Netflix HTML5

[JoEw]

It appears the Netflix HTMl5 player only works with Macs on sandy bridge architecture or better, a real bummer, considering that HTML5 plugin on safari streams 1080p no problem:/ anyone know how to go at enabling it? Is it as simple as tricking Safari into thinking I am running on Sandy bridge or better?

 

[leman]

Sandy Bridge is the first architecture to support Intel QuickSync, and I guess that Safari is relying on it to decode the stream. So I doubt that 'tricking the system' will do any good, it will probably result in a kernel panic. I suggest that you submit this as a bug to Apple.

 

[Tyler23]

It appears the Netflix HTMl5 player only works with Macs on sandy bridge architecture or better, a real bummer, considering that HTML5 plugin on safari streams 1080p no problem:/ anyone know how to go at enabling it? Is it as simple as tricking Safari into thinking I am running on Sandy bridge or better?

How do I know if my Mac has Sandy Bridge architecture or better? I have a 2014 edition 13" MacBook Air with Intel Core i5.

Either way, Netflix tells me I need to download QuickSilver, so maybe Netflix hasn't been updated yet? Or something?

 

[Cougarcat]

How do I know if my Mac has Sandy Bridge architecture or better? I have a 2014 edition 13" MacBook Air with Intel Core i5.

Yours is better--you have the latest Air. Sandy Bridge was released in 2011.

 

[STOCK411]

Yours is better--you have the latest Air. Sandy Bridge was released in 2011.

I have an early 2011. Am I good?

 

[w0lf]

I have an early 2011. Am I good?

http://www.everymac.com/mac-identification/index-how-to-identify-my-mac.html

 

[JoEw]

Sandy Bridge is the first architecture to support Intel QuickSync, and I guess that Safari is relying on it to decode the stream. So I doubt that 'tricking the system' will do any good, it will probably result in a kernel panic. I suggest that you submit this as a bug to Apple.

Isn't quicksync designed to speed up on the fly video conversion? I don't see how this would help Netflix deliver 1080p quality, when quality is sacrificed in the transcode of quick sync http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video

I could be fully wrong, but it just doesn't make sense I can stream 1080p html5 video in safari on my late 2009 iMac (the first core i series (architecture: Nehalem) no problem, yet it is not supported for Netflix HTML5 in Yosemite. I did submit a bug to Apple letting them know I can stream 1080p on my iMac right now..

 

[827538]

I'm just glad this is finally happening. I detest having silverlight installed, not too mention it causes my Mac to heat up and rapidly drains the battery.
HTML5 + HEVC is the future. Silverlight/Flash can't die soon enough.

 

[JoEw]

I'm just glad this is finally happening. I detest having silverlight installed, not too mention it causes my Mac to heat up and rapidly drains the battery.
HTML5 + HEVC is the future. Silverlight/Flash can't die soon enough.

It's looking like it won't die if your mac is older than 2011

I know we are only in beta 1, so perhaps more support will come.

 

[leman]

Isn't quicksync designed to speed up on the fly video conversion? I don't see how this would help Netflix deliver 1080p quality, when quality is sacrificed in the transcode of quick sync http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video

QuickSync is just Intel hardware assisted video decoder/encoder. Its what allows you to watch compressed video with barely any CPU utilisation. Apple has long been using QuickSync to decode video. It has nothing to do with Netflix per se, its just that the Netflix content is encoded and has to be decoded somehow. My speculation is that the current Safari decoder for that kind of video does not have a software fallback in case QuickSync is not supported. Or maybe Apple has deliberately disabled it, who knows.

 

[haravikk]

QuickSync is just Intel hardware assisted video decoder/encoder. Its what allows you to watch compressed video with barely any CPU utilisation. Apple has long been using QuickSync to decode video. It has nothing to do with Netflix per se, its just that the Netflix content is encoded and has to be decoded somehow. My speculation is that the current Safari decoder for that kind of video does not have a software fallback in case QuickSync is not supported. Or maybe Apple has deliberately disabled it, who knows.

This. Apple did the same with AirPlay, so even though some machines should be able to encode video for use with AirPlay, they don't get to without QuickSync. Doesn't mean it doesn't suck though, especially when Quicktime should already have all the encoding/decoding support necessary to act as a fallback.

 

[JoEw]

This. Apple did the same with AirPlay, so even though some machines should be able to encode video for use with AirPlay, they don't get to without QuickSync. Doesn't mean it doesn't suck though, especially when Quicktime should already have all the encoding/decoding support necessary to act as a fallback.

I would understand if this were impossible with my current hardware, but I can perfectly stream 1080p full hd videos in safari with no problems or lag in an HTML5 player. If Apple doesn't expand support, I hope someone smart person finds out a workaround.

 

[MikhailT]

I would understand if this were impossible with my current hardware, but I can perfectly stream 1080p full hd videos in safari with no problems or lag in an HTML5 player. If Apple doesn't expand support, I hope someone smart person finds out a workaround.

I somehow doubt someone will quickly find a workaround as the media is encrypted now. Netflix is the among first sites to use DRM with HTML5 and Safari 8 is the first Safari version to support it, your previous experience doesn't count since you weren't dealing with encrypted content.

 

[gmanist1000]

So how is the actual performance of Netflix now that we don't need silverlight?

 

[jlsm511]

So how is the actual performance of Netflix now that we don't need silverlight?

On par with Silverlight, if not better. I'm using a nMP so don't know if it solves the issue of the fans coming on during long movies like it used to on my rMBP.

 

[klamzi]

It's superior to silverlight . Videos are much smoother also run in 1080 at 5800kbp compare to 720p 3000kbp in sl and use like 2 3 x less cpu and don't turn on noise on fan.Testing on mac mini mid2011 i5 2.3ghz.

 

[gmanist1000]

It's superior to silverlight . Videos are much smoother also run in 1080 at 5800kbp compare to 720p 3000kbp in sl and use like 2 3 x less cpu and don't turn on noise on fan.Testing on mac mini mid2011 i5 2.3ghz.

Good to know! Can't wait to try it out.

 

[Sneakz]

Netflix just hangs and beachballs for me in Yosemite, the video will begin to play and then freezes on my rMBP.

 

[TheBuffather]

When watching videos with the Intel QuickSync technology, a la Netflix, disturbing the play of the video in any manner, including swiping to a different desktop and pausing, will hang the video (but not the audio) for 5-10 seconds. Already reported to Apple.

 

[critter13]

other browsers

is this something that chrome will be able to support eventually? hopefully not require QuickSync?

 

[klamzi]

Can someone test on mac pro 2013...

 

[VSMacOne]

Is anybody not able to play Netflix at all on Yosemite? I have Silverlight installed, and have access to Netflix but when I try to play a movie I get an error. Any fixes?

 

[MikhailT]

Is anybody not able to play Netflix at all on Yosemite? I have Silverlight installed, and have access to Netflix but when I try to play a movie I get an error. Any fixes?

No problem here in Safari 8 on Yosemite.

 

[phillies262834]

Is anybody not able to play Netflix at all on Yosemite? I have Silverlight installed, and have access to Netflix but when I try to play a movie I get an error. Any fixes?

This happens to me to. I'm running DP4 on a late 2013 15" rMBP and I get error code S7361-1253 after the video plays for 2 seconds.

 

[ironman159]

I had an error yesterday when using Safari 8. It didn't matter if Silverlight was installed or not, Netflix was unable to play video. It wasn't my internet because Chrome and Firefox were ok. Today I uninstalled Silverlight and tried again and it works now, using HTML5 of course. Maybe it was a temporary glitch in Netflix, you should try again today.