Not a good picture on Windows

Good evening, @KillerPooh. We're sorry about the picture quality on the web browser. The DIRECTV video stream resolution may be limited to comply with certain technical and security parameters that are required of DIRECTV by our content providers. Thank you for your understanding. Rizza, DIRECTV Community Team

TVs have HDCP requirements that monitors and computers tend not to have. So TV to PC may have a handshake issue as the PC wasn't built for that.

Dedicated streaming boxes, and the TV being connected directly to internet (though those built-in apps tend to be sub-standard), comply with HDCP as that is what they are built for. I wouldn't be surprised if after so many years (decades?) if TVs and computer monitors become purely interchangeable, though will probably be dependent on baseline internet being faster, stable, and available to more people nationwide than it is currently (your 5Gbps is very fortunate as people are still in double digit Mbps or even dial-up in some areas, with some no hardline options in their area at all).

Not a guarantee that is the issue, just a reasonable possibility. Also try another browser besides Edge to cover all bases.

Thanks for the info.

As I mentioned in the original post, I get crystal clear quality on the computer with ESPN+.  I am certain that ESPN+ has the same restrictions as DirectTV Stream, so I am thinking the issue is the web site for DirectTV Stream .. I also see crystal clear quality on a relatively new streaming service called Victory+ and also see crystal clear quality on Hulu.

Well ESPN+, DIRECTV STREAM, and Hulu are built/programmed by different companies. So there can be nuanced differences underneath it all. Obviously there is a difference otherwise they would function exactly the same.

If you have an actual computer monitor then you could test it to be sure. Again, only a possibility. Sorry I cannot provide more suggestions in this case other than the more standard troubleshooting.

Yes, the bitrate has been decreased for web browsers. This is being discussed in Reddit.  

Hmm .. if DirectTV Stream artificially reduces the bitrate, that would account for less resolution.  One wouldn't see an issue with baseball or football, as much of the imagery is static except for occasional movement.  I don't watch much basketball on DirectTV Stream but it could easily have the same issues as hockey as there is a fair amount of movement in that sport, although less than hockey.

Same issue here watching sports (mostly basketball right now) on DTV Stream and a 32" monitor on my pc.  I just recently noticed this; it used to stream crystal clear but the past few weeks it's so bad it is almost unwatchable.  Only Direct TV Stream has the problem, so after finding this post I'm certain the problem is on their end.  

I'm having the same issue watching basketball.   The whole frame is a bit fuzzy, but the players look blocky and pixelated when the whole floor is on camera and there is movement.

I too have no problems with other streaming services.

But if I understand your post, you are saying that DirectV stream works fine if you bypass the PC.   How are you doing that?

HDCP and content have nothing to do with the problem.   Something is definitely wrong with the stream.    One poster stated that the bitrate was reduced.   That would definitely cause what I am seeing, assuming the bit rate reduction is a result of a change in the compression / decompression algorithm.  

The problem seems to be intentional by DirecTV Stream. There was a claim it is for "technical and security rules by the content providers." That does not make sense. Anyway, I mostly use a TV with a Roku Express 4K+. Good quality on that, and from reports, other streaming devices. 

Thank you Bob.   I completely agree.   DirecTV Cust Serv just posted that it was a compatibility problem.    What a load.   My guess is that they have changed their compression / decompression coding to reduce total bit volume.  You can get away with that as long as there is little movement in the picture from frame to frame.   But, it looks blocky and fuzzy when used on fast moving images like sports.

Just to make sure, I recorded a game last night while watching it live.  It was blurry live, it's blurry in the recording.  Then I opened the ESPN app and watched the same game from the "On Demand" section, and it's crystal clear HD quality.  

The problem ain't on our end, folks.

Then I opened the ESPN app and watched the same game from the "On Demand" section, and it's crystal clear HD quality.  

The On Demand section contains recordings where ESPN has been able to run multi-pass compression.  It's not a fair comparison.  What does the ESPN app look like on a live game?

I will let you know for sure in about 30 minutes when the first live game is available.  But considering I've never noticed any issue watching games live with their app, I expect it's going to look pretty good.  We'll see.

The On Demand section contains recordings where ESPN has been able to run multi-pass compression.  It's not a fair comparison.  What does the ESPN app look like on a live game?

Nobody cares about the technical details.   DirectV needs to use compression that is suitable for the content.   Fix the (Edited per community guidelines) problem or lose customers.