Image viewing looks bad via 3G, but great with WIFI. Update: Sporadic issue and not just Razr

[rushmore]

I notice that using apps like Stumbleupon or Dolphin HD browser has a HUGE difference in quality, depending on the network method viewed.

If I use 3G, the images are slightly blocky and noisy, but when using WIFI, they look outstanding. I noticed this also looking at web stored photos.

Either VZW is cheating with their network and compressing images to a set method, or the Razr has a big bug. My guess is the former.... I guess.

Not tried 4G to see if same result, but have noticed this for a few days and wanted to make sure before positing. Not been near 4G in the past few days to see if 4G is the same result, but images look bad via 3G, compared to WIFI.


Added:

I was being nice, since images look like crap via 3G. I have tried a bunch of apps with same result. Somethin' be goin' on here.

 

[FragDroidX]

Can you link to a specific image so I can compare apples to apples? I will test, 3G, 4G, and Wifi.

 

[rushmore]

Any of these show it: Art of Fantasy - Categories List

3G = Blocky/noisy
Wifi = Sharp

I have tested with any app I have that can view images on line. Same result.

Example: Click the mermaid (third row, fourth column) and then the image at the bottom row, middle image "Clownfish Kiss".

Same results with any image I test, any site and own web pics. At first I thought my display was going bad, but turns out it has to do with the connection being used.

 

[FragDroidX]

I can confirm your results. When using 3G images seem compressed and had some artifacts. When using 4G or Wifi images were crisp and clear. I also expanded a bit and tested on a Rezound, Xoom, and Galaxy Nexus. Same results. It appears Verizon may be compressing things to help 3G move a bit quicker. When downloading the file and then viewing them, all images were crisp and clear no matter the method used to download.

 

[rushmore]

That is the price of these bigger, nicer displays, since you notice this stuff. Thanks for checking it out to confirm

 

[Szadzik]

VZW probably does that.

Is there nothing like an option on the image to show the full version? I remember my old provider used to do that to images to minimize traffic.

 

[you2]

Naw; the price of using verizon's proxy. Is there not a way to bypass verizon's proxy ?

That is the price of these bigger, nicer displays, since you notice this stuff. Thanks for checking it out to confirm

 

[Szadzik]

Naw; the price of using verizon's proxy. Is there not a way to bypass verizon's proxy ?

Usually providers do not allow you to do that. With data only plans they might offer that with a static IP service, but that would probably cost extra too.

 

[you2]

On sprint phones; there is a setting that allows you to change the proxy. It is one of those # settings but commonly used (i saw it in both the epic 4g and photon forumns here as well as xda).
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Anyways I just tested this with xscope and saw no difference in the image. It took a bit longer with 3g for the image to fully load but the actual image looked the same and when I saved the images the exact same file was saved....
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so either xscope is diffrent than your browser; perhaps you didn't allow the image to fully load or something else weird is happening.

The test image I used (in case that matters) was:
http://art-of-fantasy.org/pics/details/723.html

also tried it with
http://art-of-fantasy.org/pics/details/383.html
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again coudl see no difference.

Usually providers do not allow you to do that. With data only plans they might offer that with a static IP service, but that would probably cost extra too.

 

[rushmore]

There is a difference and shows up on demo units as well, plus Frag checked multiple devices. Just to name some (on my Razr), used Dolphin, Stumble, Xscope, Skyfire and the stock browser. Same issue. Images are blocky with 3G, but look fine with 4G and WIFI.

As far as waiting for an image to download 100%, that would be a reasonable assumption if using a phone line 28.8K baud connection

I tested multiple sources and images with same results. VZW 3G sucks for image viewing.

 

[you2]

Well - I'm saying I tested with xscope and 3g and I did not have this issue. Can't expand further; but after xscope brought up the image; i saved it to see if the files saved would be different; then I switch to wifi and repeated (with non-wifi disabled).
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Could it be the browser is behaving different? As I mentioned I used xscope which is free.
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In case it matters; my bit rate with 3g at the time of the test was somewhere between 700Kb and 1Mb.

There is a difference and shows up on demo units as well, plus Frag checked multiple devices. Just to name some (on my Razr), used Dolphin, Stumble, Xscope, Skyfire and the stock browser. Same issue. Images are blocky with 3G, but look fine with 4G and WIFI.

As far as waiting for an image to download 100%, that would be a reasonable assumption if using a phone line 28.8K baud connection

I tested multiple sources and images with same results. VZW 3G sucks for image viewing.

 

[rushmore]

The images saved are fine, but the way they look on the device using 3G is not.

Same result tested with stock on Nexus and Razr demo.

 

[you2]

Did you test with xscope ? Which browser did you use? I did not try dolphin since the terms did not agree with me.

