Ask HN: How can Netflix have a bug like this?

2 pointsaaronlifshin5mo ago5 comments

Netflix gets into a state for me where, in every browser on my device, the audio plays, while the picture freezes or goes black. I've tried Firefox, Chrome and Safari.

It is fixed on restarting my Macbook Pro, but changing browsers or clearing all cache and cookies does not fix it.

How is this possible? Doesn't it mean that the whole concept of the browser as a sandbox broken? I assume it is somehow a bug caused by Netflix attempts to manage the number of devices I am watching on.

It's such a baffling bug. Does anyone here have any idea of what else I can reset or clear (without restarting the computer) that might fix it?

It happens pretty much every day, and it's quite annoying to have to restart that often.

5 comments

porridgeraisin5mo ago

That sounds like what happens when DRM doesn't work... Audio playing fine, but widevine telling the GPU to not expose the handle to the display.

Perhaps on macOS some state is shared among all DRM users?

Just my guess. I can't think of anything that lets audio play but causes the video to go black, other than DRM.

anigbrowl5mo ago

It's full of bugs. Try doing searches on the names of actors (famous or otherwise), and ruminate on why it cheerfully hands back films they never acted in or produced.

ipnon5mo ago

Code has become noticeably more buggy in the age of so-called AI layoffs. I see this in MacOS, iOS, YouTube, Safari … everything has more bugs.

AfterHIA5mo ago

It's a feature not a bug. We live in an oligarchy so any attempt to slow/hinder the user in the UI is considered, "desirable."

AfterHIA5mo ago

If you don't believe me ask you bosses bosses!

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

Ask HN: How can Netflix have a bug like this?

2 pointsaaronlifshin5mo ago5 comments

Netflix gets into a state for me where, in every browser on my device, the audio plays, while the picture freezes or goes black. I've tried Firefox, Chrome and Safari.

It is fixed on restarting my Macbook Pro, but changing browsers or clearing all cache and cookies does not fix it.

It's such a baffling bug. Does anyone here have any idea of what else I can reset or clear (without restarting the computer) that might fix it?

It happens pretty much every day, and it's quite annoying to have to restart that often.

5 comments

porridgeraisin5mo ago

That sounds like what happens when DRM doesn't work... Audio playing fine, but widevine telling the GPU to not expose the handle to the display.

Perhaps on macOS some state is shared among all DRM users?

Just my guess. I can't think of anything that lets audio play but causes the video to go black, other than DRM.

anigbrowl5mo ago

It's full of bugs. Try doing searches on the names of actors (famous or otherwise), and ruminate on why it cheerfully hands back films they never acted in or produced.

ipnon5mo ago

Code has become noticeably more buggy in the age of so-called AI layoffs. I see this in MacOS, iOS, YouTube, Safari … everything has more bugs.

AfterHIA5mo ago

It's a feature not a bug. We live in an oligarchy so any attempt to slow/hinder the user in the UI is considered, "desirable."

AfterHIA5mo ago

If you don't believe me ask you bosses bosses!

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse