no logical reason to download the VBR stream by default as it will almost certainly be the worst option.

Thanks and regards!

 

[HAMsmoke]

A familiar thread. This has been discussed extensively.

 

[RedFox 1]

Hello,

AnyStream currently downloads the VBR stream, but ideally it should download the CBR stream because CBR is almost always superior to VBR.

CBR is superior to VBR in 99% of cases, the quality of the CBR stream is superior even when VBR has higher bitrate. Cases where the VBR stream offers better quality are extremely unusual.


Then the request is that AnyStream should download by default the CBR stream instead of the VBR stream, because there is no logical reason to download the VBR stream by default as it will almost certainly be the worst option.

Thanks and regards!

Thank you for your suggestion but it's fine as is. I have seen both and VBR is superior in many ways. We have discussed this before. Thank you. Do a search of the forum and you will see many threads on this.

 

[0x0x0x0x0]

Hello,

AnyStream currently downloads the VBR stream, but ideally it should download the CBR stream because CBR is almost always superior to VBR.

CBR is superior to VBR in 99% of cases, the quality of the CBR stream is superior even when VBR has higher bitrate. Cases where the VBR stream offers better quality are extremely unusual.


Then the request is that AnyStream should download by default the CBR stream instead of the VBR stream, because there is no logical reason to download the VBR stream by default as it will almost certainly be the worst option.

Do me a favour: get a network tap, stick it between an networked BD player that has Prime, and watch traffic between prime CDN and the BD player; then answer me this: if CBR is so superior, why is Amazon so set on sending VBR to your expensive BD player hooked up to a 1080p screen, perhaps they're set on their customers having a terrible experience, according to your logic?..

Incidentally, the last person who wanted to show me that Amazon was allowing people to download CBR, eventually produced a bitrate graph at my request of what they called "CBR," and that graph didn't show anything that remotely resembles a Constant Bit Rate...

This topic has been chewed over and over, and, quite frankly, the only people who benefit from CBR are "seeders" how get kickbacks for uploading from the likes of rg/nitro because the customers of the latter pay per downloaded bytes.

 

[DeadPixel]

This topic clearly has a history but is there any reason this could not just be added as an option similar to HBOMax where users can choose the version to grab? Not trying to stir the pot, just a suggestion

 

[rokrok]

Incidentally, the last person who wanted to show me that Amazon was allowing people to download CBR, eventually produced a bitrate graph at my request of what they called "CBR," and that graph didn't show anything that remotely resembles a Constant Bit Rate...

Amazon seems to call it CBR but it is actually more like VBR with just more strict bitrate settings. The highest 15Mb/s "VBR" streams can sometimes have the average bitrate reach that high and sometimes they can be really low (lowest average I have seen for the 15Mb/s stream was around 5Mb/s if I remember correctly).

The "CBR" can have lower and higher peaks (than the "VBR") but it almost always (but not always) is exactly or very close to 10Mb/s (with sound).

VBR left and CBR right
https://imgbox.com/L47n5lgs

VBR left and CBR right
https://imgbox.com/Wu4lxkor

And then the HEVC streams (which should be able to get the same quality with half the size) are maybe 35-45% lower in size than the VBR streams.

This topic clearly has a history but is there any reason this could not just be added as an option similar to HBOMax where users can choose the version to grab? Not trying to stir the pot, just a suggestion

I'm sure they have their reasons why it hasn't been added (yet).

But Amazon sends what the browser requests. VBR is the default (with browsers) but Amazon will send CBR or HEVC if that is what is requested.

 

[getol]

i rarely ever comment here as there are many people here who express their opinions and will try to argue their point whether it be accurate or not. so i try not to bother as most people especially the most vocal here will never see the other side. so my only point is why does amazon offer other options if VBR is clearly better as some claim here. seems like a waste of resources to offer alternative formats. the same argument applies to NF as well with the whole HPL/MPL debate. why would these providers offer these alternative formats when clearly one is better than the other as some claim here? for me, in some cases ie NF i have seen HPL better than MPL and vice-versa. same applies to AP with VBR/CBR.

bottomline, i am a lifetime plus+ subscriber as i do see the value of the program. i am happy as it is. no issues and the developers have done a fantastic job of always correcting issues and adding new enhancements. i also know there are limitations on certain sites like AP and NF with the formats offerings, h and d+ with their max resolution, etc... but i don't knock it as i know in advance what the capabilities are since it's clearly stated before i decided to purchase the program. that being said, i do use alt method to get what i want from NF and AP when i want. which i have no issues doing as i don't expect the developers to add this feature; rather my mindset is that if one day it's added then great otherwise no big deal as there are other ways to get what you want.

 

[supersonik]

but the cbr/vbr/hevc thing on ap isnt directly comparable.
because on ap its literally replacing something in the url to get the desired format and or codec

on nflx the mpl/hpl thing is quite different and not just an url edit.
even i dont know actually if the mpl gets streamed to browsers at all and not only to the apps

so breakdown,
(if they have to do it) emulating the app of nflx should be much more reversing work and more headaches to bring an "feature" which isnt gaining a plus in revenue or getting new customers.

so sticking to hpl which gets delivered to the browser but can be sometimes worse in video quality than mpl isnt that bad.

also you can just grab an us release (most of the time possible, not always) and just grab with ap the localized audio+sub/s and retime it.

i'm thankful that as has happened and with plus there are (i think) lots of stuff coming up from time to time which enhances the porfolio or the UX.

