We went to watch a Netflix movie night before last. A message popped up stating that effective Dec 1st our pretty expensive high end but older TV was going to be moved to the bedroom as a spare. Not in those words of course.Evidently other streaming services will be involved as well. I've seen Roku mentioned when I went to research this. I would imagine FireSticks will be in play as well as others.Time marches on.

While I sure the OP appreciates the responses, this thread is almost 5 years old.

What exactly did the POP UP say.Note that proprietary codecs are a way of increasing company profits (or so the board believes) My Response would be to cancel my account.

Geez... Give us a hint at what you're talking about.What was the message?And also - you don't use Netflix in the bedroom?

We also saw that message on our oldest Sony flatscreen. It said something like:“Starting December 1, this device will no longer be supported by Netflix”. I think there was also a reference to a list of supported devices somewhere. It seemed clear to me that it was referring to the TV itself. I’m not a TV watcher myself, but there are others in the household who are. I’ll leave it up to the boss to handle. :):)

https://devices.netflix.com/en/compatible-devices/

Netflix forces newer TVs | Good Sam Community

dieseltruckdriv
Explorer II
Oct 29, 2019
Campfire Time wrote:
Smart TVs aren't such a smart idea after all. No surprise there. It's the equivalent of a VHS player or DVD built into a TV. Sooner or later it's obsolete. Don't buy a new TV. Buy a Roku and keep your TV where it is. Our TV at home is 11 years old. I only replaced the Roku once due to being too old to support the latest streaming apps, like Netflix.

Same here. I wish I could buy a non smart tv. I just want a tuner and 4-5 HDMI ports. The tv makers don't do a good job of keeping their products updated.
RoyF
Explorer
Oct 29, 2019
Thanks cavie! It was Best Buy.

I still like going to a real store and talking to real people when it comes to this tech stuff.
WVcampground
Explorer
Oct 29, 2019
dieseltruckdriver wrote:
I wish I could buy a non smart tv. I just want a tuner and 4-5 HDMI ports.

Easy, don't setup the wifi / connect to a network. The smart TV is now a dumb TV.
Fizz
Explorer
Oct 29, 2019
At one time the in-laws had a set like this with all the family pictures on top. When the TV blew they popped out the old tube and slipped in a flat screen. Never did look right but the family pics still had a home :)
ksg5000
Explorer
Oct 29, 2019
I had been using an DVD interface device to access Prime/Netflix and got a similar notice a while back saying they would no longer support my DVD ... with a bit of research I discovered that my Internet Provider (Xfinity) already had developed interfaces to both and I just tossed the DVR box and used Xfinity as the interface. Worth a google.
Carl_n_Susan
Nomad II
Oct 29, 2019
I received a letter from Sony saying my Blu-ray would no longer support Netflix. They suggested I buy a Firestick from Amazon. They included a discount code which made the $25 device free. I am happy.
Mickeyfan0805
Explorer
Oct 29, 2019
RoyF wrote:

ps: Oh, the "other gadget" is an Insignia HDMI to RCA Converter.

If this is the issue, it is not at all a surprise. HDMI has been standard in most televisions for well over a decade at this point. Even the public airwaves have been digital for a good 10 years (I want to say 2009?).

RCA cables are analog transmitters, I'm actually surprised you could use them with current streaming services at all.
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Oct 29, 2019
wa8yxm wrote:
My Response would be to cancel my account.

Fight back.
You don't HAVE to march in a direction that you don't like.
jorbill2or
Explorer II
Oct 29, 2019
I believe It’s the hdmi port that it contains isn’t up to the proper codes.. ie it the older port allows the signal to be pirated. I have no idea what the current code is up to 3-4 ? but if the hdmi device doesn’t support the codec it won’t play the content. I think I saw somewhere where older hdmi devices would no longer support new content. The beauty ( for the content providers) of the hdmi input is they can block content on un authorized equipment or as they change codes the older connections can’t.
twodownzero
Explorer
Oct 29, 2019
A Roku will fix your problem in 5 minutes. Every 5 years or so you'll need a new one. It completely replaces the hardware you're concerned about.

A smart tv really is a somewhat stupid idea in the first place. The useful life of a tv exceeds that of internet technology by quite a bit. A "smart tv" really should just be a tv and a Roku.