Netlfix's "cleanup" effort continues. As of December 1, the video streaming platform's app won't work on dozens of TVs. Here's which ones
After Samsung smart TVs, now even more devices are about to lose Netflix compatibility: these are some Vizio smart TVs and all first-generation Roku boxes. On all these devices Netflix will no longer work from Sunday, December 1.
Last week, owners of Samsung smart TVs manufactured between 2011 and 2012, with the letters "C" or "D" in the model code, had received the message announcing the end of compatibility with the streaming content service. Also last week, similar news had circulated about the Roku 2000C, Roku 2050X, Roku 2100X, Roku HD, Roku SD, Roku XD and Roku XR boxes. Many had wondered why this sudden, and even predicted, incompatibility and now Netflix has given the official answer: it's all a matter of DRM rights management.
Netflix: incompatible devices from December 1
The list of devices that will lose compatibility with Netflix on December 1 is not yet final, because other devices could be added in the next few days. But it's already quite long, to the displeasure of many users. As mentioned, all Smart TVs manufactured by Samsung at the turn of 2011 and 2012 with the letters "C" or "D" after the number indicating the screen size in inches are on the list. So too are Vizio smart TVs sold up to 2015 (which, by the way, according to many reports are not compatible with Disney+ either) and older Roku boxes (those sold up to mid-2011).
Why some devices are no longer compatible with Netflix
As we had already speculated in recent days, the reason why these devices will no longer be compatible with Netflix lies in the method of DRM rights management. All the old devices in the list, in fact, use Windows Media DRM to manage the rights to display content, while Netflix since 2010, uses the new Windows PlayReady.
Since there is no way to update those devices to the new DRM management system, explains Netflix, it is impossible to make them compatible with the service. Netflix, in effect, has clamped down on the broadcast rights of its content and has decided to no longer support devices that don't provide compatibility with the latest DRM systems.
How to watch Netflix on non-compatible devices
Owners of the devices that will no longer be compatible are left with only two options to continue watching Netflix: the first is to buy a new smart TV (all recent ones have no problem handling DRM), or channel the Netflix signal to the device they already have via Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Sony PlayStation 3 and 4, a recent Roku or Google Chromecast.