Instant compatability error

[Kenneth Clymer]

I have been using netflix desktop and I've been getting the following error (at increasing frequency)

Instant Watching System Compatability:

-Windows
   -Windows Vista or Windows 7
   -Internet explorer 8 or higher; or the latest version of firefox; or the latest version of chrome
  - 1.2 Ghz Processor
  - 512 MB ram

-Mac
  An intel based mac with OS 10.4.11 or later
  Safari 4 or higher; or the latest version of firefox; or the latest version of chrome
  1GB of Ram

-Chrome OS
 A chromebook or chromebox running Chrome OS 29 or higher

I have pipelight installed and I have already attempted with the linux version of firefox with a user agent switcher active. Somehow netflix is actively looking through the switcher and showing this stupid message. Then I installed the Netflix Desktop version running the windows version of firefox AND silverlight. Once again I get the above stupid message. I then tried Chromium using an user agent switcher. That's effective but now I have a new problem. Netflix will not allow me to proceed without upgrading to silverlight 5.1 (I was told that only version 5.0 works). So, no matter which way I go, this stupid message appears or I have another problem. I've already called Netflix up and cussed them out for having the audacity to tell me what OS I need to run on my computer, but I get the feeling I'm tilting at windmills. How do I fix this so I can use microsoft's second rate technology to watch my movies?

[Erich E. Hoover (ehoover)]

This is very odd, particularly if you are using Netflix Desktop then all of the appropriate user agent settings should be configured for your automatically. You actually can use Silverlight 5.1 with Netflix, it's just some other services that have a problem with it. Have you tried wiping the profile directory (rm -Rf ${HOME}/.wine-browser)? That resets everything and, hopefully, will get your system back on track.

[Kenneth Clymer (clymer79)]

Hello Mr. Hoover. Thanks for taking the time to look at this personally. I reset the browser using the command you gave me and restarted. Wine then goes through the reconfiguration procedure. I then went back to netflix and it still did it again. I gave up in frustration last night and I logged in again and it worked. it's extremely random. Somehow Netflix is seeing right through the browser and detecting a non-corporate approved OS. I've already called Netflix to complain explaining that someone else has already done their job for them, and they have absolutely no right to tell me which OS I run on my computer as they're one step away from telling me which brand of computer to buy. Anyway I'm digressing a bit.

  I did install pipelight and i have the UA control set up to show netflix the windows version of firefox. Once again the error manifests itself completely random Sometimes it works with no problems, sometimes Netflix sees through the UA control and shows the error.

Update on Chromium. I did try to update silverlight 5.0 to 5.1. Guess what? If i'm using the UA switcher to show windows chrome, it insists that I go to the windows store and get the plugin for windows 8!!! I hate microsoft. So it looks like I need to stick with firefox.

One disclaimer. I am accessing Netflix from outside the United States using a VPN. Would that in some way effect whether netflix detects the wrong OS. I'm using Soft Ether VPN. Perhaps some of the host servers are running a non-Windows/non-Mac OS and it's picking up the VPN's OS. When I logged in this morning, I did use a different VPN gateway.

[Erich E. Hoover (ehoover)]

Hi Kenneth, sorry for the delayed reply - have you tried running the pipelight diagnostic page ( http://fds-team.de/pipelight/ )? This page should be able to tell you whether something is wrong, as it should use roughly the same checks as Netflix.