Netflix has said that come December this year, some older Samsung and Vizio smart TVs from the 2010/2011 era will stop working with Netflix, due to technical limitations. This is to be expected, as devices – especially ones that rely on the internet, cannot be supported for ever.
Netflix notified customers a few weeks ago – and today, they have provided some more information as to why it won’t work.
What do I do now?
It’s not all bad news, just because Netflix isn’t supported on the TVs native software anymore, doesn’t mean you need to rush out and get a new TV. Devices like the new Amazon Fire TV stick cost less than £50, will be supported for years to come and work with Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Apple TV+ and much more.
In August, Netflix spoke to Engadget regarding the issue
“On December 2nd, Netflix will no longer be supported on a small number of older devices due to technical limitations. We’ve notified all impacted members with more information about alternative devices we support so they can keep enjoying Netflix uninterrupted.”
What devices are affected?
Samsung smart TVs from 2010 and 2011 will be affected, and also some Vizio Smart TVs and Vizio Internet Apps.
Also, some older Roku devices too: Roku SD (N1050), Roku HD-XR (N1101), Roku HD (N1100, 2000C) and Roku XD (2050X, 2050N, 2100X, 2100N)
Why won’t my device work with Netflix anymore?
This initial news came about a few weeks ago – and today a Netflix spokesperson spoke to Gizmodo today who said that the main issue is to do with DRM, specifically Windows Media DRM, a service which has since been replaced with Microsoft PlayReady. Come December 2nd, the devices which use the older Windows Media DRM will no longer work.
The initial error was blamed on “technical limitations” with a rather generic message, which was quite vague.
