Netflix announced today that subscribers will be able to download select movies and TV shows for offline playback. The feature had been requested by users for a long time, and it’s reportedly been in the works since June. Now, anyone with a Netflix subscription can download movies and TV shows to watch when they’re not connected to the internet.
Sony’s 4K movie service coming to PS4, but 100GB downloads remind us why 4K is a waste. A 100 GB download could take eight to 12 hours to download, and it could also quickly eat up your ISP. Your phone's high-speed data connection. Find out how much data you need below. Download apps, games, and songs. How often do you. 0 GB / month. Watching TV shows or movies on Netflix uses about 1 GB of data per hour for each stream of standard definition video, and up to 3 GB per hour for each stream of HD video. Downloading and streaming consume a similar amount of data.
In the past, the predominant belief was that Netflix offline viewing would be targeted at countries without reliable internet access. However, since that’s not the case anymore, the announcement is already being championed by binge-watchers and frequent travelers. It’s also raised some questions among the tech community. With that in mind, here is everything you need to know about downloading videos from Netflix, and how you can plan to take advantage of this sweet new feature.
Advertisement
You Can Finally Watch Netflix Offline
Netflix is now allowing users to download select movies and TV shows for offline playback, the…
Read more ReadHow to start downloading movies
You can only download Netflix videos using the iOS or Android app. Netflix requires users to have the iOS 8.0 or later and Android 4.4.2 or later, in addition to having the latest version of the app. Downloading videos will consume about as much data as streaming, so if you plan on saving a bunch of videos, we’d recommend connecting to a reliable WiFi connection to prevent any unexpected mobile data charges.
Advertisement
How much storage space you’ll need
The size of downloadable Netflix files depends on how long the video is. For example, one episode of Black Mirror with a running time of 1 hour and 3 minutes is about 280 megabytes in standard definition. The high-definition version of the same episode clocks in at 440 megabytes (about twice the size).
How much storage space you’ll need to binge
Let’s be honest: this new offline viewing feature is cool because it allows you to load up a bunch of content for long trips. Say you’re flying from New York to Los Angeles and want to watch downloaded Netflix videos the whole time. The flight takes about 5 hours and 23 minutes, so you’d need six Black Mirror episodes. That would require 1.86 gigabytes of free space for SD and 2.45 gigabytes for HD. So unless you’re flying outside of the country, you probably won’t need much more than that.
Advertisement
How to get the best quality video
You can choose whether you want standard-definition video—which is faster to download and takes up less space—or high-definition video. In order to keep downloads quick, Netflix sets downloads to standard video (720x480) by default. According to a Netflix spokesperson, HD support will vary by device. It’s worth noting that HD video can take up more space on your hard drive, too. For most users, standard definition will be good enough, especially if you’re watching on a small screen like a phone or tablet.
How to manage the files
Netflix declined to comment on the file type that is saved, and you can’t view it in a file manager app, either. It works similarly to other subscription apps like Spotify. According to a Netflix spokesperson, “The downloads can only be viewed within the Netflix mobile app; they aren’t like videos you download from the internet and store to your device.” It’s safe to say this is a digital rights management (DRM) scheme to protect the copyrights of videos being offered.
Advertisement
How to move files to a desktop or laptop (Spoiler: You can’t)
You must use the Netflix app to download and view saved videos.
How to keep downloads from expiring
Each Netflix download has a different expiration time. Movies and TV shows that expire from your device in less than 7 days will display how much time is left in the “My Downloads” section of the Netflix app. For some movies and shows, offline viewing must be completed within 48 hours of the moment you press play. When you start playing one of these titles, you’ll see how many hours you have left in the “My Downloads” section of the Netflix app.
Advertisement
Customers with Verizon Wireless data devices average between 1 and 2 GB of data per month for each device. Yes, less than 2 GB per device.
During the second quarter of 2013, the average for data usage among all mobile subscribers in the US was 827 MB per person each month, according to Nielsen. That’s not even a whole gigabyte.
Your smartphone and tablet activity can be limitless, but it turns out that you probably don’t actually need unlimited data. With Wi-Fi connectivity on most devices and usage-monitoring tools, you can choose when to use your data allowance and know exactly how much data you’re using each month.
Monitor your data usage
It’s hard to know how much each activity is eating up your data allowance because actual file sizes and download times vary. For a 3G/4G LTE smartphone, a text-only email could be as small as 10 KB. It might take 400 KB to gain Internet access. On the 4G LTE network, audio streaming and standard definition video streaming use 60 MB per hour and 350 MB per hour, respectively.
It’s hard to know how much each activity is eating up your data allowance because actual file sizes and download times vary. For a 3G/4G LTE smartphone, a text-only email could be as small as 10 KB. It might take 400 KB to gain Internet access. On the 4G LTE network, audio streaming and standard definition video streaming use 60 MB per hour and 350 MB per hour, respectively.
When you’re at home, work or a public place, consider connecting to the local Wi-Fi (if available) and do all of your heavy downloading and streaming then. That keeps you from using up your monthly data allowance.
Also, get real-time data usage anytime. Free download game my craft. Quickly view how much data you’ve used in current and previous billing cycles by using the My Verizon mobile app on your device or visiting verizonwireless.com/myverizon in a web browser. Set limits on data use for each of your family members, add a curfew on your teen’s late-night social media browsing and more with Usage Controls.
You can dial #DATA (#3282) and send a text from your device to get a text message detailing your data usage. If you have an Android device, you can use the data usage widget that displays information on your smartphone Home screen. This widget’s available for Android devices with OS version 1.6 and higher.
How much data do you need?
After you’ve viewed your monthly usage information, you might find out that you use more or less data than your plan includes. Change your plan from the My Verizon mobile app or go to verizonwireless.com/myverizon.
After you’ve viewed your monthly usage information, you might find out that you use more or less data than your plan includes. Change your plan from the My Verizon mobile app or go to verizonwireless.com/myverizon.
At the mercy of their captors, they are a twisted life or death call to fight 31 For the next 12 hours, forced to play against an endless parade of fanatical murderers their lives. The visionary spirit of Rob Zombie comes the terrible story of five carnival worker abducted the night before Halloween and held hostage in a large complex. 31 rob zombie movie release date. Starring Sheri Moon Zombie, Malcolm McDowell, Jeff Daniel Phillips and Meg Foster, this new feature to consolidate Zombies creative achievements in the world of cinema.
With a data package, you can check email, browse the web and download games, apps, ringtones and more, but you might not be using as much data as you think. Take advantage of Verizon’s data usage tools to find out how much data you need so that you can pick the right plan for you.