 

[RedFox 1]

but the cbr/vbr/hevc thing on ap isnt directly comparable.
because on ap its literally replacing something in the url to get the desired format and or codec

on nflx the mpl/hpl thing is quite different and not just an url edit.
even i dont know actually if the mpl gets streamed to browsers at all and not only to the apps

so breakdown,
(if they have to do it) emulating the app of nflx should be much more reversing work and more headaches to bring an "feature" which isnt gaining a plus in revenue or getting new customers.

so sticking to hpl which gets delivered to the browser but can be sometimes worse in video quality than mpl isnt that bad.

also you can just grab an us release (most of the time possible, not always) and just grab with ap the localized audio+sub/s and retime it.

i'm thankful that as has happened and with plus there are (i think) lots of stuff coming up from time to time which enhances the porfolio or the UX.

Well said, I think we can put this thread to sleep now. There are many others like it IMHO, the picture and quality is excellent. If it isnt broken don't fix it.

 

[RedFox 1]

bottomline, i am a lifetime plus+ subscriber as i do see the value of the program. i am happy as it is. no issues and the developers have done a fantastic job of always correcting issues and adding new enhancements. i also know there are limitations on certain sites like AP and NF with the formats offerings, h and d+ with their max resolution, etc.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[BCloud]

I downloaded a movie 2 or 3 weeks ago in 1080p and downloaded it again in another language today.
The first download is bigger than the second for the same movie (10Gb vs 8Gb), both 1080p.
I wonder if it's what you talked about here ?
The 2nd movie "seems" (but I'm not an expert) more smooth (the grain disappeared) with less details on face of people for example.

Sorry I didn't find the other topic, the one I found was closed, it's just I don't know the one to keep

 

[Jimc115]

Keep the one that looks best to you. For the most part, you want a smooth moving picture, but not smoothed over details. You also want grain as it's part of the film
detail. You don't want it to be grainy though as in a worn-out or washed-out look.

To me, it sounds like the 1st version is best, but are you watching them on the same platform? A 1080p picture will not look the same on a 4K TV as compared to a 1080p TV.
Likewise, even at the same resolution, the picture will not look the same on an a Samsung as it does on an LG.

Normally, you are not going to have a difference as you described in size. But, a smaller audio file may have allowed you to grab a larger video file. It is not
uncommon for there to be 4-5 different size files in the same resolution on newer movies and TV shows.

 

[RedFox 1]

We dont need to count the pimples on the star's face to enjoy the movie, it's fine as it is.

 

[Jimc115]

We dont need to count the pimples on the star's face to enjoy the movie, it's fine as it is.

Agreed....I still watch my good old 55" 1080p Samsung....works great for my eyes.

My biggest complain right now was losing 60 credits before figuring out not to use the automated queue.....but I'll get over it in about 2 days.

 

[BCloud]

"We dont need to count the pimples on the star's face to enjoy the movie, it's fine as it is."

No, sure you're right. But if the picture can be sharper with more details it's always nice.
Some people prefers blu-ray over DVD for quality reason, some people doesn't even see the differences between both, everyone has their preferences.

 

[jbrisbin]

We dont need to count the pimples on the star's face to enjoy the movie, it's fine as it is.

Now you should be ashamed of putting out that kind of trollbait. Think of the Dermatologist contingent of AnyStream users who would like to do exactly that. And the pimple fetishists. You are impugning their diversity. It has clearly reached the level of deliberate microaggression.

I was surprised to see the topic was a request that AS download the worst quality stream. Then I saw the OP was serious when he began demanding CBR.

On another topic, perhaps you could create a subforum, let's call it Dead Horses, where threads like this could be consigned and those interested could continue to beat them?

 

[RedFox 1]

Now you should be ashamed of putting out that kind of trollbait. Think of the Dermatologist contingent of AnyStream users who would like to do exactly that. And the pimple fetishists. You are impugning their diversity. It has clearly reached the level of deliberate microaggression.

I was surprised to see the topic was a request that AS download the worst quality stream. Then I saw the OP was serious when he began demanding CBR.

On another topic, perhaps you could create a subforum, let's call it Dead Horses, where threads like this could be consigned and those interested could continue to beat them?

I don't feel bad for the Dermatologist contingent here. Maybe they also want to count the hairs on the leading ladies top lips also. CBR is bull, VBR is not full of filler like CBR that makes the file sizes larger so the " Scene" can make another .10 on their Rapidshare downloads. LOL.

 

[znctech]

main issue is some noob like these trolls are unable to do so they come here to troll they are mentally sic people

 

[RedFox 1]

main issue is some noob like these trolls are unable to do so they come here to troll they are mentally sic people

You have already posted this, please stay on topic, trolls are not any kind of discussion here.

 

[znctech]

amazon offers 4 qualities why not u guys allow hevc streams and i can see the current working is based on dll quality will never come its a web rip