Direct Communications faster streaming broadband just got even better.

Directcom is pleased to announce that our broadband service in Eagle Mountain is now Netflix Super HD enabled.

This means that Directcom customers in Eagle Mountain will now be able to  watch movies and TV shows in Super HD and Ultra HD on  supported devices, if you subscribe to a fast enough  Internet speed package, and if you as a Netflix customer subscribe to their Ultra HD supported plan ($11.95 a month versus the regular $7.99 a month.) Your internet speed will need to be at least 8Mb/s download for HD quality and 25 megabits per second or higher for UltraHD. See https://help.netflix.com/article/en/node/13444?ba=GSButtonClick&q=

We at Direct Communications suggest at least 10Mbps available bandwidth for each  smart device or WiFi-enabled device in your home. ie: The 10Mb package will support one HD stream. If you want to stream video to multiple devices, plus have enough bandwidth to do other stuff online at the same time, please choose a premium speed package. If you have a large family, with a bunch of smart devices going at once, and have fiber available to you, you should be on at least the 75 Mbps or higher package, especially if you intend to enjoy Ultra HD video.

Super HD delivers the best Netflix picture quality yet, even better than regular HD, because of better encoding technology and an incredibly clear, smooth 1080p picture with less compression.

Also new: Ultra HD streaming is available on Netflix for Directcom customers!

What do I need to stream Ultra HD?

• A TV compatible with Ultra HD streaming from Netflix. See below for more details.
• A plan that supports streaming in Ultra HD. You can check which plan you’re currently on at www.netflix.com/ChangePlan.
• A steady Internet connection speed of 25 megabits per second or higher.
• Streaming quality set to “High.” More information about video quality settings can be found in our Playback Settings article.

Super HD is only available via Internet Providers that are part of the Netflix Open Connect network. Our move onto the Open Connect Network was made technically possible by Netflix co-locating their servers on our fiber network. Each night, Netflix updates these servers with their highest demand content.

What this does is move the Netflix content closer to the end customer.

Darin Allgaier, Network Administrator  for Direct Communications in Eagle Mountain, explained the benefits by saying, “Bringing the Netflix content on Net has resulted in a drop in content latency and an overall enhanced online user experience for our customers.  Additionally, having the content on our network enables Directcom customers access to Netflix SuperHD, UltraHD and 3D content. Plus, since the video content is now hosted directly on our fiber network, this eliminates any stress on the Internet backbone, since the Netflix streaming is now separated from any regular Internet traffic, which is good news for our network management and our customers. ”

Kip Wilson, General Manager for Directcom in Utah, says most importantly this will result in faster loading for customers while accessing Netflix content on our network. “There should be even less buffering, and less waiting for the interface to load, because the customer won’t have to travel all over the internet to choose or stream a movie—it’s right here on our fiber network in Utah.”

When Netflix first announced their Super HD network opportunity several years ago, Direct Communications attempted to sign up individually with Netflix as an Open Connect partner, but was unsuccessful at that time because Netflix required a larger customer count threshold before they would deploy their servers into the network. Fortunately , the combined customer numbers of all the Utah independents together meant Netflix was willing to partner with Utah Fiber Network to deploy servers locally here on the regional network connecting all of rural Utah, so all Direct Communications customers in Eagle Mountain can now benefit from being on the Netflix Open Connect network.

In addition to Super HD, Netflix is experimenting with 3D video, which will also only be available to customers of ISPs like Direct Communications who are on the Open Connect network.

Netflix now offers Super HD streaming on the following devices:

•Sony PlayStation 3

•Apple TV with 1080p

•Roku with 1080p*

•Nintendo Wii U

•Windows 8 App

•TiVo Premiere DVR

•Blu-Ray Players, Smart TV’s, Home Theaters, and Streaming Players with existing Netflix 1080p support*

Hopefully more devices will be coming soon, since , most notably, the Xbox is currently missing from this list.

To stream titles in Super HD, your Internet Provider needs to be connected to the Netflix Open Connect network. You can find Super HD titles by looking for the Super HD logo, on the movie description page on a compatible device.

Requirements to view in Super HD

Subscribe to Netflix 4 screens + UltraHD plan. Watch on 4 screens at a time. HD and Ultra HD available. $11.99/month

from (http://support.unblock-us.com/customer/portal/articles/973404-netflix-super-hd)

– Your Netflix Bandwidth Settings

Your Netflix bandwidth preferences must be set to “Best Quality” otherwise you will not receive it. To find out how to check and change your Netflix bandwidth settings please see this support article.

– Your Internet Connection

Super HD requires an Internet connection speed of at least 6Mb/s, and 8Mb/s to view the highest available video quality. Please ensure you test your speed as detailed here. Some other factors will also affect your ability to stream in Super HD; wireless connections from your device to your router, traffic shaping by your ISP at peak hours – sadly these sort of factors lay out of our control.

PLEASE NOTE: The Adaptive Bit-rate streaming algorithm that Netflix uses to stream in Super HD, should always ramp up to the highest bit rate encode available to you that fits in the resolution you’ve set on your device. This means that if your device is not set to 1080p you will NOT see super HD.

Please be aware that some Super HD eligable Roku devices do not currently display the Super HD logo (http://support.netflix.com/en/node/8731#gsc.tab=0)

Ultra HD 4K streaming through Netflix is available only on specific TV models.