DSTV on PC worse quality than Android/TV Box

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FlashSA

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When I stream via my Mi Boxes, Samsung smart TV's or Android phone, the picture quality is great. When I stream through a PC browser, the quality looks like 720p or worse. I have tried 2 different i5 PC's through Chrome with the same poor resolution result so it's not a PC performance issue - Youtube spits out perfect HD on the pc's.

Is that how it is for everyone or am I missing something?
 
FlashSA said:
When I stream via my Mi Boxes, Samsung smart TV's or Android phone, the picture quality is great. When I stream through a PC browser, the quality looks like 720p or worse. I have tried 2 different i5 PC's through Chrome with the same poor resolution result so it's not a PC performance issue - Youtube spits out perfect HD on the pc's.

Is that how it is for everyone or am I missing something?
Click to expand...
First time?
 
Apparently it's chrome doing it, use Edge apparently
 
Lupus said:
Probably drm issues on browsers but you're getting better then some who are getting 576p on browser.
Dstv should release a windows app like other streamers have.
Click to expand...
I think 576p is actually what I'm getting - tried chrome and edge and both the same story. If I run the F1 on the F1TV site I get proper 1080 HD quality.

This simply has to be intentional from DSTV's side that browsers have poor quality compared to TV/Box/Android App's - maybe to counter piracy and capturing+selling of streams?
 
FlashSA said:
I think 576p is actually what I'm getting - tried chrome and edge and both the same story. If I run the F1 on the F1TV site I get proper 1080 HD quality.

This simply has to be intentional from DSTV's side that browsers have poor quality compared to TV/Box/Android App's - maybe to counter piracy and capturing+selling of streams?
Click to expand...
Yeah goes back to DRM so more then likely, but it's not only DSTV it's also other streamers.
 
I believe it's intentional. Streaming via the browser is considered a mobile stream where as streaming via a TV box on the DSTV app is considered an Anywhere stream as per their own definition on how they bill for streams and how many is included.

I think it's like 720p max if that but bitrate is low.

Surprisingly the streams that pirate IPTV providers capture and upscale look so much better than the offial streaming. Pretty sad actually.

So you option is to upscale it and clean it with something like lossless scaling or something but you will get ghosting unfortunately. I did try a few methods. Maybe the DSTV addon in kodi from Slyguy is a bit better.
 
How would I know what the current DSTV Stream video resolution is on my laptop? I’d like to check because I am quite happy with the picture quality, maybe I am just used to it and don’t know better.
 
cavedog said:
I believe it's intentional. Streaming via the browser is considered a mobile stream where as streaming via a TV box on the DSTV app is considered an Anywhere stream as per their own definition on how they bill for streams and how many is included.

I think it's like 720p max if that but bitrate is low.

Surprisingly the streams that pirate IPTV providers capture and upscale look so much better than the offial streaming. Pretty sad actually.

So you option is to upscale it and clean it with something like lossless scaling or something but you will get ghosting unfortunately. I did try a few methods. Maybe the DSTV addon in kodi from Slyguy is a bit better.
Click to expand...
And THAT's why we allow you to stay. Thanks for the detailed answer cavedog!
 
cavedog said:
I believe it's intentional. Streaming via the browser is considered a mobile stream where as streaming via a TV box on the DSTV app is considered an Anywhere stream as per their own definition on how they bill for streams and how many is included.

I think it's like 720p max if that but bitrate is low.

Surprisingly the streams that pirate IPTV providers capture and upscale look so much better than the offial streaming. Pretty sad actually.

So you option is to upscale it and clean it with something like lossless scaling or something but you will get ghosting unfortunately. I did try a few methods. Maybe the DSTV addon in kodi from Slyguy is a bit better.
Click to expand...
Hi cavedog

So, I tried upscaling a few weeks ago with Lossless Scaling, however I just got a black screen when I started the process. (I assumed it was caused by DRM protection).

Although , seeing your response made me wonder if I maybe made a mistake with some settings in Lossless Scaling.

Do you perhaps remember how you managed to get upscaling to work? I know it's a long shot, but quite desperate to find better stream quality.
 
klipdrifter said:
Hi cavedog

So, I tried upscaling a few weeks ago with Lossless Scaling, however I just got a black screen when I started the process. (I assumed it was caused by DRM protection).

Although , seeing your response made me wonder if I maybe made a mistake with some settings in Lossless Scaling.

Do you perhaps remember how you managed to get upscaling to work? I know it's a long shot, but quite desperate to find better stream quality.
Click to expand...


Yes in the browser the widevine DRM blocks any app that tries to screenshot or record over.

You need to use something like Kodi for example.

matthuisman

Thread '[RELEASE] DStv Now KODI Add-on'

thumb[1].jpg

Hi All,

Here is my add-on I have just released for DStv Now.
A DStv Connect login / subscription is required.

Supports Live Channels & On Demand.

Instructions for installation can be found on my blog
https://www.matthuisman.nz/2018/09/dstv-now-kodi-add-on.html

Enjoy!
  • Like
 
Thanks @cavedog

Played with Kodi a bit last night and can at least get 720p on PC now.

Upscaling does work, but I might be a bit inexperienced with Lossless Scaling as I couldn't really see an improvement when upscaling to 1080p.

Still would prefer browser for ease of use, but alas, DSTV being special so I'll deal with Kodi.
 
klipdrifter said:
Thanks @cavedog

Played with Kodi a bit last night and can at least get 720p on PC now.

Upscaling does work, but I might be a bit inexperienced with Lossless Scaling as I couldn't really see an improvement when upscaling to 1080p.

Still would prefer browser for ease of use, but alas, DSTV being special so I'll deal with Kodi.
Click to expand...

You got DStv via Slyguy's app in Kodi? Last heard DStv weren't allowing any open source platforms to get access anymore, so if true...

@cavedog
 
Brian_G said:
I see Slyguy now expects "support" to get any s/w updates, so if working it now needs to be paid for.

Nope
Click to expand...

No he doesn't. It's still 100% free. It's basically just a python addon in kodi that wraps the web version of DSTV streaming and displays it in Kodi. Doesn't bypass anything as it can't. Still needs to use widevine for drm. Still can only request the allowed number of viewing sessions the license server allows which is determined by what package you have or if you bought extra streams.

Why is it better? Well, it's a simplified version to live stream and works pretty well.
 
cavedog said:
No he doesn't. It's still 100% free.
Click to expand...

So we have to register as contributors, but then... don't need to contribute? Wow, original idea I suppose..

cavedog said:
It's basically just a python addon in kodi that wraps the web version of DSTV streaming and displays it in Kodi. Doesn't bypass anything as it can't. Still needs to use widevine for drm. Still can only request the allowed number of viewing sessions the license server allows which is determined by what package you have or if you bought extra streams.

Why is it better? Well, it's a simplified version to live stream and works pretty well.
Click to expand...

Great. Thanks for the info
 
Brian_G said:
So we have to register as contributors, but then... don't need to contribute? Wow, original idea I suppose..



Great. Thanks for the info
Click to expand...

No as far as I know you don't need to register anything. You just add the repo to Kodi and install the addon.

Let me go through the install proccess again to check if something changed.
 
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