Streaming apps vs Streaming devices Matrix

If you are a Netflix subscriber, look not further, Apple TV 4K is the way to go. Even for Disney Plus on Apple TV 4K device, it is the ONLY one that does frame rate matching correctly!

The specific problem with Netflix is that it will not provide a 4K/24 stream, only 4K/60 stream. If you present a 4K/24 display to Netflix, it will downgrade to 1080p/24. This will be reflected in the splash page of the movie where “4K”, will disappear and instead say “Full HD” or “1080p”. So, to receive Netflix in 4K, you must have a 4K/60 display. Naturally, this means that all movies shot or meant to be in 4K/24 on Netflix are actually streamed in 4K/60. The only device that can convert a 4K/60 stream to 4K/24 correctly is the Apple TV 4K. There is no substitute.

I know this well, because I cheapened out when I built my MadVR rig and bought a Black Magic capture card that maxes out at 4k/24 because it was $500 cheaper than the one that would handle 4k/60. I rationalized that I would be happy to keep everything at 4K/24 since that was the natural frame rate for movies. But, as a result, I cannot get any Android box (Firestick etc) to play Netflix streams in 4K since the MadVR rig presents as a 4K/24 device and Android players downgrade to 1080p/24. This is not a problem for my Apple TV 4K, as it receives the 4K/60 stream from Netflix and internally converts it to 4K/24 before sending it to MadVR.

However, despite the article above, I have no trouble getting Disney+ to send 4K/24 to MadVR on my Firestick. Just not with Netflix

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