Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs • Hacker News Board

Re: Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs

#111

Post by sphars » Mon, Dec 01, 2025, 5:20 PM UTC

Razengan wrote: post #93

NickC25 wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not about paying them $100. They aren't dumb. They've realized that a large section of people will not bother, and aren't capable of sailing the high seas. Hostile behaviors won't change until it hits their bottom line, and because they are an extremely profitable company, it won't happen for a very long time.

Maybe the buccaneers need to up their marketing. Whatever happened to the media players that had built-in torrent searching and streaming?

You mean like PopcornTime? I think it's still around in various capacities and different forks

Re: Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs

#112

Post by MaxBarraclough » Mon, Dec 01, 2025, 5:20 PM UTC

turnsout wrote: post #26

This only strengthens my decision to invest in 4K Blu-ray. We're fully in the enshittification stage of streaming TV.

Some Blu-Rays have major spoilers in their menu animations, and some have unskippable ads, some of which may contain major spoilers. [0] It's also a criminal offence to create a backup, thanks to the DMCA.

On the plus side, all UHD Blu-Rays are free of region-locking.

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26211740

Re: Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs

#113

Post by jlengrand » Mon, Dec 01, 2025, 5:22 PM UTC

Rebelgecko wrote: post #105

A big part of why marketplaces like Netflix and Steam got so popular is because they provided a low-friction way to consume that was even easier than piracy. It seems like the pendulum is starting to swing in the other direction now- it's often easier to copyright infringe than to watch something the legit way, even if you pay for a subscription that grants you access. Great example of something that's illegal but no…

Between this, the ads on paid plans, and the fragmentation of catalogues, we've come full circle.

Re: Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs

#114

Post by sphars » Mon, Dec 01, 2025, 5:23 PM UTC

nerdjon wrote: post #77

Netflix seems to basically do everything in their power to own the experience of using Netflix as much as possible, short of making a device and OS themselves. This and refusing to work with the Apple TV app are the 2 big examples that come to mind but there are likely others. I am not really sure what this solves though since you would still be using their app. Them refusing to work with the Apple TV app was one of…

> Netflix seems to basically do everything in their power to own the experience of using Netflix as much as possible, short of making a device and OS themselves.

I'm suddenly feeling that the next step for Netflix is making a dedicated streaming hardware device solely for Netflix. Subsidized by ads of course. Like the reverse of Roku.

Re: Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs

#115

Post by everdrive » Mon, Dec 01, 2025, 5:24 PM UTC

We hook a laptop to our TV. This approach has never once disappointed us. No one has (or really can) come and sweep the rug out from under our feet.

Re: Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs

#116

Post by cortesoft » Mon, Dec 01, 2025, 5:26 PM UTC

nerdjon wrote: post #96

triceratops wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Them refusing to work with the Apple TV app Not that I think Netflix is being anything other than shitty here. But Apple TV is equally egregious in not supporting Chromecast.

(Admittedly this is where Apple's naming on the Apple TV has been really bad). In this particular situation I am referring to the Apple TV App not the OS or Hardware. The ability to find shows and movies to watch across all (except netflix) of your streaming services. According to the article they dropped support for Airplay a while ago.

Why would the Apple TV app play other streaming services? I know the Amazon Prime app supports some partner streaming services, but I don’t know of any other streamer that plays its competitors videos in their app? Every service requires using their app and only plays its own videos in that app.

Re: Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs

#117

Post by listenallyall » Mon, Dec 01, 2025, 5:26 PM UTC

fireflash38 wrote: post #37

lunias wrote: post #22

I don't understand Netflix's decision, but I'm long past caring about things like this. I've had PCs hooked up to all of my televisions for the past 15+ years because of how limiting and frustrating using any other device to play media from can be.

That's also rather shit, unless you're using a prescribed browser and operating system. We've rebuilt cable boxes, but somehow they're even shittier than before.

Always assuming every single thing can be improved - and expecting huge corporate entities to do it - seems like a recipe for failed expectations.

Cable TV wasn't perfect, of course, but it was pretty damn good, especially in allowing everybody to have access to just about every show that was produced.

That the "replacement" model is disappointing and a worse experience, really shouldn't come as a surprise.

Re: Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs

#118

Post by wrxd » Mon, Dec 01, 2025, 5:27 PM UTC

> However, even on these legacy devices, casting only remains for those on costlier ad-free plans, but it is unavailable for subscribers on Netflix's ad-supported plan.

If I were a subscriber this move wouldn't make me switch to a costlier plan, I'd rather unsubscribe entirely

Re: Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs

#119

Post by WorldPeas » Mon, Dec 01, 2025, 5:27 PM UTC

Rebelgecko wrote: post #105

A big part of why marketplaces like Netflix and Steam got so popular is because they provided a low-friction way to consume that was even easier than piracy. It seems like the pendulum is starting to swing in the other direction now- it's often easier to copyright infringe than to watch something the legit way, even if you pay for a subscription that grants you access. Great example of something that's illegal but no…

the difference of course being that valve /has/ to keep their customers happy because their average user is savvy at least with browsing the internet, the same can't be said of streaming consumers, many whom I know are emigres from the now-decaying cable infrastructure. Netflix knows this and squeezes their customer base, and while I would like to assume the altruism of Steam, whether by their own design or the will of the public, a solution with friction that low is all that works with that target market.

Re: Netflix kills casting from its mobile app to most modern TVs

#120

Post by jspann » Mon, Dec 01, 2025, 5:36 PM UTC

throw7 wrote: post #88

Chromecast is a dead product. Google killed it, but I think in this case it was when they lost a patent case in good ole Texas. I have several chromecast devices and have no interest in the replacement, google tv streamer. "... the decision was made to improve the customer experience." Of course that's a lie, but it is ironic, as the reason why chromecast was initially conceived was that TV UX is horrible.

What was the Texas patent case?