--- title: "Complaining about Bitrate Enshittification" date: 2024-08-03T23:51:41+02:00 draft: true tags: Rant --- If you are anything like me, you might have - Not utilizing modern TVs ## The obsession with resolution ## The highest possible bitrate - Regular fps ## The end of physical media - Research ## The streaming dilemma Sometimes the truth hurts. Video streaming services are correct in their ways of reducing bitrate. Serving millions of customers - Actually research why bitrates are low - Quality of downloads any different? ## The Solution: Cancel On-Demand Streaming But there is actually a way to achive better bitrates when watching "streamed" video content: Local Caching. Instead of full on-demand streaming, transmitting whole movies and shows from their servers to your screen, you can preload your desired content outside of peak times over an entire day. The internet package size can even remain the same, but since you are downloading over lets say 20 hours, instead of just 2, you can increase the bitrate literally by a whole magnitute (10 times better bitrate). Of course, this means you streaming device (e.g. television, streaming stick/box) must have considerable amount of storage to store all the pre-loaded data. And even worse, YOU need to know what you want to watch a day in advance. I understand that many are not willing to trade bitrate over convenience. But storing content on device for offline use is already a thing. And being able to download higher bitrate versions for watching that new blockbuster movie, or to fully utilize your new 4K OLED HDR every once in a while should most definitely be an option. ## Where it will lead us - Enshittification The human racing has past its peak in video quality.