The images saved are fine, but the way they look on the device using 3G is not.

Same result tested with stock on Nexus and Razr demo.

 

[rushmore]

Yes, as mentioned above, plus FragDroidx tested and confirmed. If you save the image and the open, it looks fine. Ditto for 4g and wifi, when browsing. The problem is when viewing the image with 3g. Tested at lunch today as well and did not matter what app or device- they all looked worse when viewing the image directly with 3g.

 

[you2]

Give xscope a try; as I've said three times now with xscope I did not observe this issue.

Yes, as mentioned above, plus FragDroidx tested and confirmed. If you save the image and the open, it looks fine. Ditto for 4g and wifi, when browsing. The problem is when viewing the image with 3g. Tested at lunch today as well and did not matter what app or device- they all looked worse when viewing the image directly with 3g.

 

[rushmore]

Give xscope a try; as I've said three times now with xscope I did not observe this issue.

I already tested that app as noted above, plus many others, not to mention collaborating follow-up by FradDroidX. Even tested other devices.

If you do not see it fine, but the inferior quality is there when browsing images on the web with 3G, but does not with 4G or wifi. Also does not do it if you save the app in 3G and view with an image app. ONLY when browsing directly with 3G.

 

[you2]

No clue; but I should have mention I saw odd thing with the default browser; just not xscope. Also when saving the image; the default browser had to re-download it. xscope did not.

I already tested that app as noted above, plus many others, not to mention collaborating follow-up by FradDroidX. Even tested other devices.

If you do not see it fine, but the inferior quality is there when browsing images on the web with 3G, but does not with 4G or wifi. Also does not do it if you save the app in 3G and view with an image app. ONLY when browsing directly with 3G.

 

[FragDroidX]

I suspect that geographical location could play a roll as well. A compression algorithm wouldn't be necessary everywhere. Also, I went ahead and tested xscope on the Razr,Rezound and Xoom with the same results as reported previously. Xscope just kept crashing on the Galaxy Nexus for some reason.

 

[rushmore]

Odd I never noticed this until now, but besides a very brief stint with the DX2, this is the first 4.3" phone for me. Ignorance is (was) bliss.

Does not matter what app I use. At least images look great in 4g and wifi, but one drains battery and the other needs a router. That said, not like
I view images much on a phone. This happened because I was stunned how good images look on the Flyer and View, and wanted to compare with my only amoled device. That is how I caught it.

 

[you2]

Yea; I actually had this thought and meant to follow up. I actually started testing by uploading images to a website I own; and then downloading by the phone and still couldn't see the difference. Btw I'm in boston.

I suspect that geographical location could play a roll as well. A compression algorithm wouldn't be necessary everywhere. Also, I went ahead and tested xscope on the Razr,Rezound and Xoom with the same results as reported previously. Xscope just kept crashing on the Galaxy Nexus for some reason.

 

[rushmore]

I have tested enough device and apps to also confirm it is not anomalous to the Razr. With 3G, you can download and then display images fine, but browsing directly with 3G and clicking on the image results in artifacts. You would think the result of either method would be the same.

No such issue with 4G or wifi. Same image quality, regardless.

 

[ne0lyfeism]

Just checked on my Razr by viewing random images (forced my phone to CDMA so I'd be on 3g, have a very strong 4g signal where I work) and on the 3g, using the free xScope browser, the images looked great. I didn't see any of the noise or compression you mentioned.

 

[rushmore]

I think it was a network issue, since it appears to have gone away now and better explains why I never noticed it before. All I know is 3G direct viewing of images (regardless of app) looked bad for a few days and now seem to look normal.

Also correlated with my sudden data issues that others also have reported to have.

 

[FragDroidX]

To add to this, my testing at home I still get the same results. However, I took all my devices to work with me and tested there and 3G images were crystal clear. The difference was at home I rarely crack 500Kbps where at work I rarely go below 1500Kbps. Network at different locations seems to play a roll. I contacted Verizon and they claim no compression is ever introduced so still no solid answer.

 

[you2]

So one thing that is possible is that the browser is timing out the request if it takes too long to load a picture. That would allow it to display a partial image. I forget the details of jpeg format but vaguely I think as more bits are download more details are present.

What you could try is loading gif images; here if you get a partial image it will be a top down scan (I think) so a timeout will result in a partial image rather than less details. This presume it is the browser and not an upstream proxy. Conversely there is a way to change the proxy behavior (I just don't nkow how to do it for verizon)

To add to this, my testing at home I still get the same results. However, I took all my devices to work with me and tested there and 3G images were crystal clear. The difference was at home I rarely crack 500Kbps where at work I rarely go below 1500Kbps. Network at different locations seems to play a roll. I contacted Verizon and they claim no compression is ever introduced so still no solid answer.