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Submitted via IRC for Bytram
Netflix to disappear on older Samsung TVs
Samsung has announced that Netflix will no longer be supported on some of its older smart TVs.
From 1 December, the Netflix app will no longer work on some 2010 and 2011 models due to "technical limitations".
Seven older Roku streaming sticks will also no longer support Netflix from December, Roku told Digital Trends.
Netflix can be watched on smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming media players and video consoles. Users can check if their devices are compatible here.
Samsung wrote on its support page: "Due to technical limitations, Netflix will no longer be supported on 2010 and 2011 TVs beginning on 1 December 2019.
"If you have one of the affected models, you may see a message on your TV indicating that Netflix will no longer be available on this device. You'll still be able to watch Netflix on your TV by connecting another device with Netflix on it."
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Zinho on Friday November 08 2019, @02:07PM (8 children)
I had that happen to a Samsung DVD player of mine a while back. The Netflix icon was still present on the menu of installed apps, but no longer functioned.
At the end of a two hour phone call to their support service, I finally talked to a manager who confirmed that: 1) the latest Samsung firmware update did break Netflix, 2) it would not be restored on this model in future updates, 3) I could not roll back to a past firmware revision, 4) I had no recourse from Samsung since the device was no longer under warranty, and 5) I should go buy a Roku or something to get my Netflix back. I instead replaced it with another DVD player from a competitor.
For me, this was the same level of rudeness to a customer as Sony pulling the option to run Other OS [wikipedia.org] on the Playstation 3. It looks like I was right to add Samsung to my electronics manufacturer blacklist, since they appear to be making of habit of removing features as an EOL strategy for their devices.
Advice for Samsung customers: turn off automatic updates to firmware, and refuse to install updates when they become available. Unless you know the update fixes something that is broken FOR YOU, you're better off not installing Samsung's new firmware revisions.
"Space Exploration is not endless circles in low earth orbit." -Buzz Aldrin
(Score: 3, Informative) by EEMac on Friday November 08 2019, @03:23PM (7 children)
I applaud your stance on this. If it's not connected to the internet, DON'T UPDATE IT unless there's some critical fix or feature you need.
Everyone has their stories. For me, it was:
Apple iPhone 4S: iOS update made it horribly slow and couldn't be uninstalled.
Kindle Touch: update removed the ability to load web pages from storage.
Kindle Voyage: update would have removed the progress bars from the book list. Sorry, I like to see how long books are and how much I've read.
Windows: Windows 7 had a good UI and worked pretty well. Windows 10 brings some nice new features, but updates keep fixing and breaking different things.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 08 2019, @03:39PM
That is my strategy with all non-free software and it has worked well.
Interesting that you mention the iPhone 4s. I updated to a version of ios 5 that had a jailbreak, then never updated again. I am using it right now and it is very responsive and usable. Only spy site javashit would run the browser out of memory, but a hosts file fixed that.
(Score: 4, Funny) by choose another one on Friday November 08 2019, @04:10PM (5 children)
Dead right - if these TVs weren't connected to the internet the Netflix on them would still be exactly as functional as the day they were born...
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday November 08 2019, @05:05PM (4 children)
And just how are people going to watch Netflix without an internet connection, Einstein?
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday November 08 2019, @07:12PM
The internet is not available in your area. To be notified when the internet becomes available in your area, please enter your email address here.
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 2) by maxwell demon on Friday November 08 2019, @08:31PM
By renting DVDs or BluRays from them, of course.
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 2) by Osamabobama on Friday November 08 2019, @09:16PM
Obvious joke is obvious.
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 08 2019, @11:26PM
Lern to reed, dipshit. He never said anything about watching Netflix, just that Netflix app would be exactly the same as the day the hardware was purchased if the device was never connected to the internet.